Even When the World Comes Down (Sequel to Always & Forever)

Chapter 34 - Beth

I hit the water and quickly swam to the surface. I looked around for either Joel or Ellie but I couldn't see either of them. The current was taking me further away from the bridge.

"Joel!" I heard Ellie's voice from a distance shout.

I tried to follow it to see if I could see them but I didn't. I was about to yell back when something scratched my left shoulder blade.

"Fuck!" I shouted.

I turned to see a thick tree branch sticking out from the water. It had been deep enough to cut me and I felt it. The current eventually did die down and I was now in calm waters.

"Beth!" I heard a boy's voice call.

I looked around and caught sight of Sam waving his hands at me. I did my best to swim over to him trying to ignore the pain I felt in my shoulder blade. Shore got closer and closer until I had finally made it.

"You alright?" another voice asked me.

It was Henry's. I was pissed. I looked up at him and glared.

"I don't know. What do you think?" I asked showing him my shoulder.

"Shit. Here, I think I have something that could help," he said placing his backpack on the sand.

"Don't fucking touch me," I retorted.

"Henry! I see Joel and Ellie," Sam shouted.

"You make sure that the two of them get here safely or so help me," I threatened.

He nodded and went over to where Sam was. I carefully took off my backpack and opened it up to see my first aid kit. I was gonna need some help with this damn thing. I looked over to see Henry pulling Joel on to shore. Ellie coughed a few times but she was alright. Joel wasn't moving and that scared me. I stood up a little too quickly.

"Shit," I said.

Ellie looked over and smiled.

"Beth!" she shouted.

She came over and was about to hug me but I stopped her.

"It's good to see you kid but hugging me wouldn't be the best idea right now," I said.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Instead of me telling her what was wrong, she read my body language well enough to walk behind me. She gasped as soon as she saw.

"We need to get that cleaned right now," she said.

"Let's see how Joel is first. Is he okay?" I asked as the both of us made our way over to him.

"He got a hold of me just before we hit a concrete slab. I think the impact of it caused him to black out," she said.

I carefully knelt down next to him. His eyes were closed.

"Joel?" I whispered.

I placed my hand on his cheek.

"Joel," I said again.

He moved his head slowly and scrunched his eyebrows. I sighed. He was alive.

"Joel," I said again.

He grunted and then his eyes flew open.

"Hey, you," Ellie said from the opposite side.

He looked at her then looked at me and sat up quickly.

"You okay? I didn't see you. I thought...I thought," he said but I cut him off.

"I'm fine. Got a little scratch but I'm alive," I said.