Finding Hannah by John R. Kess Read Free Book Online Page A

happy the leafy green canopy shielded us from the sun. It was such a humid sticky mess that we removed layers of clothing as the morning wore on.
    “Hey,” Molly said, “do you think your parents are going to be mad at you when you go home?”
    “Probably.”
    “How mad?”
    “Well, you saw I left a note, but they’ll be worried I’ve been eaten by a bear or something. They’re pretty smart, so they’ve probably spoken to Wiz, who undoubtedly told them everything. And they’ll notice my tent and sleeping bag are gone. I’m guessing right now they’re waiting for me to return home safely, so they can kill me.” I knew they’d be worried, and I felt bad that I was making the situation worse by disappearing into the woods.
    After an hour of hiking, we spotted the first house since leaving the trail. Molly and I climbed to the top of a hill that overlooked the small two-story farmhouse and barn. I lay on my stomach, propped myself up on my elbows, and looked around with the spotting scope. The discomfort from the hot sun disappeared when Molly lay down to look through her binoculars and her hip touched mine.
    The house was in a sad state, complete with chipping paint and the same dusty-looking lawn that surrounded Tony’s house. The upstairs window shades were drawn as were a few windows on the main level. The downstairs sliding-glass door allowed us to see a bare living room with an old couch and a small TV.
    “I don’t see anyone outside,” Molly said. “The house looks empty, and I don’t see a basement.”
    The old house looked lived in. An empty carport stood against the barn.
    “It’s Tuesday,” I said. “Maybe they’re at work.”
    A large picture window next to the sliding-glass door allowed us to see into the living room.
    I told Molly to stay where she was, and I walked down the hill to have a look inside. I could see a sink full of dirty dishes, and the refrigerator still had holiday cards stuck to the side of it. I walked in a circle around the house. There was no sign of anyone.
    “Hannah!” I shouted. There was no response.
    I marked the location on my GPS unit and walked back to Molly. “We can come back tonight and have another look.”
    We hiked the rest of the day, and covered a twisting path of nearly twenty miles through hills and valleys.
    “Wow, look at that,” Molly said.
    The heavy green canopy opened to reveal a river about thirty yards wide.
    Molly and I stood on the bank and smiled. The lengthy drought forced water to flow slowly and the water level looked low, but we didn’t care. It was so hot that, without saying a word, Molly took off her socks and shoes and then removed her shirt and jeans, revealing a one-piece black swimsuit.
    I knew the water would be cold, but that didn’t seem to matter to her as she ran, high-stepping her way into deeper water. She swam to the middle of the lazy river and went under.
    I felt like a fool as I took off all my clothes except my gray boxers. Being in my boxers wasn’t the problem. I stood in the cold ankle-deep water not knowing how I’d tell her I couldn’t swim.
    “Come on in,” she said, swimming back to me. She stood in water to her waist and saw I wasn’t moving. “What’s wrong?”
    “Molly, I don’t know how to swim.”
    “I thought you told me Hannah was a lifeguard.”
    “When I was four, I almost drowned. I fell into a pool at someone’s house. I don’t remember it. My parents told me later I freaked out when they tried to send me to swimming lessons. After that they gave up on the idea of me being in the water. I really don’t remember any of it. Hannah offered to teach me, but I wouldn’t let her. I know. It’s stupid.” I felt like an idiot and wondered what Molly was thinking.
    Molly slowly smiled, as if she was formulating a plan, and then trudged through the water toward me. She held out her hand. “Will you let me teach you?”
    I would have let Molly lead me into a river of lava. I took her hand