Caught In The River, Ronald Lee [paper ebook reader .txt] 📗

go beat the fool out of this Ted person. He wanted to chase after Fran. He wanted a beer. He heard the sounds of Fran talking to Ted at the front door and promising her mom she would be back later. He heard the engine to the truck start and watched them drive off.
“I’m so sorry Robert,” Fran’s mom said softly as she came through the door. She was a sweet gray-haired woman dressed in a blue bed gown and white robe. “I tried to tell her not too,”
“Its okay ma,” Robert said patting her hand. “I guess I had it coming.”
“I’ve been praying for you Robert,” she said. “Fran too.”
“Thanks ma,” Robert said. “Don’t stop because I believe its working.” He turned to go.
“Robert,” Mrs. Johnson called as he stepped out the back door. “Don’t give up on her. She still loves you.” Robert looked back at his mother-in-law and smiled.
“I won’t,” he said and walked into the night. “I can’t give up on myself.”
Fran and Ted went out to eat at the Olive Garden then drove back to Marion County. The moon was full and the stars twinkled against the velvet sky.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Ted said putting his arm around Fran as he drove. She had just told him about her conversation with Robert. “He sounds like a real wacko.”
“He’s not,” Fran objected. “He’s just lost so much in so short a time.” She paused then smiled at the blonde haired welder holding her. “I’m just glad I’ve got you now,” she reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
“You want to go home?” Ted offered.
Fran shook her head. “No, it’s such a beautiful night. Let’s go to the river.” Ted looked down at her.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
She nodded. He smiled in anticipation of what he hoped was coming and pointed the truck towards Gallivants Ferry.
As Fran and Ted drove towards the river, Robert walked back to Charles Blackfoot’s’ camper and prayed for his family. He feared for what his wife was going to do. He feared for his children’s safety, and he feared for his sanity.
Mary was afraid too. She stood on the beach over the dead bodies of the soldiers as the General screamed. His soldiers had returned and told him about the capture of Cappy, her escape and the young man who had shot his officers. The General had grabbed Mary out of the stocks and marched her down to the river to view the scene as soon as it was light.
“Jack Woodle!” the General screamed again into the swamp. It was now the middle of the day and Mary was hot, thirsty, and tired. She could not believe the General was screaming for her brother, or that Jack had killed two men.
“General,” she said softly. “Sir, there must be some mistake.” The General glared at Mary and backhanded her knocking her to the sand.
“Did you see that Mister Woodle?” The General yelled and got Mary to kneel. “Maybe you don’t know who this is. Speak girl. Tell your brother who you are!”
“Jack,” Mary called weakly. “Run away Jack!” she screamed. “Don’t let this creep get you,” The General hit Mary again knocking her face first to the ground. He paced up and down the beach as his men searched the swamp for Jack and Cappy.
Jack and Brian hid amongst the trees across the river from the General. They had crossed up stream and backtracked when they first saw the battalion of British scanning the swamp. The two decided it would be safer to view the British from their observation point across the river.
“That’s my sister!” Jack whispered angrily as Brian held him back.
“This is not going to bode well,” Brian said as he and Jack watched.
“Hear me Woodle!” General Towen screamed. “I will kill her slowly if you don’t show yourself to me!” Brian put his hand on Jack’s shoulder to keep him still. Some more troops arrived with several female prisoners lined up.
“Don’t play with me!” the General screamed. “I know you’re out there. You’ve killed British troops and by law you will pay for what you did!”
“I count at least six prisoners,” Brian whispered to Jack. “He wouldn’t kill defenseless girls. He’s just trying to get you to surrender.”
“What about my sister?” Jack said quietly. “I can’t let her stay with him.”
“We’ll follow them back to the fort and get her out the same way I rescued Soho,” Brain offered.
They turned back towards the beach when they heard the General order, “Ready!”
The prisoners now stood in knee-deep water at General Caleb's command. On the beach, the General stood with his ridding whip raised. “Aim!” he ordered.
“I can’t let them do this!” Jack whispered to Brian. “I’m going to count on you to get my sister out of this Brian.” He said. Brian reached out to pull him back. He drew back as Jack made himself visible.
“Wait!” Jack screamed as the General yelled, “Fire!” the troops paused and looked at their Commander who held up his hand. Jack stood across the river while Brian hid behind a tree watching the scene unfold. Jack held up his hands and said, “I surrender.”
