Into the Canyon

by Michael Neale

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Tabitha asked.

  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good. For a second there I thought you might have been . . .”

  “What?”

  “Oh, nothing. Probably just some random hiker I saw across the gorge.”

  Rio nuzzled in between them.

  “Are you okay, Rio?” Tabitha stooped and tussled the dog’s fur. She looked up and caught Gabriel’s eye again. “Yesterday, when you walked up and I was talking to Samuel, that wasn’t anything, you know.”

  “We’ve got a trip to get ready for tomorrow, don’t we?” Gabriel said.

  “Yes, I can’t wait.”

  Hand in hand, the two headed back down the path, away from the Cathedral of the Sun.

  2

  The First Night

  Colorado

  “Come on, boy! Come on!” Gabriel clapped his hands to signal to Rio that it was time to go.

  The ninety-pound husky came scampering around the gear shed. In full gallop, he made a flying leap from the shore and careened into the raft, nearly knocking Gabriel into the water. Panting and slobbering with excitement, Rio tried to find his footing.

  “There ya go! Good boy.” Gabriel ruffled the fur on the dog’s thick neck as he perched his paws on the side tube. Rio’s snout in the air, taking in the view, he went back and forth between sniffing and panting.

  “His eyes are just breathtaking,” Tabitha said as she finished buckling her life vest. “It’s like he’s staring into your soul when he looks at you with those crystal blues . . . kinda like his owner.” Tabitha flashed a flirty smile.

  “Are you kidding me? Get a room, you two. I can’t take it.” Freddie rolled his eyes.

  “Jealous, Splash?” Gabriel snickered from the front of the raft.

  Samuel, Tabitha, and Sadie all laughed good-naturedly at the dig.

  “I told you not to call me that.” Without warning, Freddie “Splash” Wilburn came from the back of the raft and tackled Gabriel into the water. Rio whimpered and barked as the two wrestled in the thigh-deep water.

  “Come on, Freddie! You can take him!” Sadie cupped her hands over her mouth as she continued, “Don’t hurt him, Gabriel!”

  Everyone knew Little Freddie was no match for Gabriel, and it was all in fun. Gabriel was well over six feet and built lean and solid, like a rugby player with broad shoulders and thick biceps. His scruffy blond beard and messy locks made him look like he was made for the mountains. Conversely, Freddy, at twenty-nine, stood a towering five feet five inches and had a slight frame, but he never let his size keep him from challenging anyone. His buzz cut made him look even smaller.

  “I love it when he gets fired up,” Samuel said through a grin to Tabitha. “Alright, that’s enough, you two. Only a few hundred yards until the water really starts moving. Get back in here.”

  The serious-minded guide always tried to keep the group on track.

  Gabriel chuckled as he gave one more shove to throw Freddie off of him. Freddie got his footing and stood up in the water.

  “Next time, Clarke. Next time, you’re mine.”

  This trip was a tradition before the start of every rafting season. The lead guides would come in early and head out to some of the most remote areas for a three-day camp and raft trip. It usually involved a few practical jokes, some meals by the campfire, some big white water, and most importantly, time to be with friends and prepare for the season together.

  “Everything has to turn into a wrestling match with boys.” Sadie finished eating her banana as the soaked guides hoisted themselves back in the boat.

  “They always have something to prove, don’t they?” Tabitha replied. “It’s silly but it’s fun to watch.”

  “How about a hug?” Gabriel reached for Tabitha.

  “Agh! That’s freezing! You are going to pay for that.” She slapped him on the shoulder.

  Freddie moved toward Sadie.

  “Don’t even think about it, Freddie.” Her dark eyes flashed and she held her hand up to him like a crossing guard.

  Samuel just shook his head slowly as he steered the raft downstream from his perch on the back tube. Gabriel thought Samuel looked like he might have been a Kennedy. Parted thick, dark-brown hair with graying temples. Strong, scruffy jaw.

  Samuel whistled and held his hand up, motioning to Jacob who had all the gear with him in an oar raft. Coolers and camping gear all secured in faded red-and-blue dry bags were strapped down in the belly of the raft. Jacob sat perched on the rig, an oar in each hand.

