On a Moonlit Night, Melissa Nichols [suggested reading .txt] 📗

it would be even more treacherous. The water, rushing through the ditches at a high speed, would strip away mud and dirt and thus make crossing them even more difficult. Hand-in-hand, Andrew and I barely crossed more water-filled gulleys, but when we got to a working water fountain, we jumped and I slipped. The water had just reached that area and it still had a tremendous amount of force. The mud under me was ripped away, and I with it.
“No! Luc!!” Andrew yelled, chasing me along the canal but I couldn’t hear him. I was tumbling under the water with no air in my lungs. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see and I couldn’t get to Andrew. I fought to get my head to the surface but I couldn’t tell which way was up or down. Then, I had a flashback. When I was a kid, I loved to swim. I made a game of jumping in, curled into a ball, and letting myself float to the top. That’s what I did now.
I let myself go completely limp and I immediately felt myself moving. I didn’t fight until I felt my back break the surface. I turned and sucked in as much air as I could hold.
“Lucy! Swim to me.” Andrew yelled but I was coughing too hard to respond. “I’ll help you!” He continued.
When my breathing was stable enough, I swam at an angle toward Andrew, knowing it would be easier to get there at an angle rather than a straight line. It only took a few strokes and I was clinging to the earth with my cleats buried deep and my nails sunk into the mud. Because the water threatened to rip me away again, I didn’t dare move until Andrew showed up. He slid to the patch above me and held out his arms, fully stretched, but I was still out of his reach.
“Luc, I need you to reach to me. It’s the only way I can get you out.”
Nodding, I moved my foot higher up the slope and dug the toe in as far as I could, then I did the same with the other foot. Finally, I could reach for Andrew. I held out my hand, dug in my feet and remaining hand, bent my knees and lunged forward.
I shot pasted his hands and clamped myself onto his shoulders. He hands gripped my underarms and he hauled me up.
“Climb over me we’ll both go in.” He said and I tried to clamper over him. I managed to get a foothold by using Andrew’s neck and pulling myself up further by walking up the slope and using his pant as anchors.
At last, I was out of the gulley and Andrew was picking me up and carrying me far away from the water. There, he dropped to his knees and hugged me close.
“Luc. Oh, darling. I was so scared.” He whispered, his arms completely covering me as he used my presence to calm himself.
“I’m here, Andrew. I’m not going anywhere.” I tried to console him. “Safe and sound.” He whispered as he buried his face in my hair
“That’s right. I’m right here, baby.”
Andrew started shaking and he held me even closer.
“Shh. It’s okay.” I whispered, stroking his hair.

A long time passed before Andrew stopped shaking. We stood and faced the hotel, its neon lights now visible. We were almost there!
I tugged on Andrew’s hand and we started running, wishing to put this fear-drenched night behind us.
We cleared the next gulley and the next, but the third gave way under Andrew’s feet. Feeling the dirt give way, Andrew didn’t hesitate in throwing me out of harm’s way. I landed harmlessly and when I turned back, Andrew was gone.
“Andrew!” I shrieked, fear making my sprint along the canal in a desperate search for him. “Andrew!”
I searched the water but it was close to impossible. The water was dark and offered no hints as to Andrew’s whereabouts. It wasn’t what Andrew’s falling symbolized that scared me. It was the real danger. With the water moving so fast, he could drown. It’s happened before.
The thought of Andrew’s death made my heart turn cold and I stumbled.
“Andrew

!” I shouted, manipulating my voice so it could pierce through the water’s roar. When only silence greeted me, I got up and sprinted headlong, following the river to the hotel, shouting for Andrew the whole time.
At last, after what felt like centuries, I head Andrew sputtering and gasping for air behind me.
“Andrew!” I called and froze in my tracks.
“Luc?” Andrew replied.
“Hold on, darling, I’m coming.” I replied and started to back track.
“No! Luc, stay away.”
“What? Are you crazy?!”
“Get to the hotel. I’ll meet you there.”
“No! I won’t leave you.”
“You have to. If you try to help me, you’ll get pulled in too.”
“I don’t care!”
“Luc, just do ask I say and wait for me at the hotel.”
“No!”
“Lucitanya, I’m not debating this with you! What for me at the hotel.”
“No!”
“Dammit, Luc. I am your husband now and I am ordering you to wait for e at the hotel.”
“Shit.” I whispered under my breath. I had no choice now. If I disobey, he had the power to punish me. I’m sure he wouldn’t but I’ve always been afraid of reprimands.
“Luc?”
“I don’t like leaving you but you leave me no choice. You’d better come back or I swear to God I will kill you!.” I responded then took off at full-speed for the hotel. I jumped each gulley alone so it was a slow run back. But I finally made it. After three miles of dirt, water and mud, the hotel looked like heaven. I took a step onto the concrete but immediately stopped. I saw a very strange form lying in front of the hotel doors. I took a step closer, to see what it was, and the strange lifeform opened its eyes, which glowed a demonly red in the neon lighting. It hopped out of the shadows and I stared at it. What was a fish doing out of water? It looked like a fish, more like a piranha with glowing eyes. Then it opened its jaws and cackled.
What the fuck is that? That’s not natural!

I thought, backing away a step.
“No, I’m not natural. I’m a genetically-modified superfish” it spoke, baring its razor-sharp teeth to the fullest. “I have lungs and enough intelligence to speak. I detest the water and am a kind of guard-dog for this facility.” It continued its advance on me. I backed away and my feet sank down the muddy slope. With the piranha advancing, I bolted to the right and climbed up on a rock. If I could get him onto the rock, I could take the elevator to my room. I’d be safe, but how would I be able to warn Andrew? I’d have to kill it so Andrew could be safe when he came back.
The piranha was making slow progress toward me, so I took the time to search for anything I could use as a weapon. I saw a baseball bat, so I could hit it back into the water, but that would put Andrew in danger and I doubt I could beat it to death without it chopping off my leg. I also saw a bunch of trees in pots so I could drop a pot on its head, but, again, I’d lose my leg in the process. I also saw a fire going but I couldn’t use it. I turned back to the monster and I was horrified to see it was about to clamp onto my ankle. I jerked my foot out of danger and jumped off the rock and bolted for the bat. Then, I had another flashback.
My grandfather and I used to fish and, when he paid for our catch, Grandpa hit it with a club. Just like that, my plan was formulated. In a spurt of bravery, I charged at the mutant fish, bat raised high like I was about to hit a home-run. When I got close to it, I swung with all my might, which sent him flying. He was dazed but still conscious. He had landed on his side and he stayed down for a moment. I took this chance to run up to it again, intent on hitting him until I saw his brains splatter on the concrete. He came to before I reached him and tried to hop away but I reached him just then and I hit him again. This time, he flew and landed close to the hotel. I didn’t hesitate on rushing forward and bringing the bat straight down many more times until I was sure he was at least unconscious.
After a while, I hit him like a golfer would a golf ball and he landed by the fire. Perfect! I rushed forward, picked him up by his tail and I threw him in. He was silent as he burned and I didn’t stay to watch. I turned tail, dropped the bar, and ran into the hotel. I saw the clerk at her desk and I came to a sliding halt.
“Has Andrew Shadoworth come back yet?”
“No, he hasn’t.” She said.
I felt my heart drop but I nodded anyway and went back outside. I sat down on a lawn chair and stared at the river, trying to hold back tears as my adrenaline ebbed and I began to go into shock.
Finally, after what felt like eons, a hand rose from the river and clamped onto the back.
“Andrew!” I shouted and rushed forward. Andrew was here. Everything was going to be alright.

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Publication Date: 04-22-2012

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