Breaking Point by Lesley Choyce Read Free Book Online Page A

approached the island, I could see that there was no easy way to put us ashore. There were high jagged rocks all along the front, and we both knew we’d be smashed if we tried to get anywhere close to them.
    â€œWe need to go around to the back of the island,” I shouted.
    â€œMy arms…I can barely move them. I don’t know if I can.”
    I felt much the same way. This wasn’t like anything we’d done before. This was a constant struggle. “I don’t think we have a choice,” I told her.
    â€œWe’re not going to make it,” she said.
    It was the first time I’d heard her say anything like this. I knew she was really scared. So was I. I used all my strength to change our course slightly so we would not be going straight to the island but off to one side. The island wasn’t very big. If we could get around it, we’d be somewhat sheltered from the wind and waves. We’d have a chance.
    Just then we got slammed by a wave that was bigger than all the rest. I felt it coming and braced myself. Brianna screamed when the water came down on top of us. I held tight to my paddle and used it to brace us and keep us balanced.
    The wave had pushed us rapidly forward, and I could see we were getting too close to the rock face of the island. I dug in my paddle after the wave had passed and turned us to the right. I knew Brianna was dead tired, but she kept paddling.
    We were being drawn by the waves and currents straight toward the jagged rocks as we both struggled to move us away. There was a break in the incoming waves, and I knew it was our only chance. “Paddle harder!” I shouted.
    She nodded, and I knew she understood. Now or never.
    After several desperate minutes, we slid past the final outcropping and were caught by a strong landward current that pulled us along the side of the island. And I realized we were getting to where we needed to be. The waves were still coming from behind us now, but they were pushing us faster and not breaking.
    I think it was more luck than skill.
    The wind continued to get stronger and stronger, but that too was in our favor. Finally we were able to begin to turn into the calmer waters behind the island, and I saw a sandy stretch up ahead. Brianna knew we were out of the worst of it and stopped paddling. I think her arms just gave out. So I did what needed to be done. And then, at last, we were finally sliding up onto the gravelly beach with a grinding sound that was the most beautiful thing that I’d ever heard.
    I just fell over onto the sand as Brianna pulled the release on the spray skirt and struggled free. She fell down beside me and hugged me with all her might.
    We lay there, breathing heavily when suddenly the skies opened up and a heavy rain began to pour down on us. “It’s the hurricane,” I said, still rather breathless. My words almost got lost, the sound of the rain and wind was so powerful. I knew we were still in plenty of trouble.
    Brianna clung to me. “It’s like we’re being punished.”
    But I knew it wasn’t that. It was bad timing, bad luck and not taking things seriously enough. We’d been reckless. I thought we’d been brave. But it wasn’t that.
    The rain continued to pound down on us, and I knew we couldn’t just lie there. Brianna had her fingernails digging into my side. Her eyes were closed. Neither one of us felt like we had any energy to move. But we had to. I loosened her grip, stood up and felt dizzy, wobbly. I could barely stay standing.
    But I grabbed the rope on the front of the kayak and dragged it up the beach as high as I could go. Then I went back for Brianna, lifted her to her feet, and we trudged up the steep incline of the beach as the rain suddenly stopped.
    â€œThank god, that’s over,” she said.
    â€œIt’s not over. It’s just beginning. If this is the hurricane they predicted coming ashore here, we need to get to