Page 87 of Guess Again

Lake Morikawa, Wisconsin Tuesday, August 5, 2025

ETHAN brOUGHT THE HUSKY DOWN IN A SMOOTH APPROACH, THE floats kissing the surface as the plane skimmed across the lake.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows of pine trees across the lake.

He turned the plane left and taxied toward the dock in front of his cabin.

He hadn’t called ahead or told anyone he was coming, but still Kai was waiting at the end of the pier to welcome him.

The Chippewa elder raised his hand in an amicable wave as Ethan approached. Ethan gestured through the window.

Kai cleated off the plane as Ethan popped the cockpit door open and threw his old friend another line of rope, which Kai used to secure to the rear float.

“You just made it,”

Kai said.

“A storm is coming.”

Ethan climbed down onto the deck.

“Tomorrow, right?”

Kai looked to the sky and assessed what he saw and felt.

“Tonight.

Bad winds will start early this evening.

You would not have been able to land in them.”

Kai raised his chin to the east and then looked at Heaven’s River, the current of which was raging.

“The rapids are loud and angry.

We need to secure the plane tight.

The storm will be fierce.”

Ethan had learned to trust Kai when he mentioned anything weather related.

The man had never been wrong about a meteorological prediction in all the years Ethan had known him.

“I’ll haul our bags up to the cabin and then tie off the plane.”

“Supplies, too?” Kai said.

“We’re short on supplies.

Left in a hurry.”

Maddie pushed open the cargo door of the plane.

“Hey Kai.”

“Hello, Maddie,”

Kai said, taking the bag she passed out of the plane.

“Just a short stay, then?”

“No,”

Ethan said.

“We’re planning on a couple weeks.”

“Or longer,”

Maddie added.

“Something I should know about?”

Kai asked.

Ethan looked at Maddie, who nodded.

“Let’s get our bags up to the cabin and get the plane secured,”

Ethan said.

“Then we’ll talk.”