Into the Woods

Drowned

The rain splatted down on us as we tried to walk quickly away from Wolf. Neither me or Taylor spoke for at least five minutes until we knew we were out of Wolf's sight.

I was limping even more than before now and it was getting harder to walk in the deep mud on the forest floor. Taylor seemed to pick up that I was randomly stopping at starting. 'Are you sure your foot is okay?' He asked weakly.
I nodded, 'Yeah it's fine, just these leaves and mud everywhere' I lied trying to persuade him. I didn't want to appear weak at all.
Taylor huffed in disbelief yet we carried on walking straight forwards hoping to return back home some time soon.

After around a further ten minutes of walking I asked Taylor if we were lost again. He denied it bravely though I could see fear behind his eyes. Then suddenly the rain tipped down heavier and heavier than before. It was attacking us violently to the point that it was hurting as thought we would get bruises.

I shouted in pain and tried to use my arms to protect my head.
'Charlotte!' Taylor shouted in dismay pointing to the floor, I looked behind me where he lurked. The forest floor was flooding rapidly, it was turning into a river quantity of water. He cursed loudly and we began to sprint in the direction we thought was home.

'This is definitely the wrong way!' I yelled looking around the woodlands seeing if I could somehow recognise anything.
Taylor made to grab the map out of his backpack, it instantly drowned in the rain and was useless once again.
'There's no point in that, you can't read maps anyway. Let's just get out of here quick before we are eaten up by the floor.' I told him. The water levels had risen up to our knees at this point making it extremely hard for us to run fast.

I flashed my torch around as we stood still for a second trying to gather our bearings. Then on the horizon I spotted a small shape.
'There!' I pointed to Taylor as he vaguely saw it too. We ran as quick as we could towards it, I tried to ignore my limp but now it was becoming impossible to walk on and I tripped and fell into the giant puddle swallowing the dirty water that swam around the floor.

Taylor didn't realise and carried on powering towards the horizon. I called him at the top of my voice reaching my hand in the air, waving vigorously at him. He couldn't hear me over the rain and he was getting further and further away. I called again and again yet he was deafened by the thundering rain still hammering down on us.

I tried to get up but my foot had completing given way. Water was now surrounding me as if I was trapped in a cage. I used my one free leg and managed to squat upwards eventually, balancing half way up as the currents were against me trying their best to push me back down.

I tried shouting at Taylor once again but I could barely see him now. He must have reached the building. I tried to hop but failed as the water knocked me down, I lost my torch in the process and was left in pitch black.

I kept trying and trying to move forwards but it was impossible as I was now drowning up to my waist in a huge hole. I tried to use the water's weightlessness as leverage for my foot and tried to kick it about slightly at the same time as scooping the water with my hands trying to still bounce forwards.

'Charlotte!' I heard a voice howl my name. It was Taylor running towards me, his torch was bouncing up and down because his arms were swinging violently as he ran in my direction.

When he reached me he showed a look of concern and sorrow.
'Help me out of here, my foot, I can't move it' I told him and he grabbed my hands and pulled me out.
'Ouch.' I winced in pain as I naturally put my foot down on the floor but instantly lifted it straight back up as I remembered.

Taylor showed more signs of concern and I shook my head.
'No it's fine I'm sure I can do it.' I moved my foot in place to go walk but fell straight back over again. I screamed in pain and Taylor instantly helped me back up and held my body weight up wrapping my right arm around his shoulder.