RATH - Inception by Jeff Olah Read Free Book Online Page B

forward. First to his waist and then mid-torso, his lower extremities burned as if ignited with rocket fuel. Each stepped carefully placed along the uneven riverbed, he practically stumbled with each new step.
     
    The water now lapping at Chloe’s feet and just shy of his armpits; they’d yet to traverse the deepest section. Contemplating his next move, Rath pointed to the shore. “Chloe, it’s gonna get a bit deeper, straighten your legs until we get to the other side.
     
    “Okay.”
     
    Moving the soles of her shoes away from the flowing water and straight out in front of him, Rath shifted onto his right leg and dropped another four inches. The water now almost reaching the top of his shoulders, Chloe could feel it passing closely underneath as Rath took another step. His body wrenched to the side as the rock under his left foot broke free—the pair were instantly pulled under.
     
    Her breath rapidly escaping as the icy waters enveloped her, Chloe’s head pounded from the immediate temperature drop. She struggled under the weight of her pack to get to the surface as the current continued moving her downstream. Eyes clamped down tight, she moved her hands back and forth in front of her, searching in vain for a handhold. 
     
    As she was forced to the bottom and her feet scraped the riverbed, she pushed free and her head shot above the surface just long enough to see him swimming toward her. Under once again and the last bit of air drawn from her lungs, Chloe pulled in a mouth full of the freezing liquid that surrounded her. It scorched her throat as it flooded in, enveloping her tiny body.
     
    He visualized the spot where he last saw her and once submerged, pushed off in that direction. Four feet away he slammed into a sizeable boulder and careening to his left came upon her motionless body. Pulling her up by her pack, he reached the surface and fought to pull them both to the opposite shore. Her eyes were still closed and on initial inspection, she was also no longer breathing.
     
    Removing her bag and laying her on the ground, Rath raised her chin and tilted her head back. Preparing to breathe life back into the girl he’d promised to protect, Rath took in a mouthful of the crisp morning air, as the six dark figures emerged from the trees on the opposite shore.

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    The next few minutes would prove to be an interesting contrast of awkwardness and humility. In all the years he’d spent avoiding the beasts lining the opposite shore, he’d never seen them navigate anything near the size of the obstacle that stood between them. He estimated that the river’s fast moving undercurrent, combined with the distance between the two shores, gave him at least sixty seconds to bring Chloe back and move out of the area.
     
    He again drew in a short breath and maintaining her tilted head, pushed the air into her mouth. His first attempt proved to be fruitless as the air traveled down her esophagus and instead of filling her lungs, it entered her stomach. Noticing the rise and fall, he repositioned her head and blew another short breath. Pinching her nose, he pushed another breath in and as he pulled away a mouthful of water drained over her lips.
     
    Turning her head to the side, he waited for the excess water to drain. Placing his ear next to her mouth he listened as five of the Andros entered the water; the sixth sprinted back into the trees and out of sight. Before their attackers had reached the midway point and as he moved her back to center, she coughed up a mouthful of cloudy water.
     
    Although she displayed no signs of breathing on her own, Rath slid his index and middle finger over her carotid and although weak, she at least still held a pulse. Again holding her head in place, he gave two quick breaths and as water continued to trickle out of her mouth, his heart rate began to climb.
     
    The weight and depth of the pulsing river caught the first three Andros by surprise. The middle section was much