Page 19 of Captured on Film
Caleb writhed miserably under the swarm’s onslaught. “Get themoff,” he moaned.
Josheb swore. Hauling Caleb to his feet, he all but draggedhim through the woods.
Feels Bad
Caleb wasn’t the kind of guy to jump fromanyheight. Especially into strange waters that could be too shallow or hidingdangerous rocks. But when Josheb hustled him to the verge, Caleb grabbed hisnose and stepped off.
Staying under, Caleb flicked his hands through his hair andalong his limbs, urgent to rid himself of passengers. When he surfaced, Josheb wasalready there, swiping water from his face.
“Are you stung?” he asked urgently. “Bitten?”
“Don’t think so.” Caleb’s feet touched, but he stayed low inthe water, one wary eye on the sky.
Grabbing him by the shoulders, Josheb made his ownreconnoiter, then steered Caleb closer to the steep bank they’d plunged from.“Stay put until they’re gone. Then head to camp and get dry. I’ll go back forNessie.”
They’d left her? What kind of person abandoned their pet inbear territory? “Sorry,” he said glumly. “Poor Nessie. Please, hurry?”
“As long as you’re good …?”
“Yeah. Fine. Really. Go.” Caleb sank to his chin in thewater while his brother sloshed up the bank and disappeared from view. Hisheart still hammered, but good sense was returning. The figments hadn’t harmedhim. None ever had, for all their oddness. Yet he’d panicked, and now therewere consequences.
Josheb had to be unimpressed.
Their clothes and boots were soaked.
Nessie probably felt abandoned.
With a groan of regret, he extracted his phone from his backpocket. Would he be able to retrieve the pictures he’d taken so far? With onelast long look, he left the cool river water and squelched uphill. “Why me?” hesighed.
Staggering into camp, he dragged off sodden clothes.
Holy ground or no, he was barefoot now. And a completetenderfoot.
Finger-combing his hair, he gave up on the day, crawled intothe tent, and curled up under both sleeping bags to wait for Josheb’s return.
A hand gripped his shoulder. “Caleb. Hey. Wake up.”
He hadn’t expected to fall asleep. Was it dark already?“Why’d you let me sleep?” he mumbled.
“She’s gone.”
“Huh?”
“I’m sorry.” There was a rigidity to Josheb’s posture, adirectness to his gaze. He’d always been the kind of guy who owned up to hismistakes. “I’m really sorry, and I need your help. She’s always liked youbetter. Maybe if she hearsyoucalling …?”
“Nessie’s gone?”
“Yeah. I’ve been trying to track her, but it’s getting too dark.”
Caleb was thinking more clearly now, and he didn’t liketheir options. Nessie was important, but so was his brother. Josheb lookedexhausted. Pressing his hand to clammy skin, Caleb snapped, “You’re freezing!”
Josheb only grunted.
“Get out of those wet clothes. I’ll get the fire goingagain.”
His younger brother quietly reminded, “I can’t find Nessie.”
As if Caleb didn’t know what that could mean. But they hadto go about this the right way. “If you get sick, we’re sunk. What kind ofsurvivalist wanders around in wet clothes? Even I know that’s bad news.”
