I looked upstream. Couldn’t see into the tunnel from my position, but I ran as close as possible to get a better look. I stooped down to look in. What I saw made my blood run cold. The same kayak I had tied on Jules’ car hours before was stuck on a branch wedged inside. It was empty.
I’d never known fear until that moment.
“Julia!”
I stumbled backwards and jumped up, running downstream.
“Blake! Gina! She’s down here.” I doubted they’d hear me above the crashing of the falls.
“Julia! Julia!” I was trembling. My whole body rebelled against the idea she’d be here. Downstream in this beast of a river.
I scanned every rock and looked into the waters below. I ran down the bank, screaming her name. Screaming for help. Then I saw her blue helmet.
Her body lay unmoving on a rock.
I almost crumbled at the sight.
Please be alive.
I cupped my hands together. “Gina! Blake!”
“We’re here!” Blake’s voice was barely audible. “We’re coming!”
“I found her!”
Gina and Blake scrambled through the underbrush toward us.
She was face down on a rock ledge that jutted out into the water, narrowing the creek. The water funneled through that spot. Looked like she had barely managed to pull herself out. Her knees down to her feet still hung in the water.
I’d have to wade through a few shallow sections of water and climb over a couple rocks, but I could get to her. The water was ice cold on my feet. I couldn’t imagine being completely submerged in it.
“Jules, Jules!” I turned her onto her side. Her eyes were closed, lips blue. Her skin was freezing. Was she alive? I couldn’t even let myself entertain the question. How long had she been like this? “I’m here, baby, I’m here.” I scooped her into my arms and slid off the rock.
Her body was limp. Her head tipped back, and her hair was dripping. “Please be okay.”
I moved slowly, careful not to lose my footing on the rocks.
“Almost there, baby girl. Hang on.”
I knelt on the embankment and laid her flat on the ground. Gina checked for breath and a pulse. Blake removed her helmet, and I unbuckled her life jacket.
We waited for what felt like a very long time before she delivered the verdict.
Gina puffed a breath of relief. “Thank goodness. She’s alive and breathing. Pulse is weak, but present.”
A breath tumbled out of my lungs, and tears sprang into my eyes.
Blake tried his phone again. No signal.
“We have to carry her out. Once we get back to the main drag, we should have some better signal.”
“I’ve had signal here before. Maybe the storm caused some outages.”
I leaned to pick up Jules. Her body was completely loose. As I pulled her into my arms, I got a good look at her face again. It was white, gray tinted. A bloody bruise was over her jaw. Her arm swung down toward the ground, and her head tipped back over my arm.
Looking at her hurt too much. I lifted my eyes to the hill and focused on taking the next step.
I whispered as I climbed, “You’re going to be okay, Jules.”
