Everlasting Love

by Valerie Hansen

  Beside her, James momentarily froze, then took off running. “This way!”

  Though she still hadn’t heard anything to get excited about, she followed. The beam of his flashlight bounced over the uneven ground and danced among the trees up ahead like a sunbeam riding a bucking bronco. And speaking of horses, Megan wished she was aboard Buckets instead of picking her own way on foot across a forest floor littered with rocks and recently downed branches. No telling what dangers lay hidden beneath the carpet of wet leaves—not to mention the usual complement of ticks and chiggers.

  Caution slowed her enough that James reached the riverbank before she did. He threw himself to the ground, facedown, head and shoulders hanging over the edge.

  Megan was worried he’d fallen until she heard him shout, “Roxanne!”

  Her breath caught. Her heart raced. The certainty in his voice said it all. They’d found her sister!

  Woozy with relief, Megan was afraid she was about to keel over. Before her emotions could overpower her will, she dropped to her knees next to James, hoping to see what he was seeing. It was no use. She was too short. She thumped his back to get his attention. “Is it really Roxy?”

  “Yes.” James raised on one elbow. “Zac, too. They look okay so far but they won’t be for long. I’m an idiot. I left my rope on the ATV.”

  Rope? Rope? Think! “How long a piece do you need?”

  “The longer the better. Why?”

  “Buckets’s reins might work. Wait. I’ll get them.”

  She returned with the whole bridle. “Let me unfasten the reins from the bit. It’ll just take a minute.”

  “No time. We’ll use it like that,” James said. “Stretch it out and tie one end to that little hickory tree. It may bend some under my weight but it won’t break. It takes a tornado to snap a hickory that size.”

  “What’re you going to do?” Her eyes widened when she realized he’d already removed his boots. She stared past him at the river. Broken patches of white froth were clear indications of how fast the water was now traveling. “You’re not going in there!”

  “Unless you have a better idea. Those kids don’t dare try to climb out by themselves.” He whipped off the slicker and threw it aside. “They’d be swept away the minute they set foot in the water.”

  Even knowing he’d made the right decision, Megan had to fight the urge to beg him to reconsider. She nodded. “Okay. How can I help? Tell me exactly what to do.”

  “Make sure your end of the rein doesn’t come loose. I’ll have to climb partway, then swing in. I don’t want to end up floating downriver instead.”

  “Got it. What else?” There was a telltale tremor in her voice.

  “They’ve got a little fire going in the cave so I’ll be able to see. You keep the flashlight. I’ll bring Roxy out first. Be ready to help her climb after I boost her up.”

  He hesitated, laid a hand tenderly on Megan’s arm. “Just don’t fall in, okay? I don’t want to lose you.”

  She managed a slight smile. “Be careful.”

  “I will. We have a date to discuss some important things and I don’t plan to miss it.”

  Before Megan could reply he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, levered himself over the bank and disappeared from view.

  Teeth gritted, muscles straining, James eased closer to the water and prepared to leap toward the cave opening. He must do this perfectly. Failure was unthinkable. Everybody was counting on him. Especially Megan.

  Was this what it was like to trust God? He sure hoped so because he was about to do something totally crazy.

  With a muttered “Here goes,” he jumped.

  The makeshift rope stretched but held. His wet hands started to slip, then gripped.

  Roxy was crouched in the cave opening, waiting. She snatched at his ankle to stop him from going backward.

  James dropped to the ground beside her. The sobbing girl clutched his hand. “Oh, Mr. Harris, am I glad to see you. I didn’t know what to do. The water kept coming up. I was afraid we’d drown.”

  “You still might if you don’t do exactly as I say.”

  “I will, I will. I promise.” Her tears glistened in the flickering firelight.

  James wanted to throw his arms around both kids and hug them senseless, but that kind of reunion would have to wait. So would recriminations. First, they had to escape the rising flood. And the sooner the better.

  He spotted Zac in the rear of the cave. The boy was wrapped in Megan’s missing red jacket and reclining next to the fire. “Zac. Get over here. I need your help.”

