AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re lucky I like you.” I lean back and pull my hat down over my eyes. I let the water rock me into a peaceful nap as Phoebe continues to wait for her perfect shot.
It’s so silent but so active.
There is rarely another boat in the distance that disturbs the dynamics here. But the wildlife continues to play out their roles of predator and prey.
“Did you know the Everglades are one of the largest wetlands in the world? It is a collection of one point five million acres. It is the only place where crocodiles and alligators coexist. It’s actually a river.” I love her facts; she whispers it, trying not to disturb me.
I shake my head against her thigh, getting cozy.
I can hear the croaking of cricket frogs, the growl of hopefully a full-bellied alligator. Because I didn’t sign up to be anybody’s lunch.
“God, I wonder what it looks like from the sky view. I bet it looks like big wiggly snakes all running all over.” Phoebe’s imagination starts collecting the pictures in her head.
“Maybe we should go buy a drone to scout out new areas we travel,” I say, keeping my eyes closed.
“No, I think that defeats the purpose. Doesn’t it? We take away the journey to find the escape. We shouldn’t be taking away the step that gets us from here to there.” I hear her camera click a few more times and then a big splash. “Shit, shit, shit, Enzo!”
“What happened?” I spring up, rocking the boat and scattering the wildlife around us.
“I dropped it.” Phoebe’s eyes are wide, and her hands are empty. “I took off my strap because it was making me sweaty. Shit, Enzo. My backup is at the bungalow.”
I lean over the edge and see if I can see it through the murky water. I know Phoebe wants me to stick my hand in there and try and see if I can feel it, recover the camera’s body to truly mourn. But I don’t think I am brave enough to do it.
“Babe, I’m sorry; I’m pretty sure it is gone for good.”
“No, it can’t be. It can’t be; I have had that camera since I started. That camera sleeps by my bed at night. Enzo, do something!” Phoebe flicks the water around, trying to move away from the top layer to see beneath, but nothing is helping.
“Stop, baby. You aren’t going in there. I am not going in there. It’s gone.” I pull her hands away from the water, and she sits back, defeated and so sad.
“I bought that camera when I was seventeen, right after moving out. It was the first thing I ever owned, Enzo. Please, I just need it back, even if it doesn’t work.” I’ve never seen Phoebe cry over something materialistic before.
“I am going to need you to promise I am going to make it out of this alive.” I think about how I am going to be a hero today. Even if it means getting a limb chomped off.
“Honey.”
“Promise me, Phoebe.”
“I promise. You go in; I’ll come in after you.”
“You’re crazy.” I glare at the water for even being in front of me.
“Only for you, Enzo.” She rubs my shoulder for support. Damn, how did I get into this situation? I don’t remember this being on the schedule of things to do as a boyfriend. Did I miss it?
I take one of the paddles at the bottom of the boat. I slide it through the water slowly, hoping it doesn’t move too far; I hope this is simple, and we can find it. It’s fifteen minutes before I even hit something hard. I put the paddle away from us a little way, and I think I hit it. I try to scoop it up, and when it reaches the surface, I see it slipping off.
So I lean over to grab it and tumble head first into the water. I try to stand up with the camera in my hand. The water goes to my waist, but I am splashing all over, trying to get my ass back in the boat fast as possible.
“I think something touched my penis.” I throw her muddy camera to the ground and unzip my shorts as fast as possible. I check my balls and dick for any travelers trying to hitch a ride to me. “Is there anything on my butt?” I turn over, and Phoebe just laughs. “Stop laughing at me; what if a leech crawled up my asshole?”
“It would probably die of suffocation.” Phoebe thinks this is funny, but it won’t be if we go to the hospital and my butt gives birth to blood suckers.
“Phoebe!” I yell, and the birds sing my song too. Phoebe leans forward and spreads my butt cheeks to ensure I don’t have any foreign critters.
“There isn’t any, I promise.”
“I can’t believe you made me do it. I could have stepped in a sinkhole or been bitten by something. We don’t know everything that lives out here. I will take forty showers when we get back—” But Phoebe presses her mouth hard on mine; Phoebe doesn’t stop until I melt into her kiss.
“Thank you, Enzo. Really, this means everything to me.”
