the shrub. Both Sara and Jo
laugh like it's the funniest thing they've ever seen. It is kind of funny and I laugh too as I untangle myself from the
shrub.
Jo reaches out to me. “Take my hand, stud.” There's
that sly smile again.
As I grab for Jo's hand, I catch Sara also noticing
Jo's sly smile. She looks like she's about to say something, but
doesn't. Quickly, I say, “Follow me. Let's go this way.” I don't
think either one hears me as I start down the path because now both
are eying each other up like something’s going on. Suddenly there's
tension in the air between the three of us, but no words have been
spoken. I keep walking a little faster.
In the thick fog, even following the path back to
the Old Man is becoming challenging. The shrubs and rocks don't
look the same, but it's the only path. There's a slight breeze from
the north that carries the damp air that gives me a sense of
direction. As I step over a rock I realize Sara is walking by my
side. I'm not sure why, but I pick up the pace a little.
“Don't try and walk away from me, Fisher
Shoemaker.”
I look at her and shrug my shoulders. “What do you
mean? I'm just trying to find our way back to the treasure.”
“Something’s going on. And I bet I'm not going to
like it,” she says as she points to me then Jo who's far enough
back she can't hear us.
“Going on? I'll tell you what's going on. That
cousin of yours has been doing nothing this whole trip but giving
me a hard time. Doesn't matter what I do, she'll find something to
make fun of me.”
“That's not it. There's something else going on; a
girl can sense these things.” Sara stops walking, crosses her arms
and turns back to Jo. “What's going on with you and Fisher?” she
demands.
That same sly smile breaks out across Jo's face.
“Nothin’. I was just curious why y'all are going out. So I had to
see if the Yankee's a good kisser.”
“So you kissed him!” Sara erupts. She spins
around and stares at me with cold eyes. “And you let her!”
Jo interrupts, “He's not too bad, but he could use a
little work. I'd be happy to help you with that.”
Suddenly, out of Sara’s' mouth, comes a yell like a
volcano exploding, and in an instant she charges at Jo. The two hit
the ground with arms and legs flying at each other, both entangled,
as they roll back and forth across the path. In an instant I'm
standing over them trying to grab one or the other, but they're
rolling around too much.
At the top of my lungs, I yell, “Stop it! Stop it
right now!” It's no use, and I think that only encouraged them to
go at each other harder.
Suddenly there's a break in the action and I'm able
to grab Sara around her waist pulling her off of Jo. Luckily she's
small enough I can lift her. For a split second we are standing
there face to face, Sara's hair frees of her ponytail, flying
everywhere, then she squints at me like Clint Eastwood. “And
you...” Before I realize it, with both hands she pops me hard in
the chest knocking me to the ground. Lying on the ground I'm
stunned as I look up at Sara's angry face. She's not done with me;
not by a long shot. Quickly before I even know what's going on
she's on top of me, her knees pressed into my chest. I can't react;
I don't want to react.
“You like kissing her so much, are her lips
something like this!” Into my open mouth she jams a fist full of
dirt. With the back of my hand I wipe some of the dirt off my face.
Surprisingly, that's how I always imagined dirt to taste. She
climbs off, standing above me arms crossed. Slowly, I stand up too.
The three of us stand in a circle, just looking at each other. No
words are spoken. Sara marches off down toward the water, well off
the path, and sits on a rock with her back to us.
“Nice going, Jo,” I say shaking my head and then
turn away from her. I find a large rock closer to the water away
from Sara and also sit down.
What just happened? Everything was going so well, we
have just found the Old
laugh like it's the funniest thing they've ever seen. It is kind of funny and I laugh too as I untangle myself from the
shrub.
Jo reaches out to me. “Take my hand, stud.” There's
that sly smile again.
As I grab for Jo's hand, I catch Sara also noticing
Jo's sly smile. She looks like she's about to say something, but
doesn't. Quickly, I say, “Follow me. Let's go this way.” I don't
think either one hears me as I start down the path because now both
are eying each other up like something’s going on. Suddenly there's
tension in the air between the three of us, but no words have been
spoken. I keep walking a little faster.
In the thick fog, even following the path back to
the Old Man is becoming challenging. The shrubs and rocks don't
look the same, but it's the only path. There's a slight breeze from
the north that carries the damp air that gives me a sense of
direction. As I step over a rock I realize Sara is walking by my
side. I'm not sure why, but I pick up the pace a little.
“Don't try and walk away from me, Fisher
Shoemaker.”
I look at her and shrug my shoulders. “What do you
mean? I'm just trying to find our way back to the treasure.”
“Something’s going on. And I bet I'm not going to
like it,” she says as she points to me then Jo who's far enough
back she can't hear us.
“Going on? I'll tell you what's going on. That
cousin of yours has been doing nothing this whole trip but giving
me a hard time. Doesn't matter what I do, she'll find something to
make fun of me.”
“That's not it. There's something else going on; a
girl can sense these things.” Sara stops walking, crosses her arms
and turns back to Jo. “What's going on with you and Fisher?” she
demands.
That same sly smile breaks out across Jo's face.
“Nothin’. I was just curious why y'all are going out. So I had to
see if the Yankee's a good kisser.”
“So you kissed him!” Sara erupts. She spins
around and stares at me with cold eyes. “And you let her!”
Jo interrupts, “He's not too bad, but he could use a
little work. I'd be happy to help you with that.”
Suddenly, out of Sara’s' mouth, comes a yell like a
volcano exploding, and in an instant she charges at Jo. The two hit
the ground with arms and legs flying at each other, both entangled,
as they roll back and forth across the path. In an instant I'm
standing over them trying to grab one or the other, but they're
rolling around too much.
At the top of my lungs, I yell, “Stop it! Stop it
right now!” It's no use, and I think that only encouraged them to
go at each other harder.
Suddenly there's a break in the action and I'm able
to grab Sara around her waist pulling her off of Jo. Luckily she's
small enough I can lift her. For a split second we are standing
there face to face, Sara's hair frees of her ponytail, flying
everywhere, then she squints at me like Clint Eastwood. “And
you...” Before I realize it, with both hands she pops me hard in
the chest knocking me to the ground. Lying on the ground I'm
stunned as I look up at Sara's angry face. She's not done with me;
not by a long shot. Quickly before I even know what's going on
she's on top of me, her knees pressed into my chest. I can't react;
I don't want to react.
“You like kissing her so much, are her lips
something like this!” Into my open mouth she jams a fist full of
dirt. With the back of my hand I wipe some of the dirt off my face.
Surprisingly, that's how I always imagined dirt to taste. She
climbs off, standing above me arms crossed. Slowly, I stand up too.
The three of us stand in a circle, just looking at each other. No
words are spoken. Sara marches off down toward the water, well off
the path, and sits on a rock with her back to us.
“Nice going, Jo,” I say shaking my head and then
turn away from her. I find a large rock closer to the water away
from Sara and also sit down.
What just happened? Everything was going so well, we
have just found the Old
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