  “Sorry,” Zac said. “I can’t.”

  Roxy grabbed James’s arm and tugged him forward. “That’s what I was trying to tell you, Mr. Harris. Zac’s hurt. He can’t walk. See? It’s all my fault.”

  “What do you mean he’s hurt?”

  “His leg. I tried to put a splint on it but I couldn’t get it right. And I couldn’t leave him and go for help. What if I got lost? What if I couldn’t find my way back? He’d die!”

  James had dropped to his knees beside the boy as Roxy chattered on. Gently, he probed the injury site to assess the damage. “It might be just a bad sprain. Did anything break the skin?”

  “No,” Zac said, flinching. “Ouch!”

  “Okay. How do you feel otherwise?” James laid his hand on the boy’s forehead. “You’re feverish. When did you hurt your leg? Right after you two ran away?”

  “We didn’t… Oh, never mind. Yeah. That same day.” Zac’s teeth chattered. “Man, it’s cold in here. Can we go home now?”

  “That’s the plan,” James told him, straightening. “I’m going to hand Roxy up to her sister first, then come back for you. Think you can wait that long?”

  “Like, where am I gonna go?”

  James huffed. “I see you haven’t lost your sarcastic sense of humor.”

  The teen gave him a knowing grin. “You’d wonder what was wrong with me if I didn’t give you a hard time.”

  Touched by Zac’s candor and warmed by his smile, James nodded. “You’re right, you little hoodlum.”

  “Hey, watch it with the ‘little’ stuff.”

  “Right now,” James said, sobering, “I’m glad you’re not any bigger. Looks like I’m going to have to pack you out of here on my back.”

  “No way.” The boy folded his arms across his chest. “I’ll just wait for the water to go down and get me a crutch or something.”

  “Then I hope you can swim,” James replied, pointing. “See that line halfway up the wall? That’s how deep it’s going to get in here.”

  Behind him, he heard Roxy’s sharp intake of breath. “We have to get out!”

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” James said. He took her hand and led her back to the cave opening. Water was beginning to slosh in, wetting the floor in a widening circle. The river was rising even faster than he’d expected. There was no time to waste.

  He grabbed the end of the leather rein and gave it a tug to make sure it was still solidly anchored, then leaned out and called, “Megan. You ready?”

  When there was no answering shout, James thought his heart was going to pound its way out of his chest.

  “Megan! Answer me.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Perched above the cave, Megan strained to listen. Several times she’d imagined hearing James’s voice, had answered and had discovered she’d been mistaken.

  When she heard something this time, she crawled cautiously to the edge of the bank and used the flashlight to signal. “James? I’m here.”

  Beside her, the makeshift rescue rope tightened, creaking against the sturdy hickory sapling she’d used as its anchor.

  James’s voice came to her like a breath on the wind. “I’m sending Roxy up. Get ready to grab her.”

  “Okay. All set.”

  Reaching over the bank, Megan laid the flashlight on the ground and used her other hand to steady the leather strap, hoping that if it did slip she’d be
quick enough and strong enough to catch and hold it.

  Icy, trembling fingers touched hers. Megan clasped her sister’s wrist. “Roxy! Hold on. I’ll pull you up.”

  Where she got the strength to heave the younger girl over the lip of the muddy, undercut bank she didn’t know. Everything happened in a blur. Roxanne shot up out of the riverbed as if jumping from a trampoline and landed with a thump and a whimper.

  Megan tearfully gathered her into an embrace. “Oh, honey. We thought we’d lost you!”

  “Me, too,” the girl said, clinging and shivering. “Oh, Meg, I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. It’s over. You’re safe now.”

  Pushing herself away, Roxy shook her head so violently, droplets of water scattered. “No. It’s not over. Zac’s still down there.”

  “Don’t worry. James—Mr. Harris will bring him up in a minute.”

  “But he’s hurt.”

  Megan’s heart lumped in her throat. “James? How—?”

