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Authors: Victoria Laurie
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and I saw something moving through the murky water. I was so scared that I stopped
paddling and began to sink, but then the murky object took on a more defined shape
and I realized what was moving around in the water. It was Heath and the hag.
Taking as big a breath as I could manage, I dived under the surface and swam as fast
as I could toward the object. As I drew closer, the two of them became even more defined,
and my heart raced with panic as I noticed how blue Heath’s face was. His eyes were
open and his hands were at his throat, pulling at the bony arm wrapped tightly about
him.
I shoved the flashlight into the neck of my undershirt and the sports bra I had on
before reaching out for Heath, managing to grab on to his foot. I clawed forward with
my other hand and grabbed on to his pant leg and reached one last time to grab the
waist of his jeans; then I reversed direction and kicked for all I was worth.
My efforts were met with considerable resistance and I didn’t know if I had the strength
or the breath to fight against it. My lungs were protesting mightily and I had to
fight the urge to inhale. I kicked and kicked and kicked again, straining with all
my might toward the air above, which I prayed was only a few feet away.
Heath suddenly jerked in a most unnatural way, and in the back of my mind I had a
thought that his body might be seizing. I kicked again and again, fighting for every
inch as stars began to pop and sparkle around the edges of my vision. My lungs begged
again and again to inhale, and I clenched my stomach muscles to keep myself from sucking
in a mouthful of water.
Heath’s body seized again and I almost lost my grip, but at last with one final kick
my head broke the surface and I took in a huge breath of air. Panting and nearly faint
with exhaustion, I treaded water while I pulled up on Heath’s body to wrap my arm
across his chest and lift him onto my torso, rolling onto my back to give him air.
The flashlight was partially buried by his form , but it still gave off enough glow
for me to dimly see the side of Heath’s face as it too broke the surface. His eyes
were open, staring sightlessly out into space, while his complexion was a frightful
blue, and worst of all, he wasn’t breathing.
I was shivering now so violently that I didn’t know if I could hold on to him, and
my hands had gone almost completely numb, so I wrapped my free hand across his torso
too and scissor kicked my way over to the wall, searching for the archway.
At first I couldn’t find it, but then I realized I could hear shouting from somewhere
above and I followed the noise along the wall to the arch.
With nearly the last of my strength I moved through to the open air and out from under
the bridge just as someone yelled, “There! She’s there!”
A moment later there was a loud splash right next to me, but I was so numb with cold
and fatigue that I could scarcely pay attention to it until I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I turned slightly and saw the strained expression of the constable attempting to wrap
a rope about me. “Take. . . Heath. . . ,” I gasped, feeling myself starting to slip
away. I just wanted to close my eyes and rest for a minute.
“Stay with me, miss!” the constable yelled. “Stay with me!”
I pushed my lids open but they slid closed again. My grip on Heath loosened. I felt
the water come up over my chin and mouth, but I no longer cared. I was slipping into
the darkness.
“Miss!”
the constable shouted again, but I was already gone.
I woke up in an ambulance. It was the sound of the siren that pulled me out of unconsciousness.
Those European sirens will do that to you. “Make it stop,” I whispered, struggling
to open my eyes.
“There, there,” said an unfamiliar voice. “Just lie still, miss, and we’ll take right
good care of you.”
Feebly I managed to open one eye. A very kind-looking black
and I saw something moving through the murky water. I was so scared that I stopped
paddling and began to sink, but then the murky object took on a more defined shape
and I realized what was moving around in the water. It was Heath and the hag.
Taking as big a breath as I could manage, I dived under the surface and swam as fast
as I could toward the object. As I drew closer, the two of them became even more defined,
and my heart raced with panic as I noticed how blue Heath’s face was. His eyes were
open and his hands were at his throat, pulling at the bony arm wrapped tightly about
him.
I shoved the flashlight into the neck of my undershirt and the sports bra I had on
before reaching out for Heath, managing to grab on to his foot. I clawed forward with
my other hand and grabbed on to his pant leg and reached one last time to grab the
waist of his jeans; then I reversed direction and kicked for all I was worth.
My efforts were met with considerable resistance and I didn’t know if I had the strength
or the breath to fight against it. My lungs were protesting mightily and I had to
fight the urge to inhale. I kicked and kicked and kicked again, straining with all
my might toward the air above, which I prayed was only a few feet away.
Heath suddenly jerked in a most unnatural way, and in the back of my mind I had a
thought that his body might be seizing. I kicked again and again, fighting for every
inch as stars began to pop and sparkle around the edges of my vision. My lungs begged
again and again to inhale, and I clenched my stomach muscles to keep myself from sucking
in a mouthful of water.
Heath’s body seized again and I almost lost my grip, but at last with one final kick
my head broke the surface and I took in a huge breath of air. Panting and nearly faint
with exhaustion, I treaded water while I pulled up on Heath’s body to wrap my arm
across his chest and lift him onto my torso, rolling onto my back to give him air.
The flashlight was partially buried by his form , but it still gave off enough glow
for me to dimly see the side of Heath’s face as it too broke the surface. His eyes
were open, staring sightlessly out into space, while his complexion was a frightful
blue, and worst of all, he wasn’t breathing.
I was shivering now so violently that I didn’t know if I could hold on to him, and
my hands had gone almost completely numb, so I wrapped my free hand across his torso
too and scissor kicked my way over to the wall, searching for the archway.
At first I couldn’t find it, but then I realized I could hear shouting from somewhere
above and I followed the noise along the wall to the arch.
With nearly the last of my strength I moved through to the open air and out from under
the bridge just as someone yelled, “There! She’s there!”
A moment later there was a loud splash right next to me, but I was so numb with cold
and fatigue that I could scarcely pay attention to it until I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I turned slightly and saw the strained expression of the constable attempting to wrap
a rope about me. “Take. . . Heath. . . ,” I gasped, feeling myself starting to slip
away. I just wanted to close my eyes and rest for a minute.
“Stay with me, miss!” the constable yelled. “Stay with me!”
I pushed my lids open but they slid closed again. My grip on Heath loosened. I felt
the water come up over my chin and mouth, but I no longer cared. I was slipping into
the darkness.
“Miss!”
the constable shouted again, but I was already gone.
I woke up in an ambulance. It was the sound of the siren that pulled me out of unconsciousness.
Those European sirens will do that to you. “Make it stop,” I whispered, struggling
to open my eyes.
“There, there,” said an unfamiliar voice. “Just lie still, miss, and we’ll take right
good care of you.”
Feebly I managed to open one eye. A very kind-looking black
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