Her arms and legs flailed, almost of their own accord. Her lungs burned as the need for air assaulted her. She kicked harder, finally breaking to the surface. There was a splashing and kicking next to her. Panic seized her. It had to be him. The one with the dark fathomless eyes. She was moving quickly. It felt like she was being pulled under and then spat out. Breaking to the surface for short periods of time to gulp air before being pulled back under. She caught a glimpse of long, blonde streaked hair and realized that the splashing was coming from Candy. She was in the water with her.

Go Candy.

Although, right now she was feeling that maybe taking a chance on the river was not the best idea after all. Her knee banged against something and she let out a yelp. Probably a rock. Just then the current tugged her under again and water filled her nose and mouth. She coughed as she came up. Her lungs burning. Her muscles shaking with fatigue. She’d never felt so cold or desperate in all of her life.

Almost as soon as she came up, she was being pulled under again. She barely had enough time to take in a breath. Her lungs ached with the need to cough. Using the last reserves of strength she had, she kicked hard, breaking the surface. Julie sucked in a deep breath. Her lungs protested and she coughed.

Oh god.

She couldn’t take much more of this. She tried to look around but there was no sign of Candy. There were rocks up ahead but the currents were pulling her under again. She sucked in another deep breath just before her head became submerged. Her left arm scraped against one of those rocks and she cried out. The noise swept away by the currents.

It was a miracle she had lasted this long and an even greater miracle that she managed to avoid so many of the rocky outcrops. That she managed to keep fighting for air. Otherwise she allowed the river to carry her. Her only consolation was that she was moving further and further away from the enemy. She knew that the currents were strong and that the river was moving fast but she hadn’t realized quite how fast. Not until she caught sight of the forest just beyond the steep bank, it rushed past in a blur.