Chapter Forty-Three: Sliding Grip:
They were all
falling away. Kiko still held on. She tried to get Mariko to do the same.
“Stay with me,”
she’d say. Her fellow prisoner would nod. But it didn’t look like it was going
to hold.
Drag. Drag.
Drag. Drag.
It’s getting
harder to breathe. Still Kiko won’t give up. As long as she can keep her head
above she has a chance. Survival came first.
“Why don’t you
just give in?”
She gritted her
teeth. “No!” His laughter her ears.
“I admire your
will to hang on. I almost want to shake your hand. Almost. It’s quite annoying.”
This back and forth goes on daily. Both of them are sick of it.
“I won’t give
in.”
“You might as
well.”
“No!”
“You are so
annoying.”
Drag. Drag.
Drag. Drag.
More keep
coming. Some try to stay above. Others already end up drowned. Kiko still hung
on. She tried to get Mariko to do the same.
“Are you still
here?” Kiko asked.
“Yes,” the other
woman said. Kiko breathed out.
“Good,” she
said. They try to get back to the others too. Her words were starting to get
weak. How many were left now? She’s lost count.
Drag. Drag.
Drag. Drag.
It’s going to be
another hunt tonight. She can’t stop it at this point. The energy just wasn’t
there. Kiko had to stay above if she wanted to get home.
But they were
not alone tonight.
Drag. Drag. Dra…
“Ah. They’re
already here,” he said.
“What?” Kiko
asked. She looked out through the black and red waves. Two shadowy figures stood
at the other end of the park. Kiko could hear her hear pounding against her
chest.
“Oh no…” she
murmured.
“Oh yes!” he said. The cycle began again. But Kiko still will not submit. What is going to happen next?