River’s Edge

Starsky saves Hutch from the white capped rapids but that’s only half the battle.

Story Notes:

A Happy Birthday present for Robin: Many happy returns friend!!

He felt as if he were in another dimension. Far away from the havoc of the city. Absent were the clatter of traffic and the filth of crime. He was enjoying being away from the inner city that bogged him down with its turmoil and never-ending need for clean ups and takedowns. Hutch sat upon a large, pitted boulder next to the raging white-capped river. The heat of the sun dappled upon him and he soaked in her gentle warming beams. Here he felt at home and relaxed, the oasis before him sending waves of comfort through his tired body. The barren desert of the city left far behind him. Here, maybe he could try to put behind him the pain of Gillian. How he loved her. But she had deceived him. She was not who he thought she was. She was a hooker and because of that reality she now was dead. Starsky decided to bring him up here for a few days of camping along the river’s edge. Fishing and just kicking back and enjoying some peace and quiet for a change of pace. A time to heal. It was a large gesture on the part of his partner Starsky hated camping but was determined to make the best of it for his friend’s sake.

The untamed stream ran freely, gliding over large rocks, and descending over a series of waterfalls. The rivers fury took with it many logs and sticks, plant and animal life, as it splashed its way to the open seas. Along the banks, perfumed white and lavender lilies jostled faintly in the wind. They grew lush and thick from the river spray that the wind carried to them. A garland of green encircled the campsite and the big blond watched a few tiny brown sparrows rummage around in the seclusion of the evergreens. Nothing could disturb the serenity he now felt.

“Hey Blintz how’s this?” Except that. Hutch looked at his overactive best friend. The dimension he was in fading as if he were pulled back through a time machine. He sat watching his partner struggle with their home-away -from-home with a shy smile on his face.

Starsky pulled and yanked at the tarp. “Hutch, I was talking to some local at the bait shop. You think there are Indians up here?” Hutch chuffed out in laughter. “No, Hutch, I’m serious. The guy said there’s this crazy old hermit up here thinks he’s an Injun and we better watch out for flaming arrows.”

“Gordo, that’s just an old legend. The locals like to scare the tourists that’s all.” Hutch gave his friend a few more minutes of struggling with the tent. He watched in disbelief as Starsky became more and more entangled in the canvas. He looked back one more time at the river, admiring her strength and swift moves. Deciding he better give his friend a hand or they would be sleeping under the stars tonight, Hutch turned his head and rose up off the heated boulder. His eyes rolled upward when he saw the green army tent Starsky was so diligently building. He wanted to do it himself and prove to Hutch he could put up a tent the same as any man. Hutch laughed at the lopsided canvas. “Gordo, I think you need a little help there. Starsk, you’re supposed to pitch a tent not mutilate it.”

“Blintz, I’m going to pitch it all right. Pitch it right into the river.” Starsky kicked at one of the long poles causing the whole structure to crumple like an accordion.

Hutch stood to go help his friend when he was knocked backward and into the fury of the river by something bolting hot slicing through his upper right shoulder. “Starsk!” He managed to screech before making his splash and quickly being swept down stream.

Starsky stood stock still for only a moment, as his brain registered what had just happened. Legend huh! An arrow had just flown through the air finding his partner as its target. Starsky stumbled toward the river and allowed himself to be carried down stream, only he was swimming trying to catch up to the blond.

Hutch floundered in the cold, swift river his right arm not much help. Descending swells plummeted him under a few times and he came up choking out of the river’s muddy depths. He was helpless and at its mercy being tossed up against rocks and logs. He grappled at a boulder but the slick green moss gave him no hold and he sailed past, the white waters sloshing him around. Now Hutch understood how his dirty laundry felt. The river’s fury passed over a steep slab of bedrock and Hutch went tumbling head over heels. He came to land in the churning water below only to be shoved up against more boulders, hitting his head. A purple knot rose up just above his left eyebrow. The river broke off now into two different passages, a gate of fallen timber blocked one. Hutch was swooshed down the other passage. He gasped at what he saw next. A mountain appeared in front of him. Its mouth opening to swallow anything that dared come down the river. The water torrents sucked him into the cavern. Light from the outside slanted in but not far enough to see more then five feet ahead of him. Dizziness and fatigue threatened to take him to another dimension once more; only this dimension was the darkness of unconsciousness. Hutch struggled to keep aware and keep afloat. His arm burned with pain and his head felt like the morning after.

