Page 147 of Serenity Falls

‘Fine,’ he mumbled.

But he didn’t look fine. He looked like he was having trouble keeping his eyes open. He yawned. I scooped up a handful of water and flung it back at him.

‘Argh.’ He shook his head, water droplets flying. ‘What did you do that for?’

‘To wake you up.’

He pushed a hand through his wet hair. ‘Okay. Fine. It worked. Don’t do it again.’

We made it out of the narrow river and paddled along the wider stretch of water. My arms ached, but we had to keep going. After this, we just had to cross the lake. I pushed my paddle harder through the water. And that was when I saw something move on the bank. A shadow, slipping from the mud into the shallows. Fuck.

‘Milo,’ I hissed. ‘I think I saw a gator.’

‘What? Are you sure?’

‘I think so. We need to move faster.’

We paddled on, out on to the open water of the lake. The moon was a bright spotlight in the night sky. I swished my paddle from side to side, trying to keep an eye out for the gator. I could see the boathouse in the distance. We could make it, I thought. We could … and then I shrieked as something thudded into the kayak and we lurched sideways.

‘Shit!’

We tilted precariously in the water. I grabbed the boat with one hand, trying to keep grip of the paddle with the other. A swish of dark tail disappeared beneath us.

‘It’s the fucking gator!’ Milo screamed from behind me.

‘I know!’ I shouted back. ‘Just paddle.’

He stared at me.

‘Milo? Paddle!’

Distantly, the town square clock chimed. Eleven o’clock.

Milo’s eyes snapped shut. His head slumped forward, and the paddle slipped from his hands.

‘Milo!’

The gator hit the kayak again. We tilted over to the left. Milo flopped backwards, his head striking the rear of the kayak. He slid limply towards the water. I tried to grab him, clutching at the leg of his shorts. The water frothed. I caught a flash of yellow teeth, smelt the stench of rotting fish. Then the thin fabric ripped, tearing my fingernails as Milo was dragged from my grasp.

I lashed out with my paddle. Milo disappeared beneath the water. I shrieked in anger and fear, but my scream was drowned out by the sudden roar of a boat’s motor. I looked up. The night exploded with light. I shielded my eyes. Through a loudspeaker, I heard a voice:

‘Stay where you are. Do not move.’

I waved my arms. ‘My friend is in the water; a gator has him.’

The searchlight circled the water in front of me. It frothed and thrashed. I saw an arm, a wide mouth full of teeth … and then shots rang out – one, two, three.

The thrashing stopped. The water stilled. I held my breath. I could see what looked like a body floating lifelessly on the surface. Milo. Someone stuck a pole into the water, hooking him and pulling him towards the boat.

‘Let’s get you out,’ the voice I recognized as the sheriff’s called down to me.

I reached up and let strong arms haul me from the kayak on to the motorboat. I collapsed on to the deck, shaking uncontrollably. Fear, shock, alcohol.

‘Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe now.’ A different male voice.

I tried to focus, but my eyes were still adjusting from the searchlight.

‘Wh— what about Milo?’