The river raged like a living beast beneath the cliff.
For a long time after the splash, the dark water churned violently, swallowing everything in its depths.
Then slowly—
A hand broke through the surface.
Collin gasped as he dragged himself upward, choking as water filled his mouth and nose. His body trembled violently as he fought against the current that tried to pull him deeper.
"Damn it…" he rasped, coughing hard.
His injured leg screamed with pain. The bullet wound had reopened during the fall, and blood mixed with the river water as he struggled toward the shore.
Every movement felt like his body was being torn apart.
But Collin refused to stop.
Not now.Not after everything.
With one last desperate effort, he reached the muddy bank and clawed his way onto the shore. His fingers dug into the wet soil as he dragged his soaked body forward.
For several seconds he simply lay there, breathing heavily, staring blankly at the dark sky above the jungle.
