K-9 Trials

[Kev Allison]

Kev smiled seeing the man hesitating for a moment, he could understand because he doubted many people would do what they had just done. If it hadn’t been for Mattie he was sure he wouldnt have done because he didnt even know that they were there. “God bless you sir.” Kev said knowing it couldnt be easy being where they were.

When he saw the children in the camp he felt, he wasnt sure all he knew was that it was tough enough to be an adult in that situation let alone being a kid. “If I’ve got anything else I’ll stop by okay.” He said knowing that now he knew about them there he would do a little extra shopping each week maybe even ask around work for some extra things for the children there.

Kev smiled back at Mattie as he grinned, “Really you never know I might turn out to be a golf pro of some kind. So be prepared for this.” Golf pro well that was laughable he thought, more like how not to play but then again it was stick and a ball to hit. How difficult was this about to be he wondered though maybe if it was the size of a tennis ball he might stand a better chance at it.

Taking the club Mattie handed him once they were out of sight Kev glanced at the ball in the middle of the dirt trail. “Okay, not too difficult then.” He said as he took aim and swung at the ball completely missing the thing as he tried to see where it had gone before he looked down at his feet to see it still there. “Practice swing...” He said grinning as he tried again and missed muttering something about the club having holes in it.

“Clubs got a hole in it.” He stated as he passed it back to Mattie laughing as he offered to take the bag from her. “Your turn.” He said grinning as he was enjoying his day more and more.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"New rule, unlimited practice swings!" Mattie laughed as she took the club. Her stance was a bit askew, but in this game style counted more than results!

She smacked the ball, kicking up a good bit of dirt and gravel with it. The ball arced up a foot or so, traveled about six feet, then hit the path, sputtered a few inches and landed in the leaves on the side of the path.

"There, that's how it's done!" It had been a long time since she'd taken any time to just goof off and do something silly and pointless, and this impressed on her that she needed to do this more often.

"So, see if you can get that gopher mound over there. Don't worry, if it falls in, Koda will get it!"

The dog happily wagged his tail on hearing his name.

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

Kev grinned and nodded eagerly, “Yeah I love this new rule.” He said chuckling as he watched her, her style seemed great that coupled with the fact she could actually hit the ball unlike him, well she was winning already.

He watched where the ball went impressed by it as he grinned, “Thanks so you actually have to hit the ball to make it move... Koda where were you on this?” He asked glancing to Koda for a moment. It was a great feeling just to have fun for a change, no serious matters, no court, no one calling about warrants and asking why he couldnt do this or that.

Kev took the club again as he eyed up the gopher mound, “Okay, fingers crossed for this one.” He said as he took a little unusual stance as he waggled himself a little before taking a swing. He knew he had hit the dirt as that flew up but the only issue was it was a good six inches from where the ball was.

“I’ll get this eventually right?” He said grinning as he swung again as this time he managed to hit the ball as it came to a rolling halt in and fell into the gopher mound. He winced for a moment before he chuckled, “Okay so I totally meant to do that... you sure Koda’s okay to get it?” He asked wondering if he was now going on a golf ball hunt in a gopher mound.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Oh, nice shot!" Mattie grinned widely, then laughed. "You give me ten penalty points, and and extra...oh, five for having the dog fetch the ball!"

Looking down at Koda, she ordered him, "Koda, get the ball!"

Immediately, the dog's ears perked up and his eyes widened eagerly, then he trotted to the hole as Mattie advised, "You might want to stand back." Sure enough, a few seconds later dirt started flying behind the dog and after a moment, Koda's dirt-covered nose emerged, the ball clutched in his teeth.

"Well, there you go! Good boy!" Patting the dog, she looked at Kev. "So, new rule...since you hit it down the hole, you get to play the slobber-ball."

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

“Fifteen points... wow I need to improve my game on this or I’ll be owing you a lot of points.” Kev said laughing as he saw her grin, “Fine I concede, but only because I’m letting you win because it’s the gentlemanly thing to do here.” So sure he would have let her win but it wasnt for lack of trying to hit the ball and get it to go where he wanted it to.

Kev watched as Koda went to get the ball, seeing his ears perk up and he gave a slightly puzzled look for a second before he realised why Mattie was telling him to stand back as the dirt began to fly. How he would find the ball it would be a miracle he decided not sure if Koda would dig it out but sure enough Koda saved the day.

