Okefenokee

He led her to a shallow area ledge where she could get wet. He took of his shirt and dove in the clear cool water and swam down deep so she could watch. Then he resurfaced with his long hair soaked and dripping on his face as he brushed it back with his hand smiling.

She watched in amazement. She was only wearing shorts and a tank top so after wading in she dropped down up to her neck, “Ah, that feels so good,” beaming with a broad smile. Then she dunked her head under and when she came up her long dirty blond hair went straight back behind her shoulders and took on a darker hue when wet. She looked amazing and Junior couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

Junior said to her as he was just off the ledge in the deep water treading to stay afloat, “Watch what I am doing with my arms and legs. Do you see how it keeps me afloat. Now you try it and don’t worry I got you.”

She pushed off slightly from the ledge but felt unsure losing her buoyancy. He held her up with his arms and she smiled at him. She was getting the feel of it. When she tired she wrapped her arms around him while he slowly returned her to the ledge with a few breath strokes where she felt her feet touch bottom. “Oh, there’s the bottom again,” she said relieved.

Junior helped her out of the water where they sat on a flat rock formation to dry in the warm sun.

She said, “I have never felt anything so wonderful before,” wondering herself if she meant swimming or swimming with him.

He smiled back at her melting somewhat from the pleasurable experience. They lay back facing the sky. He said, “I had similar wonderful feelings in your town learning to ride a bike and wearing sneakers for the first time.” He paused and then asked,” Is Surfer your real name?”

“No. It’s Sarah.”

Junior, “Sarah, I like that name better. I would love to try one of those skateboards I saw you on.”

“Yeah, the boys gave me that nickname back before I can hardly remember. If you come to town I will teach you to skateboard.”

Junior had been so stressed out since the appearance of the teenagers he let his guard down and relaxed. “That would be great.” His eyes became very heavy and he fell asleep. She sat up slightly looking at him closely without him knowing. When he woke he yawned and looked at her, “So Surfer, I mean Sarah have you an idea how we can fix this mess?”

Surfer said, “Not yet. The real problem is Bart. The rest of us would go if it weren’t for his control over us. We didn’t want to come in the first place.”

“Can’t you all tell him you aren’t going along anymore. I could give you a canoe if you would have them promise to leave us in safety.”

“But you would still have Bart to deal with.”

Junior took after his father especially with no one else to influence him. His Dad would try to get better odds in this fight.“It would be easier for me to deal with one instead of four.”

“Well it would only be three because I’m out now. I will talk to them. Where can I find you if I need to see you?”

“Come,” he said helping her up from the rock. They went down the bluff back to the main trail. “This is about where I met you. That way will take you back to camp,” he pointed. “I will be watching some of the time so just leaving camp on the trail I will come to you. If I don’t, continue all the way to the end of the trail at the marsh and turn right. Look for some large live oaks and call to me.”

She said, “OK, I got it. Wish me luck.” He waved to her as she disappeared along the trail. She felt her carry bag to make sure the revolver was there. She could tell by the weight that it was but reassured herself by feeling it.

At camp Bart was pacing back and forth by the fire and Beach said, “I guess your foot is feeling better.”

“Not really. I can handle the pain and use it but I wouldn’t want to rely on it if I had to walk a far distance or anything. Where is that Surfer girl?”

She appeared at the camp edge,“Are you talking about me?”

Beach, “Hey, you made it back.”

“Never mind that. Did you find him? You were gone long enough,” Bart huffed.

“Yes, he wants us to leave his family alone and agree to leave if you want the canoes back.”

“What? He is just a snot nose kid. He doesn’t tell us what to do.” Beach was standing behind him making a face at Surfer as if what are we going to do with him.

Bart, “Did you tell him I would shoot his father if he doesn’t surrender?”

“Yes, he knows that.”

Bart went into the tent. Surfer whispered to Beach what Junior’s alternate plan was. “Can you convince Yancy?”

“Not a problem, he wants to go back more then I do.”

“You will have to leave the gun so he knows you are serious.”

“What disarm me? Then he could take us prisoner.”

Surfer, “Trust me, he doesn’t want that. He is not carrying any guns. They are worried of catching the evil disease from us. You must trust me on this.”

