Sunrise. Humidity. Owl hoots.
Camouflage. Jump boots.
Careful walking.
No twig snapping.
No leaf crunching.
Dangerous sounds.
Radios. Ear pieces. Shhh…
Walking for miles. Thick brush.
Well worn foot path. Smooth dirt. Bent grass.
Mosquitoes. Bug spray.
Sun rising. Hot.
Sweat. Thirsty.
Ticks.
Poison Ivy. Poison Oak.
Frogs. Snakes. A deer. A rabbit.
Blackberries. Wild. Thorns.
Bleeding.
Walking. Slowly. Carefully.
Measured steps.
Fertilizer packages. Miracle-Gro.
Close. Really close.
Shhh..
Water buckets.
Chicken wire.
Camouflage netting.
Hold up hand.
Stop. Listen. Look.
Point.
Heads nod.
Wire across path. Thin. Almost invisible.
Booby trap.
Danger high.
Heart pounding like drum.
Do others hear it?
Wait! Talking. Where?
Hands and knees.
Crawling.
Peek through small opening in brush and weeds.
Men.
Guns.
Marijuana. Lots of marijuana.
Lots of guns.
Deep breath.
On three.
One finger.
Two fingers.
Go!
On the ground! Police!
Bang.
Bang, bang!
Running.
Yelling.
Scuffle.
Handcuffs.
Two months surveillance, helicopter, hiking, and long hours pay off.
One down, hundreds to go.
* * *
Author Terry Odell is giving away a copy of this fine book. Please visit Terry’s website for details.