Chapter 4
The next morning, Rogue woke up to the bright rays of the sun streaming in through the tiny window in the cabin. She stretched her arms and legs, working the kinks from her joints. A faint snore from the opposite corner revealed Brittany stretched out on her back, still fast asleep. Seth and David were gone. Paul and Tony, too.
The gentle chug of the motor told her they were no longer at anchor, and she rolled out of the hammock. Barefooted, she headed toward the stern of the boat. In a far corner, Tony had rigged up a frame with a hanging curtain. The screen provided a modicum of privacy, and she hung her butt over the edge to do her business. It wasn’t ideal, but the boat didn’t possess any plumbing. She wiped with a wad of rough leaves and tossed it.
After pulling up a bucket of water, she headed back to the cabin to wash and get ready for the day. Brittany eyed her from her bunk bed with bleary eyes. “What time is it?”
“I don’t know. The sun’s up, so we overslept,” Rogue answered with a stifled yawn.
“Ugh. It feels like I hardly slept at all. The mosquitoes chowed the crap out of me,” Brittany complained. She scratched at her arms and legs, revealing angry red spots all over her body.
“That’s strange. They didn’t bother me.”
“It must be all that garlic you ate,” Brittany said with a shudder. “I can smell your breath all the way over here.”
Rogue rolled her eyes. “Relax. I’m about to brush my teeth.”
She removed her toothbrush from her bag, a homemade affair of wood and horsetail bristles. She dipped it in a bag of mixed soda ash and charcoal before brushing her teeth. A bottle of water rinsed out the gunk, and she spat it overboard.
Next, she stripped down and washed with soap and river water before pulling on a set of fresh underwear. Her outfit was simple: a t-shirt and loose cotton pants. She didn’t bother with shoes, reckoning she didn’t need them on board.
“Can I braid your hair?” Brittany asked, still lying in her bed.
“Um. Sure,” Rogue said. She sat down on the edge of the bed and handed Brittany her comb. It felt weird to let a stranger do her hair, but kind of nice, too.
“I used to braid my mom’s hair all the time,” Brittany explained.
“I’ve seen your mom’s hair,” Rogue said. “It must’ve taken her years to grow it that long.”
“I guess, but yours is lovely too. It’s such a beautiful shade.”
“It’s brown,” Rogue said with a snort.
“Not just brown. It’s rich and vibrant. Like melted chocolate.”
“I can’t remember the last time I had chocolate,” Rogue said with longing.
“Me too. That stuff ran out pretty quickly after the Shift.”
“What happened to your dad? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I don’t mind. He died when I was three, and I remember very little about him,” Brittany said. “My mom never dated again, though I sometimes wish she would. She’s lonely. I know she is.”
“Maybe she will, now that you’re gone,” Rogue said. “Maybe she felt like she had to focus on you first.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. She’s always been a tad overprotective.”
“That’s because she loves you,” Rogue said.
“True. It would’ve been way worse if she didn’t care at all.”
A companionable silence fell as Brittany finished doing her hair. “There you go. All done,” Brittany said.
“Thanks,” Rogue said, smoothing her hands over the thick braid that hung down her back. “Should I do yours?”
“Nah, I can do it myself,” Brittany said, scrambling out of bed. “Besides, I need to pee. See you later.”
“Later,” Rogue replied with an amused grin as Brittany shot out of the cabin.
She packed away her things and stowed her bag underneath the hammock before heading out. Seth met her on deck and planted a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Well enough. You?”
“Like the dead.”
Rogue’s stomach growled. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Tea and biscuits.”
“That’s it?” she said, feeling let down.
“Don’t worry. Tony promised us fried fish for supper, remember?” Seth said.
Rogue perked up. “I remember. Too bad I have to wait a whole day, though.”
But the hours passed by a lot faster than she thought possible. After breakfast, she and Brittany took turns mopping the deck while Seth and Paul tidied the kitchen. Jessica convinced Tony to give her a spin at the wheel. Apparently, she knew how to pilot a boat, another of her many talents. Bear took it upon himself to sharpen everyone’s blades, while David repaired one of Tony’s fishing nets.
As the boat traveled upriver, the scenery changed. The trees receded, and the temperature dropped as they moved further north. They left the Willamette behind and braved the waters of the Columbia. Here, the river was both deeper and broader.
Rogue studied its green depths, wondering what creatures lurked beneath. She imagined fearsome creatures such as the Clidastes, but nothing showed beyond the occasional fish. In search of food, they struck at bugs on the surface, their scales flashing silver in the sun. Water Lillies choked the riverbeds, their beautiful petals a welcome pop of color against the monotonous green.
It was late afternoon when Tony handed the boat over to Jessica. After a long speech about responsibility, he exited the wheelhouse and gathered the rest of them around. “Right, it’s time to catch some fish. Who needs a lesson?”
“I do,” Rogue said.
“Me too,” Brittany added.
“And me,” David said.
“What about you lot?” Tony asked the rest.
“I can fish,” Paul said.
Bear grunted and turned away without answering.
“Do you even need to ask?” Seth said.
“Alright then. Help yourselves to a rod and gear in the wheelhouse. Brittany, David, and Rogue follow me,” Tony said.
He showed Rogue and her group how to set up the line, hook, and bait. Finally, he demonstrated casting the line and
