Everhard's Float Trip

A James Everhard Adventure

By Wayne Wallace

 

Chapter 1 – The Launch...

The bus took all the Hollywood High graduates ten miles upriver, pulling a trailer with the ten canoes behind it. The group would launch their canoes and float down the treacherous Knight's River the ten miles back to their cars. Seemed simple enough. However, Everhard was beginning to regret having agreed to do this. The experts that helped them launch, were saying that the early spring rains had made the river swollen and it was "running hard". He didn't like the idea of being in a situation in which he had little or no control. Daisy had suggested that they not ride together in a canoe, because the stress of a white water rapids ride often strained relationships beyond repair. Everhard agreed to ride in a canoe with Melany and Jana. They were both experienced canoers (is that the right term?) and they suggested that Everhard ride in the middle and basically observe. Everhard was happy to oblige.

Everhard had not seen Melany since high school and he was amazed at how little she had changed. She still had the beautiful, long, straight, black hair that he remembered. It was pulled together in a pony tail behind her head. She had a creamy white complexion and dazzling, blue eyes. In high school, she wore glasses with black, cat's eye frames, but now, she wore very plain, wire rim glasses that gave her a simple, more natural look. She was even more beautiful now that he remembered from that moonlight night on the Hollywood hill. That night, at the foot of the big "W" of the "HOLLYWOOD" sign; so many years ago. Jana was also a beautiful woman, as she had been in high school. To the best of his recollection, she had married a hot shot attorney, so he was careful with his advances in her direction. Daisy was several boats ahead in a canoe with Denny Gagliardo and Tom Manners, all close friends from high school.  As soon as they were underway, and the canoe began to glide rapidly through the water, the two girls in Everhard's canoe stripped off their shirts, revealing the tops of two-piece bathing suits. Everhard relaxed in the canoe and enjoyed the scenery. It was late spring, and all the trees were green and beautiful. The sky was an impossible shade of blue with big, billowy white clouds floating by. The water was clear and cool. Everhard could see fish in the water as they fed on the rocky bottom. The two girls expertly guided the canoe between rocks and fallen tree trunks, as they made their way down the mighty Knight River. Everhard took a deep breath, enjoying the sweet, smog free air that filled his lungs. This was going to be fun after all. He put his fears concerning the swollen river and its "running hard," behind him. He watched the two beautiful women paddling the canoe, It truly was, good to be alive...

 

Chapter 2 - Smoldering shoulders...

Everhard first noticed the soreness when he reached up to massage his sore shoulder. He realized that he had a painful sunburn! "Holy crap!" he said, "I'm burnt to a crisp!" Jana looked at Everhard and began laughing. "You are going to feel that tomorrow James!" she told him. Everhard pulled out a Hawaiian shirt he had stashed away in a canvas bag and put it on gingerly over his medium rare shoulders. "That should help James." Melany laughed. Everhard wondered what he would do about his legs which were already a light pink. "How come you lovely ladies aren't getting lobster red?" he asked staring at the bronze shoulders, legs, flat bellies and backs of the two ladies in the canoe with him. Melany answered, "Because silly, we occasionally get out in the sun!" Everhard noticed a hint of much paler breast that appeared occasionally as she paddled. "I can't help it, if most of my work is done at night," Everhard said. "Oh, I've heard that your BEST work is done at night James," Melany teased. Everhard let the remark go and looked for  omething to cover his slowly baking legs.

Their canoe pulled up next to another canoe. This one was inhabited by Ken Oldman, his occasional golfing buddy, Carol Fontana (her hubby, the Dentist of the stars, had not made the trip) and Donna Vadelle, the promising authoress. Everhard noticed that his old golfing buddy, Ken, had also claimed complete ignorance of how to make a canoe go, and was being chauffeured by the two, nearly topless, lovely ladies. Everhard, at this point, could not possibly imagine why he had ever considered not taking this float trip. He was having this thought and staring at Carol Fontana's lovely golden tan when his old buddy Ken Oldman, reached over and slapped Everhard on the shoulder and said. "Is this a great time or what Jimmy my boy?" Everhard screamed in pain as Oldman slapped his sunburned shoulder. "Oh, sorry old man," Oldman apologized, "Here, have a cool one." He said, snatching a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon out of a net they were dragging through the cool water behind the canoe. Everhard took a church key, punched two holes in the cool can of brew, and promptly poured the refreshing liquid over his shoulders. "Ahhhhhhhhh," Everhard remarked as the beer soaked through his shirt and hit his smoldering shoulders.

