The Bard of the Bodleian (an Alex Rider fanfiction)

Chapter 10: A Good Day For A Swim

Disclaimer: all characters and references to Alex Rider, Mission Impossible, James Bond, Narnia, Marvel and any William Shakespeare play are not our own (we're just big nerds).

Back on the bridge Tom had watched the whole thing in amazement. One second Alex had been at his side, and the next he was falling towards the river and the boat below. As if acting on instinct, following the lead of his friend, Tom pulled himself up onto the wall of the bridge that Alex had been standing on only a second before. He saw Alex land square on the boat and was about to launch himself over the side of the bridge after him when he stopped. Alex was an idiot, why was he about to jump off a bridge after him?

"Nah mate, I'll leave that to you," he said to no one in particular, before pulling out his phone and dialling 999.

***

Alex recovered his senses quicker than the boat's occupants. He had propelled himself forward so he landed right in the middle of the boat. It had shaken violently but thankfully had stayed upright. Alex had hoped Prospero, who had been standing at the back of the boat on the wooden punting ledge, would have fallen in the water but he had used the long pole to steady himself. Ariel was sitting at the prow of the boat facing back towards Prospero, and at her feet was a rolled up black dry bag that Alex was sure must contain the book. Alex now stood between the two of them, aware that he had the attention of everyone in the surrounding area. A boy jumping from a bridge down onto a tourist's boat wasn't exactly the most inconspicuous event to happen in the middle of Oxford.

"Sorry to drop in!" Alex was about to turn when Prospero charged, leaving the punting pole stuck precariously in the riverbed.

"You little-," Prospero attacked, swinging a fist at him, and Alex, reacting on instinct, blocked the blow with his left arm, knocking the man's fist away from him. There was a moment where both of them fought to keep their balance on the boat, their movements putting it in jeopardy, but it regained its balance and Alex and Prospero remained standing.

"Prospero! Careful! We don't want to capsize!" Ariel yelled, still sitting down, now cradling the dry bag.

"Keep hold of the book! Do not let it fall!" He called back, his eyes not leaving Alex, watchful, waiting for the kid to try and attack.

"What about me?!" Ariel gasped. Prospero rolled his eyes and Alex used the momentary distraction to shove him backwards, causing him to trip on the low wooden seat. He waved his arms comically for a second, trying to regain his balance but the boat was still rocking from their ongoing fight and he fell back hard, landing on the wooden decking.

Alex whirled around grabbing the dry bag from a very surprised Ariel, who had been gasping at her companion almost falling overboard, and then turned back to face Prospero who had stood up once more. Prospero kicked out at Alex, a risky move on a boat, and Alex shifted back a step, focused on dodging the attack and staying upright. Behind him he felt Ariel stand, resulting in the boat swaying under his feet. Alex stuck his arms out trying to maximise his chances of staying balanced while stood on the boat. Using this moment to his advantage, Prospero struck out, aiming his left hand to strike against Alex's outstretched right, which was desperately clutching the bag. The force and speed of the blow was enough to cause Alex's grip to falter and the dry bag dropped from his hand. Ariel, taking this opportunity, dived for it. Reaching out over the water precariously, she strained to catch the falling bag, but her body's centre of gravity was now unbalanced, sending her, along with the book, tumbling into the river.

Prospero yelled and, ignoring Alex, dived in after her.

Suddenly, a wooden punting pole crashed down into the water next to Prospero, narrowly avoiding hitting him.

"Sorry!" came a voice from the shore. Tom was standing there holding the outstretched pole.

"I was playing 'hook a book' not 'hook a human'!"

And with that Tom swung the pole across the surface of the river, the hook on the end catching around the strap of the dry bag. He brought it up letting the bag slide down the pole, catching it neatly in his hands.

"I can't believe that actually worked! See Alex! All those years playing 'Hook a duck' at the fair finally paid off!"

Prospero had been watching this with angered disbelief and immediately began to swim towards the shore.

"Prospero!" Ariel shouted. "I can't swim!" Prospero looked from the book, to Ariel, and then back at the book, before audibly groaning and turning back to the struggling woman.

Alex took one last look at the two of them flailing about in the river, and grabbing the pole Prospero had left stuck next to the boat, he slowly started to punt towards the shore.