Book 3 - Retrievers

XVII - Waves

"GEORGIA!" Texas shrieks, nearly toppling over into the water himself.

New Mexico pulls him back with a yank of his arm. Finland walks up beside New Mexico and helps wrestle a screaming Texas away from the edge. It smells of wet rocks and hose water.

Then, Russia sees America start to turn, his eyes as wide as diner plates. Russia looks around a little more and sees Pennsylvania standing with his back to the inside of the alcove, his face blank. New York falls back and curls up on himself, clawing at the sides of his head, crying. New Jersey sits right beside him, trying to pull his hands away from his face.

Russia, unsure of what else to do, slowly approaches them. New York backs up and covers his ears, digging his nails into his cheeks and temples. New Jersey tries in vain to stop him from hurting himself further.

'He needs something to cover his ears,' Russia realizes.

He reaches up and takes his hat off. Immediately, he is hit with the deafening sound of the waves attacking the walls around them, spraying them with water. He tries to hand the hat to New York, but New Jersey is the one to take it. New Jersey hurriedly slides it over New York's head. New York grabs frantically onto the fabric and pulls it tightly over his ears, shaking. New Jersey flashes Russia a look of fear, grief, but also gratitude.

Russia's heart sinks. He's hit with the urge to help, fix it, do anything that would make this better. He looks around again and sees Texas thrashing against Finland and New Mexico, screaming. America kneels at the edge of the rocks, staring at the water below. Pennsylvania sinks to the ground, blankly staring out across the cave to the other side. Finland is the only person left who seemed able to do anything, but even then, their movements are limited so severely, there isn't much for her to do.

'I have to try to get Georgia back.'

'I have to make sure Texas doesn't follow me. We can't lose another kid to this.'

Looking down again, he notes that the water looks less violent than before. The current slows to that of a fast river. It's not safe, but it is certainly better than before. Russia walks over to Finland and meets her eyes with a hardened look.

"Make sure they stay here," Russia screams over the roar.

Finland nods, giving him a suspicious look. That's all the response Russia was looking for. Russia spins around and walks to the edge, watching the water rush 2 meters below.

'She's probably already dead,' his mind says.

'I have to try to save her. I have to.'

Russia lays his flashlight at his feet and takes a deep breath to calm his nerves.

'I need to take my chance,' he thinks watching the swift current, 'before it speeds up again.'

He jumps. He hears someone shout behind him as he falls, feeling weightless. The water catches his feet, and he lands flat on his back. The water fights to pull him under. He kicks up frantically, and the green glow stick yanks against his throat. It rushes around the corners, and the blurry light of the flashlights disappears. He desperately fights the current as it tries to pull him under several meters of water.

'If I follow this, I'll find her,' he convinces himself.

He catches himself on the wall and pulls his head above the current. He gasps for air and another wave smothers him. Rocks plummet into the water, swirling in the water, like debris in a windstorm.

'It's like swimming in a river. A very spiky river.'

'I have to keep going.'

He dives, pushing as far as he can off the wall and into the pitch-black water. The waves snatch him in a tight grip and drag him forward through twisting tunnels. He holds his nose and mouth shut with his hands as he's violently tossed into walls and rocks plunge into the water around him. Then, a flash of purple catches his attention. He's thrown into a wall, and the water rushes around him as he claws at it, desperate for a handhold.

His hands catch and the unforgiving stone digs into his flesh. Russia clings to it and stares forward with wide eyes.

Georgia is hooked by her chest around a lip in the rock, weakly clinging to it as the water rushes around her, threatening to pull her further into the caverns. Russia can see whirlpools trying to form from the opening and Georgia starts to slip further into the dark. Russia's first instinct is to swim to her but knows that if he tries, both of them may end up in a smaller cavern completely filled with water.

'She isn't going to last much longer.'

Russia swallows the lump in his throat and reaches out a hand, grabbing onto the wall. He slips, and his eyes slam shut. He hangs on one hand as his feet raise toward the drain. He pulls himself back against the wall.

'I have one chance. I can't let it go to waste.'

His lungs burn. Georgia's eyes close, and bubbles escape from her mouth. Russia lets go and risks everything.

'I have to get closer.'

The water yanks him forward, and he's able to catch himself just before the drain's entrance. Georgia begins to slip. Her head lulls forward, being pulled by the current. Russia releases his left arm and hooks it around Georgia's chest, just under her shoulders. Georgia wraps her arms around his. But her grip is weak, like that of a small child.

Russia tightens his grip.

'As soon as I move her, the current with speed up.'

'I don't have time.'

Russia pulls as hard as he can and hugs Georgia to his chest. Immediately, the water starts angrily clawing at them, trying to drag them forward. Russia begins trying to shuffle his feet. His mind starts to get fuzzy, and it's getting harder to see. His lungs demand air.

He begins trying to pull himself up toward the surface, and his hands begin to cramp. His eyes go wide with panic. He shoves his boots into the holes in the wall and reaches up. His hand breaks the surface.

Feeling air hit his hand sends a surge of energy through his limbs. He claws up and his head breaks the surface. He gasps, and a wave hits him in the face, almost dislodging him from the wall. Georgia goes limp in his grasp.

Russia crawls up the wall and finds himself in an opening a few meters wide and one meter tall. He pulls himself and Georgia into the step. He presses his back into one side and his feet into the other. He gathers Georgia into his lap and tries to get her head above water.

Another wave fills the space and Russia ducks his head. As soon as the water falls, he feels Georgia begin retching. She gasps and coughs violently. Her grip comes back with a vengeance, and she clings to his arm. Relief fills Russia's heart, and he tries not to cough under the water filling their space.

'She's okay.'

Another wave cuts off her coughing fit.

'As okay as she could be.'

He clings to the rock wall, and they ride out the waves that bash and pull against them. The roar of the water fills the space, and the only relief is when the water submerges them. And any time Georgia gets the chance, she would vomit up copious amounts of water from her lungs and stomach.

It smells wet. Like saltless sea spray.

'Now, there is nothing else to do but wait.'

He ducks his head to avoid the rocks thrown by the waves.