 

Chapter 3 - White Water Ahead!

Everhard, now wearing his fedora hat, Hawaiian shirt and Melany's blouse over his baked legs as protection from the murderous sun, grumbled his displeasure and took another swallow of one of the cold beers Ken Oldman had given him. "How much longer?" he asked. Jana laughed and replied, "4 or 5 hours James my dear..." Everhard swore under his breath and opened another Pabst. "But the trip looks like it's going to get more interesting sweetheart," Melany said, "look ahead." Everhard looked ahead and saw the rapid, white water running over the rocks and fallen trees. The water was running so fast through the area directly ahead that he tossed the beer over the side and immediately grabbed the sides of the canoe with both hands. "Jesus, Joseph and Mary", he yelled over the roaring noise of the water, "Can we make it through that?" "Sure we can," Melany yelled back, "We're the next to last boat and no one else has capsized ahead of us yet !"

"That's encouraging," Everhard said to no one in particular. As the canoe entered the white water rapids, the two girls, both experienced oarspersons, expertly kept the craft upright and guided it through the treacherous area, filled with huge boulders and downed trees. Everhard was being thrown from side to side and bounced up and down like an oversized rag doll throughout the ordeal. The six pack of Pabst that was left, flipped over the side and Everhard almost capsized the boat trying to grab it. "Don't rock the boat James!" Jana yelled excitedly. "But," Everhard sputtered, "we lost the beer." "Just be careful not to tip us over, you big oaf," Melany told him. Everhard, braced his feet against the boat's bottom, grabbed both sides of the canoe with a white knuckled grip and tried to sit perfectly still.

The canoe rapids got much rougher and the water ran much faster. The girls amazingly continued to keep the now battered, wooden canoe upright. They could see at least two canoes ahead and apparently, no one had yet capsized.

Everhard continued to hold on for dear life. Jana shot a worried glance at Melany who just nodded her head encouragingly and mouthed the words, "We can do this," to her. No sooner had she uttered the encouraging words, than the front end of the canoe violently wedged itself into a space between two boulders. The three passengers went flying to the front of the canoe as the back end of the canoe flipped forward. An earsplitting

"CRRRRAAAACCCKKKKKKK" was heard as the canoe was twisted by the force of the river and the wooden craft split into two pieces. The three passengers were sent tumbling into the fast flowing, frothy water. They sped through the raging river, bouncing and bumping into and over the branches and boulders at a frightening speed. Everhard grabbed the canvas bag in which he had stowed his belongs and tried to keep his eyes on the two women hurtling down the river, fifteen or twenty feet ahead of him. All any of them could do at this point, was ride out the current and try to keep from being crushed against the boulders or impaled on a broken tree limb...

 

Chapter 4 - "I told you I didn't want to go!"

The three ejected river riders continued to be carried downriver at a frightening speed. Although the wearing of life vests had been recommended by the canoe rental people, it had not been made mandatory, and none of the three were wearing one. Everhard fought to keep his head above water as he bounced off the boulders and tree trunks that were so prominent in the Knight River. He desperately tried to keep his eyes on the girls who were hurtling through the rapids ahead of him.

