Dying Embers

Chapter Twelve

     We are going to die. We are going to die. We are going to die.

 "Carlene, is there anything you want to do before we die?" I asked. Her eyes widen with fright. 

         "I-I don't know! I w-wanted to live and just....I don't know. I-I never r-really t-thought of m-my future and what I wanted t-to do," she said shaking again. I nodded. I never really thought of my future either. 

        "River I-I wanted to...I-I wanted to..." she trailed off. I looked at her confused. Now I think she was stuttering now. She shook her head. 

        "I wanted to-" she was cut off by the rising volumn of the water. I looked ahead and held my breath. I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers and we fell. I felt light headed. We fell with the water. I couldn't breath, I couldn't think or scream. Tme froze. I felt my arms turn into jelly. My grip on Carlene loosened and I tried my hardest not to let go. 

          "RIVER!" Carlene's voice echoed in my head. It bounced off the walls of my conscience. We smacked into the water and I slipped away...

           CARLENE

We slammed into the icey cold water hard. My head rung and I lost my breath. Water filled my lungs and I couldn't breathe. I tried to come up to the surface but I was too weak. I couldn't go. I just couldn't. I opened my eyes a little bit. My eyes stinging from the cold water. I opened them wider and saw River's fuzzy body in my vision. I gathered up my courage. He tried to save me so I will try to save him. I swam my hardest towards River trying to reach him. I gripped his white, ripped shirt tighty and pulled him with all my might. I tried again and again and again. I became more desperate for air. I needed it. My heart pounded from fear. I managed to pull him above the water and when I did I swallowed as much air as I could. I breathed in deeply. I no longer felt the cold water. My body was too numb. I pulled River with me and swam towards the bank. I pulled River's heavy body on the muddy shore. I sighed in relief and looked at River. He was tan but all this cold water drained him and made him about as pale as me. I checked his pulse and panicked. There was no pulse. CPR. I pressed my hands on his chest and pushed again and again.

       "Come on, come on," I muttered. Tears rushed to my eyes blinding me from what I was seeing. I have seen movies of this happening. I never thought much about it but now that I'm going through it...I just...urgh..

          "River!" I cried, "Wake up! Please wake up!" I leaned in and pinched his noes and forced air into his mouth with mine. I moved up and started pushing on his chest again. I pressed harder trying to get the water out of him. I became more desperate and more tired. Just when I was about to give up his clear blue eyes opened and he sat up coughing up water. I cried. I couldn't help it. I was so happy. I looked away from River covering my face. I was about to go through an emotional breakdown. Cold tears rushed to my stinging eyes making it hard to see. 

         "You...saved me," River said with wonder. I looked at him. My eyes were red from rubbing and wiping my tears. I nodded pressing my lips together to keep my self from crying out. Pain was all I felt throughout my body but there was relief in my heart. If he died I don't know what I would've done. I would be dead. 

           "Carlene...what were you trying to tell me before we went down the waterfall?" River asked. I looked at River. New tears formed not because of pain in my body but my heart. He probably had someone else anyways...I cared for him I will admit it. 

           "Carlene?" River said. I looked up into his kind blue eyes. I trusted him with all my heart. He was someone I could trust. I don't usually think these thoughts but..he was handsome too. When I first saw him on the plane. His eyes were brighter and his dark blonde hair..It wasn't comb or brushed it looked like he just let it do what it wanted. His arched brows, his sharp noes, his perfect lips...how could he not have someone? He was beautiful! 

         "I....just forget it," I said sadly. He looked at me like he knew what I wanted. A kiss. I just wanted a simple kiss. I never kissed anyone before and I wanted to at least share a kiss with someone before I died. If I'm a bad kisser I don't care at least I got a kiss. 

          "Tell me what you wanted Carlene. I do owe you. I failed to save you but you saved me. I also owe you for saving Jessie," he said. I took a deep breath.

        "A kiss," I finally said. His eyes widen. 

"That's it?" He asked.

      "Well what else could you give me?" I asked. He smiled awkwardly and looked down. 

 "Nevermind..I guess if it's a kiss you want a kiss you will get," he said. My smiled softly. I was kinda happy other than the fact that we have been stuck on this island for three days with nothing to eat. At least we had this river. It was fresh water. 

      "Um...really quiet.." River said. I smiled. 

"Nice weather we're having," I said to lighten the mood. He laughed. 

 "Yeah yesterday it almost killed us," he said referring to the lightning hitting the trees and making a wildfire. Yeah it did almost kill us. 

   River got up and held out his hand towards me. I took his hand and he pulled me up. I stood up and looked into his eyes. He hesitated but leaned in slowly his lips almost touching mine. He sighed. 

       "Damn I'm gonna feel guitly," he said sadly. I looked at him confused. 

 "But I owe you," he said nodding. He wrapped his arms around me pulling me closer to him and his lips met mine. Something stirred in my chest. I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. He parted my lips and his tongue slid in my mouth. I was shocked..I never thought a kiss felt like this. I gasped against his lips. This was amazing. River broke the kiss off slowly. His eyes were wide and he looked at me shocked. I smiled sheepishly. 

      "Um...Wow...That was.." he trailed off not knowing what to say. 

"Amazing, unbelievable, strange," I offered. He nodded slowly. I smiled shyly. River stepped away slowly. He still looked shocked from the kiss. I giggled when he tripped over a hidden rock in the mud. He smiled. 

       "We better somehow get back to shore," he said. I nodded. No matter what that would always be the best kiss ever. All I know is my lips stinged and I wanted more..