Monday, November 26, 2007

Chapter 11: A Bonding Experience

~ It occurred to Jaden that the chasm seemed to be filling faster than one might expect for a space of that size. He began to wring some of the water out of his shirt and stopped when he realized the stupidity of that move. He leaned out to check the water level again. It was rising even faster now. Faster than he was necessarily completely comfortable with. He looked to Andrew. He was several feet away, checking that the things that needed to stay dry in his pack were bagged and secure. He was, for all intents and purposes, oblivious. Jaden walked over and nudged him with a foot.

"Uh, hey Andy? You wanna come take a look at the water?" Andrew stood immediately.

"What's wrong?" He looked down and Jaden didn't need to explain. "Jay, get your pack on. And take your shoes off and put them in it," he called as an afterthought. "Takyle! We gotta move!" She came running from the front of the chamber where she'd been idly inspecting the entrance door.

"What? What's going on?" Andrew pointed down.

"Get your pack boss. Things might get a little wet here in a minute."

Team 6 stood there in a line on the edge of the precipice waiting for the water to meet them. It sped upwards, causing the floor beneath their feet to begin trembling again. It spoke its displeasure at its confinement with a dull, malicious roar. Almost there. Almost free.

For a split second Jaden saw the water crest just above the chasm edges, then, finally realizing that it was no longer bound between stone walls, it came rushing outward. Jaden very nearly lost his footing and was only saved by the fact that Andrew grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, into the churning depths.

For a second they swam, for a second Jaden thought that their idea was a great one. For a second he thought that this really wasn't so bad afterall.

Abruptly a current grabbed and jerked him downward, under the murky water, tearing, relentlessly tugging, at the same time sweeping his body to the side. In that moment Jaden thought that he was going to die. He was thrown with bone-jarring force against a rock wall and pinned there.

"Use every resource handed to you..."

He began edging his way up the wall he was trapped against, held there by a crushing weight of water. He had no idea where he was going. His lungs burned. He thought that he must have been underwater for at least an eternity by now and wondered how he was still alive. He felt like needles were being shoved into his eyes. He moved another couple of inches up the wall. He wondered if he might actually be working his way down. He thought about turning around. He couldn't take it any longer. Against his mind's every command his body rebelled and opened his mouth, reflexively gasping in. His starving lungs filled with shockingly cold water. Sharp pains stabbed his chest from the inside out. He hoped that his body regretted its rash action, and would learn from this experience. His legs began to go weak and he closed his eyes against the stinging liquid.

A hand latched onto Jaden's upper arm with a painful death grip and dragged him upwards. His lungs decided to give it one more shot. He choked and desperately drew a breath. A breath of air this time. He opened his eyes to see Takyle, still gripping his arm, holding his head above the water, and Andrew holding her. He coughed again, his lungs finally able to rid themselves of horrid liquid, and grabbed ahold of a jutting granite platform, pulling himself upward onto it. He hauled Takyle up behind him, and then Andrew.

Then Jaden, there on hands and knees on that tiny ledge, threw up and blessed God and life, and Takyle and solid ground, and all good things that did not involve water. His companions seemed to be engaged in similar activities. Jaden thought that he would never drink another drop of water ever again. ~

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