Suddenly, Everhard was pulled violently under the surface. He had stopped moving forward, he was caught on something and the force of the current was keeping his head under water. He began to panic, his lungs were beginning to burn with the need for air. Everhard fought to free himself from whatever it was that was keeping him from either moving downstream or surfacing. The more he struggled, the greater his need became for air. He realized that his billowy, Hawaiian shirt was caught on a submerged tree branch, and that if he did not get free in a matter of seconds, he would surely drown. The force of the current made it much more difficult for him to move his arms. He clawed desperately at the buttons on the front of the shirt, his lungs, now burned painfully and his brain was screaming for air. At last, his fingers reached the shirt front and he was able to tear the shirt open. The current , that had been his mortal enemy up to this point, ultimately saved his life. Everhard turned his body to the right, and the current simply carried him out of the torn shirt and forced him to the surface. The wonderful rush of cool air filling his oxygen depleted lungs, as his head broke the surface, was a feeling that Everhard would carry in his memory throughout the rest of his life. His elation at being able to breathe again, however, was short lived as he again plummeted down the riverbed, banging into the rocks and trees that occupied the great river. He had lost sight of his two companions and he desperately scanned both banks as best he could as he was carried downstream. As the rushing river made a turn, its rushing waters began to slow. 50 yards ahead, Everhard noticed a figure, someone or something hanging onto a branch. He tried to make his way towards the figure. As he got closer he could see that it was one of the girls. She seemed limp and lifeless and seemed more caught on the branch than holding on to it. Her torso bobbed with the now, less violent current. Her bare, bronze, back was to him and he could not yet tell which girl it was. He prayed that she was still would be alive when he reached her.

 

Chapter 5 - Stranded!

Everhard floated as close to the girl as he could, and then swam to her. He reached her and turned her face towards his. It was Melany, and she was unconscious. She had a nasty abrasion on her forehead, but she was still breathing. Everhard grabbed a floating piece of debris, a piece of the canoe it appeared, and drug Melany to it. Together they floated down the now, much more sedate river, on the piece of wood. Everhard kicked his feet and steered the makeshift raft towards the sandy riverbank. On the bank, he carried Melany to the shade of a tree and lay her there on her back. He noticed for the first time that her top had been ripped away as well, and all she was wearing was a rather tattered swim suit bottom. Everhard looked around for something he could use to cover her exposed breasts, but there was nothing available.

Everhard used the clear river water to clean the abrasion on her forehead and to help revive her. Slowly, Melany regained consciousness. She was a little disoriented at first, and she had a bit of a headache, but aside from that, she seemed unhurt. "Oh James, you're alright. I was so worried." Melany said. She cupped her bare breasts with her hands, a little embarrassed. "I looked for something with which to cover you, but there doesn't seem to be anything," Everhard said, also a little embarrassed. "Where is Jana?" Melany asked, forgetting about her partial nudity and looking out into the river. "I don't know. I got pulled under and lost track of both of you. When I found you, I was so afraid that you were ......" emotion swept over Everhard and he choked on his words. Melany put her arms around the detective.

After the two recovered, they decided that they could follow the river from the bank, downstream and look for Jana. They began walking along the riverbank. Five minutes later, Everhard spotted something familiar and waded into the river. He swam halfway across and grabbed the canvas bag that had once held all of his valuables. It had snagged on a branch. He brought it back to shore and emptied its contents: one zippo lighter and a soggy pack of chesterfields. Everhard winked at Melany and began ripping the bag at its seams. The combination of canvas and rope made a very handy, makeshift bra for Melany. Everhard helped her put it on and tied the ropes together in the back. Melany modeled it and they both laughed. "Thank you James. You're so thoughtful." Melany said, kissing him on the cheek. "It's okay hon. Helps me keep my mind on finding Jana," he replied with a wink. "Here, got a place to keep this?" he said, dropping the lighter down the front of her swim suit bottoms. He discarded the wet pack of smokes as a lost cause, and they continued their trek along the riverbank. The sun had retreated behind thick cloud cover which had moved in from the east. This was a blessing because Everhard's sunburn was beginning to make its presence known again. It looked as though it might begin to rain soon. This part of the river wound through very desolate country, virtually uninhabited and miles from any roads or civilization. They knew that their best bet was to continue following the river. Where was Jana? And where was the canoe that had been behind them? These questions were haunting them. It was beginning to get dark. And the clouds rolling in looked very menacing... Lightning flashed and the low rumble of thunder made them both shiver involuntarily...

