Page 43 of Promises in the Dark

“So, are you going to join me, or do I have to throw your ass in the river?” I asked, not turning around, still deeply annoyed by her stubbornness.

She trudged up beside me, her sour expression daring me to keep talking, but I just stared her down, daring her right back.

“Let’s just get this shit over with,” she said, finally sounding somewhat reasonable.

We both took deep breaths and plunged into the freezing water, the current immediately fighting us. My abdomen felt like it was tearing open, each stroke through the water pulling at stitches that had no fucking business being underwater. But I kept going—because stopping wasn’t an option, not for me.

My muscles strained as I kicked and pulled through the water, each stroke pushing me forward. It was brutal—the cold bit into my skin, and the current thrashed against me like it wanted to pull me under. But as painful as it was, it felt fucking exhilarating. There was something about being so close to the edge, so close to drowning, that made you feel more alive than ever.

The freezing water wasn’t just cold; it pierced straight to the bone, sending violent shivers down my spine that made my broken ribs feel like they were grinding against each other. Every stroke through that freezing water lit my nerves on fire, making me feel alive in a way only pain and adrenaline can. It was fucked up, but I lived for that feeling.

As I swam, I glanced behind me, expecting to see Red struggling along. But she was nowhere in sight. Panic grippedmy chest, my heart pounding like a motherfucking beast as I frantically scanned the water, searching for any sign of her.

Where the fuck was she?

“Red!” I shouted, my voice echoing against the river’s tumultuous roar.

Nothing. Just the relentless crashing of the waves, like the water swallowed my words and spat them back in my face.

“RED!”

Chapter 13

_______________________

Seconds turning into agonizing minutes, minutes stretching into eternity.

This was killing me.

Two minutes.

Panic squeezed almost all the fucking air out of my lungs.

“Red, where the fuckareyou?!” I shouted again, my voice cracking like I was some desperate asshole.

My eyes scanned the murky depths, searching for any sign of her. Panic turned to terror, my mind conjuring up the worst scenarios.

My heart was in my throat, my stomach in knots.

Five minutes.

I dove under, hands clawing through the water, blind as hell but desperate to find her. The icy grip of the water was choking the life out of me, but I kept thrashing, kept kicking. She was fucking nowhere.

My chest felt like it was going to burst. I resurfaced, the weight of fear crushing my entire being. I screamed again her name, the sound echoing off the trees lining the riverbank. But all I heard was the silence of the water.

“RED!” I choked out, my voice hoarse with anguish.

My lungs burned as I fought against the water, desperately searching for any sign of her. Fear clawed at my throat, choking the fuck out of me as I swam faster, my muscles straining with every stroke.

A flash of movement, a hint of red hair, a glimpse of what could be her…

And then, in the corner of my eye, I spotted her, her head just barely bobbing above the surface of the water. She was being dragged mercilessly by the current, struggling to hold on to a branch that hung low from a nearby tree, barely keepingher afloat. Her eyes were wide with fear, her grip slipping with every second that passed. She clung to that branch like her life depended on it, because it fucking did.

I propelled myself forward, the water churning beneath me as I swam towards her with all the strength I had. Each stroke was fueled by pure determination, my muscles burning with exertion. The water clawed at my face, my lungs screaming for air, but I pushed through. The distance between us closed, inch by agonizing inch.

Finally, I reached her, my hands grabbing her trembling body. Relief slammed into me so hard I almost went under, but I held on, locking my arm around her waist as the river tried to rip us apart.

“Hold tight!” I yelled over the roar of the river.

---