The River

Brian commits to his decision to make the run down the river, knowing that there will be no turning back. Brian quickly finds that the raft is difficult to steer around the river’s many bends. After slow progress crashing into the bank several times, Brian realizes he must paddle hard through each curve in order to avoid hitting the riverbanks. He decides to rest in 10-minute intervals every hour. During his first break, he calculates that they are only moving two miles per hour, which means it will take 50 hours to reach the trading post. He does all he can to keep Derek cool, soaking his t-shirt in water and wiping Derek’s face and neck. He knows that dehydration is Derek’s greatest enemy. Even though Brian’s hands are raw from paddling, he knows he must keep going. 

Throughout the night, Brian struggles to stay awake. He hardly slept the previous night and worked hard all day, and the fatigue catches up with him. The mosquitoes keep him awake for a time, but then he dreams of his mother. When he wakes, the night is still dark, and he doesn’t know where he is. He feels he is in a lake, because he can’t see the riverbanks, and he uses the paddle to keep moving. He makes slow progress and adopts a rhythm: two paddles on the left, then two on the right. As he continues to fight sleep, he hallucinates but continues paddling. Close to morning, the “bad thinking” comes to him (107), and he muses that it would be better if Derek were gone, but he fights his dark thoughts and resolves to continue the trek with Derek. Just as dawn comes, they make it through the lake and back into the river’s current, and Brian whispers a prayer of relief and gratitude.

Brian checks the map but finds that the lake they just passed through is not marked. He worries about the accuracy of the map and that the trading post may not even be there. Yet on a second look, he sees the detail of the map and reasons that the lake may only form after steady rain. He turns his attention to Derek and forms an awning of grass to keep Derek out of the sun. Brian begins to feel intense hunger, but pushes his thoughts away. He contemplates time and food and how he easily takes both for granted in his life. Despite the emergency of his and Derek’s situation, Brian still recognizes the beauty in nature surrounding him. Suddenly, the river changes. It narrows, and the brush on the banks grows thick. As the raft approaches another bend, Brian resolves to keep moving.