seconds , after which she emitted a shriek of delight, leapt up, wound all four limbs around him and clung like a happy tick. ” “Alley-oop!” Straightening, Devon tucked his arms under her legs. He turned his head until their noses nearly touched. “
“Comfy? “
Another girlish giggle spilled out. “
“I feel silly. “
“No, you feel soft and warm. ” His eyes held hers for a moment, then he gave a jarring bounce and dashed toward the water with Jessica laughing so hard she could barely hang on.
And she laughed for the next two hours.
As they explored the wondrous new world, every insect, every sprouting blade of grass received a share of their attention Jessica had a million questions-about rocks formed by layers of squished mud and foil-thin flakes of pyrite twinkling just beneath the rippled surface to the gray leafed thickets that lined the steep side of the creek bed. With the patience of Job, Devon answered each question the best he could without the slightest trace of irritation. He went so far as to crawl over half-submerged boulders, searching for caddis fly larvae, which he seemed to think were the architectural marvels of the insect world. After soaking one sleeve to the shoulder, he emitted a triumphant shout and held one up in his palm. Jessica took one look at the tweaked antennae protruding from the creature’s sand tube and declared it the most disgusting thing she’d ever seen. Crestfallen, Devon tried to return the little insect to its home beneath the rock, only to slip and fall face first into the icy water. He emerged, stunned and sputtering, while Jessica dropped to the ground and howled with glee. Devon retaliated by positioning his dripping body above her and shaking like a wet sheepdog. When she squealed for mercy, he flopped beside her. They were basking drowsily in the sun, enjoying the soothing babble of the creek when the serenity was shattered by a terrified scream.
Chapter Five.
Devon jolted to his feet. “Did you hear that? “
“Yes. ” Jessica scrambled to her knees and cocked her head, listening.
“I’m not sure where it came from” In less than a heartbeat, a frantic cry for help emanated from a ravine several hundred yards behind them. Jessica stood quickly but Devon was already sprinting toward the sound. She followed with one hand flat atop her head to keep the scarf in place as she ran. After a hundred yards, her lungs were ready to explode and her legs felt like limp noodles. Gasping, she bent over, hands propped on her knees, cursing her depleted stamina. After catching her breath, she stumbled into the ravine and headed toward the group of hikers who were now clumped at the base of a craggy ridge. One man was uncoiling a length of thick rope. Everyone else in the somber crowd, seven men including Devon, stood in a circle staring at their shoes. As Jessica hurried closer, however, she saw the yawning pit in the ground and her heart sank. Praying that no one had fallen in, she came up behind Devon and touched his arm. When he looked over, his grim expression confirmed her worst fears.
“Oh, God, ” she murmured, horrified by the ragged, three-foot opening.
“What is it? ” “Could be a hard-rock test hole or the air shaft from an abandoned mine tunnel. At one time, this whole canyon was littered with them. Most have been filled but every so often someone sees a board poking out of the dirt and finds a new one.
” Jessica saw the fractured remnants of rotten wood strewn around the area and realized that once the protective planks had been buried by surface debris, they’d be an invisible death trap to anyone unfortunate enough to step on one. Apparently that’s exactly what had happened. Her stomach turned at the thought. At that moment, the man carrying the rope muscled through the human circle. Devon guided Jessica backward, allowing him access to the pit. The Rope Man knelt at the opening and lowered the thick cord down into the pit.
“Comfy? “
Another girlish giggle spilled out. “
“I feel silly. “
“No, you feel soft and warm. ” His eyes held hers for a moment, then he gave a jarring bounce and dashed toward the water with Jessica laughing so hard she could barely hang on.
And she laughed for the next two hours.
As they explored the wondrous new world, every insect, every sprouting blade of grass received a share of their attention Jessica had a million questions-about rocks formed by layers of squished mud and foil-thin flakes of pyrite twinkling just beneath the rippled surface to the gray leafed thickets that lined the steep side of the creek bed. With the patience of Job, Devon answered each question the best he could without the slightest trace of irritation. He went so far as to crawl over half-submerged boulders, searching for caddis fly larvae, which he seemed to think were the architectural marvels of the insect world. After soaking one sleeve to the shoulder, he emitted a triumphant shout and held one up in his palm. Jessica took one look at the tweaked antennae protruding from the creature’s sand tube and declared it the most disgusting thing she’d ever seen. Crestfallen, Devon tried to return the little insect to its home beneath the rock, only to slip and fall face first into the icy water. He emerged, stunned and sputtering, while Jessica dropped to the ground and howled with glee. Devon retaliated by positioning his dripping body above her and shaking like a wet sheepdog. When she squealed for mercy, he flopped beside her. They were basking drowsily in the sun, enjoying the soothing babble of the creek when the serenity was shattered by a terrified scream.
Chapter Five.
Devon jolted to his feet. “Did you hear that? “
“Yes. ” Jessica scrambled to her knees and cocked her head, listening.
“I’m not sure where it came from” In less than a heartbeat, a frantic cry for help emanated from a ravine several hundred yards behind them. Jessica stood quickly but Devon was already sprinting toward the sound. She followed with one hand flat atop her head to keep the scarf in place as she ran. After a hundred yards, her lungs were ready to explode and her legs felt like limp noodles. Gasping, she bent over, hands propped on her knees, cursing her depleted stamina. After catching her breath, she stumbled into the ravine and headed toward the group of hikers who were now clumped at the base of a craggy ridge. One man was uncoiling a length of thick rope. Everyone else in the somber crowd, seven men including Devon, stood in a circle staring at their shoes. As Jessica hurried closer, however, she saw the yawning pit in the ground and her heart sank. Praying that no one had fallen in, she came up behind Devon and touched his arm. When he looked over, his grim expression confirmed her worst fears.
“Oh, God, ” she murmured, horrified by the ragged, three-foot opening.
“What is it? ” “Could be a hard-rock test hole or the air shaft from an abandoned mine tunnel. At one time, this whole canyon was littered with them. Most have been filled but every so often someone sees a board poking out of the dirt and finds a new one.
” Jessica saw the fractured remnants of rotten wood strewn around the area and realized that once the protective planks had been buried by surface debris, they’d be an invisible death trap to anyone unfortunate enough to step on one. Apparently that’s exactly what had happened. Her stomach turned at the thought. At that moment, the man carrying the rope muscled through the human circle. Devon guided Jessica backward, allowing him access to the pit. The Rope Man knelt at the opening and lowered the thick cord down into the pit.
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