Chapter 16
“Mama!”
Ana’s excited voice tells me that I made the right choice coming to her myself. She might not realize she misses me, but she still needs to see me and be reassured that I’m okay, and a hug from her will reenergize my stores of strength.
As I walk the final few feet toward my daughter, I strain my brain. I need an excuse to turn her and Erin around and send them back to the cave.
“Mama, look, a horsie!” Ana’s eyes light with excitement.
My mouth goes dry as I look around frantically for any sign of the white horse. Life with Finn around is going to be an adjustment, that’s for sure. On the bright side, if he’s out of the spring, he’s feeling better.
I give the area a quick scan but don’t see him. Unlike the last time Ana noticed a horse in the forest, she isn’t pointing him out. Probably because she doesn’t want me to go bat-shit crazy on her again. Instead, she holds tight to her basket with both hands.
“Ana,” Erin scolds gently, resting her hand on my daughter’s shoulder. “You can’t run off to look for the horse.”
“Pleeease! I want to ride it. Pleeease!”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement. A dark shadow. But then the shadow steps closer, and it isn’t a shadow at all. I rush toward my daughter, ready to stop her if she makes a move toward the dripping-wet black horse.
The creature looks harmless, save for its eerie green eyes, a much darker green than I’ve ever seen. His haunting eyes hold a darkness, a wickedness that sends a shudder of fear down my spine. The animal steps forward, its focus on my daughter.
“Anastasia,” I yell. “Don’t move!” There’s no time to wait for Em. I pray that he can hear my silent S.O.S.
“I just want to touch.” Ana yanks free from Erin’s grasp.
“NO!” I yell.
Before she can get her hand on it, I rush between the horse and my daughter with my arms outstretched on either side. I accidentally knock my daughter to the ground. She cries, most likely frightened by my strange behavior. I turn to help her up, but I can’t because one hand is stuck to the kelpie.
I pull in a large gulp of oxygen, ready to scream, but there isn’t time before the animal turns and speeds off. Fear sinks into my brain as my feet are ripped off the ground. I’m airborne, except when my body crashes into a tree or hits the dirt and ground cover below.
The wind is knocked out of me, and I can’t catch my breath. I choke and cough, trying to fill my burning lungs. My heart hammers against my chest so hard I think it may have broken my ribs. Or maybe the thick, solid tree trunks I’ve been knocked into did. All I know is that red-hot pain screams from every part of my body.
I’m dizzy and can’t see straight. The pain in my head feels like the world's worst hangover hooked up with the mother of all migraines to create a new, more painful condition. Throbbing. Shooting pain. I never felt anything like this.
The back of my eyes throb as I try to gain visual footing. It’s useless. Everything blurs as I move. I blink my eyes, trying to clear them. It’s useless. Now my stomach wants in on the fun.
I gasp for air because if I don’t breathe, I’m going to black out, but instead, I dry heave, then vomit. Violently. Some of the sick slaps me in the face, which makes me want to throw up some more. I’m so off-kilter as the world spins, I can’t tell which way is up. Not that it matters. Not anymore.
I’m going to die. It’s a hard reality.
It’s all I can think about as the cold wetness around me grows. The sloshing sound of the horse trotting into the river fills my ears. He’s got me. It’s inevitable. I have no chance. Everything is happening just as Em said it would.
Burning pain forces a muted scream from my mouth. Submerged from head to toe in the river, I open my mouth. Water rushes in. This is how I’ll die. I’m going to drown.
*
I release a long breath, blowing bubbles in the water in front of me. I didn’t mean to. It’s harder to see. I want to scream, but I can’t. The sides of my neck feel like someone sliced them open with a razor blade, but I’m still moving. Still breathing somehow. I thrash around, trying to break free from the monster.
The water is cold, dark, and murky. The kelpie twists, and I know if I don’t break free soon, he’s going to sink his sharp teeth into my flesh and rip a piece off. His powerful tail comes from behind and slaps me with such force, it feels like I’ve been slammed into a brick wall. My head is woozy, and I’m not sure I can stay awake.
The kelpie spins, turning over on one side so that it acts like a funnel, then violently switches directions and rams his tail into me. Another large body joins the fray. Great. They’ll each take a side and rip me apart. My chance of survival was slim to none when it was just one kelpie. Slim just took off like a bat out of hell.
The Kelpie stops thrashing. Maybe he thinks I’m dead? I don’t know how or why, but my hand releases from its flank. Realizing I’m free, I use my arms to create distance between the monsters and me. Once I’m in calmer water, I’m able to make out the form that joined us. Finn.
I watch, helpless, as the two large seahorse-like creatures continue to fight, attacking one another, battering each other with their front legs and tails, rolling in the water, and using their teeth to bite and tear. As much as I want to, there’s nothing I can do to help Finn.
After what feels like forever, Finn turns to me with teeth bared. He’s terrifying. Even now I’m certain he won’t hurt me, that he’s no threat.
His attention returns to the dark creature. I can’t tell who, if anyone, is winning the battle. All I know is I can’t stay and watch. I want to tell him I love him. Because I do, but I don’t want to distract him, and there’s no way to speak to him anyway. Not now. Not in this watery hell.
Forcing myself to leave Finn and a chunk of my heart behind, I swim toward the light. I’m barely able to move my arms or kick. I struggle against the fatigue clouding my brain, telling me to close my eyes and nap. If I do, I’ll let everyone down. Especially Ana.
That’s not going to happen. That was the story of my life, and I will not allow that to be my legacy. My daughter will grow up being raised by her mother and the other creatures of the forest. And hopefully, by some miracle, with Finn by my side.
These thoughts spur me on until I break through the surface of the water.