The Wrong Direction

Chapter Ten

Adriana

Chapter Ten

"Ben!" I screamed.  

Okay, I admit, Ben annoys the heck out of me most days, but deep down, I still love him.  I think most siblings feel the same towards each other as I do, besides the occasional psychotic person who could care less if their sibling fell in a hole and tragically died.

Everyone else had casual, totally not worried looks on their faces.  They weren't even slightly worried about Ben!  In fact, I think I saw Harry cheering.  Way to be humane, Harry.

"Aren't you guys going to do something?" I asked, really starting to freak out.  

As each second whisked by, Ben was being pulled farther and farther downstream from us.  What if he drowned?  He never did pay much attention during swimming lessons.  He was too busy biting those buoy boards they let you occasionally use.  I was pretty surprised that he managed to swim the whole way from the plane to the shore when it crashed into the lake with one arm hanging onto an unconscious Sienna.

By now, everyone's running had decreased to nothing.  They all just stood near the edge of the river, watching as Ben was carried out of sight.  Way to be useful, guys.

Harry only shrugged.  "Eh, he'll be fine."

"Ugh, if you guys won't act like men, then I'll take matters into my own hands!" I yelled at everybody angrily.

Before anyone could process that I had just insulted them and understand what I was talking about, I whipped around and raced towards the edge of the river.  I didn't skid to a halt near the edge; in fact, I kept on running.  Once I was about to run out of ground to sprint on, I sprang into the air and jumped into the river.  Based on watching Ben being carried downstream, I knew the current would be strong.  For all I knew, he could be already halfway down the river, too far away to ever find again.

Right as I hit the water, coldness pierced my body.  It was the worst feeling I've ever felt before.  Immediately, I kicked my way to the river's surface and gasped for breath.

"Adriana!" Niall and Liam screamed when I reached the river's surface.

Just as they had done when Ben first fell into the river, everybody burst into a fast sprint and chased after me down the river.

The river's current was already getting to be too strong for me.  I couldn't fight it and swim to shore.  The most I could do was uselessly flail my arms around, desperately trying to escape my treacherous fate.

I guess watching me being dragged away down a river was too much for Niall.  A moment later, he sprang into the river after me, screaming my name before being drowned out by being plunged underwater.  Liam, being the controlling person he is, rushed after Niall, trying to stop him from jumping in after me.  He was a second too late though, as Niall got past him.  The dirt by the river was wet and slippery, and Liam tripped and rolled down the slope, knocking down Zayn with him.  Hmm, something tells me Liam is more clumsy than he lets on.  The two of them tumbled into the river after me and Niall.  This scene was starting to look like a game of dominoes.

Anxiously I watched the river's surface, looking around frantically for any sign of Niall, Liam, and Zayn.  It didn't take long for Niall to bob to the surface a few feet behind me.  A determined look was on his face, and he swam with the current on his side to me.  Niall grabbed my arm so we'd stick together.  At first, I felt reassured.  For some reason, I forgot that I could drown out here.  I guess having someone facing the river's strong current with you can calm you down.  But that feeling didn't last long, because Zayn's frantic wails pierced my ears, and I was brought back to the present.