HERE'S AN EXCERPT FROM JOHN BABBS'
NOVEL: "YELLOW LEAVES"

READ HOW TO ORDER THE NOVEL AT
THE END OF THE EXCERPT

 

I waded up and false cast until the fly reached beyond the feeder creek.I hammered home my business cast, and the orange-bodied fly plopped on the surface. It looked deadly as it floated into the confluence of the two currents.

A silver flash reflected the sun as it shot upward from under the
boulder. The trout rolled as it slashed at the fly. I glimpsed its crimson stripe. The line stretched tight. The trout plunged into the depths and raced forward against rod and current. The click-click-click of the drag blurred into an incessant whir. I lightly thumbed the reel. The line shivered through my fingers.

Abruptly the trout rose. I saw its torpedo shape angle upwards. It
exploded from the water, the barbed fly clinging to its jaw, and for one frozen instant its implacable kinetic energy hung suspended in relief, silver-hued scales among golden flecks of sunlight exploding translucent beads of water, and my self-awareness fell away as I absorbed that vision of startled eternity.

The trout slammed back into the water, and the vision fled with it. It made another run upstream, and I brought it back. The hook and leader and my luck all held. The trout succumbed to the strength of my forearm and the resilience of the rod. I slid it onto a bar of pebbles deposited by the feeder creek.

The trout lay immobile, out of its water element. Except for the crimson band and mottled back, it was sleek and silvery. When I grabbed it behind the gills, it flapped its tail reflexively. I stepped to the edge of the stream, knelt, and gently eased the trout into the water. It was still the king, or maybe queen, of the pool.

* * * *

A wall of rock loomed on my left above the pool. I walked to it and climbed up. The top was weathered smooth, with rain-grooved hollows. I looked back downstream for Eula and, not seeing her, sat down to take off my boots and socks. I took off my wet pants too, to let them dry off in the sun while I did the same. I found a half-smoked cigar in a pocket of my vest, and lit it.

Eula came into sight around the bend of the creek. I stood up and waved and she saw me. She carried her wicker basket by a strap across one shoulder, like a creel. I went halfway down the rock wall to take it and her rod from her, so she could climb more easily.

"Just when I was thinking about the beer and food we left behind," I said. "You went back for it."

"Somehow I knew you would be forging ahead."

"How did you know that?"

"How could I not know? Just say I'm psychic."

"I say you're my sidekick." I reach into her basket, brought out two beers, opened them, and handed one to Eula.

"I was afraid you'd be even farther ahead me," she said.

"I was delayed."

"By what?"

"A big trout."

"How big?"

"I didn't measure it. Say about four pounds."

"Liar."

"I would lie with you, but not to you."

"I caught some. In the pools you already fished." She looked happy. "On the flies you gave me."

"And where are they?"

"You know I can't kill them. They were big enough to eat, though."

"Leave the dirty work to me. Let's have lunch."

Eula reached into the picnic basket and brought out a sandwich. She handed it to me. I peeked inside. Ham and Swiss cheese. She opened a bag of potato chips. I took a long swallow of beer. It spilled over my lips and dribbled down my chin. I looked at Eula and our eyes met.

"Ahh..." I bit into the sandwich. We ate and drank and warmed ourselves in the sun. Afterward, I felt drowsy.

"I think I'll stretch out," I said.

"You're not going fishing?"

"Later." I took off my shirt, spread it on the smooth bedrock, and lay down on my back. I pulled my hat brim down to shield my eyes from the sun.

Eula touched me.

"Hello, I said. I tilted my head to look at her. She had taken off her
pants and shirt. Her breasts curved outward from her body. She knelt beside me, and ran her hand lightly over my chest.

"You're way too tempting," she murmured. "Am I being a bother?"

"Try me."

Afterward, I felt not merely content, but complete. Eula reclined
against my shoulder. I smelled the freshness of her hair. The sun dried the sweat of our love-making.

"Did we really do that? Eula whispered.

"Unless you're dreaming."

"It was like a dream."

"Another fantasy fulfilled."

"Oh, I never would have fantasized this."

I kissed her. "Eula...you're so damn much fun."

"Let's stay here all afternoon."

I glanced at the sun about to touch the treetops across the valley.

"The afternoon's nearly done."

"There's something else I want to do."

"What?"

"Take a swim."

"You'd better do it now."

She sat up. "Christ!" It all goes by too fast!"

* * * *

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