Before the white waters could sweep him through the cave any further, they slammed him up into a pile of rubble where his left leg became pinned between a rock and a hard place. The feather end of the arrow had been broken off, as he was shoved up against the rock, causing him to flinch harder yet. Water rushed by still pulling at his upper body causing him to cringe with pain. His leg was wedged in tight as a drum between the large boulders. He found he was waist high in the waters thankful he had ample breathing space as he sucked in air trying to alleviate the pain that flew through him like rapid fire. Hutch calmed himself and looked around the cavern. The ceiling of it looked to be thirty feet high and the smooth stone walls glistened in spots where the light from the outside world bounced off them. Farther down, darkness was all he could see along with the unmistakable sound of thundering water where the subterranean river probably fell to a deep chasm below. The air was damp and the banks muddy and the roaring sound of the waterfall he could not see deafened him. “Stars-k, aw!” His pain echoed off the slick wet walls of the lonely cave. Come on Hutchinson don’t you panic. His inner voice spoke loud and clear as he took a steadying breath.

Starsky hauled himself out of the raging river before he could be sucked over the falls. He had scampered to the ledge just in time to see Hutch’s blond head flow into the dark mouth of the cave. He followed what appeared to be a deer path down to the pooling water and dove in headlong. Don’t be dead Hutch, god please, don’t let him be… He stopped his train of thought as he concentrated on swimming through the strong waters. Uninjured he was able to maneuver himself toward the mouth of the mountain where he had last seen his partner. “Hutch, Hutch! Hang on, I’m here.” His shouts also echoing as he entered the cavern.

Starsky could see his partner up against the far embankment. He could see the scowl of pain upon his friend’s brow and the draining energy it took him to struggle to free himself. Hutch stopped his struggle when he heard his friend. “Starsk, o-over here.” He grimaced at the pain and his words faded to a whisper. “Here b-buddy.” Starsky made quick time of getting to his best friend noting the pale, clammy skin and the twisted image on his face. He pulled at Hutch’s arm causing the man to howl like a wounded animal. Starsky let up on his grip quickly. “Gordo y-you shouldn’t b-be here. T-too dangerous. F-falls d-deep. Stay away f-from the back.. c-cave.” Hutch’s frosty breath filled the moist air. The cavern was much cooler then the outside world. “Aw!” Hutch cried out again in pain as the water pushed against him causing his body to turn in unnatural ways in comparison to his leg. “M-my leg St-arsk… jammed.”

“Hang on partner, going to get us out of here. All for one and one for all, remember pal?

“Gordo y-you watch t-too much TV.” Hutch tried to lighten the mood and gave a weak smirk as he watched Starsky take in a gulp of air and go under the surface.

Hutch felt the tugging on his leg and let out another wounded cry that reverberated off the walls. Three tugs finally freed his leg but not before he nearly bit his lip off holding back more wounded cries. Starsky emerged from the river looking not unlike a drowned kitten as he grasped Hutch and hauled him up onto the muddy bank. Hutch’s leg lay at an odd angle but it was the arrow that now had Starsky’s full attention.

Hutch peered up at his partner with chattering teeth. “G-g-get it o-o-out!”

“What? No Hutch I can’t. It might start bleeding badly. I could cause more damage if I pull it out partner. Just lie still for me, easy now.” Starsky tried, to no avail, to calm his friend.

Hutch shook his head from side to side. Through grinding teeth he spoke again with more intensity to his partner. “Starsk p-please pull it o-out. Aw! Take it out, h-hurts n-need it o-out.” Hutch stuttered his plea and turned his head to the side choking.

