Down In Flames
Part Seven – In which they manage to survive the swim…
Author's Note: Hey everyone. Sorry about the short chapter last time. I think this one might be the same, because I haven't looked at how long this one is. By the way, I'm going to be updating a lot more regularly now cuz I HAVE MY OWN COMPUTER. In MY room! (YAY!)
Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own anything.
The huge tree careened out of control, coming faster and faster, getting closer and closer.
Nigel braced himself for impact, and it came. The broad side of it cracked right against Nigel's anchor, jarring him loose. He let out a yell as he went under the water again.
"Nigel!" he heard Sydney yell before the water closed over his head. After that, everything went silent.
A crushing pain erupted from his already injured wrist. He let out a stream of bubbles that was a scream. Nigel opened his eyes and tried to kick his way to the surface, but something held him down.
He looked to see his hand pinned under the rock he had been holding onto. A thin cloud of red was slowly growing around it.
His lungs burned for air His vision was slowly growing fuzzy. The Brit pushed frantically against the rock, wanting to scream in frustration.
'I'm going to die down here,' his eyes widened slightly at this realization, refueling his efforts to reach the surface.
Nigel's lungs were about to burst. His heart pounded rapidly in his ears.
Something swam in front of his eyes with long, flowing dark hair. It took him a moment to recognize the figure.
'Sydney,' he thought.
If he was going to die, then at least he got to see her face one last time.
Her face floated closer to his until their lips met. She gently blew her breath ingot his lungs, made a motion that she was going back up, and was gone.
Nigel, feeling stronger, pushed again at the boulder. This time, it budged slightly, but not enough to free himself.
Sydney suddenly reappeared, this time with Alex. She made another motion: three fingers and then a pushing gesture to the right.
He understood. On three, they would push the rock together.
One finger went up and Nigel braced himself. The second finger went up, then the third. Immediately they all pushed as hard as they could against it.
The weight moved slowly, scraping painfully against Nigel's hand. He cringed, but continued with his efforts.
The rock kept moving, the flesh was gradually rubbed away. The stone grinding against stone turned into a single muffled thump as it hit the river bottom, leaving Nigel free.
Sydney and Alex each took one arm and dragged him to the surface, where his ears were flooded with sound. They all gulped at the air like they had been starving for months.
"Hey, Syd?" Nigel gasped out, "do I get therapy in my benefits?"
The dark-skinned woman grinned while Alex laughed.
They struggled slightly under the weight of Nigel's backpack, which he'd managed to hold onto the whole time.
While Sydney was alone with Nigel underwater, Alex had taken their own bags to shore for safekeeping.
They made it to the other side of the river, where they all collapsed when they got onto firmer ground.
"Let's not do that again, shall we?" Nigel asked, sitting up and looking at his injured arm.
It felt worse than it actually looked. Sure, it was still bleeding, and the top of his hand looked like it had gone through a meat grinder, but that wouldn't slow him down too much. (he hoped)
It was his wrist that worried him. It wasn't broken, that much he was sure of. It was slightly swollen and sore, but he felt that wrapping it would help greatly.
"Nige, you okay?" Sydney took his hand gently to see the damage.
"I'm fine," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He winced when he came across a gash in his temple. His hand came away red and he groaned.
"Is this as far as we're going to get today? Should I put up a shelter right here?"" Alex asked.
Both Sydney and Nigel gave him looks, shutting him up quickly. She bandaged his wrist up and they were off.
After a while of walking, Alex pulled a light blue bandana out of his bag and wrapped it around his head. Nigel rolled his eyes and just flexed his wrist. Despite the two extra strength aspirin he had taken, his head srill throbbed horribly.
He sighed, knowing Alex wouldn't stop for something so "trivial" as he called it.
So, they just walked, following the river east, to the eagle-shaped rock.
About an hour later, the travelers came to their destination.
Nigel twisted around to pull the map out of his bag.
Unfolding it, he read, "For a bird's eye view, soar on the back of the Lord of the Sky, seek the path where two trees stand high."
"And that means…?" said Alex.
Sydney sighed and said nothing as she hoisted herself onto the giant bird.
"It means," she grunted, "that we have to get on top of it and look for two trees that are parallel and straighter than the rest."
"Sydney, there are thousands of trees like that," Alex called up. To prove his point, he gestured to the whole forest.
She paid no attention to him, but smiled when she heard Nigel setting him straight.
"Look, you wanted our help, so shut up and take it. We know what we're doing, so your skepticism isn't needed."
She looked around, scanning the area for the trees. Finally, she spotted them.
"Found them!" she called to the arguing men below her.
All their talk died down and they looked up. Then Alex looked at Nigel.
"Well?" he asked, "Now what?"
Author's Note: I'm not entirely sure that I should go on with this story, as I haven't been getting many reviews… Get your friends to do it or something. Pass on my profile to anyone you can!
Until next time…
Jillian