Free Stranded by Don Prichard, Stephanie Prichard

“We need to run.”
    He put Betty between them, her arms clasping their shoulders, and lifted her off her feet. “Keep in step with me,” he directed Crystal. “Right, left, right, left. Faster.” He matched his stride to hers. “Faster. Atta girl.” In a rush of adrenaline, he bore the brunt of Betty’s weight and pushed Crystal to run as fast as she could.
    When they arrived at the foot of the rock, Betty’s sunburned face was pasty. She sank next to her wheezing niece.
    “I’m sorry, but to save Eve, you need to climb the rock.” Jake lifted Betty to her feet and Crystal stumbled to hers. “I’ll go first and hold your hand. Crystal, you reach up and steady her.”
    He climbed part way and was pleased to see Betty watching where he placed his feet. When he reached down for her hand, she clasped his without hesitation. Plucky old dame. They just might pull this off.
    Blood seeped from several scrapes on Betty’s legs by the time they reached the top. He plunked her under a palm tree and searched for Eve. His breath left him when he saw how much closer she was. Any minute the current would catch her and drag her past the island.
    “She’s not moving.” Betty’s hand jerked to her mouth. “What if—”
    —she was dead? Jake grimaced. “I’m going after her.” He lowered himself over the edge of the rock. “I won’t be able to see her when I start out, so you need to keep adjusting my direction with hand signals until we intersect.”
    While making his way back down the rock, he slipped in his haste and crashed to the base. He shook out his arms and legs. No bones broken. He got to his feet and put on his life vest. Plucking up the other two, he limped across the beach and splashed into the ocean.

Chapter 10
     
    Jake staggered against the crashing waves as if he were a drunk flailing a bouncer. The breakers shoved him backwards, slugged his face, and snatched at the two life vests tied to his own. He fought past the fracas to the swells of deeper water and swam on his back, his gaze nailed to Betty. Her arms remained at her side. His gut churned. What was she waiting for? Had she lost sight of Eve?
    Finally she waved her right arm over her head and pointed south. His stomach looped into knots. Surely Eve hadn’t slipped past him? Three times, Betty signaled him with a big circle followed by churning arms to flip onto his stomach and swim hard. He chopped the water, heart hammering, until his lungs clamored for oxygen. Each time he raised his head, Betty gestured him with another big circle to flip onto his back again.
    At last she stood and pointed. Next to her, Crystal jumped up and down. Eve—she must be nearby.
    He treaded water until he spotted her several arms’ lengths away. Nothing moved but her long, ropy hair swirling around her head. Please God, not again . He swam to her and grabbed her arm. It was cold. Icy cold.
    He slipped his other hand to her neck. Above his fingers, her face was red and swollen with tiny, cellophane blisters. Her lips and eyelids and ears bulged like crimson party balloons about to burst. The pain had to be severe, but beneath his fingertips her pulse beat.
    Jake shot a clenched fist high over his head. On shore, Betty raised hers, and Crystal clapped. He smiled, knowing they were cheering with him. Him and the heavenly host.
    “Eve.” He shook her shoulders. Her head lolled without her eyelids giving a twitch. He didn’t dare slap her face or pull her hair to wake her up. Not with that angry red skin already torturing her. He pinched her arm, hard. She didn’t respond.
    All those hours chilling in the ocean—she might never regain consciousness. His stomach clenched. What she needed was warmth. Get her to the beach, and they could take care of that.
    The knots securing the two extra life vests resisted his efforts to release them. He huffed, frustration sawing at his nerves. If Eve’s face slid under water, her lungs would not survive. She needed the aid