by B. B. Hamel
And suddenly I was making runs way more often.
I checked the sun and decided that I had gotten far enough away from those guys. The actual meeting spot was another mile or two back toward them, but I would be deeper into the woods on the Canadian side by that point. They’d never know I was there.
Resigned, I hid in some brush and waited. The spot I had chosen was relatively shallow and slow moving, so I knew I could just walk across.
There was no sign of life aside from the animals. Nothing moved on the other side.
After a few minutes, I slowly began to slog out into the open river.
The water was cold and refreshing against my legs as I walked. It went up to the middle of my thighs, just under my pack, at the deepest part of the river. I felt exposed, incredibly exposed, and anyone within a mile of me could easily spot me there. I moved as fast as I could without being too loud.
And when I made it to the other side without incident, I quickly collapsed behind some bushes, willing my heart to calm down.
What would Becca think if they suddenly got a call from the border patrol? I’d hate to let down my mom, but on some level she had to already know. Truthfully, I was most afraid of disappointing Becca, perfect fucking Becca.
After a minute, my heart rate came down and I started my hike back toward the meeting place. I checked my GPS unit, looked at my compass, and knew I was going to make it just in time. The fishermen had put me back longer than I’d realized.
Canada, oh Canada, I thought.
Not long later, I emerged into an empty campsite.
I didn’t know how the local mobsters knew about it, but from what I could tell it had once been a popular spot. But over the years, because of economic factors I couldn’t begin to understand, people moved away and stopped going to it altogether.
Which made it a perfect site for us to meet.
I dropped my pack down on a bench and looked around. The guy hadn’t showed up yet, which wasn’t too surprising. They didn’t like to linger as much as possible. I couldn’t blame them.
I stripped off my shoes and socks and laid them out next to me in the sun to dry. I looked around at nature slowly reclaiming the campsite and wondered if the whole world would look like that one day, half man-made and half natural. The weeds would grow beyond just weeds, into full-fledged plants, and would wind their way through dead-wood structures until everything man-made was rotten and everything nature was green.
Not long later, I heard a car. I watched as a black sedan pulled down the dirt road and stopped at the other end of the site, not wanting to risk coming in any farther. Once, early on, a guy had driven his car all the way down to where I was sitting, and he had gotten stuck in mud. Not only did I have to smuggle drugs that time, but I also had to push a car free.
Two doors opened and two men climbed out. I watched, a little surprised, as they walked toward me.
The man on the right was bald and wore a black suit with dress shoes and sunglasses. He could have been twenty or he could have been forty: I had absolutely no clue. But he looked strong and he walked with an air of confidence that was unmistakable. He was definitely the muscle.
The guy on the left was new. There were two or three people that usually showed up, but none of them looked nearly as nasty or professional as this guy did. His face was scarred down one side and he had a constant scowl. I stood up as they approached.
“Why no shoes?” the scarred man asked.
I stared at him. “What?”
He nodded at the bench. “You took off your shoes.”
I almost laughed. “I had to cross a river to get here. I’m drying them off.”
He nodded as if that were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Who are you guys?” I blurted out.
The scarred man smiled. “I am Rigley. This is Jenner. You will always speak with me. Pretend like he does not exist.” Rigley waved his hand at Jenner, dismissing him. Jenner didn’t move an inch, just stood there like a statue.
“Okay, Rigley. What happened to the other guys?”
“Change of leadership. Now you deal with me.”
I sighed inwardly. I hated dealing with gangsters. I especially hated dealing with new gangsters I didn’t know or understand.
“You got the stuff?” I asked him.
“Yes, but not so fast. We have not met, you and I. Your name is Reid?”
“People call me Climber.”
“Why is that?”
I shrugged. “Not sure.” I didn’t feel like explaining my past to him.
“Okay then, Climber. We have new changes for you now.”
“I don’t like change.”
He smiled. “Nobody does. But it is a fact of life.”
I nodded, needing to be careful. “Okay. What’s happening now?”
“Now, you will deal with me. If I am not here, you do not deal. Understand?”
“Fine.”
“Also, you will be carrying more. Not too much more, but more.”
I frowned. “I’m already pushing it. Carrying too much can kill me.”
He laughed. “Kill you? No, no, that won’t happen. You are strong American boy, you’ll be fine.”
“Is that all?”
“That’s all. Very simple, yes?”
“Let’s get this over with. I have a long trip back.”
He laughed again. “Climber, so eager. Okay then.” He nodded at Jenner, who walked over and handed me a bag.
I unzipped it and looked inside. It was full of the usual pills. I looked back up and nodded as I began to fit the contents into my pack.
“That it?” I asked.
“That’s it. Pleasure meeting you, Climber.”
“Same,” I grunted.
They turned and walked back to their car. I watched as they slowly pulled away, reversing back the way they came.
I shivered as I slowly put my socks and shoes back on. I’d be getting them wet again soon, but that was fine. At least they’d be semi-dry for the short hike before I hit the river.