  “Hey-ho, here we go!” Jacob barked out his favorite saying like a marine captain.

  “Hey-ho, here we go!” Their yells reverberated in the canyon.

  On this particular Sunday, the sun owned the empty blue sky. Gabriel closed his eyes and soaked in its warmth, excited to begin the journey.

  Sadie finished putting on the last little bit of sunscreen on her fair, freckled skin and tucked the tube back in her dry bag. The gradient in the riverbed began to drop and the current picked up. Gabriel could hear the dull roar of the rapids cascading just around the first turn.

  “Okay, guys. Helmets. Lock in.”

  The rafters cinched their helmet straps and wedged their feet between the tubes and the canvas floor of the raft.

  “Forward,” Samuel called firmly.

  The teams paddled slowly in unison. Gabriel sat in the bow, starboard side, with Tabitha behind him. Freddie sat in the bow, port side, with Sadie behind him. Samuel was guiding from the stern. In the briefing Jacob gave them earlier, he explained The River’s CFS (cubic feet per second) was not terribly high. Only a few warm days to start the season meant the snow pack had not melted yet. This would make for some really technical rafting, which was fun for the young guides.

  Jacob gripped the oars in his solo raft and called to the raft out front, “You’ve got some precious cargo, Samuel. Let’s stay dry.”

  “Yes, sir,” Samuel replied as Tabitha and Sadie rolled their eyes at their dad.

  During the next few hours until sundown, the six adventurers enjoyed navigating a few miles of Class III and IV rapids. Winding their way farther into the wilderness, the team got caught up on their exploits in the off-season and had more than one splash fight.

  The sun dipped behind the majestic mountain walls. The air cooled quickly as the moon rose to the east. The two rafts floated in a calm pool in the canyon.

  “This is it, guys.” Jacob led the way to a flat clearing on the shore. He jumped out of the raft in knee-deep water and muscled it up onto dry ground. He made it look easy.

  “Gabriel, you wanna do the honors?” Samuel asked.

  Gabriel dropped his paddle and jumped out to drag the boat onto the gravelly beach. Jacob handed out assignments.

  “Gabriel, why don’t you and Samuel get the fire started? Freddie, start working on the tents with me. Girls, why don’t you get the food set up and prepped?”

  “Women in the kitchen, huh? That’s the way it always is.” Tabitha bent over to loosen the strap off the first cooler.

  “Woman, bring me some grub.” Sadie tried to sound like her dad.

  “Oh, here we go,” Jacob said as he rolled his eyes.

  “You can help me with the tents, Sadie!” Freddie flashed an unashamed grin.

  Sadie ignored him as usual and flipped her dishwater blond ponytail over her shoulder.

  Samuel and Gabriel were grabbing some large rocks to build a circular fire pit about thirty feet from the others.

  “You sure you know what you are getting into with her?” Samuel asked Gabriel suddenly.

  “With whom?”

  “Tabitha Fielding.”

  “Oh, to be honest, not really.” Gabriel chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

  “All you can handle, my friend.”

  “Oh really? How so?”

  “You’ll figure it out.”

  It was unsettling to Gabriel that Samuel was so familiar with her.

  The setup cont
inued. It only took thirty minutes and camp was in order. Three large faded orange tents, a roaring fire, strip steaks sizzling, potatoes and onions in tinfoil baking in the coals. Rio sniffed around the outer ring of the camp until he curled up near the fire, near Gabriel’s tent.

  The guides all enjoyed their succulent steaks under the misty moon.

  “Tabitha, did you make any of that world-famous banana bread?” Samuel asked.

  She was seated across the fire from Samuel, next to Gabriel. The glow of the fire flickered on her high, tan cheekbones. Her soft, auburn hair looked even more radiant in the light of the fire. She pulled her hair around her shoulder and began to stroke it downward.

  “Maybe,” she replied with a smile. She looked up at Samuel.

  Gabriel noticed it. It was brief, but there was a definite connection in their glances toward each other.

  “So, you make good banana bread?” Gabriel inquired.

  “It’s the only thing I can make,” Tabitha replied.

  “She hasn’t let you taste her banana bread?” Samuel chided.

