can handle it for a while."
She wanted to argue with him, but he was right. Her muscles screamed for a break. Her legs were cramped and aching.
Grateful for the reprieve, she aimed a look over her shoulder in TJ's direction. Francesca glared back defiantly.
Del was shocked by the hostility in the woman's eyes.
She shuddered.
If looks could kill…
The Nahanni wrapped around each canoe like an invisible force, sucking them downriver, and Del trembled as the murky water formed larger boils and the current grew stronger.
"We're nearing Virginia Falls," Hawk shouted. "We have to put off shore. So we don't get caught in the current."
As they paddled closer to the left bank, Del heard the pounding crescendo of the falls. The sound intensified as they drew closer.
"We're not going over them, right?" Gary hollered nervously.
"Not unless you really want to," Hawk laughed. "Virginia Falls is twice as high as Niagara Falls. I'm pretty sure we wouldn't survive the drop. If you all check out that rock over there, that's Mason's Rock. It splits the falls into two. When we're on the other side, you'll see it in all its glory."
Mason's Rock.
The river circled the rock, the foamy water crashing down and swirling around its base. The monstrous, towering, jagged spire was enveloped in a strange, ghostly mist. Even stranger was the cluster of trees that sprouted from its tip.
Del forgot all about her pain, spellbound by the sight.
When the canoes safely reached the shore, she felt a weak humming wrack her body. She unfolded her stiff legs and stood shakily.
A wave of dizziness assaulted her.
"Crap!" she whispered.
There was no denying it. Her MS was definitely taking a turn for the worse.
While the others cleaned up after dinner, Del gathered Hawk and Jake around the journal.
She pointed to a short wiggly line. "Another river?"
Hawk pulled a folded map from his river bag. Laying the map beside Schroeder's journal, he traced the path of the Nahanni and compared it to the line drawing.
"It's not the Nahanni River. Sorry."
He folded the map, then leaned down to put it back in his bag.
Del nudged Jake, indicating a v-shaped object on the previous page. "I think we have to find this tree first."
"It looks more like a valley."
"My friend, Lisa, thinks it's a tree," she said sharply.
Jake shook his head. "The sides are steep, maybe covered in grass. It's a valley."
"It's a tree, Jake! This is the trunk and two branches, or maybe a split trunk."
Hawk raised his head abruptly. "She's right, Jake. It's a tree."
Del sent Jake a triumphant smile.
"It's off the main portage," Hawk added. "The one to the bottom of the river. Unless you veered off the path, you'd never know the tree existed. It's a bit of a hike in."
"Maybe we should leave the canoes here and check it out," Jake suggested. "It's only after seven."
To Del's surprise, Hawk agreed.
"Sure. There's over three hours of daylight left. If everyone packs extra food, matches and water in their day bags, we can carry some of the gear and camp there. We'll take two tents, one for the guys and one for the ladies."
Del left them to discuss the plans while she went to find her day bag. Opening it, she grabbed a plastic container. She emptied an assortment of pills into her palm, most of which she hadn't touched in over a year. A year of remission.
Of all the worst times to have an exacerbation.
She gritted her teeth.
Mind over matter. You've gotta get a grip on this, Del.
Francesca interrupted her thoughts.
"Here," the woman said, holding out a granola bar and a mug of water. "You didn't eat much."
Del was surprised. A peace offering?
She popped the handful of pills into her mouth and chased them down with a long drink of water, ignoring Francesca's curious stare.
The woman cleared her throat apprehensively. "I wanted to apologize. I know Jake and I are over but it's hard to see him with another woman."
Del was floored. "He's not with me!"
Francesca shuffled
She wanted to argue with him, but he was right. Her muscles screamed for a break. Her legs were cramped and aching.
Grateful for the reprieve, she aimed a look over her shoulder in TJ's direction. Francesca glared back defiantly.
Del was shocked by the hostility in the woman's eyes.
She shuddered.
If looks could kill…
The Nahanni wrapped around each canoe like an invisible force, sucking them downriver, and Del trembled as the murky water formed larger boils and the current grew stronger.
"We're nearing Virginia Falls," Hawk shouted. "We have to put off shore. So we don't get caught in the current."
As they paddled closer to the left bank, Del heard the pounding crescendo of the falls. The sound intensified as they drew closer.
"We're not going over them, right?" Gary hollered nervously.
"Not unless you really want to," Hawk laughed. "Virginia Falls is twice as high as Niagara Falls. I'm pretty sure we wouldn't survive the drop. If you all check out that rock over there, that's Mason's Rock. It splits the falls into two. When we're on the other side, you'll see it in all its glory."
Mason's Rock.
The river circled the rock, the foamy water crashing down and swirling around its base. The monstrous, towering, jagged spire was enveloped in a strange, ghostly mist. Even stranger was the cluster of trees that sprouted from its tip.
Del forgot all about her pain, spellbound by the sight.
When the canoes safely reached the shore, she felt a weak humming wrack her body. She unfolded her stiff legs and stood shakily.
A wave of dizziness assaulted her.
"Crap!" she whispered.
There was no denying it. Her MS was definitely taking a turn for the worse.
While the others cleaned up after dinner, Del gathered Hawk and Jake around the journal.
She pointed to a short wiggly line. "Another river?"
Hawk pulled a folded map from his river bag. Laying the map beside Schroeder's journal, he traced the path of the Nahanni and compared it to the line drawing.
"It's not the Nahanni River. Sorry."
He folded the map, then leaned down to put it back in his bag.
Del nudged Jake, indicating a v-shaped object on the previous page. "I think we have to find this tree first."
"It looks more like a valley."
"My friend, Lisa, thinks it's a tree," she said sharply.
Jake shook his head. "The sides are steep, maybe covered in grass. It's a valley."
"It's a tree, Jake! This is the trunk and two branches, or maybe a split trunk."
Hawk raised his head abruptly. "She's right, Jake. It's a tree."
Del sent Jake a triumphant smile.
"It's off the main portage," Hawk added. "The one to the bottom of the river. Unless you veered off the path, you'd never know the tree existed. It's a bit of a hike in."
"Maybe we should leave the canoes here and check it out," Jake suggested. "It's only after seven."
To Del's surprise, Hawk agreed.
"Sure. There's over three hours of daylight left. If everyone packs extra food, matches and water in their day bags, we can carry some of the gear and camp there. We'll take two tents, one for the guys and one for the ladies."
Del left them to discuss the plans while she went to find her day bag. Opening it, she grabbed a plastic container. She emptied an assortment of pills into her palm, most of which she hadn't touched in over a year. A year of remission.
Of all the worst times to have an exacerbation.
She gritted her teeth.
Mind over matter. You've gotta get a grip on this, Del.
Francesca interrupted her thoughts.
"Here," the woman said, holding out a granola bar and a mug of water. "You didn't eat much."
Del was surprised. A peace offering?
She popped the handful of pills into her mouth and chased them down with a long drink of water, ignoring Francesca's curious stare.
The woman cleared her throat apprehensively. "I wanted to apologize. I know Jake and I are over but it's hard to see him with another woman."
Del was floored. "He's not with me!"
Francesca shuffled
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