Apr 12 2009
Trip of a Lifetime—Everything Was Wonderful
A Note to the Reader Jack’s unsettling discovery in the back room last week launched him on an unscheduled trip to “A Foreign Country.” It also left him wondering if the Ed he thought he knew is gone for good. Happily, though things aren’t always what they seem.
Our story continues…
Chapter Twelve
Jack’s eyes never left the knife, now balanced in Ed’s right hand. Ed placed the sheath back on the table. His fingers curled around the grip, thumb resting lightly on the ridge of the double-edged blade, just below the cross-guard. The greased steel shone in the light of the naked bulb.
With practiced ease and startling speed, Ed spun the knife around his middle finger, reversing it. Now he held it by the blade. The grip extended toward Jack. “Want to take a closer look?” Ed asked, his eyes in shadow, his face expressionless.
Jack took the knife. Without his being aware of it, a long, whistling sigh escaped from his lips. He held the knife at arm’s length, examining it more carefully. The blade and grip had once been black, but the finish on both was now well-worn. Jack saw where Ed’s fingers and thumb had rubbed through to the dull bronze of the knurled brass grip. He touched one blade edge lightly with his thumb nail. It caught immediately, peeling away a thin sliver of nail. No surprise there. The edges showed evidence of much careful sharpening. And that wasn’t all. The entire seven-inch length of the blade was clean and free from any trace of rust or pitting… Read more…
Hooked? A new chapter in our serial adventure novel, Trip of a Lifetime, will appear every Sunday. If you’ve missed a chapter, or if you’re coming aboard for the first time and want to catch up, just use the hot-linked title to go to the archives.
A REMINDER This is a work of fiction. All the characters are figments of the imaginations. It’s NOT a paddling guide. If you’re planning a trip on the Albany River—or any other body of water, come to that—consult the most recent edition of a good guidebook and be sure you’re thoroughly familiar with all applicable regulations. While maps of Ontario show some of the waterways mentioned here, the places depicted in our story exist only in our minds—and in yours.