“No Jack!” Mary screamed as she stood in the water.
“Very good, Mister Woodle.” He motioned to four of his soldiers to meet Jack, as the young man made his way down the bank to the river’s edge.
With their muskets trained on him, the soldiers motioned for Jack to cross the river. They met him when he could stand and dragged him to the beach. They tied his hands behind his back and then made him kneel beside his sister and the other captives.
“You killed two well trained officers of his Majesty’s military?” The General asked after inspecting the youth before him.
“I’m sorry,” Jack said.
“Liar!” The General screamed hitting Jack. “My men told me you were rescuing your woman!”
Mary looked at Jack in surprise. She had wanted to embrace her brother badly, but she didn’t dare move out of fear of the General. Jack looked so much more mature in his deer skinned garments and brown skin. She could not believe her brother was alive, or that he had killed two soldiers with a homemade bow, much less had a girlfriend.
“I know there are more of you out there!” The General screamed to the swamp and the opposite bank. “I’m going to catch all of you! I’m going to kill all of you! This land belongs to his Majesty of England! I will purify it of the infidels!” He nodded towards his men who raised their weapons at the girls still standing in the river. “Fire!” he screamed as he made Jack and Mary Woodle watch. Without a word, two of the girls fell backward into the river. Their bodies slowly floated downstream as Mary cried.
“Tell your people!” General Towen hollered. “All of these are next!” He motioned to his officers and the men forced Mary and Jack to their feet. They marched to the fort as the General planned the annihilation of the others caught in the river. Brian followed, sticking to the shadows and making his own plans for Jack and Mary’s escape. In their original reality someone else was about to experience the trip to the parallel universe.
“What was that?” Fran asked as she lay in the sleeping bag beside Ted. She was looking at the full moon and stars thinking of her children. She hated who and what she had become. Fran couldn’t help but blame Robert.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Ted said rolling over.
“I’m sure you didn’t,” Fran said. “What with all that groaning and grunting you were doing.” She got out the sleeping bag and slipped on her clothes.
“What’s wrong honey?” Ted asked following her actions.
“Nothing,” Fran lied. She didn’t feel right. “You put the sleeping bag too close to the water!” She said as she held it up. The water had soaked the end. Ted pulled his shirt over his head and said, “No. It was dry when we started,” He grinned. “Hey baby, you really moved me.”
“Stop it,” Fran said. “O crap, my feet are wet.”
“Here, I’ll help you.” Ted said and reached out to Fran.
“I’m all right!” Fran said. “Just hold my shoes!” She ordered.
“Hey,” Ted said as he waited for Fran to step over the sleeping bag. “Did you hear that?”
“What?” Fran asked. “I don’t hear anything.”
“That what I mean,” Ted said. “No frogs, crickets or even mosquitoes. Is the river rising?” He asked looking at the bank.
“I don’t know,” Fran, said rubbing her arms. “Ted, let’s get out of here okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Ted agreed rolling up the sleeping bag. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Ted started back down the little muddy trail holding the sleeping bag and flashlight. He told Fran where to step as they journeyed down the bank.
“There was water in this little creek earlier,” he said as they got close to the road where the truck was. “Wasn’t there Fran?”Ted asked and looked back as he heard a whooshing sound.
Knocked off his feet by a wave Ted became disoriented as he rolled head over heals for several feet. He lost the flashlight and sleeping bag in a desperate effort to grab Fran. By the aid of the moonlight, Ted got his bearings and swam towards it. He coughed and gagged as he dragged himself to the bank of the river. The welder trembled in fear as the image of Fran reaching out to him then disappearing into the blackness of the river played repeatedly in his mind.
Meanwhile, Robert Woodle knew the time had come. He and Charles had returned to the boat ramp where Kyle had told them he last saw Mary.
“Do you think it’s still here?” Robert asked the two exited the blue Ford.
“It’s got to be if your wife didn’t know where it was,” Charles explained. “Mary had to have it on her. We’ve looked everywhere else.”
Charles handed Robert a flashlight and two started searching the riverbank.
“It’s been so long since Mary vanished,” Robert protested. “The river’s tide could have taken it back out; someone could have picked it up.
“Trust what the Great Spirit is telling you,” Charles said. “You know it’s here just like I do. Quit trying to argue with him.”
“Oh all right already!” Robert said. He tried to get the image of his wife leaving in that truck out of his mind. He then forced