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“but this dad is something I must do all alone .”
    “Oh, but your wrong son, so very wrong,” his father continues, “you see you are the end result of all the love that has been passed down from generation to generation. It has been passed down to you through both the Sykes and your mother’s lineage.”
    Rob feels it’s time to close out this pep talk, with a bang.
    Ryan seems confused so Rob tries to clarify.
    “You are carrying inside of you, right now, the love, power, and courage of all that have come before you. All everyone wants out of life is to produce something better. Go back 10 generations of Sykes—all of what they were boils down to you —and if what they did is not to go to waste— you must carry it forward to your offspring or it dies with you. You are not alone we are all with you in purpose and in spirit and that is how you will save me and yourself, as it is for the purpose of all . “Please try to understand—“
    “Dad, you can stop right there. I have a job to do and it’s time to get going if I’m going to make the Oklawaha River by dark.” Ryan pops the door open.
    Rob did it!
    It worked!
    He breathes a sigh of relief.
    Ryan stepping out turns and looks into the cockpit, “Hang in there, for as long as you said you would— I will be back with a rescue team by 6 pm tomorrow. Maybe it will be sooner!”
    “I love you dad.”
    “I love you too son and all our love and prayers go with you — hurry back I’ll be waiting.” Ryan firmly closes the cockpit door.

Chapter Ten
     
    The Great Horned Owl is again awakened by Ryan but this time he does not see a gangly youth emerging from a wayward space craft. He sees a confident explorer about to set off on a journey.
    The eyes of the Owl aren’t the only eyes on Ryan. If you count the insects, there are thousands of eyes. Most eyes are there out of curiosity. A few are on the defense weary as to what they would do, should he walk their way. Some would run but others would stand their ground. One set of eyes—in particular—analyzes Ryan with hunger .
    Ryan made up the ground he lost. In just a short time he was back at the place where he had met the spider. Ryan decided that with every half-tick of the GPS unit, or about every two hundred and fifty feet he would tie a bright pink survey ribbon around a tree. That would be ten ribbons to the half mile, and it was two miles to the river and his camp site. That means a total of forty ribbons would be needed. The last ribbon must be able to be seen from the rescue boat. Then they can follow the ribbons to his father—should the GPS fail. He should not need any ribbons on the other side of the river. If he is successful he would be returning by boat.
    Ryan peered back through the trees one more time at the cockpit . Then he turned and headed in the proper direction—leaving the cypress behind and entering into the darker sweet gum swamp. The trees are thicker, filtering out much more light, it is darker in here.
    He had a new trick. He was not going to look down at the GPS unit as he walked. He would get direction—pick out a tree for reference—then walk towards it. The tree he picked out would be two hundred and fifty feet in front of him. It became his ribbon tree. This allowed him to watch where he was going and to be more aware of his surroundings. He was tying his tenth ribbon now which put him about a half-a-mile from the plane, one mile from “no-name” creek and one and a half miles from the Oklawaha River and his campsite. He was well into the sweet gums now leaving the cypress far behind.
    The floor of the cypress swamp is much firmer than the sweet gum. The sweet gum drops large leaves which decay , leaving a spongy deep bog to walk through. This makes for dark muddy mire compared to the clean and firm cypress swamp bottom. The sweet gum swamp is also known as “hat floater” country.
    What’s a “hat floater” you ask? Ryan’s father knew all too well what it