Chapter 33 Sadie
“Zoe!” I call out, but of course I’m too far away to cut through the crash of the waterfall.
This is not good, not good at all.
This is not a waterfall any of us should be swimming in: not only did Thorn specifically warn us about it, but there was a whole section about dangerous water in the Henry Herrington handbook I studied before coming on this trip—from the frothing whitewater alone, it’s obvious this falls into that category.
“Thorn!” I shout, hoping he’s within earshot as I rush over to help—we can’t afford silence or solitude right now. “Zoe, get out of there!”
But she still doesn’t hear me over the waterfall.
I’m at the edge of the plunge pool in no time. Zoe waves, smiling and oblivious, completely unaware of everything that could go wrong. It would only take a heartbeat for her to be swept up in the turbulent water and pinned into the narrow gap between boulders.
I don’t even want to think about how bad that could be. She could get stuck from the suction—
She could drown.
“You have to get out of the water!” I shout again.
This time, she hears me.
Her smile disappears as she registers my panic. She attempts to swim closer to the bank so I can reach out and help from where I am, but the water is unpredictable, pulling her farther away instead—into rougher water, straight toward the boulders.
“Sadie!” she cries, flailing, barely keeping her head above the frothy bubbles.
“Try to stay calm, okay?” I call out as I follow the bank, trying to get closer. “Swim toward my hand if you can!”
If she can break away from the current at an angle, I might just be able to reach her—but there’s no way I’m strong enough to pull her out on my own.
She’s fighting, trying her best to swim in my direction.
The water is a force. Every time I think she’s getting closer, it tugs her back again, countering her every move.
I inch closer, as close as I can without losing my footing—the last thing either of us needs is for me to fall in, too.
I reach out, trying not to think too much about what could happen if she gets pinned up against the boulders just ten feet behind her.
I might have to jump in at that point, since they’re not accessible from dry land.
I’m not sure that would be the wisest choice—
But I think it might be my only choice, if it comes down to it.
“Fight, Zoe! Is there anything you can push off from?”
She grits her teeth, still treading water—and then, in a sudden forward surge, finally breaks out of the current.
I reach out, try to grab her hand before she’s sucked right back in.
Our fingertips brush, so close.
“Sadie!” she cries, flailing toward me, trying again.
This time, my fingers find hers, enough to grab onto—but I’m not a strong enough match for the water, and her hand is slick, sliding out of mine.
I’m just about to try again when a pair of strong arms wrap tightly around my waist—Thorn, thank goodness.
“I’ve got you, Sadie!” he says, slightly winded. “Reach out until you’ve got her! I won’t let go.”
I do as he says, trying to trust his words, his strength.
I lean out as far as I possibly can, stretching both of my arms toward Zoe, who’s still fighting the water. The extra inches make all the difference; her hands grasp mine so hard it hurts, especially in light of the tender spot that’s still healing after my rappelling injury.
I grit my teeth and hold on tight as Thorn anchors us, leaning back to help bring Zoe closer to the edge.
“Stay steady,” he instructs me. “I’m going to take over so I can pull her out, okay? Do whatever it takes to stay out of the water!”
I nod, still focusing all my energy on Zoe: her hands are so slippery, and my bandaged palm is hurting like hell—but I refuse to let go until Thorn’s got everything under control.
“Three…two…one!” Thorn counts down.
We switch places like we’ve done it a million times. The sudden absence of his grounding weight is jarring—but I manage to stay on land as I stumble backward.
Thorn pulls Zoe the rest of the way out of the water. Her knuckles are white from holding on to him so tightly, and he doesn’t let go until she’s steady on her feet.
“Zoe!” I cry, pointing down at her shin, where red rivulets drip down to her ankle.
She’s dripping, shaking, bleeding—and a bruise is already blooming on her upper thigh.
Emma appears from somewhere behind me, handing Zoe a long-sleeved shirt so she can dry off and, hopefully, stop shivering.
Only now do I notice we have an audience: my voice is raw from how loudly I screamed for Thorn—I guess it makes sense that everyone else came running, too.
“I’ll get my first-aid kit,” I announce, adrenaline kicking in. I have to move, have to help. That gash on her leg looks like an infection waiting to happen.
Thorn doesn’t protest. He’s got his hands full with Zoe, who looks even more pale and panicked than when she was in the water.
I run as fast as I can and return with supplies in no time.
Zoe’s huddled with Parker and Emma when I get back, wearing the shirt Emma brought over. I don’t have to ask Thorn what to do—I go through all the same steps he used on me for my hand. I can feel him hovering, just in case I need backup.
When I finish, Zoe just looks numb.
“Thank you,” she says, glancing from Thorn to me. “I’m…I’m so sorry.”
“I’m just relieved we got you out of there in time,” Thorn replies.
He doesn’t make a point to remind her that he warned everyone against swimming in this waterfall, even though he could. He never seems to need other people to feel worse at the expense of him being right—he’s so kind it hurts—
Especially because my first instinct is the exact opposite.
I want to yell at Zoe for making us all worry, for putting us in the position of having to save her.
What if we hadn’t been able to? What if I hadn’t spotted her when I did, what if Thorn hadn’t been able to get there in time?
It felt eternal in the moment, but couldn’t have been more than a minute or two before he arrived to help.
I also feel an urge bubbling up to point out how much worse this might have turned out if Thorn and I hadn’t worked together: that despite him telling me the most helpful thing would be for us to keep our distance, today proves we make a pretty great team.
But I keep my mouth shut, because we’re all just a bit shaken up right now, and I already know I’m right.
I just wish he could see that, too.