"Grab the end and hang on!" Clarice advised.
The magic was shattered when he did so. Billy Ray was able to hold his balance and move clear of the stream thanks to his grasp on the paddle. Allixon lowered her gaze to the second kayak, which was approximately 50 feet distant and on the verge of breaking free from the branches that had ensnared it.
She pointed and Clarice worked her way down through the rocks and the shallows to retrieve it, while Billy Ray sat down on a rock and touched his fingers gingerly to his neck.
"Never even saw the damn rope," he muttered.
"I'm getting too old for this shit."
"The arrows were bad enough," Allixon agreed,
"but this rope thing could have killed somebody."
He looked at her, his face puzzled. "What arrows?"
"You didn't see any arrows?"
"See a
