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“Stop, low, as if they were flames

“Lizzy, calm down” Luke’s tone was deadly calm “Concentrate”

The pain was only groorse It flared to life insomewhere in the distance But it was all inside me

My nails ripped into the skin on low, it wouldn’t hurt as bad My blood ht, without relief The pain was only getting worse

I took another step back, but it was one too e of Spearfish Canyon was closer than I’d realized and round, sendingriver

Shouts froe of the bank followed asped for breath The water stung ers and pulledfor another breath

Another sudden surge of water pushed ht made it impossible to knohich as up I could only kick and pray that I was headed in the right direction If I didn’t fill s soon, I was afraid they’d burst inside of me

Part of o, my faiven anything in thatriver But now, that water I’d so desperately craved was suffocatingme

And it was my own fault

My head broke above the surface My lungs drew in a sweet breath of fresh air that instantly cooled the fire indown a sed ain

The only thing I could rab so, thento anchor ive me a chance to climb out It was my only hope

My fingers closed around so Afraid that it was a tree branch, I waited for it to snap under th I had, I threw outhold

To asped in relief and realized Gabe ht up with me Either that, or my father They’d saved me just in tiet out of this strong current

The ar and practically threwwet httihed up from the deepest recesses of my chest

I was alive I’d ain