Chapter 5: Middle Inlet Creek

It was a very cold spring that gave life to the creek. The water ran swift and frigid throughout the year. Even in winter, its’ waters flowed underneath a hidden surface of thin ice. There were parts of the creek that flowed no larger than a finger’s width and other parts that were twenty feet across. Its’ depth ranged from one inch to over six feet, in certain holes. The overlaying brush provided a canopy of shade for those people who walked and fished the amazing trout stream. The creek at its’ destination, emptied into Lake Noquebay, roughly ten miles away. This lake was filled with trout, blue gills, bass and muskie. Sometimes large lake trout found themselves upstream in the Middle Inlet creek, a fisherman’s delight. Like the Willow Creek back at home, the Middle Inlet was also the two boy’s playground.

Finding the origin of the Middle Inlet had been a great adventure for the two boys. They’d start walking upstream in the creek early in the morning and continue until late afternoon, going deeper and deeper into the undisturbed forest. X remembered peace there. He remembered adventure and excitement.

As his fingers typed at the keys, X wondered if he’d felt this sense of adventure since then.

The crystal clear spring water flowed over rock and tree, twisting and bending through small niches of woods. In his mind, X saw the sunlight peaking through the ancient pines whose sap was glistening in the brilliant rays. Huge boulders overlooked the stream as it meandered with purpose to its’ destination, carrying life and beauty with each ripple.

The boys’ adventures took them to the limits and origin of the creek. They’d traveled into the depths of the deep forest. The creek dwindled and diminished slowly as they’d pressed on further. Sometimes, it was reduced to a mere line of trickling water. Then, without warning, it had vanished into the Earth where life was pure and refined, perfect and harmonious.

It had been their place to play. It had been the place to cool off in the summer months. It had been a place of pleasant solitude, where he’d heard healing melodies of flowing water. It had been a place to hear God if you’d chosen to listen. It had been the place where X’s life would never be the same, in one instant of change.