Stranded

Drown

(Tom's POV)

A loud crackling noise emits from behind me, interrupting my search. Loud splashes follow soon foot, sending waves big enough to push the raft a few feet away. I jolt up and bite my lip, a bad feeling already settling into the pit of my stomach. I slowly turn around, dreading what could've happened.

"Tord...?" I call out, searching for his familiar figure perched upon the rock.

Holy shit. The rock's gone.

And so is he.

"Tord!" I shout, abandoning my search in favor of leaning over the side of the raft. Bubbles erupt from where the red hooded man once stood, and I let out a gasp of horror.

He's sinking, pinned beneath the heavy rocks that once acted as his savior, now rebelling against him and finishing off the shark's job.

Looks like it's up to me.

Again.

I sigh and step onto the edge of the raft.

Screw dry clothes.

I hop off the raft, yelping as my body hits the freezing water. How the hell did Tord swim in this?

I take a big gulp of air and dive below, opening my eyes in hope of seeing him. No such luck, the storm above has made the water dark and clouded.

I swim back up to the surface, sputtering a bit as salt water trickles out of my nose and into my mouth.

Gross.

I take another breath of air and dive down, deeper than before. Nothing.

How deep are these waters?

I growl, clenching my fists and swim farther below, ignoring my lungs calling out for oxygen. I look around and spot a flash of red.

I grin and swim towards the blurry figure, slowly making out his details. His eyes are closed and he's limp. A giant piece of rock lays on top of his chest and another on his arm. Shards of rock litter the ground around him.

I propel myself forwards, slamming into the bigger rock and knocking it off his chest. His eyes open slightly and he starts floating upwards.

Heh, that wasn't too bad.

But then he stops floating.

His arm remains trapped under the rock, beginning to bleed as his skin rubs against the sharp stone. My lungs cry out for me to go up, but I refuse to listen.

This bastards not dying on me so easily.

I pick up the rock, but it slants at an angle and cuts into the skin. Tord's eyes instantly opens and he lets out a scream, only to suck water into his lungs.

Shit, shit, shit! Please don't drown!

I try picking up the rock, only to find it's too heavy for me to lift. It cuts deeper into his skin. I look at his arm, it's the one he tied up to stop the bleeding.

Maybe I could...

No, I can't just...

I look at him, my vision beginning to darken from the lack of oxygen.

Fuck it, he'll live.

I close my eyes and push the rock down.

It slices through his arm, leaving a bloody mess in its wake.

I smile weakly as Tord's body floats upwards. I swim after him, using the last of my energy to get him to the surface.

And with that, I black out.