Ketchikan or Bust (Tom's Adventures in Alaska) Read online

  “Oh, Honey, do you think I’ve always done these kinds of things? I came to Alaska looking for something. I thought I was looking for memories of my brother and was hoping to fill the hole inside. I never dreamed that I would meet someone as beautiful as you who would sweep me off my feet and make me forget everything I ever thought was important. I never would’ve taken a trip like this one on my own and I sure wouldn’t have enjoyed it this much if I had,” Tom says softly. “I’ve never had anyone make my heart race and give me this much desire ever in my life. Hell, I know that I haven’t, I never really had a girlfriend before I met you. The first time I saw you in the library I hoped you wouldn’t throw me out and when you seemed interested in me it took me all of my courage to go back to see you that day after the fishing trip.”

  “Tom?” Swan whispers. “Can I tell you something personal?” She looks into his eyes. “I was a virgin that first night we spent together. I’d never even had the urge to have sex before I met you. As soon as I saw you that first time, a fire started burning in me that I couldn’t put out. The first time we made love I felt an inner peace that I’ve never felt and since then there’s a lusty savage in me that wants you all the time. Even right here with the rain pouring around us, I look into your eyes and want to throw you on the ground and make love with you in the mud.”

  Tom lifts her onto the seat of the bike and she wraps her legs around his waist. He leans in and puts one arm around her shoulders and one around her waist. He presses his lips against hers and they kiss with a passion neither has ever felt before. The rain comes in sheets as they share their love with each other. Tom breaks the kiss and looks deep into Swan’s eyes.

  “We should either pitch a tent to get out of this rain or head to Rupert and find a warm hotel room,” Swan says.

  “I vote hotel and one with soundproof rooms because I want to meet that savage!” Tom says as he grabs her ass.

  “Then get this bike running and I’ll stuff everything in the trailer,” Swan says as she bends to pick up the pile of clothes on the ground.

  They pull out onto the highway as the rain lets up. Tom’s pretty cautious in the twilight and rain. He figures that they can take their time on this last stretch even if they get to Prince Rupert after dark. The Skeena River is a dark shadow alongside the road as night falls. The yellow lines shine in the headlights on the black pavement. Soon, it’s pitch black as they ride through the forest. The ride seems to be taking forever because of the rain. Tom starts to smell salty ocean air and knows they’re getting close. They turn north to head the last few miles into Prince Rupert and follow Highway Sixteen through town to the ferry dock. Tom shuts off the bike. He and Swan get off and walk to the water’s edge to look out over Hecate Strait.

  “So did you see any place you wanted to stay?” Tom asks. “I think there were a few hotels on the way in.”

  Tom hears a cough and turns to see an old man sitting on a log.

  “You here to catch the ferry north?” the old man asks.

  “Yeah,” Tom replies.

  “Well then you better get on that motorcycle and get going, the ferry’s leaving in a little bit. I come out here to watch them leave because it makes me dream of getting out of here and finding what’s out there. I’ve never been out of this town more than a few hundred kilometers.”

  Swan turns to Tom and tugs at his arm to get his attention. “We haven’t had much sleep this last couple of days, maybe we should find a room and spend the night.”

  “Well little lady, if you’re going to spend the night, you’re going to need to be ready to spend a few nights until the next ferry depending on where you’re going,” the old man says with a simple smile. “Where’re you headed?”

  “Ketchikan,” Swan says, “and then on up the coast to Anchorage and Kodiak.”

  “You can catch the ferry here and go all the way to Kodiak but you best get going if you’re in a hurry to get there,” the old man suggests.

  “I say we suffer and take this ferry. We wanted to get to Ketchikan and I’d like to spend the extra time there rather than making it a quick stop before we head up the Inside Passage.”

  Swan pulls on her helmet and nudges Tom. “Then let’s go, boy. Our ferry waits.”

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Dawn breaks as the ferry approaches Ketchikan and the morning sun reflects off the calm ocean. The clouds have broken and wispy banks of fog lift off of the water. Snow capped mountains frame the eastern skyline behind Revillagigedo Island. Tom and Swan had rolled out their sleeping bags the deck in the solarium away from the driving rain to sleep. Tom feels refreshed as he leans on the rail taking in the sights. A whale breaches alongside the ferry and slaps its tail on the water. Swan nudges Tom and points in the direction of the whale.

  “This is so beautiful!” she exclaims. “I’m so glad we decided to push on. I slept like a log last night and to wake up to this makes it all worthwhile. I never thought a ferry ride could take me through scenery like this, the ferry into Kodiak and Homer isn’t anything like this.”

  Tom extends his arm around Swan and puts his hand on her shoulder. He leans close to her and gives her a peck on the cheek.

  “It’s only this beautiful because we’ve never seen it before. I had this same feeling coming into Kodiak. But this is so much better because I get to share these memories with you,” Tom says softly.

  They stand at the rail and watch Ketchikan come into view. Houses built on stilts are perched out over the water and it seems like the entire town is barely clinging to the base of the mountain. A sea plane takes off in the distance and they watch it bank up to clear the island until it disappears into the clouds leftover from the storm the night before. Fishing boats and pleasure craft dot the calm waters and line the docks along the shoreline. A small group of kayaks paddle into the harbor heading out into the watery playground around them. The ferry sounds its horn and the speaker announces that it’s time for the passengers to prepare to disembark. Tom and Swan hang at the rail to watch the ferry pull into its berth before heading below to their motorcycle. Swan holds the sleeping bags between her and Tom as they slowly ride the bike out of the bowels of the ship. The trailer bumps over the uneven ramp and Tom speeds up when they hit the narrow lane that leads into Ketchikan. He looks up at the ‘Welcome to Ketchikan’ sign, turns right on Tongass Ave and looks for a place to stop close to the tourist district.

  Excerpt from book four, “Fish Hooks and Totem Poles”.

  Tom kneels in the stern of the skiff and guns the kicker up the wave. The kicker struggles to push the small boat up to the crest and the bow wiggles through the water. The skiff rides hard through the choppy water and sounds like rivets are going to pop when it crashes into the trough. Wind driven spray shoots off the bow and soaks them as they skirt the waves trying to get to shore. Navigation is difficult because of the driftwood scattered among the whitecaps. Tom banks the skiff up the back of the wave and surfs onto the beach.

  “That’s some pretty good skiff handling there boy. The tides going out, if we’re here for more than a few minutes we’ll never get it back in the water again. HURRY UP YOU TWO, we’ve got a storm building!”

  Matthew Green Lives in North Dakota.

  This is his third book.

  Copyright © 2011 by Matthew T Green

  Cover art and graphics Copyright © Kristeena Smith, Matthew Green

  Tom’s Adventures in Alaska (series): Note in a Bottle published by Matthew Green 2011

  Tom’s Adventures in Alaska (series): The Bear Claw published by Matthew Green 2011

  Tom’s Adventures in Alaska (series): Ketchikan or Bust published by Matthew Green 2011

  Tom’s Adventures in Alaska (series): Fish Hooks and Totem Poles by Matthew Green 2011

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be used unless express written permission is granted by the Author/Publisher. Contact Matthew Green @ [email protected]

  Matthew Green
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  Drake, ND. 58736

  [email protected]

  Printed and E-published in the United States