Starsky cringed at what his partner was asking of him. It would cause Hutch great pain and could really do more harm than good. He wasn’t going to do it till Hutch’s good arm latched on to his hand bearing down hard and shuddering in misery. “All right, partner, all right. Come here, going to get it out.” Starsky lifted Hutch to him taking note of the arrow pierced through the back of his shoulder. He snapped the bolt peering only once at the bloody tip and tossing it to the side with rage. He held Hutch to his shoulder. “Hold on to me buddy, going to pull it out. It’s gonna hurt Hutch, just stay with me, try to stay with me.” Starsky’s worry filled the cavern.

Hutch leaned into the strong shoulder of his partner and readied himself. “Ju-st d-do it quick Star-sk.” He breathed into the curly man’s shoulder. Hutch tried to keep control as he felt the lightning white-hot pain pulling from his flesh. He bit down on Starsky’s shoulder and his body jerked forward with breathy grunts.

“Don’t Hutch, don’t move, almost out buddy, hold on to me. It’s okay, do what you have to, it’s okay.” Starsky felt his partner’s teeth biting into his shoulder but he didn’t pull away.

As the end of the bloody arrow slid through his flesh Hutch let out a muffled wail and eased up on the grip his mouth had on his partner’s shoulder. Starsky lowered him back down to the muddy earth. Hutch shivered uncontrollably and his blond lashes brushed repeatedly against his white washed face. He was going into shock. Starsky ripped off some of his wet shirt and pressed it hard to the wound. Remembering some pieces of rope stuck in his pocket from his tent raising attempts, he wrapped it around the blood soaked material tightly. Pain flared through Hutch’s shoulder down to his fingertips and his groan tugged at Starsky’s heartstrings.

Starsky had nothing to warm his friend with. They were both soaked to the skin. “I’ve got to get you out of here Blintz. Not going out the way we came in.” Starsky talking more to himself than Hutch, as he watched a large log sweep past, the current dragging it toward the chasm as if it were a feather. No way Hutch could swim against that current back out of the cave. He searched the walls from end to end for another way out.

Starsky cringed when the biggest rat he ever saw scurried toward a corner of the cave. “Damn! Puts our sewer rats to shame.” He mumbled to himself. He rotated his head ever so slightly back toward another wall when it came snapping back around in realization to the spot where the rat had disappeared. A thin beam of light caught in the glint of his eye. “Hutch, be right back buddy, I think I see our way out of here.” Hutch gave a slight nod and watched his partner slip and slide in the mud toward the back corner of the cavern.

Tossing aside a few large rocks and even that many more small ones, the porthole out of the darkness was revealed. Starsky could see the trees and a tall grassy field. He returned back to his injured partner. “We got us a little exit buddy. You’re going to have to help me out.” Starsky lifted Hutch up onto his good leg. Hutch bit back his pain. He knew Starsky couldn’t carry him over the slippery, muddy rock. The light of day caused them both to squint for a moment till their eyes adjusted once more to the glare. “Going to be okay buddy, going to get you back to the tent, come on lean on me.”

Hutch groaned but did as he was told leaning heavy on Starsky. His broken leg dragging as he lumbered along. Hutch felt his blood pounding inside his head he reached up to the purple knot above his eyebrow touching it lightly.

“Blintz, you okay?”

“Little fuzzy um okay.” A fine sheen appeared on his face and he let his arm drop to his side.

“Just a little further buddy. Then we’ll stop and I’ll see what I can do for that leg.” Starsky gave a reassuring squeeze to his best friend who was on the border of consciousness. They came to a large tree and Starsky managed to prop Hutch up against it, his eyes slamming shut in pain. He would have to straighten the leg and splint it. He knew it was broken by its angle and the way it dangled lifelessly. Hutch moaned more and Starsky watched his eyes open slowly as if it took all his strength to do so. The gray bleach pallor of his skin and blue, clouded eyes terrified Starsky. He didn’t like how his partner looked and they were out in the wilderness not exactly his specialty. With some crazed arrow-happy guy and he sure as hell wasn’t cupid.