  “No, Zac. He was wonderful, Meg. I thought he was just a kid but you should have seen him. He…”

  Megan grasped the girl’s shoulders. “What happened to Zac? How badly is he injured?”

  “I don’t know. I think maybe his leg is broken. Mr. Harris said he’d have to carry him.”

  This news changed everything. Megan eyed the thin leather reins. How much weight could they bear before snapping under the strain? She gritted her teeth. Reins, nothing. How much strain could her nerves take before snapping?

  “I prayed and prayed,” Roxy said between sniffles, tremors and jerky breaths.

  Taking off the plastic poncho, Megan slipped it over her sister’s head. “Don’t stop now,” she told the girl. “Only two of us are safe. James and Zac still need all the extra help they can get.”

  “I won’t let you pack me around like some baby,” Zac declared.

  James would have worried more if he hadn’t sensed fear behind the boy’s bravado. “Fine. Well, guess I’ll be going. See ya.”

  “Wait! You can’t leave me here!”

  “I don’t intend to stick around till I lose my chance of escape. And you won’t let me help you, so—”

  “Okay, okay. But if you tell the other kids about this I’ll, I’ll…”

  “I don’t intend to say one word, except to the police.”

  “Police? I didn’t do nothin’.”

  “We’ll talk about that later,” James said firmly. “Right now, you and I have to figure out how we’re going to get out of this mess. Any ideas?”

  “You said you were going to carry me.”

  “Only if you’re sure you can hang on no matter what happens. There’s a chance we may fall into the river. If we got separated in the water you could be in real trouble.”

  “Like I’m not already?” Zac made a face. “You’re gonna hand me over to the cops.”

  “I never said that. But somebody has some serious explaining to do. A lot of folks have been out searching for you and your girlfriend.”

  “Girlfriend? Yeah, right,” Zac said. “She might make an okay nurse but she’s a lousy date. All she did was complain. And it was her fault we were out here.”

  “I said, we’ll discuss it later.” James lifted the youth to his feet and steadied him, then turned and crouched down. “Put your arms around my neck. When I stand up, I’ll grab your knees. You know. Like playing piggyback.”

  “I’ve seen it.”

  But you never had a daddy to give you rides, did you? James thought. Of course not. So many simple things like that were taken for granted by anyone who’d had a so-called normal childhood. Even he remembered enjoyable outings with his parents, especially when he was very young. To children like those who were placed in Camp Refuge, that kind of life must seem like an unattainable dream.

  He straightened, his hands on the boy’s forearms where they passed around his neck. “I’m knotting the cuffs of that jacket together to help you hang on. Ready?”

  “Uh, yeah. I guess so.”

  James carried him to the entrance and paused. The only way he could use the rope for assistance was to let go of Zac’s legs. Whether the injured one was broken or not, pain would keep the youth from gripping with it.

  “Hang on a minute,” James said. “I’ll tie the shoelaces on your bad foot to my belt so your leg won’t wobble around too much, in case I have to let go. Think you can stand it like that?”

  “I can stand anything.”

  “Yeah. You’re tough. I forgot.” And a scared kid, too, he reminded himself. “Listen, Zac, if there was any other way…”

  “Just get me out of here, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Eyeing the water mere inches from his feet, James steadied the boy’s bad leg and reached for the lifeline. Megan was waiting for him at the other end.

  In a way, she was his lifeline, too. All he had to do was reach her.

  “I see them!” Roxy yelled. “They’re almost to the top.”

  Rain had ceased to fall. Excess water dripped sporadically from the trees. Megan was using the flashlight to check the condition of the bridle, praying that their improvised rescue rig would hold. She shined the weakening beam at the buckles that held the reins to the bit. That connection seemed secure, yet something about it bothered her. If only she could see more clearly.

  Though she wanted to be at the brink of the riverbank to greet James, something held her back. She put out her hand. Touched one of the rings on either side of the bit. There was a barely perceptible movement. An instant later, the upper rein broke away!

  Amazingly, Megan’s fingers were in the right place at the right time. She caught the loose bridle, dropping the flashlight so she could use both hands, and held on for dear life.