 

Chapter 6 - The Search for Jana

Rain began to fall as Everhard and Melany continued their search for Jana. "I just cannot figure out why the canoe behind us didn't pull to the bank and stop. They must have known we were in trouble." Melany said. Where are they?" Everhard had no answers, he was very worried about Jana. " Why couldn't they find her? Could she have been snagged underwater like he

had been? Could the back canoe have picked her up? But if that were the case, where were they now?" All of these thoughts ran through Everhard's mind. The pair had walked three or four miles now, beyond the rapids that had broken up their canoe and still, there was no sign of the rest of the party. Everhard estimated from looking at the western sky, that there could be no more than an hour of daylight left. The rain was falling hard now and he began to fear flash flooding. Everhard looked at Melany and said, "we have to find shelter on higher ground Melany. Somewhere to stay the night." Melany answered, "I know James, but we have to find Jana. Can't we look for just a few more minutes?" "Okay, but we need to get high above this river channel before dark," Everhard warned.

The rain was pouring down now, and seeing anything more than a few feet ahead of them was becoming very difficult. Their bare feet were cut and bleeding from walking for miles on the rocks. As they rounded a bend in the winding river, Melany saw something lying on the bank ahead. "James, look, It's her!" Melany shouted and began running towards the unmoving body, lying in the sand. Everhard was right behind her. Jana was lying on her side in the sand. Her left arm was jutting out at what seemed to be an impossible angle. Everhard gently turned her over and looked at her. "She's unconscious, but she's still breathing". Everhard gently picked her up and lowered her head to the sand and raised her hips and legs as high as he could. When he did this, water ran from her mouth and nose. He put her down and began pushing on her back. More water gushed from her mouth and nose and Jana coughed and ejected more river water. James pinched Jana's nostrils shut and put his mouth over hers. Then he began breathing air into her lungs. "James, what the hell are you doing?" Melany gasped. "Read about this in Colliers," the detective told her, "when all else fails. It's called the breath of life", he told her as he continued blowing air into their friend's mouth. After a few minutes of this bazaar ritual, Jana coughed again, blowing more water out of her lungs and her eyes slowly opened. She looked at Everhard who's lips covered hers and coarsely croaked, "Stop that James, I'm a married woman!" Everhard pulled back and began to laugh with joy. Melany cheered and began dancing around on the sand.

"What happened?" Jana asked. "We had a little mishap with the boat," Everhard told her. "Ouuuucccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhh, Jeeezzzusssss, my arm hurtttttttttsssssssssssssss!" Jana screamed "Jana, your shoulder is out of joint. But I can fix it. You need to grit your teeth, this might hurt a little." Everhard warned her. "Hold on to her waist Melany while I pull her shoulder back in," Everhard instructed. Melany grabbed Jana around the waist. Everhard carefully put his foot in Jana's armpit, grabbed her wrist firmly, and slowly began to pull her arm towards him. Jana screamed in pain, "Hollllllyyyyyyyyyyyy craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappppppppppppppppp," as Everhard pulled and twisted. There was a very loud "POP" as the shoulder popped back into its socket. Jana's eyes rolled up into her head as she fainted. "That was pretty good James. Where'd you learn to do that?" Melany asked. "LAPD basic first aid training," he told her, "pretty routine injury." "We've got to get to higher ground. The river has risen three feet since we've been here!" Everhard picked Jana up and the three stranded river floaters climbed the bank looking for shelter.

About fifty feet above the river bed, they found a small cave in the canyon wall. Everhard carried Jana into the shallow cave and put her down gently on the rock floor. "Will she be alright James?" Melany asked. "Yes, she's just fainted. We should let her sleep. When she comes around, she'll just be a little sore." Everhard looked around inside the cave gathering a substantial pile of dry driftwood and sticks. He placed them in a pile on the floor. Melany gasped and stiffened as Everhard stuck his hand into her swim suit bottoms. She relaxed and laughed nervously as he pulled out the shiny, zippo lighter and began lighting the sticks and dry wood on the floor. "Looks like this is our home for the night lovely lady," Everhard told her, "Might as well make ourselves comfortable." Melany smiled and snuggled up next to Everhard against the wall of the cave. They watched the rain pour down in the darkness outside.

(Some of my readers will be happy to know that Jana was found fully clothed and not once in this chapter were boobs mentioned...LOL)

 

Chapter 7 - Reflection....

