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I pulled her closer to me, her touch slowing my heart and lessening my anxiety. “I love you, Rogue. Thank you. For understanding. For not asking me to explain.” She nodded, her eyes lifting to mine. She opened her mouth to speak but all that came out was a scream as the solid ground beneath us gave way, and for a second we were free falling.
Frankie
I’dreadalotof romance books and I loved it when they have a moment in the rain, but our moment was a horror movie. Matt ran out of the house, leaving me there alone. I followed him because I wanted to help. I wanted to make whatever was going on for him better and when he told me what was going on my heart broke.
To know the person who killed your wife and baby was in a cell somewhere and not being able to find out more must have hurt like hell. I talked to him, and I promised to help, but the bridge being washed away meant we needed to wait, and I knew that was the part he was struggling with.
We stood next to the river while I watched him fall apart. The rain pounded down on us, the storm raged, and Matt paced while he tried to work out a plan.
Then I was falling.
I didn’t realize what was happening until my body hit the river and the current dragged me under. Looking up, I saw that the place we’d been standing had vanished, obviously having collapsed into the river. I struggled to keep my head above the water, hearing my name on Matt’s lips as he screamed into the darkness.
Even if I’d been a strong swimmer, the speed of the river made it impossible to stay afloat. The noise of the water roared in my ears and my chest burned with the effort of trying to fight against the current. My hands reached for branches, searching for a way to stop myself, and my feet kicked frantically.
I spluttered, my body growing tired really quickly as the cold set in. I bobbed under the water. Each time, slipping deeper and taking longer to come back up again. My breaths grew shallower and images of my mum, dad, and brothers flashed through my mind.
My legs burned, my arms lost their fight, and the water seemed to warm around me, inviting me to sink into it. I closed my eyes and let the current carry me, knowing I had nothing else to give.
Pain sliced through my stomach, forcing me back to the moment, reminding me that I needed to fight. Snapping my eyes open, I tried to focus, but everything moved too fast, and my body was too slow. Suddenly, I snagged on something solid and stopped moving. I wondered if I was dreaming while I drowned, as whatever was wrapped around me felt warm and safe. When I opened my eyes, he was there.
“Rogue. God, I thought I’d lost you. Are you alright?” Matt panted, his face looking pale in the darkness.
“I don’t know. I thought I’d drowned,” I sobbed, not believing I was really here, in his arms.
“No, I’ve got you. I’m right here. Let’s get you out.” Matt held onto a huge tree root that seemed to be embedded in the banks of the river. He kissed me lightly on the lips. “I need you to pull yourself out. Can you do that? You get out and I’m right behind you. We’ve got this. Then we will go back to the house and wait. You’re right. I freaked out. I’m sorry I put you in danger.”
I wanted to tell him that I would follow him to the ends of the earth if he needed me to, but I was too cold, and my lips trembled too much.
“Put your hands on the bank. I’m going to push you. You’re going to climb out. You’re not going to try to help me. I’ll be fine. Promise me, Rogue. Just get yourself out, please.”
I nodded my head because it was all I could manage. I did as he asked, forcing my shaking hands into the muddy bank while he pushed my ass up out of the river. One knee hit the ground and then the other, tears spilling from my eyes as I feel solid ground beneath my body.
Even though he’d begged me not to, I couldn’t stand back and leave Matt, so I turned to help him, but as I did, I watched in slow motion as the thick, gnarly tree root was torn from its place on the bank, pulling Matt with it, dragging him under back into the turbulent water. I screamed out his name as he vanished into the night, leaving me alone with just the sound of the storm raging around me and my heart breaking.
Slumping exhaustedly to the grass, I allowed myself a moment to mourn his loss, but then I realized that I was his only hope. I pushed myself from the ground, crying out as pain ripped through my side, but not caring because I needed to move. My phone was still in the car, so I rushed as quickly as my exhausted, half-drowned body could move. It felt like it took a lifetime to get back to where we’d parked. I whispered a silent thank you to the night air when I found it unlocked and climbed inside, sheltered from the rain. Fighting to hold back the tears, I made a call. He answered on the second ring.
“Tan?”
“Little sis. What’s wrong?”
“Matt. I’ve lost him?”
“What? What do you mean?” he laughed, obviously thinking I was joking.
“The bridge is out,” I cried, sobs ripping from my chest, stealing my words.
Tanner’s tone changed, and I heard him moving about. “I know, we heard. We’re in a hotel in town. We were coming to surprise you, but we couldn’t get across. Frankie, I need you to explain exactly what’s happened. Where are you?”
“Matt… we fell into the river. He got me out, but… he’s gone, Tan. He’s in the river. I’m in the car where the bridge should be.” I was shaking so much I could barely form the words I needed to say, and I noticed my stomach was throbbing. I pressed my hand against it and when I lifted it away again, blood covered my palm. So much blood.
“Shit, Tan. I’m bleeding. God, that’s a lot of blood. I need you, Tanner, please.”
“I’m coming, Frankie. I promise I’m coming. Hold on. I’m going to find you. We’ll find you both. Leave your phone on so I can try to track it.”
“Tan, I don’t feel so good,” I whispered into the phone as a bolt of lightning forked through the dark sky.
“You are the strongest person I know, little sis. Do you hear me? Keep fighting until we find you.”
