Chapter Five

 The Adventure Begins

       They ran on until they arrived at their
 destination. Marah was already waiting for them. She
 waved excitedly as they came into view.
    "Hey! Hurry up! What took you guys so long? Not
 havening adventures without me are you?!" Marah yelled
 across the open ground.
    "Wouldn't dream of it!" they yelled back in unison.
    "Whoa! Back up! That's rather impressive! You guys
 can already talk in unison! I'm jealous! I'm such the
 third wheel!" Marah tried to look disappointed, but
 Karen saw right threw it. Robert took a little longer.
    "...............third wheel?" puzzlement shown in
 his voice.
    Marah smiled, "We'll explain it to you later."
    "Okay....." he remarked with some resistance.
    "So where should we go to today? The swamp by the
 river?" Karen asked.
  Sure why not, you ready to get muddy Rob? Marah
 added.
  Umm I guess......but umm I don¹t really want to
 get these pants messy...admitted Robert.
    Okay....umm any suggestions Marah? Karen
 ventured.
    Hmm.....er.....how about....um no that wouldn't
 work because he doesn't want get dirty... Marah said
 shooting a skeptical look at Robert. gosh! He¹s such
 a city boy! she thought to herself.
 What? What won¹t work?!² echoed Robert,
  Climbing the hills. They have great view..
   You mean the mountains!² Robert yelled
 flabbergasted.
These aren¹t mountains, they¹re way too small.
 Marah raised and eyebrow. what a city boy! she
 thought to herself again.
    Karen raised an eyebrow. Marah was definitely
 finding Robert to be an announce. well this well be
 interesting..... she thought to herself. I thought
 these two would be great friends, but then again
 Robert was interested in her, so this might insure a
 friendship, nothing more. it would have been
 unpleasant if they got together, they'd forget about
 me.... Karen's thoughts were interrupted by Marah.
    Pock 
   Hello? Karen, are you trying to ditch the
 responsibility of the decision? the short tanned girl
 asked, and then pocked her again.
    No.
   Then any suggestions? interjected Robert.
  Yeah, lets walk down to the river. It¹s really
 pretty, something every tourist should see,
    I¹m not a tourist! argued Robert.
    Marah laughed out loud at this statement, Of
 course you are!, but a good one.
    Karen nodded, So are we heading to the river or
 what?
    Yeah sure. Robert yawned.  hope there's shade
 there.
    Lot's. assured Marah.
   Then let¹s go! Oh, and is there anything to eat
 there? continued Rob.
    We¹ll figure it out, responded Karen.
    Like what?
    We'll figure it out Robert, didn¹t you eat
 breakfast before we left?
    Yeah, but, I'm hungry!
    Already?! interrupted Marah.
   Err, yeah. I have a big appetite! stop picking on
 me! came the retort.
    The two girls started to laugh, Well of course you
 do! Your a guy!
   Come guys lets go. Karen added.
    They started on their way to the river. They walked
 most of the way, because Karen and Robert weren't
 fully recovered from their previous jog.

  Chapter Six
 
 The River Bed

  
    The river bed was full of shade and insects, no one
 was in  site. The three ran down the step hills that
 surrounded either side of the river. Once down, they
 had a quick water fight and then made a small fire.
 They gathered the wild berries that ran along the
 river. They sat down and ate them and soon were on
 there way to splashing one another again.
    In the middle of the water war, Karen looked up and
 remembered the swing her an Marah had built on one of
 the trees that hung over the water. She soon
 recognized which one it was when her face was showered
 upon. When she mopped her sopping hair out of her face
 she saw Marah¹s big grin.
    Why I adda! Karen finished her sentence by
 dunking her friend's head under the water.
    Robert fell over laughing just as Marah sputtered
 up. She dunked him under as well, and Karen raced to
 the tree. She climbed up to the rope, witch proved
 difficult in a soaking dress. When she finally got
 there she swung out on the rope over the river, and
 dropped. Right in between Marah, and Robert.
    The fight continued vigorously. now with the added
 fun of the tree swing.
So much for not getting your pants dirty
 Robert! Marah yelled over the continues water current
 witch ran threw the air.
  They¹re only wet! I'll only get in trouble if get
 something on them! Water dries! he yelled back.
    BANG!
    The splashing stopped.
  What was that? Robert said whipping his head
 around.
   That sounded like a gun shot! Marah said, also
 looking around sharply.
    The rope witch had been dangling out over the
 river, was now dropping down to them. The end witch
 had kept it attached to the tree, was now severed.
 Marah grabbed the end and put it to her noise.
    She threw it down into the water, Gun powder! Her
 teeth were gritted shut.
    The three looked at each other and ran for it. Soon
 another shot followed, and the water where they had
 been exploded in a flurry of water drops.
    The remarkable thing about this all is, that it
 happened in a time period of about five seconds.
    The trio sprinted up the hills, threw the trees,
 and across the open plane. They didn¹t stop.
    Finally, they collapsed at the top of the hill with
 the well. Their breath was ragged and none of them
 spoke. Marah had only looked at them both to make sure
 they were there, before passing out. Robert¹s eyes
 were glued shut, and his fist gripped his heart. Karen
 had her eyes shut as well, and was about ready to wet
 herself when a voice came floating over the field.
Marah..............Karen.........
    It was Marah¹s big sister¹s voice. Marah¹s head
 slowly wobbled, she opened her eyes, and lifted her
 head off the ground.
Asuka, over here. She choked out.
    Marah¹s call was far to quite for her sister to
 hear, but she spotted them any way. She stomped her
 way over to the well. Asuka was a tall, slender girl,
 with long black hair.
    Marah, what happened to you guys? You look awful!
 What kind of mischief have you been getting yourself
 into?
   Hi Asuka...Marah said grinning up at her. We¹ve
 had such a day! You'll never believe it.
Oh I¹m sure I will. I can believe any mischief you
 can stir up!² Asuka scorned.
    ³Hey Asuka, go light on her, she didn¹t do
 anything. Karen interrupted.
    Asuka sighed, Hi Karen. How are you?
    Exhausted.....you?
    Okay, that man came around again......eww how I
 hate that man.
  What man? You and Marah speak really good English
 by the way. Robert nudged his way into the
 conversation,
    Oh, hello. Thanks, Asuka replied. Who¹s this?
    Asuka, Robert, Robert, Asuka. Marah answered.
 He's from Boston.
    Nice to meet you. Robert said sticking out his
 hand.
    Asuka shook it and smiled.
Marah, you have to come now, they¹re out hunting
 again. Dirty bas...
Don¹t use that kind of language sis! Marah
 interrupted with a mischievous smile.
Yeah, you. Let¹s go Marah, see you Karen, nice
 meeting you Robert.
   Bye. came the answer in unison.
    They watched Marah, and her sister walk away, and
 then slowly got up to walk home.
    Home? asked Karen.
   Home. agreed Robert.