Now, where to begin? [Holmesbury]

Chapter 18

Tewkesbury pov:

Sherlock's horse galloped at lightning speed, with me a little behind him. He jumped off the horse before it came to a complete standstill. Mine braked abruptly and I almost died flying ten miles further, luckily I was holding on tight to the reins. 

"So we did arrive only late at night huh."

"Um, who here was supposed to be a maths prodigy?" He replied irritated as I followed him to the edge of the cliff.

There was no sign of anything or anyone. No Enola. No weird creep. 

"Maybe we are wrong?" I asked. "Maybe we were supposed to be on the other side of the world, or are those coordinates a distraction!"

Sherlock shook his head. "I have a bad feeling about this. Could we be too late?"

"Hey what's that over there?" I shouted. In the dark water, about ten metres below us, a faint black spot could be seen. I was startled and Sherlock and I looked at each other with big eyes. We both knew what that could mean. Believe it or not, so did I. 

I kicked off my shoes, took off my jacket and my T-shirt and without thinking stood barefoot on the absolute edge of the cliff, my toes almost hanging over it.

"What are you up to?" shouted Sherlock. "This is far too dangerous!"

"I don't know about you but I have this little feeling that Enola is down there." I looked at him scared and a little angry and disappointed; Doesn't he want to save his sister's life?   

Well, I certainly do. I'm sure of that .

I looked for a way down between the rocks and into the cold water. I swam in the right direction on Sherlock's advice. In the water, it was almost impossible to see where that thing had disappeared in the dark.

"To the left! Left!" shouts Sherlock.

 I took a deep breath, looked underwater and saw a carriage below me sink to the bottom of the sea. I surfaced again and gasped for air. I took a few deep breaths, went under and swam towards the carriage with strong strokes. In no time I reached Enola's door, I looked in through the window. Enola was sitting on the seat at my side, but she wasn't moving. I pulled on the handle of the door but could barely make the thing move. With a last, solid effort I grabbed it and pulled it loose with a hard jerk. I needed to breathe. Quickly.

I swam to the surface of the water and gasped for fresh air. 

"Quickly! The carriage is sinking. Soon they will be too deep!" 

I nodded at Sherlock, cursing to myself and I counted to three. I dived under water and swam as fast as I could to the carriage, which was sinking further and further down in the meantime.

I grabbed Enola by her arm and pulled her out of the vehicle with great difficulty.

I looked up from my actions and my eye fell on a person on the other side of the carriage. It was an ugly dude, around 18 years old I think. He looked as dead as Enola, and I hesitated for just a moment before deciding to leave him here. It's exactly what he deserved. 

Some rocks came dangerously close, so I quickly moved away from the vehicle.

I took a firm hold of Enola and I pulled her along, back up to the surface. I felt the last of my strength drain from my body, I needed air, and the surface of the water seemed to be nowhere nearer. Enola grew heavier and heavier and didn't move a muscle. I could barely hold on to her, but I would never let go. I would rather stay in the water with her than leave her behind. Much rather.

I came up with a jolt and gasped for air. I grabbed Enola firmly and swam with her to the edge of the rocks. I pulled her body onto the rocks and put my ear to her mouth. She stopped breathing and her heart beat slower and slower by the second.  

"Come on, Enola, don't let me down."

I put her head back and brought my lips to her mouth. With all my might, I blew air into her lungs. Enola's chest went up, down again and she remained motionless. I had tears in my eyes.

"Come on, Enola, do something. You can do it, come on!"

"It's too late, kid. I'm sorry. Enola is dead." Said Sherlock with a guilty look in his eyes. I was startled for a second; he had apparently come down in the meantime.  

"No. Enola is strong. I will keep doing this until she is alive again!" I cried. And I had to catch my own breath from everything that was happening.

Ignoring Sherlock, I again pressed my lips to her mouth and forced all the air I still had in my body into her lungs. Enola's chest moved up and down, but her eyes remained closed and her arms and legs lay on the rocks like a rag doll.

"No, not now." I cried. "Not now, please. Enola. I can't do without you. I love you so much, come on, come back, please! You can do this! We can do this!"

I pressed my lips to hers again and with my last strength I blew my air into her mouth. Enola's chest rose and stayed there for a moment before she gasped loudly and pushed out the water in her lungs with a lot of coughing. Enola squirmed on the rocks and gasped hysterically for air. She hardly realised where she was.

I dropped to the rocks beside her and tried to regain my strength. I closed my eyes and calmed myself. I had been lucky.  I realised that it was a close call, or Enola was no longer there. No longer here, in my arms.

Enola put her hands on her body and was still coughing. I moved closer to her and wrapped my arms around her, one hand supporting the back of her head. I hoped this would calm her down. I looked straight into her eyes, a small smile graced her face and a single tear rolled down her cheek. I moved my hand there and wiped it away as I burst into tears myself and kissed her full on the mouth. It was like one big happy romantic salty waterfall. Our breaths synchronised and became calmer and calmer as we enjoyed finally having each other back. Our lips broke the contact and Enola simply lay on top of me and let her head fall into my shoulder. I grabbed her tighter, if that was even possible.

In the corner of my eye I saw a relieved Sherlock walking away with a smirk on his face, and he winked at me. "Haha, very funny." I thought and couldn't suppress a big smile after all. Finally. She's back, safe.

"Will you promise me one thing?" Said Enola quietly.

"What?"

"That you will never, ever leave me alone again?"

I smiled briefly and squeezed her shoulder very gently as a sign; 

"I will never leave you alone. Promise."

I made my friend cry because of this chapter hehe, very proud of that.