Darcy braced himself. “Yep.”
Brandon dropped the rope and the violent pull of the water took Darcy by surprise. The river dragged him from the ledge and he crashed into Faith, taking her with him. She shrieked, reaching for him.
Their hands touched, clasped each other and then were ripped apart.
The rope around Darcy’s waist jolted him to a stop, and he watched helplessly as Faith swept down the river.
***
Darcy’s eyes, wide with horror, were the last thing Faith saw as the water dragged her under. The pull and violence of the surge was unbelievable as she fought to the surface. She gulped a mouthful of air, but with it came water and she choked, spluttering as the water tried to drag her under again. The distance between her and the others rapidly increased, but Darcy had hauled himself back to shore and was climbing out.
Relief calmed her. He was safe. She twisted to face the direction she was being swept. Her boots and jeans weighed her down, making it difficult to kick and stay afloat.
Again and again the water dragged her under, and she had to fight to reach the surface. Her arms grew heavy. No, she wouldn’t give up. There had to be a way to the shore. Not wanting to put her head down in case she missed an obstacle coming towards her, she pulled herself through the water. A tree protruded from the surging river, its lowest branches less than a metre above the water. With every ounce of determination, she angled herself towards it and then lunged out of the water as she reached it. Her fingers scraped the bark, and she curled them around the branch, stopping her momentum.
The river tugged on her lower body and she dangled from the branch, her arms screaming in protest. She had to climb up somehow, but all her energy focused on simply holding on.
“I’m coming, Faith.”
Darcy’s shout gave her hope. She just had to hold on until he got there. Water dripped down her face and her muscles shook with the effort to cling to the branch. How far away was he?
She didn’t dare twist around. The movement might tear her hands from the branch.
Her fingers scraped against the bark, slipping as debris in the river added to her weight. “Hurry.” She meant to shout it, but it came out more like a whisper.
“Grab the rope.”
What rope? She tilted her head. It was no use. All she saw was the muddy water rushing by her. She inhaled deeply and yelled, “Where?”
“Below you on your right side.”
She twisted her body slightly, and caught sight of the rope below her. The shift of her weight caused her fingers to slip on the smooth bark of the tree and she fell. She stretched and grabbed the rough rope as the river caught her body again. Her shoulders strained as she was pulled through the water, but she couldn’t get her head above the surface. Her lungs screamed at her to let go so she could breathe.
Faith clenched her teeth shut and used one hand to swim up, while the other hand clutched the rope, her palm burning. Her face hit the air, and she sucked in a breath. Water blurred her vision, but there was a shape just there. Had to be Darcy. She reached out, brushed his hand, clasped it tight.
Thank God. Her feet scrambled to touch the ground, but the slope was too steep.
“Give me your other hand,” Darcy called.
Faith blinked the water from her eyes. Brandon had hold of the rope again, and Darcy stretched his other hand for hers. All she had to do was let go of the rope and take hold of Darcy.
“Hurry!” The urgency in his tone scared her.
She lunged for his hand. Fingers touched.
Then something hit her in the side, and she was sucked under the water again.
***
Darcy swore as the log hit Faith and ripped her from his grasp. She disappeared under the water and he watched for her to resurface. “Give me the rope.”
Brandon passed it to him and he moved, charging down river, slipping and sliding, as he curled the rope and tied a lasso at the end. Where was she?
Her head popped above the surface and she gasped.
There. The rope should be long enough. Swinging the lasso as he moved, he calculated when to throw. “Arms up, Faith.”
She twisted, spotted him, eyes widened. Struggling, she threw her arms in the air. He let the lasso fly, and it landed over her head. She brought her arms down, locking it in place, and the rope jolted in Darcy’s hands.
