CYOA: A Lake Without a Name - Part 10
Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 5:36 am
Desperately you tug at the large branch. The birch still refuses to let it go. The wood is already partially broken, and you can now twist and turn the branch to any angle. The girl's head slowly disappears into the dark wet peat. She looks at you with pleading blue eyes. Once more you gather all your strength and pull as hard as you can. The branch eventually comes off along with a piece of the bark. Finally you have what you need.
You quickly hurry down the slight slope with the unwieldy large piece of wood. Hope returns to the young woman's eyes. She is now just a face in the bog, and a mud covered hand next to it. As you approach the bog, the morass rolls over her cheeks and continues to cover her mouth, eyes and finally the petite nose. Her hand lets go of the drenched tank top, and remains above the surface, ready to grasp whatever may come within its reach.
You get as close as you safely can. Your last rescue attempt at least taught you how far the shallow mud reaches. Then you set down the branch on the mire's surface. The instant it touches the girl's hand, she grabs it and pulls it down. You almost lose your balance, but quickly recover and pull back up. The muddy arm attached to the hand reemerges. Slowly, maybe too slowly. You are not sure how many seconds have passed since she submerged, and how many she has left before she runs out of oxygen. A second hand reappears from the depths and grabs hold. Then finally a face, covered with dark muck, resurfaces and gasps for air. You keep pulling at the branch, slowly dragging her closer to the bog's edge. The morass does not let go of the woman's body easily and the suction constantly resists. But in the end you win the battle for the girl's life.
You take her hand, and help her get up onto her feet. She keeps holding onto your arm as you lead her out of the mud and onto damp but solid forest ground. You both sit down, panting and caked in mud completely. For a while you just sit there without saying a word. She is leaning against you, and you realize her upper body is still naked underneath all that mud which is slowly dripping down. You also notice her long legs and that she is wearing shorts and hiking boots. None of which you had a chance to see before. "Thank you," she whispers into your ear. Then you turn your head to look at her face and suddenly your lips meet. You were about to introduce yourself and ask her name, but that will have to wait until after a long, long kiss.
- THE END -
You quickly hurry down the slight slope with the unwieldy large piece of wood. Hope returns to the young woman's eyes. She is now just a face in the bog, and a mud covered hand next to it. As you approach the bog, the morass rolls over her cheeks and continues to cover her mouth, eyes and finally the petite nose. Her hand lets go of the drenched tank top, and remains above the surface, ready to grasp whatever may come within its reach.
You get as close as you safely can. Your last rescue attempt at least taught you how far the shallow mud reaches. Then you set down the branch on the mire's surface. The instant it touches the girl's hand, she grabs it and pulls it down. You almost lose your balance, but quickly recover and pull back up. The muddy arm attached to the hand reemerges. Slowly, maybe too slowly. You are not sure how many seconds have passed since she submerged, and how many she has left before she runs out of oxygen. A second hand reappears from the depths and grabs hold. Then finally a face, covered with dark muck, resurfaces and gasps for air. You keep pulling at the branch, slowly dragging her closer to the bog's edge. The morass does not let go of the woman's body easily and the suction constantly resists. But in the end you win the battle for the girl's life.
You take her hand, and help her get up onto her feet. She keeps holding onto your arm as you lead her out of the mud and onto damp but solid forest ground. You both sit down, panting and caked in mud completely. For a while you just sit there without saying a word. She is leaning against you, and you realize her upper body is still naked underneath all that mud which is slowly dripping down. You also notice her long legs and that she is wearing shorts and hiking boots. None of which you had a chance to see before. "Thank you," she whispers into your ear. Then you turn your head to look at her face and suddenly your lips meet. You were about to introduce yourself and ask her name, but that will have to wait until after a long, long kiss.
- THE END -
