shoulder first, sending her body into a series of cartwheels, and then totally underwater. She flailed her arms and legs, and popped back to the surface, coughing and spitting water. She slipped back under, too tired and beaten to tread water for more than three seconds. Roxie flailed again, but took in more water than air when she came back up. She knew how to swim yet lacked the strength to put her knowledge to use.
Roxie’s body rose with a swell of water, then plunged back under like an anchor after it passed. She reached for the surface, but the last of her strength had finally given out. Her lungs burned for air. She fought against her reflex to inhale.
A strong pair of normal-sized arms grabbed Roxie under the shoulders and hoisted her to the surface. Roxie gulped in air and feebly paddled her arms.
“I’ve got you,” Aerigo said. “Just relax.”
Roxie grabbed hold of the arm wrapped around her chest and rested her head against Aerigo’s neck. Next thing she realized they were gliding through the water as if they were tied to a motorboat cruising at medium speed. The strange thing was Aerigo had his legs fully extended and still. His free arm was stretched ahead, reaching for the shore a couple hundred yards away. They were trolling along way faster than humanly possible. Magic, Roxie surmised.
As soon as they reached waist-deep water, Aerigo took Roxie in both arms. Roxie let out a cry and reached for her legs. “Aerigo, my knees! Put me down!”
“No. We need to get back to your house as quickly as possible. I have a healing balm in my pack.” He ran for the forest, his feet padding along the sand, then the tall grass superhumanly fast.
A healing balm sounded great. But facing her grandmother? Not so much. “Is she okay? I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
“I know. All she has is a headache. You surprised her more than anything.”
Guilt welled in her battered chest. “Your eyes are glowing red.” Was he angry with her for her carelessness and running off?
“I’m furious with Daio; not you, if that’s what you’re worried about. I shouldn’t have let him live last night.” They entered the forest and Aerigo sped along the path. The canopy flew by in a blur of greens, browns and splotches of light. Roxie shut her eyes so she wouldn’t get dizzy.
“You must’ve had a good reason to.” Roxie said.
Aerigo kept quiet a moment as he ran, then said, “We used to be friends. He’s not who he once was.”
Roxie wanted to know what happened but her body must have run out of adrenaline. The pain increased tenfold. She urged through clenched teeth for Aerigo to hurry, then started moaning. The longest and most excruciating minute of her life later, they reached the back porch of her home. It felt like her knees were being held together only by her skin, and her whole body felt like Daio had stepped on her, instead of squashed her with his hand. Aerigo sidestepped inside and the screen door screeched shut behind them.
“Oh, my god! What happened?” Grandma raced towards them.
“Where’s your nearest shower tub?” Aerigo said.
“This way!”
Roxie recognized the path down the hall, and then the acoustics of the bathroom. She opened her eyes when she felt the ceramic tub touch her skin, then screamed once her full weight settled on it. She gasped for breath as she tried to find a way to take in air without it hurting. Every bone in her body had to be broken, or almost broken. She hugged her arms to her chest and raised her knees so her
Roxie’s body rose with a swell of water, then plunged back under like an anchor after it passed. She reached for the surface, but the last of her strength had finally given out. Her lungs burned for air. She fought against her reflex to inhale.
A strong pair of normal-sized arms grabbed Roxie under the shoulders and hoisted her to the surface. Roxie gulped in air and feebly paddled her arms.
“I’ve got you,” Aerigo said. “Just relax.”
Roxie grabbed hold of the arm wrapped around her chest and rested her head against Aerigo’s neck. Next thing she realized they were gliding through the water as if they were tied to a motorboat cruising at medium speed. The strange thing was Aerigo had his legs fully extended and still. His free arm was stretched ahead, reaching for the shore a couple hundred yards away. They were trolling along way faster than humanly possible. Magic, Roxie surmised.
As soon as they reached waist-deep water, Aerigo took Roxie in both arms. Roxie let out a cry and reached for her legs. “Aerigo, my knees! Put me down!”
“No. We need to get back to your house as quickly as possible. I have a healing balm in my pack.” He ran for the forest, his feet padding along the sand, then the tall grass superhumanly fast.
A healing balm sounded great. But facing her grandmother? Not so much. “Is she okay? I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
“I know. All she has is a headache. You surprised her more than anything.”
Guilt welled in her battered chest. “Your eyes are glowing red.” Was he angry with her for her carelessness and running off?
“I’m furious with Daio; not you, if that’s what you’re worried about. I shouldn’t have let him live last night.” They entered the forest and Aerigo sped along the path. The canopy flew by in a blur of greens, browns and splotches of light. Roxie shut her eyes so she wouldn’t get dizzy.
“You must’ve had a good reason to.” Roxie said.
Aerigo kept quiet a moment as he ran, then said, “We used to be friends. He’s not who he once was.”
Roxie wanted to know what happened but her body must have run out of adrenaline. The pain increased tenfold. She urged through clenched teeth for Aerigo to hurry, then started moaning. The longest and most excruciating minute of her life later, they reached the back porch of her home. It felt like her knees were being held together only by her skin, and her whole body felt like Daio had stepped on her, instead of squashed her with his hand. Aerigo sidestepped inside and the screen door screeched shut behind them.
“Oh, my god! What happened?” Grandma raced towards them.
“Where’s your nearest shower tub?” Aerigo said.
“This way!”
Roxie recognized the path down the hall, and then the acoustics of the bathroom. She opened her eyes when she felt the ceramic tub touch her skin, then screamed once her full weight settled on it. She gasped for breath as she tried to find a way to take in air without it hurting. Every bone in her body had to be broken, or almost broken. She hugged her arms to her chest and raised her knees so her
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