Melany ran her hand gently down Everhard's back. His steady breathing indicated that he was fast asleep. She lay there thinking about the last time she had been this close to him. Ten years ago, in the Hollywood Hills. Just two kids making love on a blanket. Her memories of that night night were vivid and sweet. The moon had been full, and her minds eye had recorded every detail of what had taken place. She gently kissed Everhard's sunburned shoulder and he stirred slightly. "No one has ever made love to me like you did that night James. Why did we drift apart?" Melany whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. Melany sighed as a tear glistened on her cheek. "Why James? Why did we just end it after that night?" This was the thought in her mind as sleep and exhaustion from the day overcame her. Everhard listened as Melany's breathing became soft and regular, indicating that she was now sleeping. He thought about her question. He wasn't sure. Perhaps they had moved too fast and he had been frightened by the emotions that he felt for her. He had been afraid that that it really wasn't love, that it was just passion. He didn't want them to end up married and poor with a small child like so many high school kids he had known, resenting each other for what neither of them had achieved in life. That's why he ran from her. Had it been a mistake? They would probably never know. He shifted his weight and tried to go back to sleep. Outside, the rain continued to pour down and the mighty Knight River continued to raise. It was now a full eight feet over flood level.

 

Chapter 8 - Meanwhile.........

At the Angeles Crest Ranger Station, the 24 other members of the float trip excursion were causing such a commotion that Ranger James Marcotte had to shout over their voices. "Quiet down! I can't get information from all of you at one time. How about you Ma'am," he said to Daisy Dakillo, "Can you tell me what happened?" Daisy, fought back tears and began telling the story. "We had 9 canoes. They were in the eighth one. After all of us had gone through the white water rapids, 5 miles into the float, we stopped and gathered to make sure everyone was alright. The rapids were very treacherous. They simply never came through. Their boat never made it though the rapids. We found pieces of their canoe, and James' Hawaiian shirt, it was badly torn." Daisy began to sob. Denny Gagliardo comforted her. The square jawed Ranger thought for a moment and then asked, "Who was in the canoe behind them?" "We were." Steve Warner, the famous movie mogul said, as he made his way through the crowd towards the Ranger. "My wife, Skye and I, and our friend, Emma Grace." "Did you see their boat break up?" the Ranger asked. Skye Brazil answered, "No, we capsized right after entering the rapids, we all held on to the canoe and rode through the rapids hanging on for dear life." "If it hadn't been for the life preservers we were wearing, we'd have surely drowned," Emma Grace added. "They were pretty far ahead of us and we had not seen them for a while when we entered the white water." Steve Warner said. "Well don't just stand there", Boonie Mason scolded the Ranger, "send out a search party!" "No can do ma'am, " the Ranger replied, "The River is beyond flood stage. It would be suicide to put a boat on that river right now!"

The Ranger walked to a map of the river that was mounted on the wall. "So the canoe and its three passengers were last seen right about here. Is that correct?" The Ranger pointed to a bend in the river. "Yes that's where we hit the terrible rapids," Father Phillip Murphy said. Behind him, Sister Terysa crossed herself. "Hey, take a look at this!" Nicholas Hodge remarked, pointing at the map. "There's a small fork in the river that runs west from the rapids. Maybe that's where they went!" "You just might have something there, sir." Ranger Marcotte stated looking closely at the map. The other river riders huddled around the map and stared at the small fork in the river that they had not noticed before. "That part of the river is virtually unexplored and, quite frankly, if they're in that area, they may come up against almost anything." The Ranger said warily. "At least it gives us hope that they may still be alive," Daisy said. "How soon can we get on the river to explore that fork?" "If the rain stops soon, maybe we can start looking by first light tomorrow." The Ranger answered. "It's the best we can do." "Whose stupid idea was this float trip anyway?!" Daisy said angrily. No one answered. Then Daisy remembered that it had been she who had first suggested it.

 

Chapter 9 - Will help come?