Starsky scrambled around, finding two large straight branches and pulled out more rope he had in his pockets. Rope that he was only a few moments earlier trying to use to pitch a tent. Now he would be using that rope to make a splint for his partner’s broken leg. Life sure as hell could turn on a dime he thought in despair.

Supplies at hand Starsky looked at Hutch, creases between his brows. “Buddy, gotta straighten that leg so I can splint it.” Hutch swallowed hard and turned to press his face into the tree bark as Starsky, gently as he could, righted the leg.

A knot twisted in Hutch’s throat as he tried to hold back the pain. He let out a long shaky breath that was cut off at the end. A spasm of pain caught him off guard as he pressed his face tighter to the tree trunk gulping in air at the same time letting out a shattering cry of pain. “Don’t S-starsk no, no more damn it, my l-leg uh! s-top d—on’t tou…..ch.” The tree trunk scratched at his cheek, as he pressed harder to it. “Starsk-y leave i-it alone…h-hurts.” His voice holding the misery he was feeling.

“Sorry buddy it’s my job. Hutch I gotta do this.” Starsky’s voice was husky with sorrow.

“Then you’re f-fired.” Hutch gasped out heavily before his eyes rotated upward his head dropping to his shoulder passing out into oblivion.

He wasn’t out long. His head lifted weakly at the feeling of someone stroking the back of his hand with light fingertips. Hutch’s cloud cast eyes looked up into his partner’s unsettled blues. “Hey partner.” Hutch choked through his emotions more than through his pain. “You did w-what you had to. I’m okay.” He could tell Starsky was worried and hurting for him. His thick brain also knew that they needed to get out of here before the crazed guy playing cowboys and indians decided he should finish the job.

“So I’m not fired huh Blintz?” Starsky chuckled as he squeezed his partner’s hand.

“N-no just on s-suspension.” Hutch gave a light half chuckle, half gasp.

The duo sat together a moment still clasping each other’s hand. Giving one another time to take in all that had happened and regroup. Hutch’s cringe of pain brought them out of their reverie. The strength of his fingers now wrapped around Starsky’s hand with force. It startled Starsky bringing him sharply back to the present.

“Listen t-to me partner. You’ve got to g-get out of here. He’ll be b-back. You’ve got to go now.” Hutch trembled as he spoke.

“Hutch, you’re hurt. I’m not leaving you here alone in this god forsaken wilderness with no protection. Forget it. Not to mention, buddy boy, we don’t have our guns? Did you forget that little fact, huh, detective?” Starsky’s voice raised a few tones higher at the last two words. Hutch was always playing white knight, even when he was hurt he wanted to stand guard over Starsky.

“I’ll live Starsky.” He groaned and winced as the pain in his leg and shoulder met somewhere in the middle of his body. ” Y-you can’t drag me out with my l-leg like it is.” He tightened his grip on Starsky’s hand. As weak and shocky as he was, Starsky was surprised at his strength. His partner was determined to get him to leave him behind.

“Damn you Hutch. You’re the second most stubbornest partner in the world.” Starsky shook free of the hold Hutch had on him and began to haul him up onto his good leg. “But it ain’t gonna go down that way buddy, ’cause I own the trophy on stubborn.” Hutch wobbled as he was lifted from the forest floor and his eyes flicked with high regard for his best friend. Starsky would always stand by him no matter the cost.

They had been hobbling through the woods for what felt like hours. The raging river had swept them quite a few miles away from the base camp. Hutch’s head lay heavy on his friend’s shoulder only half-aware of his surroundings. Starsky was forced to try and find his own way back to camp. They came to a field where the grass was taller than Hutch’s six foot two frame. It swayed in the breeze and the western sky was ablaze with color silhouetting the trees. Night was falling over the wilderness and the tent was nowhere in sight. Starsky looked at the blond head that lay on his shoulder. Both men were dry now but Hutch’s hair was wet with perspiration; he didn’t look very good. Starsky decided they better just make camp here, they wouldn’t find their way in the dark.

