Sundown at Dawn...Attacked

John Starr and his dog Copper are attacked without warning in the wilderness

"It had been a quiet and regenerating trip; he had decided long ago that there was no more peaceful place on earth than the Quetico. It had turned into the blue sky day that the morning promised.

There was a gentle following breeze as Starr paddled the final four miles down the shoreline toward the portage.  Copper suddenly sat up, his ears perked, and as John had come to understand, he was on full alert. Starr stopped paddling and leaned forward to get a better handle on Copper’s instinctive warning. That move saved his life. At that instant Starr felt as if his head had exploded. He tumbled to his left and out of the canoe, capsizing it. Unconscious for a moment, the shock of the cold water quickly brought him back into the world. The glancing blow of a bullet had cut a furrow across the back of his head as he leaned forward. It stunned him and it took a moment to realize that he was still taking fire. Holes began appearing in the upturned hull which was between Starr and the shooter, accompanied by the familiar sound of gunfire. Without hesitation, he ducked under water and came up inside the upturned hull. He made his way as far as possible from the center of the canoe which would be the natural point of aim. Now he could see shafts of light appear as bullets tore through the aluminum. He could hear Copper frantically scratching on the hull in an effort to climb up and out of the water. That would have been sudden death for him as the fusillade continued. Luckily the dog was just outside of his hiding spot and Starr was able to reach out and pull him underneath the canoe.  Just as he thought he was in the clear, a final bullet tore through the hull and into his shoulder breaking his collar bone. Then it was quiet, and he felt himself slipping back into unconsciousness. The cold water kept him from falling into total oblivion. He held the dog close, willing him to be silent and not struggle. Copper seemed to understand and lay still in Starr’s arms."

Available on Amazon: 
 http://www.amazon.com/Sundown-at-Dawn-ebook/dp/B00CNV3CNG/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_img_1_EDD6