Since I fell from so high up and did not land in the best position, the impact nearly knocked the wind out of me. I sunk into the water, flailing my arms to try and rise to the top. I broke the surface and sucked in a shallow lung full of air before being pulled back under by the current. I kicked my feet down to see if I could touch the bottom, but it was too deep.
I thrashed around in the cold water as the strong current was quickly dragging me downstream. I broke the surface again, but this time when I tried to take a breath, a wave of water washed into my mouth.
This is it. This is how I die. I was supposed to on the plane, and now the grim reaper has come for me.
I was choking and scrambling for air as I was pulled back under the water. I wasn't usually a bad swimmer, but with the current and the impact of my landing I was quickly losing energy. My mind wouldn't shut up about my impending doom and I was beginning to panic... again.
That's when a strong arm grabbed me around the waist and pulled me up to the surface. I coughed and coughed as my lungs tried to dislodge the water that had been sucked down.
"I got you Cassie. Breathe."
I recognized the voice to be Jake. Relief washed through me. I couldn't believe he jumped in after me. I continued to cough as Jake turned me around to face him. We were still moving downstream although he was keeping me above water.
"Jake," I croaked out. I was so grateful for this man, I honestly could have cried right then and there
"Shh. Just breathe. I can touch the ground at certain spots. I'm gonna try and get us to that branch. We need to stop drifting."
I scanned the river where I saw a fallen tree a ways ahead of us.
"I need my arms to swim us over to it, so I need you to climb onto my back. Whatever happens, do not let go okay? Hang on tight even if we go under water."
"Okay," I sputtered out. I grabbed onto his shoulders as I swung around his body, quickly locking my legs around his torso and hugging my arms tightly around his chest.
"Just hang on Cass. I'll get us there," he said.
He began swimming us toward the log which jutted out from the opposite shoreline. With the water as rough as it was and me on his back, he appeared to struggle to keep us afloat, dipping us both under the water several times. It didn't look easy, but after a while more of swimming and drifting, Jake caught the edge of the log. He used his arms pull us along the edge until he finally found a spot to stop.
"Okay... you can... let go," he huffed as he braced himself against the log.
"But I can't touch here... I'm gonna get pulled back under," I shuddered against his body.
"I won't... let that happen," he panted, "I just need you in front of me... because if I lose my footing now, you would be stuck... underneath me. Just don't let go of my body... and swing yourself around to my front."
I hesitated a moment but complied. I knew Jake wouldn't let me get pulled away but it was a possibility. He seemed exhausted and if I made a mistake, I wasn't sure either of us would have the strength or the opportunity to stop drifting again. Either way, I knew I had to do what he said, and I trusted him.
Carefully, I dipped under the water to duck underneath his arms but continued to cling tightly to his torso and legs. Once I was at his front, I shimmied my way up his body, wrapping my arms around his neck with my back pressed against the log. Jake had his hands braced against the log on either side of me, and the current was breaking off of his back, going around him and calming the water where I was.
YOU ARE READING
Survivor
AdventureCassie Quinn, now a Senior in college has her life figured out. She's smart and funny with the heart to match, but lacks confidence. As she was previously overweight and worked her ass off to become who she has always wanted, she is still searching...