Starsky lay Hutch down in the tall grass. It actually made a half decent bed. He had nothing; no water, no matches, and no food. They wouldn’t last out here long. Hopefully by morning he would be able to locate their tent and supplies. Starsky lay down in the tall grass next to Hutch trying to use his own body to warm his friend. He would only close his eyes for a minute; he needed to rest. He had pretty much been carrying his partner and was exhausted.

Distantly Starsky heard mumblings and muffled cries. He woke finally, at first unaware of where he was. The tall grass encircled them. The moon was full and a mist had crept over the land. The stars in the sky twinkled and two white owls silently sailed past, their wings outstretched as if holding each other’s hand. Starsky felt at peace only for a moment almost as if in a dream. Then he looked over at his friend. His peace quickly faded and tangled inside him like ten-year-old Christmas lights. Starsky could see the blood that soaked through the makeshift dressings on his partner’s shoulder. Hutch’s face reflected its whiteness in the night and his sunken eyes looked back at Starsky. Starsky wanted to kick himself for falling asleep even for a moment. He sat up. “Hey buddy, how long you been awake huh? You doing okay?” Dumb question, Starsky thought to himself, he looks like hell.

Hutch’s teeth chattered and his entire body shuddered continuously. His shoulder burned, his leg throbbed along with his head in an alternating annoying rhythm. He gazed up at Starsky for a few moments before he slowly let his eyes close. The entire world seemed to roll on its axis and he hoped by closing his eyes he could make it stop. “Starsk.” He spoke out his rattling teeth. “C-cold. Ah! s-stop.” He let his eyes open slowly again to look up at his worried partner

“Stop what buddy?” Starsky questioned as he pulled Hutch into a bear hug rubbing up and down his arms trying to warm him up.

“Stop the w-world from turning would you huh? D-dizzy.” He whimpered.

Starsky could only hold his friend tighter. “How’s that Blintz, better?” He knew it wouldn’t be. He wished he could slam his foot to the ground and put the brakes on mother earth. Make the world stop turning for his friend.

Hutch kept his cloudy eyes locked on his friend and smiled weakly. It really wasn’t much better but he could feel Starsky’s warmth and at least his teeth stopped chattering. “Better.” He whispered and kept his gaze till Starsky’s face was just a pinpoint in the night before he passed out again.

Hutch felt an intense stare and a hand upon his forehead. He creaked open his eyes with much effort to look up at the grinning face of his partner. “Morning Buddy.” Starsky took quick note of the fever-bright eyes and his grin faded.

“Morn.” Hutch’s word failed as he caught his breath on a spasm of pain.

“Hutch take it easy, partner, easy.

There was a pounding behind his eyes and he ached all over. No longer cold, he was hot and he pulled agitated at his shirt groaning against the fire in his shoulder. “H-hot Starsk t-to hot. Off g-get this o-ff.” He weakly tugged at his shirt.

Starsky gripped the hand giving it a squeeze. “Hutch come on, stay with me. Me and you buddy. It’s just me and you. I need you to keep with m,e got that partner?”

Hutch heard the panic in his partner’s voice as the words filtered through his fever-ridden brain. “‘Kay Starsk. Staying with y-you. Staying w-with y-you.” His thin breathy words were music to Starsky’s ears. His friend was still coherent and willing. The fight not out him yet.

Starsky slipped a hand under Hutch’s head and began to lift him up slowly to his feet. Pain contoured his face but he let his partner raise him up, the world’s axis still tilting at a 90-degree angle but he held to Starsky’s arm. His partner wouldn’t let him fall off the face of the earth ever.

They came upon a clearing. A tiny log cabin that looked to be two days older than dirt. Shingles hung from broken windows. Twigs, leaves and branches littered the roof and the door swung in the breeze, hanging by only one hinge. Starsky figured he could get Hutch comfortable here and tend to his wounds better. Maybe he could find fresh water or some food.

Hutch lumbered along fighting the fog that chilled him and threatened to paralyze his body into unconsciousness. He was feverish and his throat was parched and his leg throbbed, but he had to stay aware for his partner. Once inside the cabin Starsky’s gut feelings took on new shape. It wasn’t going to be safe here. Traps hung upon the walls.

