Chapter 4 - Peace

Annalise's POV

My stomach sank to the bottom as I frantically looked around to find help. I walked back and forth trying to think of something looking back out to see the boy. "He's drowning…the dog too" I mumbled to myself, shaking in fear.

I brought out my phone to call 911. My fingers trembled as I dialed the numbers.

The storm was now less heavy than it was a minute ago but still pouring. I managed to get a call and a man picked up.

"Hello it's 911, what can I do for you?" he asked calmly.

"Uhm hello, there is a boy and…a dog drowning"

"Excuse me? A boy and a dog? His voice cracks through the call.

"Yes yes! A boy and a dog they're drowning in the river I answered frantically

"And they're what? He asked again

"They're drowning…in the river under the silver bridge" my frustration began to show as I raised my voice to answer.

"The silver bridge…?"

"Yes please hurry…they need help" My shaky voice almost bursting into tears.

"okay I'm tracking the location…help would soon arrive"

My eyes plastered against the moving shadow that seems like it was now disappearing.

"Ma'am please stay on the line with me"

"No…No No No!... they're drowning" my heartbeat quicken as I begin shaking my head. I squinted my eyes looking at the river not to lose sight of the boy and the dog.

"Jump!" The voice comes again "You know you want to jump" it trailed down the back of my worn out mind.

"Should I just jump?...No!...but if I wait too long they might not make it…if the boy dies…"

I dropped my phone and took off my coat not sure of what I was doing. I climbed the railings, my body visibly trembling, I didn't know if it was from the cold or the crippling fear that now gripped me entirely without mercy.

It was so ironic.

A Few minutes ago I was praying for death and now I was about to save someone from death possibly…when I couldn't even save myself.

I looked into the deep dark water that seemed to look back at me terrifyingly. Suddenly I remembered the voices that always told me to jump. I couldn't hear them anymore.

I shut my eyes tightly and took a long breath before leaping into the river. My body crashed violently into the freezing water. The cries of the dog and the boy became louder than it was before.

I barely knew how to swim, the last time I did was in middle school probably during P.E classes. I gasped audibly after almost immediately running out of breath to stay on the surface.

I carefully spread my limbs to stay afloat, the water swallowing me and spitting back. The rain that seemed to quiet down comes back roaring.

The weight of the water increased. After trying to calm myself down, I finally managed to crawl my way to the boy and the dog whose audible cries pierced my ears. I grab the boy and raise him up to my shoulder.

The dog latches onto me too and I begin to crawl my way forward to the bank of the river. I felt myself sinking as I tried to swim my way out.

My eyes start to get blurry again as I keep gasping for air. I was getting tired. I spotted the river bank in a small distance so I continued to push my way through the water.

After a few minutes of fighting my way through the heavy water and rainfall, I managed to reach the shallow end of the river and push the boy and the dog towards the bank.

My muscles tensed up trying to fight the exhaustion that seemed to pull me back into the water. I watch the boy and the dog crawl their way up to the bank.

I felt the water violently drag me back but I didn't fight it again. Maybe this was the answer to my prayers. Maybe God was telling me to die.

I never knew why but I always believed there was a God even though I wasn't religious.

And though my life sucked and none of my prayers from when I was little were answered, I never blamed God because I grew accustomed to believing that everything was indeed my fault.

However all of it was about to come to an end. My past, present and future as well as the ache that accompanied it.

So I stopped, I let everything slip away, my desperate grasp of the tiny string of hope I had left in me. My body, my desires, the slow burning passion that died in me…everything no longer mattered.

I felt myself slowly start to sink as the water swallowed me again but this time it doesn't spit me back. I shut my eyes tight and let my body descend deeper and deeper into the freezing embrace of the dark river.

I started to run out of air, my lungs screaming in desperation. Finally I was at peace. The water invaded me as I slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

I waited for my life to flash before my eyes but I saw nothing, only darkness. I heard a distant scream and siren. My body died.