  “I guess not.” Gabriel looked over at Tabitha.

  She stared at the fire.

  “Alright, alright.” Tabitha got up and walked toward the coolers on the outside edge of the camp.

  “It’s quite good,” Samuel said to Gabriel, as if he knew something Gabriel didn’t. Gabriel wasn’t sure what to make of it. Suddenly, things felt a bit competitive.

  Sadie noticed the exchange.

  Rio perked up and put his nose in the air and began to whine.

  “What’s up, Rio? You smell something?” Gabriel paused, peering into the woods. “He doesn’t miss anything,” Gabriel said.

  Rio stood up at attention and started a low rumbling growl.

  Tabitha came walking back around the tents with a bag and began handing out small muffins. She noticed everyone was a little distracted at Rio’s behavior.

  “Did I miss something?” she asked.

  “Probably just a chipmunk,” Gabriel replied.

  Rio stopped suddenly, licked his chops, and curled back up in his sleeping position.

  Gabriel felt a twinge of jealousy when Tabitha gave the first muffin to Samuel and then began working her way around the fire.

  Jacob chimed in out of the side of his mouth as he struck a match to light his pipe. “Don’t forget the old and the wise over here.”

  While they ate, Sadie poured some hot coffee from the old black kettle. Everyone held out their tin mugs like beggars on a street corner.

  “I got that kettle when you were born, Tabby.” Jacob blew a plume of smoke. “That’s life . . . a puff of smoke and then it’s gone. Drink in the moments, kids. You think it’s gonna last forever, then you wake up and you’re in your fifties, contemplating the meaning of it all. I mean, right now, look at this!” Jacob held out his hands and motioned. “We are out in the wild on a perfect night with amazing food and people who love each other. The River is moving, the moon is shining, we are all healthy . . . it’s just perfect. You gotta drink it in.” He took a few more puffs. His tone lowered. “Just don’t take it for granted. It might not always be like this.”

  Gabriel leaned forward, thoughtful, as the vanilla tobacco smoke floated past him.

  “Dang, man, you know something we don’t know?” Freddie said as he laid another log on the fire. Sparks floated into the air as the coals settled.

  Jacob winked at Freddie. “I know a lot you don’t know, Freddie.”

  Everyone laughed, and Sadie changed the topic.

  “Okay, question everyone. If you could choose three different people that you would spend one day with each, who would it be? It can be anyone who has ever lived.”

  “Ooh, I know, I know!” Freddie raised his hand like a kid in elementary school. “Shakespeare first, then James Dean, and last but certainly not least, Raquel Welch.”

  Gabriel chuckled, along with everyone else.

  “That was fast. Can you please explain your choices?” Sadie asked, grinning.

  “Of course. I figure between the ultimate babe magnet, James Dean, and the guy who knows how to use his words to get babes, Shakespeare, they could help me know how to spend my day with Raquel!”

  Freddie smiled at the chorus of laughter.

  “I don’t care who you pick; no one will top that!” Jacob shouted through his belly laughing.

  “What? What? It makes sense, right?” Freddie swatted Gabriel on his shoulder with the back of his hand to get him to agree.

  Rio began barking. At first, Gabriel thought he was just chiming in because of the laughter. But then something in his tone made Gabriel turn toward the source of Rio’s frustration.

  Rio faced the forest at the back of the camp on all fours, with his head down, jowls snarled, and his fur up.

  Gabriel got everyone’s attention. “There’s definitely something out there, guys.”

  “Come over on this side of the fire, everyone. It’s probably just a raccoon,” Jacob said. “They aren’t afraid to steal the food out of your hand sometimes.”

  Rio kept on. The forest was dense just off of the campsite. Gabriel could barely see the canyon wall rise above it just a few hundred yards in.

  “Aww. Look!” Sadie pointed to her right up at the edge of the woods.

  A cuddly bear cub peeked his fluffy head around the tent closest to the trees.

  “That one’s only a few days old,” Jacob said.

  Mesmerized by the little fur ball, Sadie walked slowly around the fire and got within about fifteen feet of the cub.

  “Sadie, get back over here!” Jacob yelled.

