Page 2 of Surge

I did as he asked, my arms feeling like jelly as I lifted them to put on the life jacket. Once it was on, he hooked a rope on the front of it. "You're going to have to scoot to the edge and jump off into my arms."

"I'm scared." My chin trembled as I put my legs over the side. The metal was still hot on my skin and my side burned like I had stepped into a shower that was too hot.

"I know it's scary, but I'm right here, and all the other people on the boat are here to help too. You are such a brave girl."

I took a deep breath and pushed off the side. Like he said he would, he caught me as soon as my body hit the water and immediately swam back toward the boat.

A man and woman dressed in the same orange as the man who had gotten me off the buoy pulled me onto the boat.

The woman handed me to my mom, who wrapped me in her arms. She was sobbing and saying how it was all her fault.

"Ow!" Her arm brushed against my side and it felt like it was on fire.

My mom set me down on a bench and took off the life jacket so they could look at my injury. I hid my face against my mom's arm.

"It's a miracle she was pulled this far out and survived." One of the men opened a bag next to me and wiped something that stung on my wound. "We need to get her to the hospital to have these burns from the metal checked out. I'm going to start an IV to get some fluids in her."

The boat engine revved, and I peeked out from where my face was buried as the boat began pulling away. I couldn't even see the shore from where we were.

"How long was she missing?" The man who had cleaned my burn was wrapping gauze around my torso.

"No more than half an hour." My mom rubbed my back. "Sweetie, do you know what happened?"

I shook my head and shut my eyes. I was exhausted. All I remembered was a flash of blue and arms pulling me.

But that couldn't be right. Could it?

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