“Hold on,” I told them.
The bridge appeared ahead, and I charged dead ahead, racing onto it and seeing Anderson’s headlights chase us again.
The dark river loomed still and black underneath us, spreading far to the left and right as my tires bumped over the slabs of concrete underneath.
Anderson sped up, hit us again, but before I had a chance to recover, he shot around and slammed into my side.
“Goddammit!” I bellowed.
I lost the wheel, the car went spinning, and I slammed on the brakes, and then… He was there—his headlights charging right for us.
Will yelled, wrapping his arms around Winter’s head, and we crashed through the railing, the back tires falling over the side of the bridge as Anderson’s SUV tipped both right tires over the side, as well. Winter screamed as the car wobbled.
There was only a moment, my eyes locked on Winter’s face, and then both cars started to slide. I reached for her, took her hand, and pulled her into my arms, locking her in as we both went over the side, free falling into the river.
Holy fuck!
The car crashed down, my neck snapped back, and the whole world tilted on its side as my head swam.
What the hell?
I heard Winter calling me.
“Damon?” she cried, touching my face. “D…Damon, wake up. Wake up!”
I squeezed my eyes shut, lifting up my head and rotating the ache out of my neck before opening them again.
Did I get knocked out? Shit.
Winter sat on my lap, nearly nose to nose, crying but kissing me as soon as she felt me move.
I grunted, rubbing my neck as I looked over to see Will yanking on his handle and throwing his body into the door.
It took a moment to register what had just happened, but then I looked up, out the front windshield and saw what was all around us.
The fucking river. Jesus.
“You okay?” I asked Winter.
“Yeah.”
I looked around, seeing the car flooding as water poured in from the vents and under the dash, the car already half deep.
Fuck.
The river rushed over the hood as the car sank nose first, and I looked out the window, seeing no signs of life from Anderson’s car. It floated upside down, slowly sinking, as well.
Winter jumped off me, and I pulled my handle, following Will and slamming all my weight into the door. The cloudy water rushed, starting to cover the windows and pour in, and I yanked again and again and again, but the fucking door wouldn’t open.
I climbed out of my seat, trying the back doors and kicking the windows. Winter moved from door to door, feeling her way and trying the windows, pushing the buttons, while Will took the baseball bat and threw it into the glass.
“Just calm down a sec!” I yelled at him.
We were under water now. If he broke the glass, water would rush in fast, and we needed a minute.
I pushed against the back door so hard my muscles burned.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck… Think.