Everhard woke with a start. It took him a few seconds to acclimate himself to his cold, damp surroundings. He checked on Jana. She seemed to be awakening. Her eyes opened and she saw Everhard looking down at her. "You looked a lot more handsome in the dream I just had about you Big Boy!" she said to the detective. On impulse, Everhard smoothed his hair and stroked his two day growth of beard. "I probably do look like some sort of forest creature," he said. "How's the shoulder?" Jana moved the shoulder tentatively, "a little sore, and very black and blue, but it still works, thanks to you..." "Tell me about the dream," Everhard teased. "Maybe I will after you fetch me a huge breakfast. Let's see, I'm thinking ham and scrambled eggs with some toast and jam." Jana said. "How about some earthworms and grubs? I think I can locate some of those. "I'm pretty hungry James, but I'm not sure I'll ever be THAT hungry. But tell me, which way is the Ladies Room?" Jana asked. "Try the trees on the right," Everhard joked. Jana left the cave and headed in the direction of the trees to their right. The rain had stopped for the time being, but the sky still looked dark and angry. Everhard knelt down and gently kissed Melany on the forehead. She smiled and stretched, trying to stretch out the soreness of sleeping on a rock floor. "Good morning James." Have you arranged for our rescue yet?" Melany asked sleepily. "Well, I'm sure Sgt. Preston of the Yukon and his trusty dog King are making their way to you as we speak." Everhard said sarcastically. "Hey that's good, I think he's dreamy. My favorite radio hero," Melany sighed. " I'm going to look for something edible before the rain starts again. Jana is powdering her nose." James told her and started walking along the high trail in the canyon.

Below, he could see that the water was very high. The trail they had walked on yesterday was completely underwater and the water, now brown with muddy runoff, was rushing much faster through this part of the river than it had yesterday. He hadn't walked very far before he found a wild blackberry bush covered with plump berries. He knelt and began picking them. Melany and Jana sat at the mouth of the cave looking down at the river, watching for rescuers to arrive in a flotilla of boats . "Where could they be?" Jana asked "they have to be looking for us." "I think the river is too high to put boats on it. It may be a day or two." Melany told her grimly. "Oh My God! My husband will be so worried," Jana said, just now coming to the realization of how her family would take the news of her being missing on the river.

Everhard had picked a large pile of juicy blackberries and had become very adept at avoiding the thorns that protected the fruit, when he heard the rattle. Before he could react, the copperhead struck with lightning speed, burying its fangs deeply in Everhard's right hand. Everhard screamed in pain and fright and flung the snake over the canyon into the muddy river below.

 

Chapter 10 - Jana's Sacrifice....

Jana and Melany heard the scream of pain. They both jumped up and began running toward the sound. When they reached James Everhard, he was just standing in the middle of the trail, staring unbelievingly at his injured hand. "James, what is it?!" Jana asked excitedly. Everhard said nothing but continued to stare at the hand. Melany took his hand and examined it. She found two puncture wounds near his wrist and below his thumb. They were bluish in color and there was some swelling around the fang marks. No blood was visible. "James, is that a snakebite?" Melany asked. Everhard looked up at her and merely nodded. "SNAKE!" Jana screamed and began looking around on the ground franticly, "I am scared absolutely shitless of snakes. Where is it?" "I tossed it into the river," James said. "It's gone." Melany concentrated on the wound. "We need to apply a tourniquet and quickly," she said. She looked around for something to use as a restrictive tourniquet. Seeing nothing, she quickly removed the makeshift bra James had made for her. "Sit down James. I've got to stop the venom's flow." James sat down on the rocky path and Melany began rolling the canvas garment into a tight cylinder of cloth. Then she tied it tightly around his wrist "Jana, find something sharp. Anything I can cut with." Melany ordered. "Okay, but where exactly did James throw that snake?" Jana asked. "It's gone, long gone, now hurry, please." Melany pleaded. Jana scurried down the trail looking for anything potentially sharp.

James looked at Melany and said, "Am I gonna' make it doc?" mimicking a standard line from one of those corny radio westerns. "Relax big boy, I was a girl scout. You have nothing to worry about." Melany replied trying to stay calm. "I used to be in the Boy Scouts," Everhard replied, "but they kicked me out for making Brownies!" Melany mentally applauded Everhard's attempt at light heartedness under the circumstances. "Stay quiet James, any activity just makes your heart pump faster and that's not good." Melany told him. "Then you better find a shirt somewhere sweetheart, because you've got my ticker pumping pretty good." James told her, chuckling. Melany shook her head, "you'll never change, James my love."

