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We arrived at the launch site unopposed One empty canoe was already there, tied to a tree with Winky standing beside it, waving us over frantically I sighed in relief seeing her there

"Come on," she whispered loudly "Fohi and Rob are already ahead of us We’ve gotta go They o in front ofas the boat rocked froes of the canoe hite-knuckled grips, obviously worried they were going to be flipped out and drowned

Winky got in last after having untied the rope that held the canoe to the tree She picked up a pole that was nearby and stood at the back of the boat, using it to push us through the water Her ht current that was h of relief as we started coasting away at greater speed, Winky finding her rhyth, but it was probably for the best; I’d likely have gotten us all turned around and headed in the wrong direction

The trees and roots slid by, the sounds of ani sounds on the banks It was difficult to see anything in the ht, but it would have been ireeted us as we turned a bend in the river

Trip stood with one hand on a large spear and the other hanging at his side His right cheek sported the long strip of black warpaint that I had co at all costs Winky kept pushing the boat, even as his ier and more sharp

We were now merely feet away, and he hadn’t moved a muscle Rob and Fohi were just ahead of us now, both of theer pushing with their poles

I turned to look at Peter His chin was raised in defiance as he stared Trip down, gripping Buster to his chest The dog struggled to be released, whining his displeasure, but Peter didn’t let go

I thought for sure Trip was going to use that weapon or at least say so, but as we slipped by, he only had eyes for Peter

Peter looked away as we drew parallel to Trip, keeping his gaze straight ahead, looking so badass I wanted to squeal and hug him for hoesome he was But that would have ruined the whole effect, so I kept my cool, turned to face the front of the boat, and focused on trying not to panic over getting a spear tip inBodo behind, so this had to be so hard for Peter Ithim and the rest of us in this situation

As soon as Trip was out of sight, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief Fohi was the first one to speak fro back at us, leaving Rob to do all the navigating "What was that all about? Did he just do some sick-ass voodoo curse on us, or what?"

"Is he serious?" asked Jaet the hell out of here This whole thing is just creeping ed forward enough to coave us a dirty look, but joined in pushing his boat again

Within half an hour ere at the canoe rental place, pulling up onto the sand No one was there to greet us

We all clarabbed our stuff, anxious to put as many miles between us and Trip - and whatever weird plan he had up his sleeve - as possible I noticed the grenade suitcase in Rob’s boat Ronald was pulling on it to get it out

"Careful, Ronald Those are explosives" I looked at Rob "You got the grenades, cool Thanks"

Ronald put the into his brother as standing there with hisat me as he tied the canoes to the boat rack for others to retrieve later "Don’t be mad"

I shookto leave anyone high and dry here"

"I know," he said, s ht thing to do, and that’s what you’re all about"

"Which is e’re here in theunder the weight of a backpack that was nearly half his size

I s my mouth with , dude?" I asked, hter with as curious a tone as I could in buttwad packed it"

"Shut up, Fohi, or I’ll er pack over his own shoulder

Fohi ignored hi each other until ere all at the top of the bank looking down

"So this is it," said Winky, staring at the canoes and then the water "We’re really leaving"

Peter cleared his throat "I’ to miss this place"

We all probably knew at this point that it wasn’t the only thing he was going to miss Trip had made that clear, stupid, insensitive jerk

"No shit," said Fohi "It was houys That weto do with you, really Don’t worry about it," I said, trying to reassure theuys or soo"

"Nobody ood place after our parents died, but I’ve been ready for a change for a while"

"You have?" asked Fohi, sounding offended "Why didn’t you tellinto the night "I don’t know I guess I didn’t see the point But now I do Cole file into the trees, none of us looking back

Chapter Five

I WAS HAPPY TO GET the bike with the big-butt seat for the trip It had our old trailer attached and was covered in pine needles and other grosser things I didn’t want to think about I brushed the seat off and got on, waiting foraround so its momentum wouldn’t throw me off Peter deposited Buster into the basket on the front, and tied his leash to the handles

"Now stay put, Buster," he said "We have a long way to go and you need to shut your yap the entire ti by on a ten-speed that also looked like it had seen better days