The Sleeping Arrangement

Chapter 9

It was obvious from the look on Ben's face as we approached him on the ropes that he was scared. Like, really scared. It seemed like if we left him there any longer, he might pass out; his face was white and his whole body was shaking. It would have been funny under other circumstances.

But, of course, at that moment nothing was funny. Lizzie was somewhere beneath the swamp and had been for the past sixty seconds, and it was down to me and Thomas to rescue both her and Ben.

"Can you hold on while we search for Lizzie?" I asked Ben. I was standing on the rope in front of him, with Thomas on the one behind me. He was already climbing down into the swamp.

Ben nodded and swallowed hard. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I'll be okay."

"Okay, good." I nodded too and turned back to Thomas. He had one foot in the swamp, clutching hold of the rope, and his expression was determined. "Are you alright?" I asked him, as he let go of the rope and fell down into the swamp.

Thomas nodded. "I'm fine. I can just about touch the floor. Don't come in, just stay where you are. I'll try to find her and pull her out."

"No way," I said, stepping down into the swamp, too. "I'm coming in to help. She's been down there way too long."

Thomas gave a half-smile and watched as I placed both legs into the muddy water. I screwed my face up in disgust at the feel of it: it was slimy and sticky and sat heavily around me, not like normal water at all. It seemed to have a strength of its own, like it was pulling me under with each movement. I crossed my fingers and swallowed down my fright, hoping like hell that it wasn't quicksand.

I waded around behind Thomas as he felt through the water for Lizzie. After a few seconds, he shouted out and dove beneath the surface. He came back up with swamp water all over him, and in his arms was a body.

"You got her!" I cried, a smile cracking on my face.

Thomas hauled Lizzie a little higher out of the water and I watched with nerves in my stomach as he bent forwards to brush her hair out of the way. He examined her face and tried shaking her shoulders a couple of times to rouse her, but her eyes stayed shut.

"Is she okay?" I asked, moving closer towards him.

Thomas rolled his eyes up to meet mine. "I think she's unconscious," he said. He pulled Lizzie further up so that she was resting against his body, and began moving towards the edge of the swamp. "We need to get her out of here before we can help her properly."

I nodded. "What about Ben?" I asked.

Thomas shrugged. "I don't know. Just get him to toughen up and walk off the damn ropes." He looked back in the direction of Ben and pulled a face. "It's obvious who actually needs the help here," he said.

I swallowed and turned around, too. There was colour in Ben's cheeks suddenly. "Thanks for the consideration, man," he said, speaking through gritted teeth to Thomas. "I guess I'll just overcome my fear right now to help you play the part of the hero once again."

"Perhaps you should," Thomas bit back. He scowled and continued to wade over to the edge of the swamp. He cupped his hand around Lizzie's head and I felt my mind numb with jealousy for a moment as I watched. I couldn't help but feel as though Thomas' act of bravery when he'd jumped in to save me from the pool on the first day meant less, now that he was doing just the same for her.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I turned to Ben too and started towards him. "I'll help you out," I said quietly, and my stomach tightened as he turned his attention back to me and smiled.

"Thanks, Sophie," he said. "At least I know I can still count on you."

Don't push it, mate. I could quite easily throw you right in, just like Lizzie...