Chapter 7

“Let's just leave him to die there.” Yuri steps away from the river bank, holding his side that's clearly in pain. “He deserves it.”

“Please.” Jessica holds Yuri's wrist to stop him.

Another sigh escapes Yuri's lips as he stares into Jessica's eyes. The man holds her gaze for a moment before turning back to the river. “He almost killed you. Killed us. And I don't think I want to swim back and forth once more. Not with that current. Not with this rain.”

“I'll swim.”

Yuri snorts a cynical one as he walks to the row of huge trees. “I adore your compassion to save other, Jess but you'll drown yourself stupid before you even reach him.”

Jessica follows Yuri behind, watching in confusion as the man starts yanking at long vines that hung from one of the trees. When he starts to twist them into rope, she understands and helps immediately. They gather as much vine as possible, making two long thread of make-shift ropes.

“It's too far to throw him one. I guess I should swim and hand him the second rope instead.” He says as he tugs at the makeshift-rope to test its strength. “You hold this end. This will ensure no one will drift too far away or end up drowning. I'll swim back, you pull me if it's look like I lose strength then we'll both pull Robert ashore. Sounds foolproof right?”

Jessica nods.

“No, Jess. It sounds completely stupid. But we have to do it anyway.” He sighs. When he's about to circle one rope around his waist, Jessica stops him.

“I'll swim.”

He raises an eyebrow at her.

“You are wounded and our chance of succeeding is better if you are the one who pulls me ashore instead. I don't have the muscles for the job.”

He still doesn't budge.

“I'm not a good swimmer but I won't drown myself stupid.” She smiles a little. “I'll start further upstream so I can reach him without much swimming.”

“Smart girl.” He gives her a grim smile, repeating his plan as he carefully wraps the bundle of vines around Jessica's waist. After testing its strength for one last time he puts his hands on each side of her shoulders. “Swim hard, okay. Hand him the second rope and swim away immediately. Don't let him touch you. Don't even dare to pity him. This is more than the he deserves.”

“Okay.” Jessica nods, actually a nervous wreck herself.

“If he gives even the slightest hint of turning back into his -self, ditch him.”

“Will do.”

They walks a few hundreds meters upstream and he repeats all his instructions, clearly worrying about her safety.

“Be strong, Jessica.” His words are whispered, nearly inaudible under the rain that starts to get heavier. His hands are on both side of her shoulders as he leads her to the water and Jessica can feel his heavy breath on the top of her head. “I really wish there's other way.”

“It's okay.” She tries to calm him while actually trying hard to calm herself. Now that she's actually standing so close to the water the river seems to be so wide and so impossible to cross.

“See you soon.” He kisses the back of her head and hug her from behind briefly, sending her off. Jessica shivers, and she hates the fact that she can't tell if it's because Yuri's sudden embrace or because the cold of the rain.

“See you soon.” Jessica gets into the water once more, this time voluntarily. She looks back at Yuri before taking her first in the water, hoping to actually see him again soon.

The water is colder, the current hits her frail body harder, and the pouring rain adds more misery to Jessica's struggle. She can't imagine living with the guilt of letting Robert die just like that though, so she swims hard.

She almost misses the huge rock but manage to hook her fingers in the crook on the side of it. Her eyes meet Robert's as she struggle to climb up, not a second he shows any intention of helping her. That moment, she's tempted to leave him then and there, rotten in the middle of the streaming water. But she needs a rest herself before swimming back and the only way to it is by perching on top of the rock like Robert do.

“You have to help me up.” Jessica heaves a breath, gripping the edge of crook tighter as she extends a hand to him.

Robert doesn't move, sitting on the top of the rock like a statue.

“Robert!” Jessica hisses. “Help me up so I can help you cross the river.”

“You come to help me?” He seems stunned, staring at Jessica's hands.

“Yes, Robert. Now help me up!”

It feels like forever when the man finally moves but he moves, slowly, and Jessica can get on top of the rock safely. There's barely enough surface for both of them, Jessica has to hold onto Robert's thigh as she adjust herself. The glint in his eyes as she does so makes Jessica wants to vomit. She tries her best to ignore the rising bile and hands the rope to Robert.

“Wrap this around your waist so we can pull you ashore if you're to tired of swimming.”

He stares at the rope. “I can't swim. I'm injured.”

“You already said that in the raft when we're tossed and turned by the ocean, Robert! Yet you chased me around the woods and up that hill so cut it!”

“I really-really can't, Sica.” He points at his leg where a long gash drips blood out. “You need to help me.”

Jessica looks at where Yuri is standing, a tall shadow across the river. The deal is for her to come back alone so they both can pull Robert ashore together. Jessica looks at Robert once more before looking at herself. She can barely swim through on her own. How is she supposed to carry Robert across the river.

“Just... Just wrap the rope first.” She tries to scan the river, squinting to see better.

“I can't swim alone, Sica. The river. It looks angry.”

“Yes. It's angry and It brings companies with its wrath.” ” Jessica sighs, squinting again. Rain is pouring hard and she wishes for the comfort of her home beyond anything at the moment. “There are logs coming with the current, Robert. They can help us afloat. Wait for a bigger one and jump, okay? Hold onto the log as tight as you can.”

“But... Jessica.... I'm afraid.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jessica groans. “Snort whatever you snorted back in the raft and get that crazy bravery back in you!”

“But-”

“That one! That's big enough!” Jessica points at one drifting log. “Jump!”

She jumps, grabbing the log with all her might. Something weighs her down and she angrily realizes that Robert has decided to cling onto her from behind. The man has his hands around her neck and his weigh pulls Jessica into the water.

“Robert! Let me go!” Yelling, Jessica spits out the water that accidentally gets into .

“No! No! I can't swim!”

“Grab the log on your own. Robert! Let me go!” She kicks her feet, trying hard to swim to the edge of the river while fighting the current and Robert's vice grip at the same time. She can feel the tug of the rope around her waist which means Yuri is pulling her in at the moment.

“Robert!” She tries once more. “You're not helping. We both might end up drowning like this!”

The man doesn't let go while the current practically drag them so far Jessica can't see Yuri's shadow anymore.

“Robert! Get off me!”

“No-”

“Get off me!” Jessica sends a punch behind. The thwacking sound reaches her ear despite the rumbling rain. She can feels his grip on her neck loosen and takes a deep breath