On the other side of the river, Derek hung onto the rope, ignoring how it burned his hands. The rain came down in sheets and the river, already nudging the cuffs of his shorts, continued to rise. First, he felt numb. Why the hell hadn’t Di moved faster and got out of the way? Was she deaf? Surely she’d heard the wave approaching. Then he grew impatient. Why didn’t she get out of the river now? What was she doing, staying there like a trapped frog? Why didn’t she fight her way across?

The rope jerked again as a large log slammed into it, swaying briefly in the water between Derek and Diane before being swept on. The debris was going to keep coming and the water was rising. Derek knew he had to do something.

“Don’t let go! I’m coming,” he shouted.

Diane looked at him, her face stricken. She was crying and Derek noticed blood seeping through her blouse and across her chest. Beyond her, Geoffrey and Bruce wrestled to untangle the tree that formed a barrier between them and Diane. Bev turned to Helen, tears flowing freely. Helen wrapped her arms around her wife.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” she said, patting Bev on the back. “Let me think. Let me think.”

By the time Derek reached Diane, the water had risen to her thighs. She was no longer crying but her breathing was laboured.

“My arm,” she groaned, glancing to her right to where any blood not immediately washed away by the hissing rain seeped through the cotton of her shirt, dripped into the water and was quickly carried away. “I can’t hold on much longer.”

Derek stood in front of her, shielding her from the water. “Hold on with your injured arm,” he said. “Let the other one go, turn and face the others and grab the rope again in that direction. I’ve got you.”

She stared at him, afraid.

“Come on, Di! You have no choice! We’ll both drown if you don’t move.”

But before Diane could release her hand to turn, Derek was flung forward, crashing into her as if lifted and thrown. His chin smacked into the top of her head, momentarily stunning them both. They swayed, welded together for several seconds until Diane pushed her head back and looked up at him. Derek’s eyes were closed.

“Are you okay?”

“Argh—my back,” he moaned. “My back.”

“Oh, God,” she whispered. “What are we—”

Derek’s Adam’s apple slowly crawled up and down his throat as he swallowed deeply. “Give me a moment . . . a moment.”

Geoffrey and Bruce had freed the tree and Bruce was inching towards his wife. Geoffrey stepped into the water, too.

“No,” said Bruce. “Stay there. Keep your strength to help us out.”

Geoffrey hesitated and stepped backwards out of the water. Bev sobbed loudly.