Jana returned with a green, long necked, wine bottle. "This washed up on the riverbank. Can we use it?" she asked. "I hope so," Melanie said, taking the bottle by the neck and breaking it on a large stone near the trail. "Hey that was Night Train! A particularly fine vintage that Nick Hodge and I used to enjoy during our high school years. Was there any left in the bottle?" Everhard quipped. "James, you have to be quiet and still, if for no other reason that I am absolutely scared shitless and I need to concentrate!" Melany said sternly. Everhard closed his mouth and his eyes and let Melany do her work.

"Jana, hold his arm still, while I make some incisions". Melany ordered. Everhard opened one eye and said, "Hey, doesn't the assistant have to work topless too?" "James! Melany yelled. He closed his eye again and said no more. Melany took a triangular piece of broken glass and cut a deep cross in the first of the two fang marks. Everhard gritted his teeth, but said nothing. Dark blood oozed from the incision. Quickly Melany cut another, cross type incision through the other fang mark. Blood oozed from both the incisions freely now. Melany began to suck the blood from the wounds into her mouth. The blood had a coppery taste. Melany spat the blood out and continued the ritual. She did this continuously for about a half hour. Then she checked the area around the fang marks. The swelling was gone. All she could do now was hope she had gotten most of the venom out. "We have to keep the tourniquet on, but we must loosen it every fifteen minutes so he won't lose his hand." Melanie told Jana. "We also must find something to use to bandage that hand." Melany stared sternly at Jana. "No", Jana said, "Can't we find something else?" "What would it be Jana?" Melany asked. Reluctantly, Jana reached behind her back, unsnapped and removed her swim suit top. She handed it to Melany who wrapped Everhard's hand tightly with it. Jana looked at Everhard who seemed to be unconscious. "He's going to love this," Jana said. "Maybe," Melany said, "If he ever wakes up."

 

Chapter 11 - "Smoke on the water"

They half carried, half drug the unconscious detective back to the shelter of the cave. He was in a troubled sleep. He murmured incoherent things, and thrashed wildly. Jana felt his forehead, and he was burning with fever. Once, they distinctly heard him murmur the name "Daisy" followed by a wicked grin. Later they heard him whisper the name "Dona". "He is despicable!", Jana said, "He even dreams about women when he's dying." "He'll never change," Melany told her, "Women are what he lives for it seems." They poured cool river water over Everhard's feverish body, trying to cool his fever and they continued to loosen the tourniquet every few minutes so that his hand could get some blood circulation. He didn't seem to be getting any better. The two girls ate the juicy blackberries Everhard had picked as they watched downriver for any sign of rescuers. Everhard continued to incoherently murmur names in his sleep, "Toni", then "Sherry". When he mentioned Melany's name, it brought a smile to her lips. Later, when he murmured the name "Terrye", the girls looked at each other and exclaimed in unison, "Sister Terysa!??, Oh My God!!!! The blackberries only partially satisfied the girl's hunger and they were contemplating going on another food search (Jana had become reluctant to leave the cave again since learning of the presence of snakes) when they heard the faraway sound of a motorized boat motor. "They're looking for us!" Jana shrieked excitedly. "Quick, lets throw some wet leaves on the fire to create a lot of smoke. Maybe they'll see it and pinpoint our location." Melany said. Outside the cave, the girls found some tall plants growing that had thin, serrated leaves. The girls broke off the branches, still wet from all the rain and threw them on the fire. Soon, white smoke billowed from the fire and rose into the sky. "Surely they'll see that!" Jana said. They sat back down in the cave and watched for a boat. The smoke became thick inside the cave and they both coughed and their eyes burned as they watched for any sign of the rescuers.