“Go Koda, great job.” He said grinning as he nodded, “You never know slobber ball might be the winning one... I mean it cant make my game any worse right?” He said grinning as he looked around. “So, aiming for that tree over there?” He said that was maybe less than ten feet away though it was baby steps. After all how bad could he really be as he knelt down to get the ball from Koda as he grinned up at Mattie.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"We'll see!" Mattie chuckled as Koda dropped the slimy, dirt-covered ball into Kev's hand. "All that slobber makes the ball slippery, like a spit-ball," she laughed, "so you have to cut it just right!"

He picked out a tree and she grinned, glad that he was getting into the spirit of the game, some people were so literal-minded that they couldn't deal with not having everything laid out, in-your-face. It was a good character trait to be able to toss convention aside and wing it sometimes.

"How'd you know that was the next goal?" she asked, eying him suspiciously. "Did you cheat and read the rules?" Then she laughed and nodded. "Go for it! If you tag a squirrel, it's an extra fifty points!"

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

Kev grinned when Koda dropped the ball into his hand as he screwed his face up slightly when he felt the slimy dirt covered ball. “Great, like I’m not having enough hitting it already.” He teased chuckling as he dropped the ball to the floor and hoped that he could at least hit this one again.

It was a fun game to get into and sometimes it was good not to have things laid out right in front of you. Completely different from his work which required time lines and setting everything out in order so that every literal minded person could understand the train of thought he was going with. This was good fun and thinking other than trying to hit the ball, it was great in his head.

“Cheat, me never... no I haven’t a clue on the rules but the tree... it spoke to me and told me.” He said grinning as he chuckled. “A squirrel might have enough issues just hitting the tree but you never know.” He stood for a moment trying to line up his shot before he took a swing at the ball, he was pleased he hit it at first though when it seemed to take a ninety degree angle away from the tree not so much as it just landed on the grass.

“Nooo, you’re supposed to go that way.” He explained pointing at the tree as he stared at the ball. “You’re right; spit ball isn’t easy at all.” He said grinning as he handed her the club and offered to take the bag again so she could take her shot.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"It's all in the wrist!" Mattie declared, not that she knew the first thing about golf, this was just fun sport. "Of course, an angle shot like that is worth an extra thirty points, I think...after all, it's not easy to get the ball to change direction mid-flight!"

Squaring up, she lined up the club with the ball, then glanced around and nodded. "That log over there, over the top and..."

She was cut short by a high-pitched scream from the direction of the homeless camp, and as Mattie let go of the club and dropped into a crouch, her hand starting for the pistol strapped to her ankle. At the same time, Koda became fully alert, moving to her side, tail up and his focus on the source of the noise.

But in the next instant there was a sharp call for help and the man who had accepted the food from them came crashing through the bushes in their direction.

"You gotta help us!" he shouted, "they fell in th' river an' there's logs there!"

Glancing at Kev, Mattie snapped, "Ute!" that to the dog who was barking madly, but stopped at the command, then she was running, golf and clubs forgotten, knowing that Kev would be right behind her.

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

Kev laughed as he nodded and watched Mattie take her shot, golf had been a good walk around the country club when he was younger and once he had escaped to the military well there wasnt much room on a ship to play golf unless you had an unlimited supply of golf balls to hit into the sea and that he didnt want to do. “Ooh now this does sound good, thirty points for the angle shot... totally meant to have it do that.” He stated grinning, sure he hadn’t but if it worked out then it worked out.

He nodded watching as she squared up the shot as he heard the high pitched scream from the homeless camp direction. He turned instinctively toward it as he watched Mattie drop into a crouch. For a second he wondered if he had heard wrong and it was Mattie though before he had time to ask Koda was alert and Mattie had a gun with the man from earlier crashing through in their direction.

Kev nodded when Mattie glanced at him as he watched Koda stop barking though he dropped the clubs where they were as he took off after Mattie. A river and logs, well that wasnt going to go well he thought following Mattie as he looked around to see what was going on exactly as he pulled out his phone ready to dial for emergency services. He knew he would do all he could to help but at least there could be help on the way if it was bad he thought.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

A grassy bank dropped gradually down about eight feet, ending abruptly at the river with no shore to speak of here. A few feet from the edge a couple of adults were clawing frantically at a mash of debris -- branches, twigs, plastic bags, even a lawn chair.

"They fell in," the man who had summoned them explained hastily, "two of 'em, kids..."

Glancing at Kev as she started to kick off her shoes, Mattie asked, "Can you swim? Let him have your phone..." She nodded to the man, the gun that had been strapped to her ankle landing beside the shoes that Koda would look after.

