Shay was beneath the water. Jordan was terrified. As far as she knew her sister could be dead already. She had already fought off her cancer 10 years ago. Jeremiah was three. He was Shay and Jordan's little brother. Jordan was 11, and Shay, 16. Jeremiah was crying for Shay to come get him, "Shay-wa! Shay-wa!"
She obviously couldn't hear him, or she'd be running to him. Wait! What was that? A streak of auburn. "Shay! Jeremiah, Shay told you how to row right?"
"Yup,"
"Go back to the beach eat your lunch and wait."
"Kay, Jordan,"
"I love you."
"I wub you too."
She kissed his cheek and told him to row. Then she jumped. When Jordan had fought her way back to the surface, She saw a pale arm caught in the middle of some rocks, Lifeless, unmoving. She swam with the current and grabbed the rocks. The hand was slipping free,"No!" Jordan shrieked, as she grabbed the hand, it was cold. But she couldn't be dead. She couldn't be. Jordan frantically looked to the shore Where Jeremiah should be but she was too far to see. She pulled up her sister and cupped her face. Time seemed to freeze. "No," Jordan whispered silently,"No." Jordan started sobbing, "No, no, no, no." Shay's auburn hair had gotten in front of her nose and mouth so that when she came up to breathe Shay would have only breathed in more water.
.,.
I didn't try to move. Shay was dead. Drowned. I had failed to save her. Jeremiah is the only thing that kept me from drowning myself. His little hands, I couldn't bear to think about telling him. I was lost in the happiness of his warm, milky scent. It was as if reality had slapped her in the face, as the current flowed, the horizon lightened, and she could see the rowboat. Dad! Oh No! I screamed, "Daddy." My voice cracked, "Shay…" I looked up at my dad,
"Sweetheart, everything is going to be ok." He said,
"No dad, it's not," I whimpered softly. He picked up Shay lightly.
"How long has she been out?" he asked, "We need to get her to the hospital…" he trailed off as he looked at me, tears welling up in my eyes, "What honey?" he looked puzzled. My body was racked with sobs,
"Dadddddd-dy," I stuttered, "No, no hospital, home."
"Why?" he asked, I couldn't tell him, so I said,
"Feel her." I commanded,
"Why?"
"Just do it!" I screamed, he was taken aback,
"Ok sweet pea." His hands touched her cold cheek,
"See,"
"She's cold, So?" He spoke lightly,
"Try to wake her up." I tried again, He shook her lightly, her head lolled around, it was sick, I looked away. Dad realized, he gasped and a sob caught in his throat.