The Blue Mountain Affair

It's just you and me girl

 It’s just you and me girl

Dragging Lane the rest of the way up the bank was harder than it looked. Especially after struggling so much already to get there in the first place Joe thought, as he clambered out of the rushing water. Getting through the churning flood while keeping them both afloat, would be a moment Joe would not forget very quickly, because he honestly thought they were going to drown. Breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath Joe grabbed a handful of Lane’s skirts and reefed her legs up and out of the water sideways, while she pulled on his arm so she wouldn’t be swept away again, and then he collapsed onto his back trying hard to draw in some air.

Once he felt he could finally sit up Joe scanned the other side of the water, remembering only then, that his brother and Shawn were hit by the wall of water too. He almost stood up in a sudden panic when he realized just how far they had flowed down the now river with the force of the rushing water, until he saw two figures making their way down the bank, on the side he and Lane were supposed to be on.

Peter raised his hand, waving to him just as Lane moaned, and he looked to her first, helping her roll onto her back before he waved back. It was still raining, but not as heavy as before the water washed them to the other side of the now swelling creek.

Looking quickly back over to Peter, Joe noticed he was talking to Charles, but the noises surrounding him left no chance for Joe to hear what they were saying. Peter looked back over to where him and Lane, and then turned to follow Charles. Something was wrong perhaps, or maybe he knew they would be alright. Joe then turned his attention to Lane again who was trying to push up onto her hands while coughing out the water she had swallowed.

“You alright Lane?” Joe asked, leaning over to Lane to help her to sit up straight. Joe patted her back, the only way he knew how to help her at this point.

Looking over her head he hoped he could find somewhere to take her. Building a fire would be impossible; his pack was back at the cart with all his necessities, and absolutely everything else was wet through. The only hope of getting her warm would be to find somewhere out of the rain, and then, well, he would have to see.

Lane had swallowed a lot of water, and it took her a while to gain control over her chocking and spluttering. He placed his arm around her waist and helped to ease her to standing. Once she was up, he turned her toward him when he noticed her wince.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m not sure; I think something hit me here.” She pointed to a place on her side, and without thinking Joe started to probe the area looking for signs of how bad the injury was. “Ouch” Lane said wincing again when his hand hit a sensitive part.

“You are not bleeding anywhere?” He asked, looking her over.

“No, but something big hit my side, a log maybe. I can still breathe so I don’t think it’s going to be too bad.” Joe looked at Lanes face, to try and gain how much pain she was hiding. If she was hurting bad he would have seen it, but as it was Lanes attention had already been put to something else, which was a good sign.

“There are gone.”

“Who’s gone?” That’s right, Joe thought, Lane would not have seen Peter across the river.

“Peter was just over there, him and Shawn must have escaped the brunt of the flow.”

“Oh, that’s such a relief.” She said placing her hand over her heart, but then looking back to him worriedly “what are we going to do?” Lane asked taking hold of Joes arm.

Joe searched the area around him again, there was not much he could see in the way of shelter, not like what the other side of the river had to offer. There was no question the rock face and overhang would be where the others would be heading now, especially because they have Penny with them. So there was his answer,  he would follow the river till he found somewhere better then the open space they were standing in. They could not get any wetter, so staying warm when the sun goes down was his only worry, well that, and feeding Lane.