Chapter 3
I set up my sleeping space with a hammock, claiming an area that had the sage from the border growing like a thick blanket between two sturdy trees.
Whatever herb it was would probably keep the mosquitos, already eating some of the other students, off me.
Also if someone thought this place needed sage, it seemed like the best place to be.
Plus it was in a corner away from where most of the students decided to set up, and gave me a nice view of the road leading out of the swamp. The road dead ended to my left, into a giant lake of water that told me the rest of the road had already flooded out.
A tall mud cliff blocked most of our left side, but studying how high it stood made me realize exactly how steep the slope coming in here was. Gale passed by me and noticed my preoccupation. “Don’t worry about a mud slide. That landmark has been here for centuries.”
“What about flooding?” I said. The road that went through the swamp was already gone on one side. How much rain would it take for the rest to go?
“We’ll move if we have to.” Gale smiled at me. “You worry too much.”
“You don’t worry enough.”
He laughed dismissively and kept walking, obviously not in the mood to listen to my valid concerns. He usually wasn’t.
How did he even get this job?
The familiar righteousness of Shannon’s voice made me glance across the way, to find her finger in two of the men’s faces. They laughed loudly, before continuing around her to go deeper into the swamp.
Shannon stomped over to me with rage lining her delicate face. No wonder they didn’t take her seriously. She looked like a new doll; ‘Shannon goes to the Swamp’.
“They are already starting their project.” Her eyes went wide. “They are going to ruin our pristine environment with their cheap cologne and ignorance.”
“They’re probably trying to get out of here as quickly as possible. It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” I reminded her.
“I understand you’re writing your thesis based on this trip.” She narrowed her eyes on me.
“Yes.” Although I wasn’t sure where she heard that from. The only person I’d told was Professor Gale.
“So am I. Let’s move!” She clapped her hands. “We aren’t being beat out by idiots that would see the world burn, as long as they get their business deal.”
I grabbed my rucksack, securing it on my shoulders.
I’d already been dressed for the occasion when I got on the bus. I noted where, off in the distance, those men were wearing khaki shorts, flip flops, and tank tops. They’d be wishing for our waterproof boots and long sleeves sooner rather than later.
“I made a call to some ecologists I’ve worked with and they recommended a coordinate with lots of goodies for us.” She didn’t spare me a glance as she turned on her heel. “Including a nest of Flatwood salamanders that I expect you to thoroughly document.”
An endangered species would absolutely help us.
I let her take the lead as she followed a GPS device.
As we waded through the swamp pools, the water slowly rose from our ankles until it was to our chest.
Forgotten nightmares of my head being held underwater made my breathing hitch.
It’s not real. Shake it off.
I kept my eyes locked on the back of Shannon’s bun, letting myself enjoy the way her curls were already expanding, as I took deep breaths to hold the irrational panic at bay.
You never drowned. You’re fine.
I couldn’t tell if the sweat dripping down me was from my useless episode or if it was so humid that even the water couldn’t cool me off.
She grumbled ahead of me, ruthlessly cussing herself out for letting those boys make her reckless. I didn’t feel the need to agree, considering I also hadn’t thought about how deep the water could get. Now there was no quick way out. We’d just have to trudge through.
The bald trees stood tall above us. Their branches made the shadows intermingle and light to scatter above us like a kaleidoscope.
Despite my reservations, I couldn’t deny there was a raw beauty to it. The few greens were muddled with brown and there weren’t colorful flowers, but there was dirty truth to the place.
Even if I could swear the trees were moving in the corner of my eyes, no matter how many times I told myself it was a trick of light.
Why did the feeling I was being watched keep settling deeper inside me?
Something slithered across my pant leg, and I froze. My stomach dropped when I tried to find what touched me, and I realized I couldn’t see through the muddy water. “Shannon.”
“Hmm?” She turned her head.
“Something touched me and I can’t tell what.” My breathing stuttered.
It’s probably a fish.
What if it’s not?
My heart banged against my breast bone like it was ready to burst out and run away.
Seriousness lined her mouth as she studied the water, but like me came up empty. “It’s probably nothing.”
I swallowed. “Probably, but not definitely. We’re still in alligator mating season.”
She scoffed. “Like we wouldn’t notice an alligator.”
I didn’t waste my breath telling her that they often rested at the bottom of the swamp. Obviously, she was thinking of some other threat. Like a Cottonmouth snake, perhaps. Fuck, don’t do that. Stay calm. Panicking won’t help.
I pulled some bravery out of my gut to take a cautious step forward. When I didn’t feel anything, I sighed.
That helped me take a few more cautious steps, only to realize the water was still sinking deeper. I’d bet that was a nice place for an alligator family to hang out.
Don’t thrash. Don’t panic.
“We should avoid traveling in the deep water in the future.” I hadn’t realized how deep this place was, and I was suddenly sure there was deeper.
She hummed in annoyed agreement, and I could almost feel her kicking herself again. At least she was just as quick to tear into herself as she was to other people. It always made her bearable.
I made a conscious effort to keep my movements calm and slow. If there was something around my feet, I wasn’t going to piss it off more. While Shannon stupidly crossed as quickly as possible, splashing her position to everything in the water.
“Slow down,” I told her.
“Fuck that.” Her breathing was ragged enough to tell me she was shaken as her boots squished when she stepped up onto solid-ish land.
“This isn’t a greenhouse. Plants might not bite if you disturb them, but the native creatures here will.” And they’ll bite hard.
She was too far away for me to interpret her grumbles, but since she wasn’t using a megaphone to tell me how stupid I was, I could only assume it was for her ears, not mine. “Hurry up.”
“This is where that field experience comes in handy.” I grunted, wishing the feeling that eyes were on me would go away. I didn’t want to be out here anymore than Shannon did. “Quit acting like food.”
“You’re so slow. Is this why all your other summer projects were failures?”
Her jab stabbed at the gaping hole that throbbed inside me. That I hadn’t been able to protect those creatures' homes, no matter how hard I tried.
“I mean, you had that South American jungle in the bag last year and still lost your sanctuary case.”
“Shut up,” I snapped before I could stop myself.
When a smirk tilted her lips I knew I’d fucked up. I’d shown a bully a weakness. “I’m going to keep going, because unlike you, I win my fights.”
She sauntered off still managing to be perfect, even dripping with mud and a frizzy bun on her head.
I hoped something poisonous bit her so she'd experience her own toxicity.
As soon as she disappeared behind a tree, a giant ripple moved across the surface of the water. It was big.
I halted again and held my breath for good measure. My heart still banged against my sternum, and I could only hope it didn’t send vibrations through the water.
I watched as the ripple moved in the opposite direction of me. I’d seen caimans absolutely destroy a panther before. This was not a fight I would win.
But I’d never panicked like this before. The fear was intertwined with the air pressing down on me.
I waited for what felt like forever for the movement to vanish yards away from me, moving deeper into the water.
Even then it felt like a warning, not a mercy.
Get out.