I am choking and nauseous and dizzy from all the swallowed water.
But I am being pulled forward, crashed by a wave, then dragged back by the tide and pulled forward again.
“Come on!” Katura shouts next to me. “Walk!”
And I realize that the solid ground under my feetisland.
We’ve reached the land!
I try to see where we are, but it’s dark. The rain is a hazy wall around us. Another wave pushes me forward, but the water around subsides as I finally crawl out of the water and collapse on the hard surface.
Land.
There is a shout from somewhere. Not Katura’s.
And then thereisKatura. “Help! Over here!”
There is an echo of voices ahead.
But I can’t think.
Darkness is all around it. It’s noisy and salty.
I laugh, my forehead touching the wet sand, water dripping off me as I hug the ground, ready to break down into tears.
Strong hands pull me up.
“Can you walk?”
I can’t even stand.
I am being lifted off the ground.
I am in someone’s arms.
I don’t care.
Take me somewhere dry and safe.
“I am fine. Fine!” Katura’s voice echoes through the rain.
It’s pouring. Pitch-black. But there are flickers of light—flashlights? And whoever is carrying me—he can carry me to paradise or hell as long as it’s dry and I can breathe.
“There is another one!” the person carrying me shouts.
A man.
The voice is strangely familiar, echoing with the memories.
I must be hallucinating.
There are more shouts as I am being carried somewhere.
I smile.
We are here.
I press my shaking hands to the rain-soaked chest.