THE PASSAGE

Stranded in the Swamp

Chapter 18

I rest my elbows on the steering wheel and cup my face in my hands, trying to clear my mind and think about an alternative. If the other thugs are indeed behind me in the distance, they will come upon us soon. If only we could find someplace to hide.

I stare out across the water and scan both sides of the bank but don't see any place that would work. I look towards the front of the boat and remember the trolling motor. I don't know how to operate one, but I need to try. I'm not giving up on saving Toby. I'll keep going forward slowly with that trolling motor until I find another boater to help us.

I locate and release the latch holding up the trolling motor. I disengage it, and the motor drops into position. It appears to have a foot control on the bottom for steering and also speed settings. After pulling up the fishing seat and setting the speed adjustment to the max, I am on my way again, at the pace of a snail.

Just then, I remember getting shot in the bicep. I roll up my sleeve to check on it, and I am somewhat shocked to see that it looks as though it has been healing for several days. I recall the other wounds on my forearm and forehead from last night that had improved in the same way. Thank goodness the gunshot was just a flesh wound, a little dried blood around a tender red spot now but nothing more. I touch it and notice that it doesn't even hurt much.

Then I recall Julie's words again. When I got home and take a bath, I look at my wounds, and they almost healed.

Maybe my body chemistry has been permanently changed, accelerating the healing process, possibly even stopping aging. Perhaps for me, it would just be temporary. I don't know yet, but it's a blessing.

I lose my thoughts when I hear a dreadful sound, a boat motor in the distance behind me, back around the bend. It may be someone who can help us, or it may be the thugs after me. They can't risk me getting away and reporting them. I'm sure they will do whatever they can to kill me. What am I going to do? If only I could find somewhere to hide until they pass me.

As I hastily look up and down the banks on either side, I spot a movement to the right. A silhouette of an animal appears, then I detect the eyes.

"Wolf, is that you?"

Wolf lets out a short howl. He's acting anxious, pacing back and forth. I steer in his direction and spot a little water inlet right next to where he is standing. If I can make it there before they come around that bend, we might be able to hide in there.

"Come on, come on, move." I rock back and forth as if encouraging the boat to go a little faster. Wolf is still on the bank, anxiously pacing back and forth as if urging me not to give up. The sound of the boat is growing closer. I look behind me, waiting for them to appear and spot me. I don't have much longer. They will be on me in no time.

I look in front of me, but Wolf is not there any longer.

"Wolf?" I don't see him anymore and wonder if he was even there. But at least I have made it to the inlet. If I can get the boat in there, they may not see me as they pass. I look over my shoulder one last time as I turn into the inlet, barely spotting the front of the boat as it comes around the bend.

Damn it, they've seen me. I was so, so close. After positioning our boat in the inlet as far as it will go, I go to the driver's seat and hunker down with the rifle in hand, shaking like a leaf, fearing that Toby and I may die soon.

I hear the boat pass us by at full speed. I stay crouched down behind the seat holding the rifle tightly, expecting at any moment that they will turn around and come back for us. As the engine's sound continues to fade in the distance, I realize that by some miracle, they didn't spot us here. I let out a long breath, unaware I had been holding it in, and collapse below the seats, my head resting on the blanket. I need to develop a plan, but I'm so exhausted that I need a few minutes to rest. Five minutes, that's all I need, five minutes.