Chapter 52

She gasped, as if she had been drowning, and all the others let out their breaths in a whoosh. A faint trace of color returned to Maria's face, and the other girls rushed around her. Maria simply lay there for a while, and the others were frantic with joy at her return.

They hugged her and each other and wept a little; they thought that surely she had died, that she was lost forever to them. Elaine's stomach untwisted itself just the tiniest bit, as the guilt released from her system. They still had Maria; all was well.

Tugging her to her feet, they immediately gathered some wood and Jasmine lit a fire, to help them all warm up and dry off. They plied her with questions, and Alicia too; their frantic speech was waved away by Maria, who only wanted some air to breathe, thank you very much.

"You almost died," said Elaine, aghast at what had almost happened.