Those two guys had given me a bad feeling. Jenner was eerily quiet and intense while Rigley seemed almost jovial. Still, all these changes meant something, but I didn’t yet know what it was.
I hefted my pack into place, frowning. It was heavier than usual, but I’d manage. I began the hike back toward home, a stone lodged in my gut.
Worry and more worry. As I crossed the river and kept moving, the sun beginning to sink down in the west, I was unsure of what the changes really meant.
Worse, I was afraid I was in deeper than I realized.
Chapter Nine: Rebecca
Reid was gone the morning after the party. He must have left early to go on his hike or whatever he had been preparing for. As I sat up and checked my phone, I felt a deep shade of embarrassment and a slight headache creeping in at the edges of my vision.
Three texts from Lindsey. The first seemed panicked, probably right after she heard about what happened with Josh. The next two were more recent, probably after she woke up.
I sighed, stretching out. Lindsey hadn’t been like that back when we were friends. She was a sweet girl, maybe a little quiet, maybe not the smartest person in the world, but she was kind and caring. She never would have ditched me at a party.
Then there was what Reid and everyone else kept saying about her. Apparently, she was a pill addict or something? I didn’t get that at all from the party, but then again, she could have taken her stuff before we went or after she left me. We had been close, once upon a time, but so much had changed in the last four years that maybe I didn’t know her anymore.
Regardless, she was my only friend. And I didn’t want to be the kind of person who callously threw someone aside if they made one mistake.
It’s no big deal, I typed back. Reid took me home, I’m fine.
I hit send. A few minutes later, she replied.
I am SO SORRY about that asshole Josh. He is SUCH a creep.
Not yo
ur fault, you did try to warn me lol, I sent back.
Call me when you get a second? she said.
I sighed and dialed her number. She answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Becca,” she said, sounding tired.
“Hey, Linds.”
“Look, I didn’t want to say this over text. I’m just sorry about what happened. I should never have ditched you like that.”
“I understand. I mean, they’re your friends. You didn’t have to babysit me all night.”
“Still, I feel awful. You didn’t know anybody.”
“It’s really not a huge deal, Linds.”
“I just feel bad. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
I paused for a second as something clicked inside me. “Actually, there is.”
“What?”
“Is the Blue hiring? I need a job for the summer.”
She laughed. “Hell yeah they are! I’ll get you an application and put in a good word. Stop by any time after three, that’s when my shift starts.”
“Okay, great. That’ll be perfect.”
“I’m sorry again. But I’m excited to work together!”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. “Yeah, don’t worry about it. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Sounds good. See you.”
We hung up. I tossed the phone across the bed and sighed, wondering exactly where Reid was.
I imagined him mud splattered, fearlessly leading a group of people through the deep woods. He’d leap over fallen trees, chase off bears, and suck snake venom from bite wounds. I’d never met anyone like Reid before, and all of my feelings for him were crashing down on me as I pictured how defensive he had been of me.
I didn’t normally go for the caveman protective bullshit, but Reid was different. For some reason, it turned me on more than I could explain when I watched him knock Josh down and threaten him. I felt safe. I was practically melting for Reid right then and there.
Which was exactly what worried me. I would have thrown myself at him. I still wanted to, but I couldn’t imagine the disappointment on the faces of our parents. Even if we had kissed once before, a long time ago, back before our parents were married, we couldn’t do that ever again.
Despite what I actually wanted.
Saturday came and went without incident. I met Lindsey at the Blue, filled out an application, and met the manager. I even got a free meal out of it.
I woke up early Sunday morning feeling refreshed. The hangover funk of the day before was long gone and I was ready to do something a little more active than sitting around in a diner eating greasy food.
I walked downstairs and paused as I moved into the kitchen. Reid was sitting at the table, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.
“Good morning,” he said without looking up.
“’Morning.” I walked over to the counter and poured myself some coffee. “Where have you been?”
“Guiding some locals.”
“How’d it go?”
“Went pretty good.”
“Where’d you guys go?”
He glanced up at me. “I took them around Bowl’s Point and they fished in Little Lake.”
“Sounds like a good two-day trip.”
He nodded and went back to the paper. “It was.”
I lingered there for a second, sipping my coffee. A whole host of feelings ran through me in that moment. His hair was slightly damp and he was wearing gym clothes. He’d obviously just gotten back from wherever he was, or at least with enough time to shower.
I didn’t believe his story. I didn’t believe that he was out leading some locals around, as much as I wanted to. Lindsey’s little hints kept making me wonder what Reid was really doing with his time.
“You going to just stand there?” he grunted.
“No. Just thinking.” I moved around and sat down across from him at the table, taking another sip of my drink.
“What about?”
“Trying to decide what I want to do today. I’m sick of just sitting around.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve only been home for a few days and you already managed to get in some trouble. What else do you need?”
“I want to do something active.”