Furs and skins of animals lay all around the cabin. “Poachers Hutch. It’s not some crazy hermit; it’s a poacher. We’ve got to get out of here. Gotta go report this to the sheriff.” They headed away from the cabin as quick as Hutch could go weaving in and out through the trees and brush. Hutch stumbling and clinging, half-aware, his partner was practically the only thing keeping him in a horizontal position.

“S-starsk you’re o-out of your m-mind. You can’t keep hauling m-me around like this.” Hutch barked out more out of pain than anything else.

“Hutch we had this conversation already, I can’t leave you here. ‘Sides there’s a bad guy around here somewhere it’s not safe.” Starsky pleaded his case

“Partner don’t you t-think I know t-that.” Hutch hunched forward as a bolt of pain shot through his leg. He started to slump to the ground he just couldn’t go any further. “S-starsk. C-can’t do it. I-I can’t keep going. Aw damn it Starsk. I’m s-sorry partner…hurts…c-can’t I just.” Hutch’s words caught in his dry throat.

Starsky had eased his partners weight to the dusty ground and held him up against his chest. He probed Hutch’s eyes. He knew he had pushed his partner to his limit. It was then they heard something prowling through the trees. Twigs snapped and the rustling sound of bushes and heavy footsteps were headed their way.

Starsky looked to Hutch wide eyed. ” I don’t suppose that’d be Bigfoot?”

Hutch shook his head no “We couldn’t get that lucky buddy.” He whispered.

Starsky lifted Hutch up into his arms and staggered to some near by undergrowth where he concealed his partner. “Stay put!” Starsky ordered, giving Hutch a stern Dobey stare to back up his own words.

Starsky darted away from Hutch, making sure he was heard. He wanted to draw the poacher away from his partner, only then would he feel safe. Only then would he make his move. He trudged down a small ravine and back up a hill. He could hear the unseen predator at his flanks and he whirled around with a large limb in hand ready to attack. “Whoa there son, ease off.” A large framed mountain of a man stood before him. Long brown hair framed his clean-shaven, olive colored skin. Starsky quickly noted the gray uniform his eyes locking on to the patch the boasted an eagle and the American flag. The words Park Ranger stitched in yellow right above the patriotic emblem.

Starsky wiped away the sweat from his brow. “Thought you were a poacher.” His chest heaving as he spoke. He held his hands up slowly as not to startle the lawman. “Just gonna show you my ID.” He reached for his badge at the same time announcing who he was. “Detective Dave Starsky.” Still breathing heavy from his run through the trees. “Up here camping with my partner. Ran into some trouble with a poacher.”

The Ranger eyeballed Starsky’s badge. “Yeah, I figured that much. Been trying to nail that scoundrel for the past week and a half. Killed a couple rare albino fox.” The Ranger let his hand fall off his hip holstered gun. “My name is Glen Jobbes. Ol’ Ben told me couple young fellows were headed up this way to do some fishin’ and campin’. I saw your tent, caught the sight of a few drops of blood near the river’s edge. Figured somethin’ not too good happened.” The Ranger looked around. “Where’s your partner?”

“Left him back a ways. He’s injured. Thought you were the poacher and was trying to lure you away from him. He couldn’t go any further. He has a broken leg and an arrow wound in his shoulder.” Starsky was still panting from his run through the trees. ” I gotta get back to him.”

The detective’s worried face brought the Ranger to action. “Well, what are we waiting for son, let’s go fetch that partner of yours.”

Hutch felt adrift and lost in his blackened world. At least there was no pain, not till someone roughly grabbed him and pinned him to the dark soil. Staring up into pine-coned evergreens, Hutch was dazed and winced in pain. It took him a moment to realize he was in the custody of the poacher. The trapper wore brown camouflage and a ball cap to match. His mustache and beard were in bad need of a trim. Hutch wrinkled his nose, the guy needed a bath too. The trapper roughly pulled Hutch to his feet, causing Hutch to reel in pain. “Got yourself a broken leg boy? Never you mind won’t be ailing you much longer.” Hutch didn’t like the sly laugh that escaped from the man.

