"Lindsay! Hurry!" I called.
Lindsay looked up at me, her eyes swollen and frightful. Panic seized her face, and she yelled over the storm, "Lauren, run! He's behind you!"
I whirled around, and found myself face to face with Jack. I screamed in panic, and took off the other way. "I'll get you!" he yelled, taking off in the other direction.
I ran into the passenger room, taking huge steps, trying to get my legs to pump faster. 'Come on Lauren, run!' I repeated that over and over in my head.
I ran out through another door, that no one had used yet. I looked around, and realization sank in that their was no where to hide. My eyes darted around, making sure no one was following me. I took a deep breath, and I started to run again, but I was stopped by a booming voice. "Gotcha!" Jack yelled, a triumphant smile on his face, revealing some missing teeth. 'Yuck!' I thought. 'Does this guy ever brush his teeth?'
My heart lept into my throat. What could I do? Now, I was truly trapped.
I struggled to get out of his grasp, but no matter how hard I pulled and tugged, I was no match for him, and I found myself giving in.
I lifted my knee, and with all the strength I had, belted him in the stomach. He howled in pain, and grabbed me tighter. "You little punk!" He cried. "Well, you won't be around for much longer anyway."
What was he talking about? He wouldn't kill me...or would he?
Jack's big hands twisted my arm painfully behind my back. He pushed me forward until I was up against the guard rails, and he pressed me up against it in a painful way.
I let out a grunt of pain and discomfort, but he ignored me, and growled, "Shut up!"
I looked back at where we were tied up, and say Lindsay's rope hanging on the rails, but Lindsay was not there. 'She must've gotten free!' I realized. 'Yes!'
My gaze fell back on Jack, and he twisted me back around, pressing his knee on my back as hard as he could. "Ouch!" I yelled. That hurts! I drew in a sharp breath.
I started to squirm around again, and I tried to use my hips to get out of the uncomfortable position I was in, but it was no use. I couldn't struggle against Jack. He was too strong for me.
Jack quickly ducked down, and grabbed me by my ankles. 'What does he think he's doing?' I wondered.
I could feel myself being raised higher and higher into the air. My scream got caught in my throat, and I tried to protest, but I couldn't find my voice.
'He's throwing me overboard!' I realized. By now, my whole upper body was above the rails. Screaming, I grabbed at the guardrail, but I was too high up. I frantically clawed at the air, and I finally got a hold of something; Jack's shirt.
He ripped my hands away from him, and I almost went overboard. I grabbed the guard rail before I could let myself fall.
"Well, well." Jack said. "You can hold on as long as you want, but sooner or later, your going to fall," he snarled, and threw his head back, laughing.
I screamed when I realized I had lost my grip, and I went plunging into the freezing ocean water.
I heard Zac and Lindsay calling my name, but I was so far away by now, that their voices were just thin ribbons of sound. It was like the boat was a bath toy in the tub.
I went under, and swallowed a mouthful of salt water, making me feel sick to my stomach.
I felt my body going numb, and I lost all feeling. I felt panic rising up inside of me. ' I have to get back!' I thought, determindly.
I kicked my legs, and flailed my arms, but I got myself no farther than I already was. My arms and legs were getting so tired. I had to close my eyes, just for a minute. There was no need to rush. I would be OK. Everything would be OK. I just needed to rest. No one would mind. It was just me and the ocean, now. I felt more relaxed than ever.
A wave splashed over me, and I smiled. The waved continued to splash on and around me, continuing to drag me deeper and deeper.
The next time a wave splashed over my head, spreading my hair around like chocolate sunburst, I didn't struggle. There in the midst of the ocean storm, I gave up the fight.