"Come on..." Nodding to Kev, she slid down the bank then splashed into the hip-deep, surprisingly cold water. She gasped, not really prepared for the chill.

"I got one," a woman already in the water panted, only she was hunched over, her arms below the surface...

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

Kev glanced at the scene, the grassy bank, river and no place to drag anyone ashore as such. The adults trying to get through the debris, it was a nightmare situation as Kev nodded and listen to the man a moment. Kids too well hopefully they could get to them in time.

“Yeah I can swim, ex Navy can’t really not know.” He said as he tossed the guy his phone as he tore off his shoes and jacket. Last thing he needed was to get his feet caught on anything he couldnt wriggle free from. Kev glanced at the gun Mattie left beside her shoes before he followed Mattie down the bank and splashed into the water.

Hearing Mattie gasp Kev looked over. “You okay?” He called as he heard the woman and looked over to see her hunched over with her arms below the surface. He pushed his way through the debris in the water as he reached the woman. "Here, just don't let go of the kid." He said figuring the woman wouldnt as ducked under the water for a few moments to try and pull the child up as he managed to bring the child’s head above water as he looked to see if Mattie was okay. “Got one here.” He said as he did his best to keep the child above water.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

One...

There was another, and while Kev was having a hard time keeping the little one's head above the water, at least the child was sobbing and gasping for air...there was time, and Mattie made a quick triage decision.

"I'm going to look for the other," she told him, "Just...fast, if I don't find him I'll help you." Sadly, one live child was better than two dead, as much as the thought sickened her.

Taking a breath, she dropped under the water, trying to feel her way around, groping through the muck until her hand hit something soft, covered in cloth. She tugged, at first meeting resistance, then suddenly it broke free and Kev would find that 'his' child would pop up into his arms, now released from the debris.

Surfacing, Mattie sucked in a breath of air, glancing at Kev, then dropping down again, feeling close to the first site. A moment later her foot hit another soft mass and she bent to feel, wishing she could see, but the water was far too murky to even open her eyes.

Coming back up again, she shouted, "I need help here!" A log was across the child's torso, and she needed help lifting it...

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

Hearing the child sob and gasp for air it was a welcome sound no matter how distressing it was to hear. At least they were alive he thought trying to hold the child as he glanced over to Mattie as he listened to her intently.

“Okay okay, just... fast.” He said not wanting to give up one the second child but Mattie was just as important; she needed to be safe too. He knew it was an awful thought but one out of two, there was always a worse option even if he couldnt imagine a worse option to have to think of right then as he watched Mattie drop under the water.

Kev couldnt help but count the seconds as he waited to see Mattie come back up again, he was watching and waiting for her as the child he had popped up into his arms as they seemed realised from the debris that had been holding the child. Kev breathed a sigh of relief as he made sure to keep the child above the water level as he saw Mattie surface.

He was about to ask if she was alright when she dropped down again, he couldnt even see in the water as it was so murky though he tried to follow any water disturbance. “On my way.” Kev called as he passed the child to the woman careful to keep their head above the water as he carefully made his way to Mattie. “What do you need?” He asked her as he tried to see though the water but couldnt see much other than the murky water that was around them.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

Mattie was gasping in large breaths, not because she was short of breath, but because she was preparing to go under again for a couple of minutes. She could swim, and wasn't afraid of water, but she wasn't accustomed to actually working under water.

"There's a log on her," she explained quickly, "it's down by my foot, if you can lift it I think I can get her out."

They needed to hurry, but she left that unsaid...he wasn't an idiot, and had to be fully aware of what was at stake.

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

Kev listened to Mattie a log on her, well that explained why the kid wasnt coming up he thought as he made his way over to Mattie. Time was obvious as he took a deep breath and ducked down into the water again. His hand felt around her foot for a moment before his hand felt the log as he came back up for air for a moment.

“Got a fix on the log.” He said, “If you can lift her out it should be alright.” Kev could only hope that the child was still alive. It was tough enough seeing things in a file, through a court room or hearing the accounts but actually living through something was far different as he didnt know what to think other than to get the kid out.

“Ready?” He asked as he took another deep breath before he ducked back under the water and put his arms around the log. He tried to lift it off the child to give Mattie enough room to manoeuvre the child to safety though with his eyes shut he had no idea if it had worked or not. The navy had taught him a lot about the water, a healthy fear of it, understand a little and knowing that the one thing you couldnt chat was mother nature.

Mattie Chappel