"Help!" Maria screamed as she struggled to keep her head afloat.
The water splashed as a guard jumped into the river. Relief washed over her as he moved towards her. He swam through the waves with strong strokes, his eyes fixed on hers. The source of this content ɪs NoveIＦire.net
Maria kicked beneath the water, trying hard not to sink. Her arms ached as she flailed them, but she had to stay above water, long enough for him to reach her.
The man was almost there, and stretched out his hand to grab hers. Then, the river turned cruel. A mighty wave rose in his direction, sending the guard tumbling. Maria screamed as the man vanished beneath the water. No head broke the surface. No arm reached for her again. He was gone, just like that.
"Maria! Hold on!" The other guard’s voice came from the boat. The captain stood by his side, both men’s faces pale with disbelief as they saw their companion vanish.
"The current is too deep! No one can fight it. Grab the rope now!"
A coil of rope was thrown through the air. Maria reached for it, her hands grabbing it tight. The rough fiber burned her palm, but she clung to it like her life depended on it, because it did.
"That’s it!" The guard shouted. He and the captain steadied against the wood. "We’ve got you, just hold on!"
Maria struggled to swim as she kicked under the river. She was a bad swimmer. She coughed as the water slapped against her face. Her muscles ached as she gripped the rope, but she didn’t let go.
They pulled her closer, but paused as the boat creaked beneath them. Waves continued hitting the sides of the boat. The Captain’s expression turned hopeless as water poured into the boat, pooling at their feet.
The guard continued pulling the rope, despite the fact that his legs were soaked with water. Maria moved closer to the boat. Hope burned in her chest, until the boat began to sink to one side due to the excessive water in it.
A wave slammed the vessel into a rock. The impact shook the boat and created a huge crack that more water flowed into, sinking the boat more.
Maria screamed as the boat jerked violently. The guard lost his balance and stumbled, losing grip of the rope. The captain grabbed him, but the boat was filling fast. Water poured in, sloshing against their knees.
"We’re sinking!" The captain roared.
The guard managed to reach for the rope once again. Maria could see the panic in his eyes, the desperation to pull her aboard before it was too late.
The river was still merciless with tides pulling on the river currents and waves hitting with great intensity.
The boat tipped violently. The two men were thrown to the sides. The captain shouted something that she couldn’t make out, and then, the entire boat capsized.
The rope tore from her hand. Maria was dragged under the water. She fought, her chest burning as she struggled to reach for the surface. The current continued to press her down and soak her lungs with water.
Through the blur of the waters, she managed to raise her head and caught sight of the captain. His arms were stretched towards her and he shouted for her to grab him. He grabbed her wrist, yanking her upward. She felt relieved as she inhaled air.
Her eyes darted around, and there wasn’t any sight of the guard. The captain held her to keep her afloat, though the heavy fabric of her dress threatened to pull her down.
Her limbs felt numb as the cold impact from the water soaked into her skin, causing her teeth to clatter.
"It’s going to be alright," The captain whispered to her, and she hoped she could believe his words. A huge current shot around them. She held the man tight, but another hit them, shoving them apart. His grip tore free and the wave pushed her far from him.
She fought hard to stay above the water, looking around, but couldn’t find him. Fear gripped her. He was gone like the rest.
From a distance, she saw his hand clinging to a broken plank. The heavy waves and water currents prevented him from moving closer to her. He looked at her, his eyes wide with terror. The current spun once again and Maria was thrown into the river. When she managed to swim to the surface again, there was no sign of him.
"Help!" Maria screamed, hoping that one of the men would emerge and save her.
She had moved farther away from where she and the captain were. Alone in the middle of the river with swimming skills close to zero. Cold seeped through her skin and she shook under the impact.
The storm had calmed to a little extent, and she wasn’t sure how long it would last, how long she could keep herself afloat. Her arms felt weak and her legs were numb, threatening to give up and drag her into the waters.
"Gareth! Captain Gareth!" She screamed, hoping he would emerge from the waters.
The only reply she got was the heavy slapping of the water. Her eyes burned with tears. Pieces of the shattered boat floated past, planks, ropes and a broken oar. She clung onto the plank, coughing violently as her wet hair plastered against her face.
She could barely feel her fingers. She pressed her jaw against the wet plank, whispering through sobs. "Please, moon goddess. Save me."
The current spun again, separating her from the plank. Water filled her nose and throat. She kicked, but her weak limbs no longer obeyed. The river dragged her down.
Maria’s last thought before the river dragged her down was of Triton. If he was so wicked to ignore her messages and allow her to come all the way into the river to get killed.
The river swallowed her, and she was gone, just like the men.