Short of Guts

Chapter 19

"Arggh!! Mel are you alright?" asked Holly who had slammed into Mel who was now trapped under Holly, who was in turn trapped beneath Jake. "Jake, you can get off us now, it's not a bom I think it's a truck". From the corner over Jake's head, Holls could see and hear the roar of an engine. "I can't breathe." Mel's muffled voice came from under Holly.

Jake who had launched himself in a tackle toward Holls and Mel when he heard the loud sound, stood up quickly. Holly was not sure if it was because he was embarassed or he was more concerned with the possibility that help was coming toward them.

The truck had stopped a few yards from the thick brush that obscured their view of the visitors but when they heard Paul, Jake's father shouting out their names, it took Jake, Mel and a hobbling Holls only a few minutes to lope toward the truck.

Back at camp, Mel was being pampered by everyone while Ranger Ron Wills tried to get all the information from Jake and Holly to complete his report. It seems that Cassie contacted the others when she heard Holly scream and they did not return after half an hour. Then the ranger who knew a short cut into the tunnel brought a cutter to try and cut through the beaver's nest to minimize destruction of the natural environment.

"You mean the thrashing underbrush we heard was you?" asked Holly who groaned in dismay before knocking her head on the table. "I feel so stupid, I let my fears get to me...just because the beaver..."

"It's a BEAVECOON" corrected Mel seated with her face and hands plastered at strategic areas sipping her juice from the lounge area where all the Schusters and ... Were gathered. "Okay okay, a BEAVECOON." Holly said with her hands held up in surrender.

It was around 4.30 in the evening and Jake and Holly were seated on the dinner table having their statements taken down by Ranger Ron. With juice and some bread to fill their hunger, they proceeded to tell the How they found Holly. Jake had changed into a clean white shirt and grey sweats while Holly had changed out of her purple tank top and into her sleeping shorts and her black hoodie that said, 'CLEAVELAND HIGH' in yellow. Melanie had already been interviewed by the ranger about how she followed the beavecoon and fell into the pit.

There was an unspoken relieve and thanksgiving among the family members and friends who had prayed for their safe return. Everybody wanted to know what happened but they knew first things first, Ron had to get his report done first. Ranger Ron was seated at the dinner table with Holly whose ankle was bandaged and propped up on another chair while Jake, sun-burnt but clean after a bath was wolfing down a sandwich and trying to answer all the questions posted to him and Holly.

"Hey, Captain." Holly called out to Jake, "I can answer all my questions. Don't need you to run interference just as I don't need you to jump at me to protect me from your Dad." said Holly annoyed at Jake who was trying to answer all Ron's questions for her.

"He did WHAT?" asked Sam who knew there was definitely a lighter side to the tale involving his team captain which he fully intended to explore. Jake, groaned "Now you really did it, Holly".

"He jumped at you ? Why? "asked Shaun while Sam with a cheeky grin wriggled his eyebrows at Jake and reiterated "Yeah, why?This should be interesting, can't wait to hear it."

Holly gave Sam a disgusted look and realized she didn't want to subject Jake to further embarrassment. But Sam was not going to let things lie. "Come on, did he do the front tackle or..." He prodded.

"Just shut up Sam," Shaun finally admonished Sam scowling at Holly and Jake.

"Thank you gentlemen, now can we finish this report," Ranger Ron spoke up from the head seat of the dining table trying to record everything Jake and Holly had experienced and seen. "You were at the part about the beavecoon..." said Ranger Ron to Holly. "Oh yea, I was crawling out to get help when I heard the hissing sound and saw a pair of green eyes that definitely belonged to an animal and..."

"And she ended up falling into the hole with us." Jake finished her story grimacing at Ranger Ron. Holly was so mad this time she was not going to let him go.

"At least I didn't behave like He-man and launch myself at the two of us instead of the threat, Oh I forgot you can't be He-man, he's taller " Holly responded sarcastically. The remark made Sam burst out laughing while Shaun grinned at Jake's red angry face.

A frustrated Ranger Ron told them to cut it out before asking Jake to tell him what he saw down at the pit. His question distracted Jake as he told them about the skeleton. A glance toward the lounge area told him that they had a larger audience who was listening intently horrified at his revelation and marveling at how the three of them managed it without hysterics.

"Did you say beavecoon?" Grandpa Schuster said appearing out of nowhere breaking the tension. All heads on the table turned to him as Melanie nodded enthusiastically.

"Why?" Jake asked with a questioning look.

"Oh, that peculiar animal reminded me of my grandfather, David Schuster, who is your great great grandfather, Holly. He was always talking about this animal that had a head and tail of a coon and a body of a beaver. Of course, I never saw it but grandpa Schuster used to tell us stories about the animal he was convinced had powers. Even after grandma died, he continued to hunt for the elusive animal often taking off for days until one day he just didn't come back. My Dad and the whole town grouped ourselves into posses and searched every where but we didn't find him."

"I guess we did then." Jake declared into the silence that followed grandpa Schuster's tale.

It was Ranger Ron who recovered first and asked Jake why he was convinced the skeleton in the pit was David Schuster. He told them about the wreck he found with "DS" carved into the side outside the lake where they escaped through a tunnel from the pit they fell into.

"Wait a minute," said grandpa Schuster, "you mean you found his boat? " Grandpa Schuster was so excited he had risen half way up from his chair when he heard Jake.

"Yes ,Sir" replied Jake. He proceeded to tell them where he found the boat and what he found inside he wreck. By this time, everyone was amazed while Ranger Ron wrote furiously trying to get as much he can on paper knowing that there will definitely be a follow-up to this case. While Mel had gone very quiet at the news about the skeleton in the pit that she was in, everyone else were astonished at the way the whole adventure had turned out. Only grandpa Schuster had a frown on his face. It wasn't long before with grandmas supportive arm around him, grandpa Schuster declared to the crowd,

"Listen you all, that was not all that was said about grandpa Schuster."

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Heeyy there! Next week I'm having my exams so I won't be able to update:( and OH MY THOR. 1,0073 reads?! IM SOO HAPPY! THANK YOU, I LOVE U:) picture to the right is Jakes outfit------>

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Next chapter will be more about the past:) don't worry about Jake and Holly's talk, I didn't forget about that;) BYEEE:D