A Girl Out of Place

Chapter 11: Henry's Warm Embrace

Henry embraced me, his dry body warming my wet goose pimpled skin. Safe in his arms I watched the rocky path where Ryn and Lee-Hwa stood. They shouted at each other and then without warning Lee-Hwa jumped into the current.

Henry lurched forward, but I held him tight. His deep blue eyes looked pleadingly back at me. "He brought me to you."

My chest ached. I knew Henry's loyalty, and I trusted his abilities. So I let go.

Across the river, Ryn ran toward Tarin who tossed her a rope as she breezed passed, proceeding down the river. I looked on in disbelief as Lee-Hwa swam with the current, closing in the distance between him and the enemy commander.

I tried my best to keep pace with Henry, but he pushed ahead onto a prominent rock formation. Years of wear had carved deep into this rock, creating a ledge with a five foot drop that reached out to the rivers center. With his fingers to his lips Henry released a long high whistle.

Ryn tossed him the end of the rope. He snatched it from the air, tied it around his waist, widened his stance, and promptly dug his heels into the dirt. At the other end, Ryn gave slack until the middle of the rope hovered just above the rapids.

Among the thrashing waves, Lee-Hwa had managed to get a hold of Kim-Young's limp body. A red hue coated the water around them both as they spun. Ryn called out to him. With one arm Lee-Hwa reached up and hooked the slacked rope.

His weight yanked on the rope. Henry's boots began to skid across the rock. I ran to him, adding my weight to his by wrapping my arms around his waist. We slid a few more inches before finding friction. Then little by little we shuffled backward, pulling the rope taught and lifting both men out of the water.

Across the river Tarin and Jeffers arrived and helped Ryn hold the rope steady. Thats about when the other two American Soldiers appeared at our side. Both grabbed the rope in front of Henry. With the added help, Ryn set to work. Giving pointed instructions, which we couldn't hear, she left the rope to Tarin and Jeffers. Grabbing the rope with her hands and ankles, she shimmied across.

The added weight yanked the rope but her movements were so smooth and fast, we could barely tell she was there. Within moments she was beside her comrade. Pulling a second much thinner rope from around her waist she wrapped it around Kim-Young and fastened it to our line. Then the other end she swiftly tied around Lee-Hwa.

"Back Up!" Ryn called. Henry's soldiers didn't hesitate, together they pulled the rope backward. And as we did, Tarin and Jeffers loosened their end. The three progressed toward us slowly, until Tarin ran out of rope. Then, he just let go.

A yelp escaped my throat as the three swung out of sight. Gravity pulled us four forward. Like bad game of tug-o-war we struggled to win, pulling until one body slid over the top of the rock, then the other. We pulled them farther onto solid ground where they let go. The rope went slack and all four of us fell to our backsides.

Bruised, I scrambled to my feet and I looked across the river, hoping Tarin would give me a hint as to what happened to Ryn. However, he and Jeffers had begun their return to the south-side.

"Margaret," Lee-Hwa coughed my name, his English just as clear as Ryn's. "Save him. Please."

I dropped down to Lee-Hwa's side. He looked broken, but he waved me toward the motionless Kim-Young. Reluctant, I placed my ear close to the enemy's nose and mouth I listened for breath ... Nothing.

I slipped my fingers under his jawline and waited for a pulse ... It was still.

Due to the water, his body temperature had dropped drastically. The blue color that touched his lips made my diagnoses obvious.