  Skidding toward the edge of the embankment like a water-skier being pulled behind a speedboat, she tried to dig her heels into the wet ground.

  Roxy lunged as she sailed past, grabbing her and knocking her down. Together, they were dragged across the soggy, uneven forest floor. A scrub oak came between them, halting their slide just short of disaster.

  Roxy spit leaves. “Phew! What happened?”

  “One of the reins broke. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. You?”

  “So far. Whatever you do, don’t let go!”

  From below they heard a shout. “Megan, give me a hand. There’s something wrong with this rope.”

  “I know. Sorry. Can you make it on your own? We’re tied up right now.”

  To her great relief, he poked his head above the precipice. “What the…?”

  “Don’t ask,” Megan said. “Just get on up here so we can relax, will you? My arms are cramping.”

  James grabbed a cedar sapling and used it to pull himself the rest of the way. “Okay. You can let go,” he told her. “We’re on solid ground.”

  Collapsing with relief, Megan watched him untie Zac, swing him around to the front and lower him gently. The boy was perspiring profusely and his eyes glistened. She suspected James was also trying to suppress tears of gratitude. She certainly was.

  She and her sister were still prostrate beneath the bushy oak, gasping from their efforts, when James dropped to his knees beside her. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. Now,” Megan said. “You’re here.”

  She reached to caress his beloved face. A smile blossomed. Unashamed of her tears, she let him help her to her feet without protest and stepped into his embrace as if she’d done so a million times before.

  James clasped her tight for long seconds, then held her away to gaze into her misty eyes. “I can’t believe you two stopped that line the way you did. You’re amazing. I owe you, big-time. “

  “Well, I don’t know about her,” Megan said, eyeing her waterlogged sister, “but you owe me plenty.”

  Roxy made a sound of unmistakable disgust as she crawled out from under the bush and struggled to her feet. “Hey, don’t worry about me, you guys. I’m just peachy. Not hurt
a bit. And I can get up all by myself. Don’t need any help. No sir.”

  Oblivious to the younger girl’s sarcasm, James looked fondly at Megan and spoke softly. “I meant it. I do owe you a lot.”

  “Good. You can start by paying me off with a decent kiss—for a change.”

  “Oh?” His eyebrows arched. “You have complaints about my kisses?”

  “How would I know? They happen so fast it’s a wonder I even noticed.”

  “You noticed.”

  Her grin grew so broad her cheeks ached. “Oh, yeah? Prove it.”

  James whispered, “Gladly,” and touched his lips to hers. This time he lingered.

  In the background, Zac gave a theatrical groan. “Oh, brother.”

  Roxy giggled. “Quiet, you blockhead. This is s-o-o-o romantic.”

  It took a few moments for the youngsters’ words to penetrate the fog of love and happiness surrounding Megan. When she did become aware of their candid comments, she made up her mind to ignore them. That was a mistake. The harder she tried, the funnier everything seemed.

  Already at the end of her ability to cope, she lost control and burst into laughter. She roared. Chortled. Guffawed. Giggled. And generally made a fool of herself.

  That didn’t stop her. Nothing did. She simply had to laugh, tears streaming down her face, until she was too spent to continue.

  “I—I’m sorry,” she finally blurted.

  “No problem,” James replied. “I’ll just keep trying new techniques till I get it right.”

  The silly expression on his face set her off again. This time she regained control faster. “It was a wonderful kiss. Honest. But I certainly don’t mind if you want to practice some more.”

  “Later,” James said. “It’s almost dawn. I want to get back to camp before everybody wakes up and starts worrying for nothing.”

  “Good idea.” Megan pointed to Zac and her sister. “So, how are we going to handle those two? They aren’t heavy, but I can’t see fitting four people on Buckets.”

  “Three, at the most,” James declared. “I don’t care what you decide to do. I’m walking.”

  “I probably am, too. If we can’t repair the bridle, I’ll have to lead her, especially since we need to pick a smooth path home so we don’t disturb Zac’s leg.”