He looked at me without speaking for a second. “How about you come climbing with me this afternoon?”
“I don’t think I could keep up.”
He put the paper down and grinned at me. “Why not? The girl I remember was pretty damn good at that sort of thing.”
“Yeah, well, the girl you remember has been too busy with school to hike or climb stuff.”
“Come on. It’s like riding a bike. We’ll go somewhere easy.”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to hold you back.”
He leaned forward, his smile breaking through my uncertainty. “You don’t hold me back,” he said.
“Okay, fine. But you have to take it easy on me.”
He leaned back, smirking.
“I don’t think you ever want it easy, Becca.”
I stared up at the cliff face and my jaw hung open.
It looked like a sheer face made of glass with no possible way up. To Reid, it was probably as easy as a ladder, but to me it looked like a terrifying and smooth piece of icy glass that was impossible to handle.
“This is easy?” I exclaimed.
Reid laughed. “Trust me. This wall is the easiest climb in the whole area.”
The sun was high and hot in the sky as we stood at the base of the cliff. Reid drove us in his pickup, and I was quiet most of the time. We chatted about his mom and her recovery, and my dad and his job, but we kept it to safe topics. I didn’t ask about whatever he did out in the woods, and he kept his dirty comments to a minimum.
I watched as Reid began to set up the gear, stepping into his harness and checking the ropes and the knots.
“I’ll lead, you just follow. I’ll do all the hard parts. All you need to do is climb.”
I frowned. I almost felt dizzy from staring up at the top. “I don’t know, Reid.”
He stood in front of me. “Trust me. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. This is going to be easy.”
I nodded, feeling a sudden surge of resolve. Reid’s confidence was contagious.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
He laughed. “That’s my girl.” I watched as he untangled the second harness and held it out to me. “Let’s get you in this.”
“I got it,” I said, but he was already grabbing my hips and pulling me toward him.
I felt a thrill run through my spine as his hands unbuckled and moved the straps around my legs and hips. His breath was warm against my neck as he fit it around me, tightening what needed tightening. I felt helpless letting him dress me like that, but part of me enjoyed it. He was so firm and sure of himself. Ever since we’d gotten near the cliff, it was like he’d suddenly switched into a new person, and he owned everything around him.
“Okay, you’re good,” he said, straightening up.
“Thanks. I guess.”
He tossed me a helmet and I buckled it on. He put his own helmet on and slipped on a pair of gloves, tossing me my own. Once we were dressed, he took the lead lines and nodded at me.
“Ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
He stepped up to the wall and became exactly who he was supposed to be.
I watched as he climbed the first ten feet without any issue. It was almost like he was walking along the ground, his feet and hands moving in tandem. One second he was held down by gravity, and the next he was up in the air, clinging to the rock face.
“Come on, follow me,” he called down as he began to set the safety lines.
“You can do this,” I mumbled to myself as I stepped up to the wall.
“First handhold is a foot to your right,” he called down.
I looked up and spotted the deep divot. I reached up and grabbed it and then found spots for m
y feet. With a lunge, I pulled myself up, keeping my hips flush to the wall.
“There you go,” he called down.
I pulled myself up, following his path. A thick, blue rope hung between us, connecting our harnesses. I knew that if I fell, he would be able to catch and hold me. Years ago I had been a pretty strong climber, though I mostly stuck to indoor courses. Still, he was right, it was a lot like riding a bike. All those hours of practice came flooding back as I began to feel more confident.
I looked up and saw him moving farther ahead. I gaped at his strong legs and arms, muscles ripping along his skin, as the sweat began to trickle slightly down his back.
He was like an acrobat. It was like the wall was nothing to him. Meanwhile, I struggled along, always ten to fifteen feet beneath him.
“There you go. Foothold four inches to the left,” he called down, grinning at me.
I found the spot and pushed myself up. “Don’t be so cocky,” I called back.
“Just making sure you can make it.”
“How about you worry more about yourself?”
He laughed and let go of the wall with one hand, swinging his body outward. I almost screamed but choked it back instead. He cracked up at the look on my face, his laugh booming out over the forest.
“This wall is like the kiddie pool to me,” he said. “I could probably carry you up on my back.”
“Want to find out?”
“If you can catch me.”
I grumbled as he pushed himself back against the wall and began to climb again.
The sun beat down on my back as, foot by foot, we got closer to the top. I had no clue how high the wall was, and really didn’t want to ask, but I was pretty sure it was the highest thing I had ever climbed.
But he had been right when he said that it was easy. The cliff face was pocked and marked from years of weathering, years, and climbing, which made all of the handholds and footholds easy to spot and to grab. And since Reid was taking care of our safety lines, I didn’t have to do anything but concentrate on climbing up.
As I reached the halfway point, I was beginning to feel confident. I felt good, actually, like I was doing something not everyone in the world was capable of. I was climbing up a sheer cliff face using only my hands and feet and it was incredible. I felt free and excited for the first time in a while.