down on them. Landon is able to yank the gun from her grip as he punches the woman in the stomach.
“ Go, Ducky! Run!” he shouts.
Summer jumps over them and down the stairs. The man at the bottom is sitting up, dazed, holding his head. She kicks him in the gut—though without shoes she’s not sure how much it actually hurts. He grunts and falls back down to the ground anyway.
She feels silly wearing the life vest as she rushes towards the side of the ship where the boat overhangs. Before she can reach it something explodes, and she’s thrown overboard. Her hair flings wildly into her face as she flies through the air backwards. It happens to quickly that she isn’t sure how to react, then her back smacks against the ocean water. She plummets several feet into the depths until her life vest yanks her back to the surface. She spits salty water from her mouth and goes into an immediate coughing fit. The water is a little chilly, but it’s not too cold. Her biggest fear? She can’t swim. Silly , she realizes, considering I’ve lived on a ship in the middle of the ocean for most of my life .
She glances up to the ship that is now halfway in the water, the other half an insatiable, eager fire. The dining table drifts by, and she attempts to swim over to it, all the while thanking Landon for making her put the life vest on. Perhaps he knew the ship would sink. It takes several tries before she is able to get onto the table, but she finally does. She drifts for a while, wondering where Landon and Jaden are and hoping they aren’t hurt. Hoping they’ll find her before she drifts too far from the wreckage.
To her chagrin, the ship breaks into several pieces until it’s overtaken by the ocean’s fearless water, swallowing every last inch of the fire with it.
CHAPTER 8: BEACHED
15 years old
The sun embraces the water and brings the ocean alive with orange, red, and pink. Clouds scatter in the sky, burning with the sun’s rays. Summer’s lips are cracked and bleeding; she is so thirsty she considers drinking the ocean water even though she knows it will only hurt, and her skin is so burned she is not sure if she can suffer through another day at sea. The sight of the sun should be a relief because now she can see farther out, but to her disgust there isn’t land in sight. She flops back against the dining table and wonders where she is, but mostly where Landon is. He saved her life and now his might be . . . forfeit, just as the lady said. Surely not, though , she tries to convince herself. It’s impossible .
She drifts over wave after wave and considers speaking again. There isn’t a soul out on the water—nothing to be anxious about. She mouths several words but none of them are verbal. She tries again and again, but continues to fail. She yells at herself internally for being such a stupid coward. She has no excuses anymore, yet she still can’t form a single syllable. Hours pass as her mind wanders onto other subjects. She daydreams of a merman coming to her rescue and falling in love with him, only to be separated by land.
At that thought she begins to wonder what it’s like to actually be on solid ground. She pictures digging her toes into the sand, and the smell of grass on the breeze. She wants to climb a tree and smell a flower. The water seems to turn from a dark blue to a light green. She can almost see to the bottom of the water it is so clear. She lies on her stomach and watches schools of fish swim past in rippling patterns.
Another hour passes when suddenly she’s thrown off the dining table, flips through the air, and lands with a splash in the water. Her feet immediately find purchase under the water. The life vest forces her to float as she gasps for air. Another wave quickly sends her sailing forward. When she comes up for air the second time, she realizes she is on a beach. It’s the most beautiful sight she has ever seen, though it’s not exactly what she had pictured.
“ Go, Ducky! Run!” he shouts.
Summer jumps over them and down the stairs. The man at the bottom is sitting up, dazed, holding his head. She kicks him in the gut—though without shoes she’s not sure how much it actually hurts. He grunts and falls back down to the ground anyway.
She feels silly wearing the life vest as she rushes towards the side of the ship where the boat overhangs. Before she can reach it something explodes, and she’s thrown overboard. Her hair flings wildly into her face as she flies through the air backwards. It happens to quickly that she isn’t sure how to react, then her back smacks against the ocean water. She plummets several feet into the depths until her life vest yanks her back to the surface. She spits salty water from her mouth and goes into an immediate coughing fit. The water is a little chilly, but it’s not too cold. Her biggest fear? She can’t swim. Silly , she realizes, considering I’ve lived on a ship in the middle of the ocean for most of my life .
She glances up to the ship that is now halfway in the water, the other half an insatiable, eager fire. The dining table drifts by, and she attempts to swim over to it, all the while thanking Landon for making her put the life vest on. Perhaps he knew the ship would sink. It takes several tries before she is able to get onto the table, but she finally does. She drifts for a while, wondering where Landon and Jaden are and hoping they aren’t hurt. Hoping they’ll find her before she drifts too far from the wreckage.
To her chagrin, the ship breaks into several pieces until it’s overtaken by the ocean’s fearless water, swallowing every last inch of the fire with it.
CHAPTER 8: BEACHED
15 years old
The sun embraces the water and brings the ocean alive with orange, red, and pink. Clouds scatter in the sky, burning with the sun’s rays. Summer’s lips are cracked and bleeding; she is so thirsty she considers drinking the ocean water even though she knows it will only hurt, and her skin is so burned she is not sure if she can suffer through another day at sea. The sight of the sun should be a relief because now she can see farther out, but to her disgust there isn’t land in sight. She flops back against the dining table and wonders where she is, but mostly where Landon is. He saved her life and now his might be . . . forfeit, just as the lady said. Surely not, though , she tries to convince herself. It’s impossible .
She drifts over wave after wave and considers speaking again. There isn’t a soul out on the water—nothing to be anxious about. She mouths several words but none of them are verbal. She tries again and again, but continues to fail. She yells at herself internally for being such a stupid coward. She has no excuses anymore, yet she still can’t form a single syllable. Hours pass as her mind wanders onto other subjects. She daydreams of a merman coming to her rescue and falling in love with him, only to be separated by land.
At that thought she begins to wonder what it’s like to actually be on solid ground. She pictures digging her toes into the sand, and the smell of grass on the breeze. She wants to climb a tree and smell a flower. The water seems to turn from a dark blue to a light green. She can almost see to the bottom of the water it is so clear. She lies on her stomach and watches schools of fish swim past in rippling patterns.
Another hour passes when suddenly she’s thrown off the dining table, flips through the air, and lands with a splash in the water. Her feet immediately find purchase under the water. The life vest forces her to float as she gasps for air. Another wave quickly sends her sailing forward. When she comes up for air the second time, she realizes she is on a beach. It’s the most beautiful sight she has ever seen, though it’s not exactly what she had pictured.
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