*Luca*
Water closes in around me, dark and crushing. My lungs burn, my muscles scream, but I push harder, searching through the murky gloom. A faint, shimmering light appears ahead, breaking through the cold blackness like a beacon. I reach for it, and for her.
I close my fingers around Ava’s arm. She’s limp, heavy in the river. I pull with everything I have, fighting the relentless current. The ropes around her ankles are cut, but still bind her, slowing us both. I wrench them free, my heart pounding, my lungs desperate for air.
Finally, the light grows brighter and warmer, as we reach the surface. I kick upward, pulling Ava with me until we break through the water. I cough and sputter, dragging her onto the muddy bank. My arms shake as I roll her onto her side, my fingers pressing her