Beach, “OK.” He wondered about her. She seemed somehow different since she went out to meet with him. He also knew she was concealing a handgun in case of any emergencies.

“So find a way to get Yancy on board and I will find out where the canoe will be and when.”

Beach, “You are coming with us, right?’

“Yes.” She held out her hand expecting the revolver to be placed in it and it was.

Yancy came out of the tent. Bart said to the captives. “Your son is causing real trouble for you.”

Cyndi. “Why won’t you leave us alone and go back to the mainland?”

Bart went to her and leaned in. He whispered in her ear, “Because, I want you. You can save your husband and son if you willingly return with me.”

She turned her head and looked directly in his eyes in disgust but said nothing. She didn’t want Rob to know what he said. Rob looked at her wondering about what was said but thought it best not to antagonize the crazy kid while his hands were tied.

Surfer walked out of camp to see Junior and she was not disappointed. He grabbed her arm and pulled her off the trail only a few minutes from camp. She smiled at him and said, “Bart is the only one still in possession of a gun and as far as I know he doesn’t have any spare bullets. The other boys have agreed to your conditions secretly and as a show of faith,” she handed him Beach’s gun.

“Shouldn’t there be two guns?”

“No, Yancy dropped his in the lake when an alligator approached the canoe.”

Junior smirked but was happy with the news and said, “With those two leaving my world just got a little larger and my odds became better.”

She said, “I have to tell you that Bart has gotten worse and he is threatening your Dad. I am worried for you.”

“Will you stay here when they leave.” he looked into her eyes. He felt she liked him at least a little even with the age difference. They could be the last seven people alive on earth as far as they knew so he had to ask. She was the only woman he ever knew who wasn’t part of his family. She mentioned the others were like family to her so maybe she would see him in a different light.

Surfer, “I like the idea, but for now I am hoping to lure Bart away. I think he will panic when he finds we are all gone and hopefully that will convince him to give up this crazy idea.”

“Makes sense, I hope you are right. One canoe can be found just to the left of the dock in the reeds if you look for it. I am glad I was able to spend some time with you away from the others,” he hugged her and she hugged him back with a worried look. “If you want him to think you were gone I can hide you.”

Surfer, “The others are expecting me. I should get going.”

“Have a safe trip back. I hope you find your way.”

Surfer, “I hope everything works out here for you and your family. Bart has lost his mind.”

She returned to camp with Bart still in the tent and she went to the other boys and updated them. “We should leave right away. The canoe is ready.”

Yancy, “Good. Should we just sneak away while he’s in the tent? It will less be trouble that way.”

Beach grabbed Surfers hand and said, “He’s right, let’s go.” She looked over her shoulder back at the forest knowing that Junior would be watching. They ran down the trail to the dock. Beach and Yancy looked around in the weeds disturbing every biting fly in the area while rubbing against razor sharp blades of grass which left straight line blood trickles on their arms and legs. They began to sweat profusely from the hot humid air while the sun rays magnified the heat causing the minor cuts to sting sharply. Beach found the canoe while swatting the flies buzzing his ears with a loud roar. It still had provisions of food and water.

They lifted the canoe and placed it into the warm dark water. Surfer got in and sat in the middle seat while Yancy took the rear. Beach pulled the canoe out into deeper waters before taking the front seat. They paddled away from the shoreline.

Junior followed them down to the dock area and watched while hidden in the woods as the canoe moved away. He thought about Sarah leaving while he returned to the camp and watched the clearing by the tent from behind a tree. He wasn’t sure what his next move would be. He almost felt like this was a game like he used to play with his Grand Mom using imaginary friends since he didn’t have any real ones. This game was real though with consequences. Bart was playing the game and making the rules. How will those rules change when he finds he is alone now.

In the canoe Surfer said, “Maybe we should have stayed and helped that poor family. You know they never did anything to us until Bart put them in jail for no reason and he tried to stop them leaving to help the father. What I wouldn’t give to have my parents still around.”

Beach, “Bart’s gotten really mean about all this. He was our friend so we should help them by staying out of it.”

Yancy, “That’s right. Maybe they will get him and he never comes back,” his facial expression gave away his real hopes.