Page 31 of The Silent Songbird

Westley.

She ran as fast as she could, stumbling over her skirt before jerking it up to her knees.

She scrambled down the side of the bank. He was lying facedownin the water a little farther downstream, his body caught on a tree whose roots extended into the river.

Evangeline jumped into the river feet first, water splashing on her face. The water pushed her skirt up to her waist, but she had to get to Westley. He would surely drown.O God, help me! Please, please.

Walking through the chest-high water was slow, no matter how hard she pushed her legs to move faster. Her eyes were locked on Westley’s body. Every moment his face was under water brought him closer to death.

She finally reached him, grabbed him under his arm, and used her other hand to pull his head up.

He was heavier than she imagined. Using all her strength, she put his arm around her shoulders and held his head out of the water. His eyes were closed, his face pale. A trickle of blood ran down his temple. Was he . . . ?

No. He could not be. She would not believe it.

Stumbling toward the bank, nearly going under herself, she managed to prop his head and shoulders against the side of the steep bank. Her arms under his, climbing up the bank, she pulled as hard as she could. He did not budge. His lower half was still under water.

“Help! Someone, please!” She had to get him out of the water and breathing again. He had to live. Whatever happened to her, she had to save Westley.

She wedged her body underneath his and pushed. She only managed to move him an inch.

“Help! Westley is hurt!” She brushed the trickle of blood away from his closed eye as a sob shook her.

A voice called, indistinguishable in the distance.

“Help! Someone help!” Evangeline screamed.

“Who is that?” the voice called, getting closer.

“Westley is hurt! Please help me!”

Finally, Sabina’s face appeared above her.

“Eva!” Her mouth fell open. “You spoke. Is that Westley?”

“Yes, help me, please. He’s nearly drowned.”

“Maybe I should go get help.”

“Just help me drag him to the top of the bank.”

Sabina eased herself halfway down the bank. She took one of his arms and Evangeline took the other, and together they managed to pull him to the top as Evangeline dug her toes into the muddy bank and climbed out beside him.

Instinctively Evangeline turned him onto his stomach, holding one shoulder up so his face was not in the dirt, and pounded on his back.

Suddenly he vomited.Thank You, God, he is alive!

Sabina screamed. Evangeline kept hold of his shoulder so he was lying on his side and slightly forward.

“I’ll get help!” Sabina ran away down the path.

He stopped heaving and lay still. She studied his face. He was pale, but perhaps not as pale as when she first pulled him out of the river. She wished she had a dry cloth to wipe the blood from his temple and the side of his face.

The bandages he had put on her hands were dripping water. She yanked them off and threw them on the ground.

He groaned, then started coughing. Again, he lay still.

“Westley? Are you all right? Please don’t die. You are the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”