AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Before I can so much as cherish my final breath, the wood gives out beneath me and I plunge through the air like a missile, hitting the dark, angry water feet-first with bone-wracking force.
Instincts kick in immediately, overriding my panic, and I seal my lips together and hold my breath just as I’m swallowed up completely.
The lightning disappears.
The thunder dulls.
Water rushes up around me.
And Nolan’s broken shout cuts off with a whoosh.
It’s all just roaring, suffocating blackness.
My limbs thrash—arms pumping, legs kicking out as I fight my way to the surface. Lightning flashes, and I see it, flickering above through a veil of rippling water.There.
I reach for it, clawing at the air just as my hand breaks through.
Come on, come on, come on—
A gasp punches out of me as my head follows suit.
Whipping my head around, I try to get my bearings. A darting glance above shows no sign of the bridge, save for dangling frayed ropes and slats of wood knocking against the cliff’s edge. Something knocks my shoulder—a piece of the bridge.
I look toward where I last saw Nolan, but he’s gone, and something like grief sinks down into my bones, threatening to do the ocean’s job and pull me under.
I just wanted one last look at him.
His wide, horrified gaze will be the last memory I have of him.
His voice calling out my name, the last time I’ll ever hear it.
No one’s ever looked at me like that.
No one’s ever yelled for me like that.
It hurts…
Hurts that that’s all I’ll ever have.
And yet…
Saltwater burns my eyes, mingling with the scalding hot tears brimming to the surface. Thrashing, I look around, barely cognizant of the water gurgling into my eyes and mouth, praying for a miracle.
This can’t be it.
There’s the cove of course, and I spot a small beachy patch a little way’s away, but as soon as I try to swim for it, a rough wave clips me and the current pulls me back. Seafoam gushes into my mouth and I cough, flailing, using all my strength to keep my head above the water.
A frustrated scream explodes through my clenched teeth. My chest heaves. My limbs grow tired.
I don’t want to die. Not now. Not yet, not yet…
I haven’t even gotten a chance to live.
It’s ironic, considering how I got in this mess in the first place.
But that was before…
Time slows, but I know in reality it’s only been seconds since I hit the water. My chest strains to savor the oxygen before it’s ripped from me.