  “Aw, c’mon, Dad, look how cute he is.”

  They all saw it at once . . . like a ghost, appearing out of nowhere. The momma grizzly crashed through the trees and reared on its hind legs, roaring and swiping. Terror struck everyone’s heart. The beast towered every bit of nine feet high.

  Sadie froze and began to shake.

  “Look down and don’t talk, Sadie.”

  The bear lowered to all fours and began to move toward Sadie.

  “Daddy!” Sadie screamed.

  “Quiet, Sadie. Just back up slowly.” Jacob spoke in a monotone voice and ran to the other side of the camp, waving his hands to distract the behemoth. Sweat broke out on Gabriel’s forehead. No one else moved.

  As she was backing up, Sadie tripped and tumbled to the ground.

  The grizzly bared her teeth and unhinged her jaw in a blood-curdling roar.

  Rio charged the bear, growling, but the bear lunged forward, flicking Rio away like a toy. The fierce canine yelped and landed several feet away on the ground.

  While the bear was distracted, Gabriel jumped and sprinted toward Sadie. He swept the trembling girl up in his arms and ran around the back of the fire closer to the water.

  The bear cub darted back into the forest, and the momma grizzly took one more look at the campers, spun around, and lumbered back into the woods, snapping branches and small trees on her way.

  Jacob ran over to Sadie and clutched her tightly. She fell apart in his arms, sobbing hysterically.

  “It’s okay. You’re safe. You’re safe,” Jacob comforted.

  The campers all gathered around the father and daughter. Rio came walking back over with a slight limp.

  “You’ve got blood all over your arm,” Tabitha said to Gabriel. He looked around to see where it was coming from and saw that Sadie’s leg had a six-inch gash below her right calf.

  Jacob’s countenance wore the fact that he almost lost his daughter. “Somebody get me the first aid. We have to get this cleaned up. Gabriel, put your shirt in the water. Change it now. Now!”

  Gabriel walked toward the boat to get another shirt.

  “He’s right. We don’t want to give that bear a reason to come back,” Tabitha said.

  Samuel brought bandages and wrapped her wound.

  Gabriel wondered if his rapid pulse would ever diminish. He expected some fun, and adven
ture even, but nothing this extreme. If this was just the first day, what were they in for?

  3

  The Stones of Remembrance

  Gabriel awoke at the first signs of daybreak. It was day two of their inaugural trip to open rafting season, and the other team members were still sound asleep. It took everyone a bit to settle down the night before due to the unwelcomed visitor. In the dewy twilight, Gabriel stumbled out of his tent, donned his boots and sweatshirt, grabbed his flashlight and The Journal, and made his way to The River’s edge. The water moved slowly as Gabriel sat down on a rock that jutted out over the current. The Journal had been a gift to Gabriel from his mother and contained writings and thoughts from three generations of men in his family. As he opened the leather-bound, water-stained relic, he flicked on the flashlight and began to read.

  The River—it makes, it breaks, it moves, it rests, it whispers, it shouts, it guides, it renews, it calls, it answers, it heals, it restores, it gives, it takes away, it lives.

  Everything in life is a gift. Hold tight to your relationships and hold material possessions loosely. Give thanks. Gratitude is the beginning of real and lasting joy. The very breath you carry with you in your lungs is a gift from the Maker. Whether you have a lot or a little, be content. Money, possessions, power, and status are all swallowed up in The River. To love and be loved . . . that’s all there is really.

  1-28-46, R. A. Clarke

  “What are you doing?” The soft whisper shocked Gabriel out of his meditation. He dropped the flashlight onto the rock, and it started rolling toward the water. He lunged forward onto his belly and caught it just before it fell in.

  “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry,” Tabitha whispered, then chuckled.

  “Are you trying to get my heart to stop before it’s time?” Gabriel reprimanded her playfully.

  She sat down beside him with her legs crossed, wrapped in her multicolored wool blanket that looked like an American Indian tapestry.

  “I was reading, before you snuck up on me.”

  The glow of the rising sun was painting the canyon walls with soft light. The birds chirped in the trees, the mist began to lift, and the gorge was awakening like a flower to the sun.