“No, we don’t.” Levi snatched the bag from the floor of the raft. “David’s holding on to the branch.”
Jasper’s mouth formed a grim line. He balled his fists in his lap.
“Hey,” Keith said. “Settle down, you two. I need you to let me be the guide here. Got it, Levi?”
Jasper leaned in close. “Keith’s right. You’ve got to let him lead.”
Candace whipped out her phone. “While you guys sit here and argue, I’m calling 911.”
“We’re not arguing!” all three men bellowed.
She rolled her eyes, then stabbed at her phone’s buttons and pressed the device to her ear. Her body swayed with the movements of the raft bouncing along downriver. “Hello? Yes, this is Candace Finch. We have three people fallen overboard on the Poplar River—one of them is bleeding pretty badly. We need help here fast.”
“Tell them to meet us at the lookout spot. They’ll know what I mean,” Keith directed.
Candace nodded and repeated Keith’s instructions to the person on the other line. “Keith says you should meet us at the lookout and that you’ll know what he means.”
“Real creative emergency-action plan,” Levi sneered. His patience had been worn thin.
He laid his oar aside, took hold of a bag, untwisted the rope from it and chucked it with all his might in Savannah’s direction.
“Catch hold of that rope, Savvy!”
Please grab it.
She was struggling in the wild waters. Her life jacket was keeping her afloat, but her lips were turning blue. Savannah swam desperately in an attempt to reach the rope, but it was no use. She was too far away from its reach.
Keith frowned and shook his head. “You did not just do that. We can only throw our ropes within seventy-five feet of another person.”
Oops. “She’s farther downstream now,” Levi said, gripping his helmet with both hands. “I had to do something.”
“EMS is on the way,” Candace said, stowing her phone out of sight. “That’s good news, right?”
Levi shook his head. “We have to get Savvy out of that whirlpool.”
“That’s why I’m telling you to listen,” Keith said, his voice tense. “We still have some options.”
A heavy feeling settled in Levi’s chest. They had to get Savannah back in the raft, and they needed help with David and Alexis too. The rain fell harder, stinging his skin as it was whipped by the wind. Through the gloom, Levi could still make out Savannah, in her yellow rain gear and bright red life jacket, out in the river.
Jasper managed to tug on the rope and toss it to her again. She caught hold of the knotted end this time, and Jasper and Levi worked together to pull her toward them.
Then horror swept across her face, and the rope slipped from her hands.
“My leg! I’m caught!” she cried out.
“What do we do?” Jasper yelled over the roar of the rushing water.
“Just hang on,” Keith said firmly. “Stay calm. We can do this.” He nodded at Candace and Jasper, motioning for them to start paddling the boat closer to Savannah. Levi didn’t add that he could paddle too. He’d already made enough mistakes today. Slowly but surely, Keith guided the raft until they were close enough for him to reach out with his paddle.
“Let us reel you in,” Keith implored.
Savannah nodded, her teeth chattering, as she reached out and clung desperately to the paddle.
“Thank You, Lord,” she croaked as Levi, Jasper and Keith gripped her under each arm and hoisted her out of the water. She collapsed on the floor of the raft before breaking into sobs. Levi sat back down, his shoulders sagging with relief. A clump of Savannah’s strawberry blond hair was plastered to her cheekbone, and water dripped from the tips of her eyelashes like tears. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath.
“We’re glad you made it back in the boat,” Jasper mumbled, giving her arm an awkward pat.
Savannah gave a tiny nod as if acknowledging their concern before brushing at the water on her face with trembling fingers. Levi wanted to reassure her that everything was okay, but instead he sat quietly, trying not to vomit. His stomach roiled with guilt, and he wished it would stop so he could think straight.
They’d almost lost her. He opened his mouth to speak. The words didn’t come. His whole body shook. What if his stupidity had cost Savannah her life?
“Ugh, how embarrassing. Who falls overboard on a basic river-rafting trip?” Savannah huddled under the blanket Hayley had brought her.
“Stop beating yourself up over it. Accidents happen,” Juliet said sympathetically, setting down a mug of steaming tea on the table in front of her. “And here’s some sugar, too, for your tea.”
“Oh, wow, thank you so much.” Savannah offered her sisters grateful glances. “I’m sorry I’m being such a baby.”
“You have my permission to complain.” Hayley plopped down next to Savannah on the couch. “That must have been scary.”
Savannah shook her head and shifted away from the blanket, leaning forward to grab her tea. “I don’t think I want to do it again,” she said. “Have you heard how everyone else is doing? Someone mentioned that Alexis might have a concussion.”
Juliet grabbed her phone and checked it. “Nothing new,” she said, shaking her head. Her friend was one of the paramedics who’d been at the scene, but there was no new information.
“Movie?” Hayley suggested, grabbing for the remote. But before they could decide on what to watch, there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it,” Juliet offered, heading toward the entryway. Their parents weren’t home—they were visiting friends in Fairbanks and weren’t due back until tomorrow. Hayley had kept them up to date on Savannah’s condition, who only needed an evaluation from the paramedics before being sent home with instructions to stay warm and dry and return to the emergency room if she went into shock.
Juliet came back into the room with Levi and Wren in tow.
