There is more to this, but I got in a wreck today and didn't feel like typimg anymore. It'll be in the next chapter. I promsied mysef I wouldn't beg but...PLEASE REVIEW! I can not write without reviews. (sadly). I wish to thank all those who suffer through my stories and still come back.

Second Encounter

Chapter 6: To Save or be Saved?

DG was running as fast as she could. She stole a glance over her shoulder to see the tree/ dog creatures getting closer.

A gunshot, then a high-pitched squeal. Cain was behind her shooting at the, at the, what had he called them? Oh yes, papayas.

She kept going at top speed, feeling a stitch grow in her side. Ahead of her, only a glimpse or two of Glitch could be seen weaving through the bare trees, he tattered coat flying out behind him.

How can he just keep running like this? She thought, panting.

Suddenly, the ground ended. DG nearly didn't skid to a stop in time.

"Wrong Turn." Glitch stampered out beside her.

Her blue eyes peered over the edge, and discovered it was hundreds of feet to the river below.

The growls and gunfire was getting closer and the furry man that she had completely forgotten about fearfully looked back then jumped.

DG and Glitch both watched his descent with a open mouth.

Cain reached them, still firing off shots at the papayas.

"Jump!" he yelled at them.

"The fall might kill us!" Glitch pointed out worriedly.

And if it don't, I can't swim! DG added in her mind frantically.

"Well, they definitely will!" he fired a final time and came to join them on the edge of the cliff, "On the count of three. One."

"Three!" screamed Glitch and all three of them leapt off the cliff just as the creatures reached them.

As she fell, it seemed like everything had frozen and her fear had stayed up on the cliff. It all came rushing back, though, as she hit the icy water.

………………………………...

As he fell, Glitch glanced over at his also falling companions and a single thought went through his half-empty head:

DG can't swim.

The impact really hurt, but he could already see the black headed girl sinking. Taking a deep breath, the Zipperhead dived after her dark outline.

The water was so murky he could barely see a foot in front of his face, none the less, very soon he reached her. DG was thrashing, trying to get afloat and Glitch couldn't get a hold of her. Calm down, he thought, I'm trying to help. One of her feet hit him in the chest making him gasp and filling his lungs with water instead of the precious air from before.

Everything was getting dark, but finally the former adviser got a good grip on her shirt and started to pull them upward, when one of DG's still-attempting-to-swim-but-failing-dismally arms whacked him hard in the side of the head.

Glitch's face went blank and his thin body relaxed, slowly sinking toward the riverbed.

Who am I? Oh, yeah, Glitch. Now, where am I? And why can't I see?

His vision was completely dark now and his lungs where almost full of the murky water.

Man, am I tired! Floated sluggishly across his mind, I wonder if DG and Cain are already asleep.

Glitch's eyes widened as his mind straighten out.

No! I don't want to die! I was suppose to be saving DG!

He swam upward, pushing on his screaming, air-depraved body.

Something grabbed his arm and helped.

………………………………...

That knucklehead! Going to save DG, but ends up needing to be saved!

Cain half drug the drenched Glitch onto the shore where DG was waiting with her hair and clothes clinging to her (he had pulled her out a few minutes before)

"Is he ok? Is he going to be alright?" she asked, scared at the way he was coughing weakly.

"He'll be fine," he answered, "He just got his lungs full."

The blonde watched the semi-conscious man before him. He was the kid's friend. That was the only reason he saved this headcase. He personally didn't trust, like, or traveled with convicts, they were only trouble and this one proved no different.