Forlot: Forgotten Forest - Book Eight {Completed}

Chapter Fifteen

"Valerie!" I shoved my hands in the water and had them in gripping positions, trying and hoping to get a hold on the drowning bully. But it was too late. She was out of my reach and hit the bottom of the lake.

I was sweating. Shaking. My heart was beating so hard that it could have leaped out of my chest.

"I need to get help," I encouraged myself. "I need to wake up my sister and the counselors and inform them what I witnessed."

I finally found the urge to pick up speed and ran with all my might up the path. My legs were already getting tired, but I did not care. There was no time to waste.

The campsite and cabins came into view, and I ran up to the boys' cabin and pounded on the door.

"Help!" I screamed. "Somebody is drowning! I repeat! Somebody is drowning!"

I noticed from the corner of my eye that the door to the girls' cabin opened, and Melinda, Belinda, and the girls slowly walked out. Melinda and Belinda were wearing bathrobes. Sheila was as well and looked frantic.

"Where is my best friend?!" Sheila demanded an answer. "Where is Valerie?!"

I stepped back as the door to the boys' cabin opened, and David was in the doorway. Garcia was gazing over David's shoulder. Both of them still had on what they wore that day.

"What is with all the cries and yelling?" David asked. He noticed me. "Ari? Was that you making those noises?" He examined me. "And why are you all sweaty?"

"No time to explain!" I pointed frantically at the path. "There is a person in the lake! Valerie is drowning!"

Sheila let out a horrified gasp and shook. "Valerie? Drowning?!"

"How do you know?" Garcia questioned. "Were you not in the girls' cabin?"

"I will explain later!" I got back on the path and motioned for everyone to follow me. "Come on!"

Melinda had a scared look on her face and followed me without hesitation.

"What are you doing, Melinda?!" Belinda cried.

"I believe my sister! Always!" Melinda defended me. "Even in moments like this!"

Belinda glanced at the girls, and then back at Melinda. She then made a decision and decided to come along. The girls, especially Sheila, desired to come also to see what the commotion was about.

David and Garcia glanced at each other, as if they did not believe me, and told the boys to wake up and follow them.

I hurried back to the lake with my classmates and the counselors and pointed a finger at the lake.

"Valerie! She is down there! At the bottom! I cannot grab her!"

David and Garcia tilted their heads down and stared at the lake. Through the water.

"I do not see Valerie," Garcia confirmed. "Or a body for that matter."

"Me neither," David said.

"What?!" I remembered exactly where she was and locked my eyes on that spot in the lake. "There she is!" I pointed at a corner of the lake. "Right there! You do not see that?!"

The boy counselors squinted at the area and gasped.

"Ari is right!" David informed the group. "Someone is down there, and it is definitely Valerie!"

"No!" Sheila protested, hugging herself as tears were running off her cheeks. "That is not her! That is not my best friend!"

David yanked off his shirt, showing his bare chest and stomach, and handed it to Garcia. He dived into the lake and swam to the bottom. We all watched as he grabbed Valerie's arms and pulled her up to the surface. He set her on land and on her back and got out of the lake.

Garcia quickly got on his knees and did some chest compressions. He counted each one.

"One...two...three..."

Belinda hugged Sheila and comforted her. I hugged Melinda and prayed that Valerie would be alive.

Sheila glared at me. "This is your fault, Ari."

"What?" I looked at her. "My fault?"

"You should have saved her when you first saw her!"

"I told you! I could not reach her!"

"You could have swam to get her!"

"I would be drowning with her! I cannot swim!"

I know that Sheila was hurting, but she had no reason to blame me!

Garcia stopped and let his arms dangle to the sides.

"Well?" Belinda said. "I-is she okay?"

Garcia glanced at Sheila. "Sheila, I am sorry," he apologized. "Valerie was already gone before we got here."

"No!" Sheila shouted, denying the truth. "She should not have died!" She was still staring at me. "You should have died, Ari. You should have been the one who drowned."