Kev’s Kool reKreation

Addie couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re here to research? Us?”

“The Alignment is an incredible opportunity,” said Wendel. “My kind so rarely have a chance to cross the veil. My colleagues will use the information I gather for decades to form hypothesis, create theses. It is of incredible anthropological importance that I go on this trip.”

He knelt down and pressed a hand to the raft. “Also, what is this? What do you call it?” His brow furrowed enough to disappear beneath the aviators. “Is this some form of your plastics again?”

“It’s called rubber,” said Addie. She couldn’t help but keep staring at him. “Your Court. They really just- think about Humans for decades?”

“Well, not all of them,” said Wendel. His tone was almost modest. “Only the ones who can afford to spend the time upon it. Or those who are academically gifted.”

She could tell which one he was supposed to be, then. “You’re wasting your time.” She leaned forward and grabbed the biggest patch she could. It still didn’t cover half of the hole. She’d have to stack patches on patches to even start fixing the raft. “This town isn’t worth anything. And Kev’s pamphlets? They’re lying to you.”

“This town is a destination. You would claim there is no reason for it?”

“We’re a destination because there’s nothing else for a few hundred miles, and people like to boat on the water,” said Addie. “We aren’t even doing that well.” She jerked her head over to the shop. “That Bigfoot stuff? That’s because we needed money. Not that it worked.”

“I see.”

She didn’t like the way he was staring at her. “What? Not bothered?” she snapped.

“Even learning something unexpected is still a gain,” he said. “I would like to go on the journey.”

Addie couldn’t think of something she’d like less than a trip over rapids where one of the occupants of her raft was taking notes on her.

She pressed the patch on and then ripped off a strip of tape, cutting it with her teeth. As she pressed it down, she avoided Wendel’s eyes. “Tell you what,” she said. “There are a few fun things to do here. But they aren’t usually the things we print in pamphlets.”

She could hear him visibly perk up.

“Really?”

“Oh, yes.” She felt guilty already. “The bar at the start of town. Mo’s. The one with a pair of handlebars.” She paused. “Uh, the shiny bar of metal hung over the sign. That’s the one. I heard they’re doing a special menu to celebrate the Alignment.”

Mo’s was a biker bar. They were very specific about their clientele. The only other person Addie knew went in there on purpose was Kev, and even he only went in there to play pool on days when business was slow.

They’d eat poor Wendel alive.

“I was just wondering what to do tonight,” he enthused. “You can take me on the raft trip today?”

“Oh, no,” said Addie. “This repair job- it will take all day. I’ll have to take you on the water tomorrow.”

“It is agreed,” he said, solemn. “You shall take me upon the rapids tomorrow.” He held out a hand. “This is the way you agree upon things in your culture, yes?”

Addie shook his hand. She didn’t meet his eyes.

When he left the yard, wading through the creek again, she didn’t feel as relieved as she’d expected to.

~*~

Addie had finished repairing the raft and was mid-way through a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when the front door opened again.

She’d left the lights off, hoping anyone approaching would just assume the shop was closed. She still hadn’t had a chance to go home, but it was technically her shift again.

The lights flickered on. The taxidermied head of the elk across from her stared as the door opened fully, Bigfoot propped against the opposite wall.

“There you are!”

It was Chappie. The other employee of the raft shop, he was in his mid-forties; at least a few years older than Kev himself. He was well-weathered from the sun already. He had a few streaks of sunblock left on his upper cheeks and a battered baseball cap shading his face, only letting a bit of the stubble on his chin show. She didn’t need to get closer to know he’d smell of stale beer.

“Wondered if you’d finally up and left,” he said amiably, letting the door close behind him with another ring. “Glad you didn’t, though! Big day. Did the boss-man tell you?”

That was menacing. Addie took another bite of her sandwich before she responded. “Tell me what?”

“We’ve got a group!” Chappie was already heading towards the stacks of life preservers. “Coming by at four. They saw the sign. Love the discounts.” He tossed a few child-size life preservers to the side. “You fixed the big raft, right?”

“How big of a group?” The other raft held eight people. More than enough for any rapids, Addie thought.

“The full twelve,” said Chappie. “A set of bridesmaids. Guess they want to head off in style before she gets married.”

He looked up. “Hey, has someone been making breakfast in here? For some reason I keep smelling bacon.”

~*~

“So, how long have you been working at Kev’s Kool reKreation?” asked the woman at the front of the raft. She had to lean forward, her perfectly designed swimsuit threatening to break free every time they broke over another rapid. She’d brought a thermos of frozen margarita. Addie had never seen someone so casually use a straw while holding on for her life.

Her perfect makeup was a little smeared, even so.

“A while,” said Addie. She gripped onto one of the paddles and pushed at a rock, trying to steer them through the rapids. The raft was larger than expected. They were at the main throat of the river, where it meandered through a major nature park.

Incredible nature views! Boasted Kev’s pamphlet.

Above them in the gorge, the highway wound through the cliffs. Addie stared up at an RV driving by. She could see a dog leaning out of the window before she had to look down and push away from the rocks again.

“And you never thought about leaving?” said another woman. Addie wasn’t quite sure which one of them was getting married. She was almost done. She had to remember that. “I mean, Meander… it’s not a very big town, is it?”

“Well, maybe it’s her home,” said the first woman. She leaned over to drink more of her cocktail. “Not everyone can leave like you did, Kiki.”

“I’m actually from New York,” said Addie, but they were heading up to the next rapid and her comment got swallowed up by a burst of swirling white water. Once the roaring had died down, the women were already discussing something else. The jolting of the raft seemed to be only a momentary distraction from who was marrying who, what promotions they were getting at work.

At the back of the raft, even Chappie was working. She could see sweat beading at his brow as he paddled desperately towards the left side of the river, dodging the submerged tree they both knew was there.

Above her, a large bird circled, then landed in a large nest formed on a telephone pole. A faint wind rustled the trees.

They rustled over another set of rapids. They were getting milder as the river widened.

“You own the shop too?” said another woman. “They said it was locally owned.”

“It’s Kev’s shop,” said Chappie, from the back. Addie could see the boat pickup in the distance now, Kevin idling with the truck and the trailer. Next to him, the rented bus was a welcome sight. She could have cried. “It’s in the name.”

“Oh,” said the woman. She sounded vaguely disapproving. “Well, that’s fine. Not everyone needs a career. I’m sure... this... place is worth it.”

“The skiing is good some years,” said Addie. She didn’t know why she continued to argue. The only woman that seemed to like this place was the one at the back of the boat, near Chappie, and she was lying prone, staring up at the sky blissfully with a margarita in hand. “Well. Pretty good.”

“There,” said the woman, soothingly. “The skiing is good.”

As they pulled up to the dock, she turned to the others. “Well! We went. Now, how about a real restaurant?”

Addie stood on the boat ramp, holding a hand to help the women step out, and tried to look like she was confident in her life and her decisions. Above her, the mountains were beautiful. They were.

There was a groan from behind her as the last woman left the raft. Chappie gave her a beseeching smile as he pulled the raft up onto the boat ramp.

“Don’t be mad,” he said. “But… I’m pretty sure the patch is leaking.”