The man slung Hutch up against a large oak tree and lashed him to it. “Just gonna leave you hanging here boy and let the wolves take care of the rest.” He snickered as he pulled out a piece of beef jerky or perhaps it was bear jerky and bit a hunk out of it. The felonious man decided he’d better incapacitate Hutch some more to be sure he stuck to that tree till the critters could come and take care of his dirty work.

Hutch was at the mercy of the poacher. This guy didn’t give a crap about the lives of animals; he sure as hell didn’t give a hoot or howl about Hutch as he kicked the blond man’s broken leg several times with great pleasure on his face. Hutch let out a horrible wail. “My m-my l-leg!” He nearly blacked out from the pain that pierced through his whole body like a bolt of lighting.

“What’s the matter city boy, you got yourself a boo boo?” The man was having the time of his life. He wound up his fist ready to plow it into the shoulder wound he knew he was responsible for. Before he could do any damage he was thudded to the ground with blind, soul invasive rage. Starsky rolled through the roughage of leaves and pine needles till he had the man under one knee and a fist full of his hair.

“Feel good to beat up on the helpless and unarmed does it?” Starsky gritted out through his clenched teeth. The man howled out as Starsky twisted his knee into his back and pushed his face into the dirt. “Yeah. this sure feels good to me.” And he crushed the man’s nose further into the earth. The poacher gagged and spit out the mouthful of dirt he generously was helped to. Unrestrained, Starsky hauled the man to his feet once more and slammed him back to the ground, grinding his knee into his kidney again.

“S-starsk” Starsky whipped his head around to the weak, frantic voice of his partner. Hutch’s eyes begged for him to stop. The Ranger knelt down to cuff the poacher and Starsky let loose his grip of vengeance on the man to head back to his best friend. Starsky scooped Hutch up into his arms and gazed down at his pasty white partner.

Hutch’s leg pounded so hard he couldn’t move, he couldn’t think, and time seemed so slow it rolled in waves before his eyes. “Y-you sure got o-one hell of a temper there G-ordo.” Hutch choked out. “Remind m-me not to g-get you m-ad.” Hutch gave a tired smile up at the catastrophic storm that was his partner before his body went slack in his arms.

Hutch, arm in a sling, and his leg heavy-laden in a cast, sat on the lawn chair watching his partner pitch the tent. The lamplight of heaven hung low and full in the sky. It glistened across the lake and he could see by its light as a few large ripples cast outward by a few of the lake inhabitants jumping out of the glassy waters. Deja vu took him over as he watched his partner mutilate the tent once more. “Hey buddy you’re supposed to pitch the tent not….” Starsky’s glare cut him off.

“I’m reminding you Hutch. Don’t get me mad.” Starsky tried to put on his best wild-eyed, infuriated face but it faded to laughter when he saw Hutch fake a cowering gesture.

“You know buddy, this is not camping.” Hutch shook his head in dismay. “This is my backyard pal, not the great, wide-open wilderness.”

“Yeah, well it beats the heck outta worrying about arrows and poachers and rivers and….” Starsky kicked the hell out of the pole and the tent crumpled like an accordion.

“And Bigfoot Starsk, say it Bigfoot.” Hutch’s roaring laughter could be heard on the other side of the canal.

Just as Starsky was about to pitch the tent into the canal, a large hairy beast came around the corner of the tiny cottage. Starsky stumbled backward, tripping over the canvas, both of them ending up pitched into the shimmering black water.

The brown, hairy creature removed its head, both it and Hutch howling into the night. “A wolf in sheep’s clothing buddy.” Hutch couldn’t stop his laughter, the tears streaked down his face. He and Huggy, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, headed into the cottage for a brew. Leaving the wet, mop-headed man standing all alone in the muddy dark night hauling the tent to the shore. Hutch tapped on the window from inside the warmly lit house and held a beer up, gesturing to his friend to come in and get one. Shoes squishing out water he made his drenched way to the cottage. Camping was for the birds.