ELENA POV
Cold.
That was the first thing I felt.
A cold so deep it had seeped into my bones. Into my blood. Into the very core of me.
Then pain. Everything hurt. My lungs burned. My chest felt like someone had crushed it.
I was moving. Still moving.
The current. It was carrying me.
I tried to open my eyes. Water stung them. Everything was dark. Murky.
I couldn't tell which direction was up.
My hands were still zip-tied behind my back. Useless. Dead weight.
The river dragged me under again. Tumbling. Rolling. Rocks are scraping against my already broken body.
I hit something hard. A boulder, maybe. Pain exploded through my left side.
I gasped involuntarily. Water flooded my mouth. My lungs.
No. No, no, no.
I kicked. Desperately. Wildly. Anything to push myself toward the surface.
My head broke through.
Air. Cold, sharp air.
I gulped it. Coughing. Choking. Spitting out water and blood.
The river was fast. Too fast. I couldn't fight it.
