SAVANTS
Chapture 9's

The raft continued to move forward quickly. His depth momentarily sank beneath the surface, submerging us into icy water. Tina screamed but she laughed when the water hit her. We were hit on all sides. I was thrown against Nelson, then on to Zed. I tucked my arm through Nelson's elbow, but not daring to do the same on the other side, Zed looked really scary. Nelson squeezed my arm with vigor.

"Happy?" he shouted, water dripping down his face.

"By the way of 'I-will-die-every moment' yes!" I screamed back.

Just then, the nose of the raft was sandwiched between the two stones, the water pressure pushing us to the side. The waves hit to the side.

"I'll push us away!" shouted Mr. Benedict. "All to the right."

He had taught us this exercise on the beach - it involved hoarding to one side of a raft to make it lift up half of the river. I ended up sandwiched between Nelson and Zed, Nelson's paddle bar almost hitting my chin.

"Left!"

On that order, we slid to the other side. The raft started to glide free.

"Go back to your place!" Said Mr. Benedict.

As I rushed to obey orders, Zed suddenly hugged me, knocking me to the floor, facing down in the water that was puddling at ankle-high. "Get hold on or you'll fall off" he cried in my ear.

The water rose into my nose, I panicked and struggled freely, just as the raft jumped down quickly. Fluttering on the floor, I was pushed to the side. I had no grip so I parted with the boat and fell backwards into the water.

Cold-water rushing-screaming-whistle. I thrashed to the surface. The boat was already ten meters behind when I was swept away like a leaf.

'Floating'! The order went into my brain - a voice in my head that sounded like Zed's.

I had no choice but to let the current take me where it was going, trying to lie as flat as possible to stop my feet from hitting the submerged rocks. Something scratched my calf, the helmet I was wearing collided briefly with a boulder. I was finally spewed into a calm whirlpool. I clung to the stone, the rope of the frozen white spider web spread over the stone.

"Oh my God, Sky! You're okay what?" peekkik Tina's.

Mr. Benedict steered the boat to my side so that Zed and Nelson could lift me out of the river. I lay panting at the bottom of the boat.

Zed quickly checked for injuries. "He's fine. A little scratched but fine."

We finished the rest of the course in a calm mood, the fun had been swept away as I splashed into the water. I feel cold, numb, and angry.

If Zed doesn't pounce on me, I'll be fine.

Mr. Benedict directed us to the landing site where a jeep waited to bring the raft back to the river. I refused to see Zed when I went out to the raft

On the dry ground, Tina hugged me. "Sky, are you really okay?"

I forced a smile. "good. Whose brilliant idea is this? What's this Sunday killing a stranger?"

"I thought we were gonna lose you."

"You know Tina, I'm not cut out for the amazing things you guys do like this"

"of course. You're just out of luck."

"You okay, Sky?" ask Mr. Benedict.

I nodded, not confident to speak.

"What's going on?" The question was directed to Zed.

"He hugged me-makes me lose grip!" I quickly told him what was happening.

"I realized what was going to happen - I tried to warn him" Zed replied.

I frowned. "You made it happen."

"I tried to stop him I should have just let it go." She pouted at me, her eyes cold as a river.

"Yes, maybe you should and I won't freeze to death here!'

"Enough!" Mr. Benedict separated us. "Sky, get in the jeep before you get colder. Zed, come with me"

Wrapped in a towel, I saw father and son continue the fight until Zed left, on foot into the forest.

Mr. Benedict got into the driver's seat. "I'm sorry about that, Sky."

"It's okay, Mr. Benedict. I don't know why, but your son seems to have a problem with me." I glanced at Tina to say 'I told you so'. "I don't need an apology. Maybe he can keep his distance or something. I don't like people lying to me for no reason."

" He's thinking a lot of things right now." Mr. Benedict's grim eyes followed his son. "I've asked him too much. Give him a chance to solve this problem"

"See what I mean?" I whispered to Tina.

"Yes sure. What's that about?"

"Let's know I really don't know"

"That's weird."

Windshield wipers swing to and fro as the rain starts to fall violently, she hates me, she doesn't hate me, she hates me ...

"You're not bothering him, are you?" Tina asked after a pause.

"No, of course not." I kept quiet about how many times I noticed her at school. He didn't need to know the details of my pitiful obsession with the man.

"You won't be the first. Many girls threw themselves at him, hoping to be his lover."

"Then they're really stupid."

"After what he said, I have to agree with you. There's a lot of anger in that kid and I don't want to be around him when his anger comes out." Tina.