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Then I start to hear another kinda roar One that ain’t the rain, but somethin else It reminds me of … I cain’t think what, but I know that whatever it is, I heard it not so long ago

The river’s git in narrower an narrower I’ed rocks that stick up out a the water

I’l try to grab holda one

But I’oin too fast As I reach the rocks, the tree trunk I’rip I’ed unner the water My nose l s My inst stone Once, twice, I hit the rocks, stil unnerwater I’m tumbled every which way

I bob to the surface Gasp fer air, spit out water Grit inonto now It’s al I can do to keep my head above water

The current races it in louder Ever louder

Now I remember where I heard that sound It was at Darktrees The day when Maev an me went bathin

An my heart stops in my chest Because I knohat that sound means

There’s a waterfal ahead

Jack! I scream his nait in louder The river’s git in wilder, throwin up filthy water in great sprays

A rock lies straight ahead Right in the h I could pul rab hold of

I’m there I reach out No! I’gin at rab at the air Grab fer anythin There! My hand closes around somethin My arm’s near yanked out a its socket

I stop

I’ve stopped

I wait there fer a second, gaspin, as the river roars around s, frantic to rip e of the fal s

I hang on My arot hold of, it seeh A piece of h Sturdy I ip it ahold of it with inst the current with every bit of strength stil inmyself out a the water an onto the rock

I lie there Pantin fer breath

I can feel the rain pound down on me but I hardly notice it After a bit, I lift h an rusted What it’s doin in this rock in the middle of this river at the top of this waterfal an who put it here, I’l never know I’lad it’s here

I pul in onto that spike Then I cain’t help myself I peer over the side to see how close I cain over the edge of the waterfal

Below e down

My bowels clench an I scrabble back froe

I’m on a rock On top of a waterfalIn the middle of a river With no way of

I look down

The water’s stil risin around ot no idea how high they are

My teeth is chat erin from the cold, ormy knees to my chest

Saba! Saba! Where are you?

My heart leaps A voice Muf led by the rain, but--

I peer through the curtain of rain, try to see where it’s comin from

Then I see hi by the current There’s a rope looped unner his arh around

Then I see hi by the current There’s a rope looped unner his arh around his chest

Jack! I shout I kneel an wave Jack! Over here!

He spots ht belowonto the spike with one hand an reach doith th’other

He grabs it I give his the slack of the rope out a the water an plops it onto the rock

That was close, he says He sits there, pantin