An hour ticked by while Rogue waited for something to happen. The sun passed overhead, and she amused herself by looking for life on the banks. Now and then she spotted a small herd of dinos at the water’s edge, but mostly it was quiet.
“This is stupid,” Brittany said, giving up at last. She pulled in her line and handed the fishing rod back to Tony. “Have fun.”
David caught a couple, but they were too small to keep, and Tony tossed them back. “Better luck next time.”
“There won’t be a next time,” David said, also throwing in the towel.
Bear caught a big one, wrestling the creature onto the deck after a thirty-minute fight. He slit its throat and hung it upside down to bleed out. Wiping his hands, he said. “I’m done.”
Paul never said or caught anything. He simply let his line dangle in the water for a few hours before he disappeared. That left Rogue, Tony, and Seth.
Rogue leaned against the railing with a sigh. “I’m bored.”
“How’s that possible?” Seth asked, working his line. A growing pile of fish lay next to him, rivaling Tony’s catch. “This is the most fun I’ve had in years.”
“Yeah, you’re not too bad,” Tony said. “Better than I thought you’d be.”
“I told you I knew how to fish.”
“That still doesn’t mean you’re better than me. I’m three ahead of you,” Tony said with a chuckle.
“It’s quality that counts, not quantity. Mine are bigger than yours,” Seth quipped.
“Speak for yourself.”
With a groan of frustration, Rogue leaned over the edge of the boat and let her fingers trail in the water. She wondered what the river hid in its cool green waters. Monsters, definitely, but what else? Suddenly, her line zinged, and her rod nearly went flying overboard. “What the hell?”
She scrambled across the deck and grabbed the handle. Jumping to her feet, she attempted to reel in the fish. It fought, tugging at the hook. She pulled back on the rod with all her might. It bent over until she was certain it would snap in half. Her feet slid forward until she was pressed up against the railing. “Um, guys. A little help here!”
Tony and Seth rushed to her assistance. They danced around like two overexcited kids, shouting orders until she thought she’d go deaf.
“Reel it in,” Seth commanded.
She struggled to obey, turning the handle until her palms blistered.
“What are you doing?” Tony cried. “Play the fish until it tires, or your line will snap. It’s a fighter. Let it go first, then reel it back in again.”
Rogue gritted her teeth. “Fine. Whatever you say!”
She let go of the reel. The line immediately ran, and the spool spun out of control. It almost seemed to smoke, it went that fast.
“Are you crazy? I didn’t say to let go completely,” Tony yelled.
He yanked the rod from her hands and tried to stop the reel from spinning. Seth jumped in as well, and the two men fought with the fish together.
Forgotten, Rogue backed away from the spectacle with her hands thrown in the air. “I give up. Fishing is not for me.”
“I’m glad I’m not the only one,” Brittany said from her spot on the deck.
She lounged on a bench with her bare legs extended out into the sun. She’d hiked up her pants, and her skin was already taking on a deep bronze hue.
Rogue joined her but stuck to the shade. Her pale complexion did not take well to the sun’s rays. She watched with growing amusement as Tony and Seth fought to bring in the fish she’d hooked, jostling each other in their eagerness to reel it in.
Finally, they got it out of the water, and Seth grabbed the struggling fish with both hands. Suddenly, he let go and jumped back, gripping the fingers on his left hand. “Ow!”
The fish, a veritable monster, flopped around on the deck. Its scales shone like a rainbow, changing color with the light. Jagged teeth protruded from its lips, the reason for Seth’s injury.
Rogue jumped up and ran over. She reached for Seth’s wounded hand. “Here. Let me see.”
He uncurled his fingers, revealing a nasty bite mark. She examined it with minute care. “You’re lucky. It’s not deep, but I need to clean this up.”
“Go on. There’s a first-aid kit in the cabin. I’ll gut this beauty for supper along with the rest of the catch,” Tony said with a grin.
“I’ll help,” David offered.
“Me too,” Paul said, joining in to clean and fillet their catch of the day.
Rogue led Seth to the cabin, nodding at Jessica who manned the wheel. Bear sat next to her, and they were laughing about something, their heads close together.
“What’s going on with those two?” Rogue said.
“Don’t ask me,” Seth said.
“Friends? Or more than friends?”
“Don’t be nosy,” Seth said.
Rogue yanked him into the cabin. “I’m not nosy. Just interested.”
“Ow, and you’re nosy. Admit it.”
“Whatever,” Rogue replied with a haughty glare. It didn’t take long to disinfect and bandage Seth’s injury. Afterward, she eyed his hands. “You’ve got crappy luck, huh? Now both your hands are shot.”
He gave his broken fingers an experimental wiggle, but they were taped together so tightly they couldn’t move. “Just a few more weeks.”
“Uh-huh,” Rogue said, packing away the first-aid kit. “Until next time.”
“Look who’s talking,” Seth said, pointing to the stitches in her scalp.
She scratched at the cut. “It’s almost healed.”
“Yup, until next time.”
“Touché.”
Rogue stood up to leave but squealed when Seth grabbed her around the waist and dragged her down onto the bed. He rained kisses on her face and neck until she giggled like a schoolgirl.
“Stop it,” she protested, fending him off.
“Why?” he asked, not letting up for a second.
“The others will hear us,” she said with a blush.
“So? We’re not doing anything,” he said.
“I know, but—”
“Just shut up and kiss me back, will you?”
“Okay,” Rogue said, giving in.
They locked lips until Brittany’s voice broke them apart. “Hey, that’s my bunk.”
“Sorry, we were just making out.
