"Sheesh, Hal," Lance said. "Why act the heavy, suddenly?" Sam was the girl of dreams, the woman he planned to play in quartets with for the rest of hi... life. She trusted him. So why was his big brother acting like he was her big brother these last three days?"Because she'd tell Lauren, for one reason." Hal had only met Lauren through Lance, and her parents weren't exactly thrilled about her dating a college guy four years older. "She's sure to think that your brother is as big a klutz as you.. His friend needed him!Adam's momentum broke more soil free and belatedly he realised he was in danger of burying Ben in even more mud. There was nothing he could do about that now as he had committed himself, so he focused on trying to keep himself upright until he reached the bottom of the slide.When he eventually came to a stop, he found that the mud made it difficult to stand up. It was pulling at him and panic once more threatened to overcome him."Stop it! Ben needs help!" he chided himself. Oland and his father sat and talked for several hours, after sending Beatra home. Berandal had a hard time believing his son's story, until Roland pulled out the gems. There was more than Roland first saw in the pouch, when they were all dumped out on the table.Along with the emeralds and diamonds, there were rubies and sapphires. There was also a very heavy ring, that was the last piece out. the voice in Roland's head gloated."Power ring?" Roland asked out loud, startled.Berandal looked at his. Or Carole Ann ... was poking me and nuzzling my ear ... god ... I hope that's Carole Ann and not Grace...I shooed..."Carole Ann, stop that ... I'm getting up and the last thing I need from you is a woody ... I have to pee ... and I don't need you licking my chin. Carole Ann ... you need a SHAVE?"Damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN! A very cute bobcat kit had climbed on my chest and head-butted my chin.Feed ME!I had so hoped that the weird dream was just that ... the product of a State Park driftwood.