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Primrose Bolger · 01-23-2005, 02:11 AM

Primrose Bolger's post

What had started out as an inconvenient day had now turned nearly intolerable. She’d huddled under her cloak when the drizzle had started and moved on to pulling up her hood when the rain had begun to fall hard. Sassy had kept her turtle’s top shell – she’d scoured it with sand at the river bank and rinsed it thoroughly. Now she popped it on top of her hood like a rain hat, a length of twine securing it on her head. Several of the boys had laughed at her when she’d put it on, but at the moment she just didn’t care. It kept her head warm and dry and the rain from her eyes.

Despite the cold and rain, her tummy had begun to protest its empty state. Her eyes went frequently to Sondo, wishing at first he would say it was lunchtime, then wishing he would say it was lunchtime and time to take cover from the rain. And now she could hear Bingo complaining about his stomach, though from what she could hear he wasn’t hungry, he was about to heave up the apple he’d taken for breakfast.

‘Well maybe if I head the raft toward shore, the others will help out,’ she thought to herself. Marroc was sitting next to her, looking as miserable as everyone else. ‘Hey, give me a hand! I want some lunch and I want it under the cover of the trees on the riverbank.

Sassy got up, motioning for Marroc to come along with her. She grabbed one of the long steering poles, almost slipping on the wet slick surface of the raft. It hadn’t looked so hard when she’d seen the boys do it yesterday. She planted her feet firmly near the edge of the raft and pushed her pole against a rock she saw sticking up out of the rushing river. Behind her she could hear some of the boys yelling at her. She thought she heard ‘Stop!’ yelled several times.

But it was too late . . . the pole slipped down the side of the slick rock and got caught in whatever hidden tangle of rocks there was at the base of the big boulder. She tried to push on it then pull, but it was no use. The river was running too high and fast. It slammed her against the pole, sending the raft careening wildly. The pole snapped. Sassy fell hard on the edge of the raft causing it to rock wildly. The rest of the steering poles, which had been stacked near her clattered into the river as the raft bucked on what was normally an area of low rapids, but was now swollen with rain.

‘Oh blast!’ cried Sassy. ‘Help!’ She clung by her fingers to one of the ropes holding parts of the raft together as her small body slid back and forth on the slick surface of the raft.

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Kitanna's post

Marroc wished he had never gotten up this morning. Things just kept getting worse. He was tired, wet, and just generally miserable. He was sitting next to Sassy and he found himself jealous of the turtle shell hat she had made. Her head must be dry as a bone, he kept thinking.

Marroc tried to forget that he was wet and miserable and decided instead to focus on being hungry and miserable. He wanted to ask Sondo if it was possible to stop. It would be the smart and safe thing to do. After all poor Bingo was sick and everyone else would catch their death in this weather if they didn't seek shelter soon.

"Hey, give me a hand," Sassy's voice broke through Marroc's thoughts. "I want some lunch and I want it under the cover of the trees on the riverbank."

At this point Marroc should have used some common sense and stopped Sassy. Instead he followed her. She took up a large steering pole and Marroc helped her. They both had to work hard to kept from slipping all over the slick surface on the raft.

With the help of Marroc Sassy pushed the pole against a rock. The other lads were yelling for her to stop. Marroc let his hold on the pole loosen, another stupid move. Sassy had the pole stuck on the rocks. It snapped. Sassy hit the raft with a thud, as did Marroc. Almost, if not all, of the other steering poles, fell into the water. Marroc realized his error now. It had been stupid to try to help Sassy. He should have stopped her.

Looking up he saw she was clinging to the side of the raft. Sondo rushed to her aid and pulled her up. Everyone was safe, but for how long? With no steering poles what hope did they have of getting off the river before things got even worse? Though Marroc didn't think things could get any worse.

01-23-2005, 02:11 AM	#50
Primrose Bolger Wight Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Near Bywater Pool Posts: 196	Primrose Bolger's post What had started out as an inconvenient day had now turned nearly intolerable. She’d huddled under her cloak when the drizzle had started and moved on to pulling up her hood when the rain had begun to fall hard. Sassy had kept her turtle’s top shell – she’d scoured it with sand at the river bank and rinsed it thoroughly. Now she popped it on top of her hood like a rain hat, a length of twine securing it on her head. Several of the boys had laughed at her when she’d put it on, but at the moment she just didn’t care. It kept her head warm and dry and the rain from her eyes. Despite the cold and rain, her tummy had begun to protest its empty state. Her eyes went frequently to Sondo, wishing at first he would say it was lunchtime, then wishing he would say it was lunchtime and time to take cover from the rain. And now she could hear Bingo complaining about his stomach, though from what she could hear he wasn’t hungry, he was about to heave up the apple he’d taken for breakfast. ‘Well maybe if I head the raft toward shore, the others will help out,’ she thought to herself. Marroc was sitting next to her, looking as miserable as everyone else. ‘Hey, give me a hand! I want some lunch and I want it under the cover of the trees on the riverbank. Sassy got up, motioning for Marroc to come along with her. She grabbed one of the long steering poles, almost slipping on the wet slick surface of the raft. It hadn’t looked so hard when she’d seen the boys do it yesterday. She planted her feet firmly near the edge of the raft and pushed her pole against a rock she saw sticking up out of the rushing river. Behind her she could hear some of the boys yelling at her. She thought she heard ‘Stop!’ yelled several times. But it was too late . . . the pole slipped down the side of the slick rock and got caught in whatever hidden tangle of rocks there was at the base of the big boulder. She tried to push on it then pull, but it was no use. The river was running too high and fast. It slammed her against the pole, sending the raft careening wildly. The pole snapped. Sassy fell hard on the edge of the raft causing it to rock wildly. The rest of the steering poles, which had been stacked near her clattered into the river as the raft bucked on what was normally an area of low rapids, but was now swollen with rain. ‘Oh blast!’ cried Sassy. ‘Help!’ She clung by her fingers to one of the ropes holding parts of the raft together as her small body slid back and forth on the slick surface of the raft. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kitanna's post Marroc wished he had never gotten up this morning. Things just kept getting worse. He was tired, wet, and just generally miserable. He was sitting next to Sassy and he found himself jealous of the turtle shell hat she had made. Her head must be dry as a bone, he kept thinking. Marroc tried to forget that he was wet and miserable and decided instead to focus on being hungry and miserable. He wanted to ask Sondo if it was possible to stop. It would be the smart and safe thing to do. After all poor Bingo was sick and everyone else would catch their death in this weather if they didn't seek shelter soon. "Hey, give me a hand," Sassy's voice broke through Marroc's thoughts. "I want some lunch and I want it under the cover of the trees on the riverbank." At this point Marroc should have used some common sense and stopped Sassy. Instead he followed her. She took up a large steering pole and Marroc helped her. They both had to work hard to kept from slipping all over the slick surface on the raft. With the help of Marroc Sassy pushed the pole against a rock. The other lads were yelling for her to stop. Marroc let his hold on the pole loosen, another stupid move. Sassy had the pole stuck on the rocks. It snapped. Sassy hit the raft with a thud, as did Marroc. Almost, if not all, of the other steering poles, fell into the water. Marroc realized his error now. It had been stupid to try to help Sassy. He should have stopped her. Looking up he saw she was clinging to the side of the raft. Sondo rushed to her aid and pulled her up. Everyone was safe, but for how long? With no steering poles what hope did they have of getting off the river before things got even worse? Though Marroc didn't think things could get any worse. Last edited by piosenniel; 01-25-2005 at 02:49 AM.