All over again

"So are we gonna do it?"

"Oh shutup man, just be quiet... duhhh we're gonna do it.."

"Jeez..sorry relax.."

"Both of you shut the hell up. What are you five? Lets go, before we wake anyone up."

Jack, Tom, and Matt made their way passed the old house, all three hunched over, trying not to stumble over rocks and sticks as they made their way towards the river in the black of the night with only the moon to light the way.

Two months ago Jack got a great idea. After English class he pitched it to Tom and Matt his two only best friends. They were in sixth grade, reading about Tom Sawyer. And Jack thought it would be great to go down the river and stay there for awhile, just like Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer did so long ago. It took a lot of convincing but finally both Matt and Tom agreed. Tom was a bit more reluctant though. Tom was the sensitive one, Jack was the brains, and Matt was the adventurer kid. This night Jack lead the way to the shore where they would take the row boat out and start on their hunt for a good place to stay. The banks of the rivers of upstate New York were still wild, and savage, like they always have been. But that's what was great about it. You could almost see the fire burning in the eyes of the three boys as they paddled down the river, quietly. Carefully.

"Guys I'm thinking, maybe...I mean, maybe this ain't sucha great idea. I mean what if there's Indians or something?"

"There are no Indians, that was back then. All it is, is forest.. Maybe some animals. Don't worry Tom."

"And if there was Indians, I bought my BB-gun, and I'd shoot the hell out 'em. There ain't nothin' to worry 'bout Tommy kid."

"I'm not worried or nothin'. I was just thinking.."

"You wanna row a bit?"

"Okay."

Tom took the paddle from Jack and began rowing, in the water and out in out, just so its not skimming the surface and not going to deep into the river, just right. In and out, smoothly. They were making good progress.

"Hey Jack-o, keep an eye out for a place to stay right?"

"Right."

All three boys scanned the shores with there eyes, suddenly they felt a bit uncomfortable. They'd grown up in this sort of rural area all their lives, but the site of the dark empty unknown forests on both sides of them was something they still feared, as most children would. Fear began to creep into their bones, Tom's eyes began darting around.

"Hey, you guys row, I'm the one scanning. You row. Kay?" Jack said , hoping to force his friends into concentrating on something else.

Tom and Matt nodded and looked down at the water and at their arms, they took up a rhythm. One and two, one and two. The boat moved easily now, like it was propelling itself through the water.

The moon beams hitting the surface of the calm river made it gleam, every ripple was clear as crystal.

"Anything good yet?" Matt asked, still looking down, he wouldn't want to feel any fear, he wouldn't allow himself to.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Let's stop over there at that bank, its not too bad. Right?"

Matt shrugged in reply.

"What about snapping turtles?"

"Nah, not in a river I don't think. Don't worry Tom I told you I got my BB."

Tom nodded, the two boys worked on rowing evenly to the shore that was their designated rest spot, marked by a large boulder right on the bank.