As they watched upriver, Jana remarked, "Wow....., did you ever realize what an awesome view of the river we have from up here? It's sooooo beautiful." Melany looked at the view through glassy, bloodshot eyes, "Far out!" she said dreamily, using a phrase that was 25 years ahead of its time. "Look at all those trees....." They thought about what she had said for a moment and then...both girls cracked up laughing......"Jeeezussss, am I hungry," Jana moaned, "You know what I'd love to have?" she asked dreamily, "a bag of chocolate chip cookies!" Melany added, "and....some milk!" "Yeah!" both girls said in unison and again laughed almost uncontrollably. "Lets throw some more of those limbs on the fire," Melany said, getting up and heading outside the smoke filled cave. Jana, continued to laugh....

 

Chapter 12 - The Rescue

The girls threw more of the branches on the fire and the white smoke billowed into the sky. "Melany looked at Jana and said, "You know, they are going to see the smoke, come for us, and then, guess what?" "What?" Jana asked. Melany replied, matter of factly..."We are both, almost naked." "Oh my God," Jana exclaimed, giggling, "I had forgotten about that." "So what should we do?" Melany asked. "We could use Everhard's swim trunks to cover our boobs," Jana suggested. "Not enough fabric left, barely covers him," Melanie giggled. "You've been peeking," Jana teased and both girls began laughing again. "There is some ivy growing along side the trail, over there. Why don't we weave bras out of it." Melany suggested. "Great idea, come on, let's hurry!" Jana said.

Fifteen minutes later, both ladies had intricately woven ivy bras covering their formerly bare breasts. "Looks pretty good if I do say so myself," Jana said, modeling the leafy creation. "Not bad, I must say," Melany said, jutting out her ivy covered breasts. Then they heard the motor again, much closer this time. They returned to the cave to find Everhard sitting up, rubbing his eyes. "James, the boat is coming, we're rescued!" Melany yelled excitedly. "Kewl," Everhard groaned, "But, what was the purpose of burning all this loco weed?" "Loco weed?" Melany replied. "Yeah, pot, ghanga, weed, Mary Jane, whatever ya wanna call it. You guys throwing a party?" Everhard asked. "Hmmm, never knew what that stuff really looked like but it sure seems to have livened up the last couple of hours." Jana said laughing.

They all heard the boat again and looked up to see the Ranger's boat rounding the turn in the river about a mile away. "Come on, " Melany said excitedly, "Let's get down to the riverbank. James, can you walk okay?" "I think so", the detective said and stood, wobbling slightly. The trio climbed carefully down the hill to the water's edge. They began waving frantically and the large boat headed for them and cut the throttle to its large engines. When the boat was still about 100 yards away, James asked the girls, "I have just one more question ladies." "What is it James, my love?" Jana asked, so very excited about being rescued. "What has possessed you two to wrap those lovely breasts of yours in poison ivy?" Both ladies screamed and tossed their home made bras into the swollen river. Twenty minutes later, after the trio were safely on board the rescue boat, Detective Lieutenant Bill Chappell, chewing on his stubby cigar, came up to James and handed him a fifty dollar bill. "Damn it Everhard, you never cease to amaze me! When you bet me you'd return with both of those ladies topless, I thought you'd never pull it off." Everhard just smiled and palmed the fifty dollar bill.

 

The End

 

Epilogue:

Everhard purchased two large bottles of calamine lotion at the local pharmacy and had them deliverd to Jana and Melany's homes, each with a note. In the notes, he offered to apply the lotion for them, should they need assistance. He also thanked them sincerely for saving his life and told them both that he really hadn't schemed to keep them partially nude all week, it just sort of happened that way. When he returned to his apartment, Daisy had left him a note saying that she was very glad that he was alright and that she had worried a great deal about him. It seems that while he was away, she and Denny Gagliardo had discovered a fondness for each other that they hadn't known existed before, she hoped he wouldn't be too hurt. Everhard crumpled up the note and let it fall to the well worn carpet. Everhard reached up into his liquor cabinet and took out a half empty bottle of Jim Beam. He took a shot glass out of the cabinet and blew the dust from it. He poured the amber liquid into the glass and stared at it. He thought about Daisy. He watched the setting L.A. sun through the dusty venetian blinds. He sipped the burbon as a tear glistened on his cheek....