Dangerous Crossing

Dangerous Crossing
By Davey Lee George
(C) 2001 All Rights Reserved

The water looked deep and since it was muddy after the deluige it was impossible to see bottom to gauge its depth. Still, there was no other way to the opposite side, and as she thought about it, she came to the conclusion that it was “sink or swim,” so to speak.

She knew full well that there might be animals or flesh-eating fish lurking there, too, but the sense of urgency to be on the far shore was compelling, even overwhelming to her and she knew she would have to try. Danger seemed everywhere, so looking about she found a stout stick of about two feet in length. Hoping to use it to ward off the dangers within the vast impoundment she stepped hesitantly into it, only to see the dirty water rush into her boot tops. Leaping backward, she fell in the slippery mud that had obviously been churned up by the feet of thousands of panicked animals, possibly wildebeasts, she reasoned, while trying to extricate herself from the sticky goo.

Arising at last she stepped once more into the forbidding water, expecting at any moment to have to fight for her life. Knowing the depth of it at its edge, she assumed it would get even deeper as she ventured forth, but to her surprise, it remained shallow, just slightly above the tops of her boots.

As she made her way slowly, gingerly, fearfully toward the other shore, she at first was unaware of someone shouting. Then, as the voice became even louder she realized it was her mother saying, “Get out of that mud puddle, you foolish little thing, and come into this house this instant!”