Chapter 7

Why do women always go for the bad boys? That and other crazy thoughts raced through my mind. I could not believe that Dawn would consider going back to those worthless guys. Startled, I felt a gentle puff of air by my ear, and then heard these whispered words, "I'll be waiting for you in your canoe". All at once, everything was right again in the world. I told the fellow that I wanted him to collect Dawn's gear and her tent. I told him that the sooner I had it in my possession, the sooner he would have his canoe back.

He looked at Dawn, then back to me. Our eyes locked and I knew that he saw something that he really didn't like. He immediately turned on his heels and proceeded to gather Dawn's supplies. He quickly brought them down to me and I asked him to put them into my canoe. When he turned to leave, I stopped him. I informed him that he was never to speak to, or have anything to do with Dawn again. He then turned and headed up to his campsite.

I turned and climbed into the canoe, where Dawn was patiently waiting. I pushed off, and once again, we began paddling across the lake. I never did see the other guy. Maybe he was using the latrine or maybe he was too embarrassed to show his face. Whatever the circumstance, I was glad that the encounter was over and it had not resulted in a physical confrontation.

Once we were out of sight, Dawn turned and gave me the most devilish grin. After I got to know her more, I learned that she had quit a diabolical sense of humor. I told her that she really had me fooled, for a few minutes anyway. She replied that she just couldn't resist asking that question. She said she just couldn't believe that they would think that she was that naïve. For me, it really didn't matter any longer. It was over and we were on our way to new and exciting adventures.

Off in the distance, I spotted a narrow channel that I thought might be worth exploring. It was about twenty feet wide and appeared to zigzag through a low lying bog. I spotted something blue along the shoreline and headed over to check it out. Just as I suspected, the area was full of ripe blue berries. I turned the canoe so that Dawn could reach a bush. I smiled as she took a handful of the juicy berries and placed them in her mouth. Her eyes lit up when she realized just how tasty they were.

We proceeded to collect a good amount of the fruit, which I planned to add to a muffin mix, I had brought along for such an occasion. We also popped a good amount of the berries into our mouths. It was always such a special treat to find and enjoy these fresh and natural fruits.

After we had picked enough of the berries, we headed over to check out the falls. Just for fun, we tried to canoe as close to the falls as we could get. As we neared the frothy white foam, the force of the water would take control of the canoe and push us back. We spotted a rainbow in the mist, created by the spray of the rushing water, as it cascaded over the falls. The cool spray felt refreshing upon our faces. We canoed over to the landing and climbed out of the canoe. Then we walked up a trail to explore the falls.

The falls dropped from a height of about fifteen feet. The boulders around the area were smooth and worn from the powerful action of the water. The water was flowing fairly heavy, due to the rains that we had experienced over the last few days.

I noticed Dawn checking out a ledge near the side of the falls. Before I could stop her, she had disappeared from view behind the rushing water. I was a little hesitant to follow, knowing how slippery the rocks could be.

I carefully walked over to the side of the falls and followed Dawn's path to an area behind the arching water. Once I ducked under the ledge, I spotted Dawn, standing there with a huge smile on her face. Various shades of green moss clung to the walls of the chamber. Seeping pockets of water kept the walls damp and luscious. A variety of small miniature wildflowers grew out of the sides of the rocky shelf.

I had to hunch over because of the low ceiling. I made my way over to Dawn and sat down on a relatively dry rock. We looked through the watery veil at the world beyond. It was a special treat when I felt Dawn's hand placed inside mine. I swear that I felt some electricity pass between us, during that touch.

We sat there for some time, enjoying the sound of the rushing water and the uniqueness of our surroundings. Our behinds were a little wet, but I figured they would dry out in the heat of the sun. I finally got up and carefully made my way out from under the falls. Dawn followed soon after. As we stood on a rocky ledge, overlooking the falls, we could easily observe the lushness and beauty of our surroundings.

Suddenly, Dawn turned to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. As she gazed tenderly at me, she thanked me for helping to recover her gear. Then she reached up and gently kissed me on my lips. Something happened in that kiss. It seemed to me that there was a transfer of a small amount of energy. She told me that she was having an incredible time. She said that she felt safe and secure with me. I responded by telling her how much I enjoyed her company. Dawn sat down to enjoy the scenery, while I headed down to the waters edge.

Feeling on top of the world, I pulled my fishing rod out of the canoe. I figured that there had to be some fish in this highly oxygenated water. It didn't take too many casts before I hand several nice fish for our dinner. Dawn had laid down on the flat rock and was in the process of absorbing the suns rays. It seemed like a really good idea, so I lay down beside her. The warmth of the sun and the sound of the rushing water soon lulled us into a deep and calming slumber.

When I awoke from my warm and womb-like sleep, I noticed that Dawn was no longer beside me. I looked around and spotted her swimming in a pool near the falls. When she saw me, she motioned for me to come in. I quickly removed my clothes, down to my shorts, and proceeded to wade into the clear cool water. It was cold, but not unbearably so. I took a deep breath, prepared for the shock, and dove into the water.

When I surfaced, I gave my ear a shake to clear it of water. I dove under again and was amazed at the clarity of the water and the detail that I could see in the watery world around me. I spotted a fish lurking behind a submerged log, some minnows swimming in a school, and part of a paddle that must have broken off while some poor soul tried to maneuver around the falls.

I looked up and spotted Dawn swimming my way. She had stripped down to her bra and shorts and looked stunning as she gracefully made her way toward me. The rays of sun, streaking through the water, only added to her beauty. I swam up to meet her and gently grabbed her around the waist.

She let out a giggle as we treaded water and I caught my breath. Then we both took a deep breath and dove under again. As we looked around, I would point out various interesting things. It was at times, like that, when I wished I had gills. Our little forays under water were always cut short by the need to surface and replenish our supply of air.