The Game (2)

How to describe getting hit by a wall of water? Like being hit by a wall but you don't immediately die? Then you start getting thrown around up against rocks and drowned alive? Yeah pretty much.

The wave of water crashed into me and I lost my hold on the wall. It took all of my focus to keep my grip on Blank. Drowning, if I was to die drowning would be on the lower end of the ways to die that I would prefer. Right next to burnt to death and other slow deaths.

I tried to swim against the current, or with it? I don't think my swimming had any effect. I couldn't even manage to get up to where the air was.

A sharp current dragged us sideways into a wall. I crashed against it trying to protect Blank from all the jagged edges. I couldn't see a thing in the murky water. The force of the impact caused me to cough up some of the little air I had, I'm also pretty sure I cracked a few ribs.

Then thankfully a surge of some current pushed us up just enough to grab some air. I didn't even think twice before letting my lips crash into Blank's forcing some air into his. Then another wave crashed over our heads sending us back under. I kicked downward bringing us back to the surface. If I could keep my sense of up and down I might just be able to breathe a bit.

Nearby some driftwood and a tree were being torn up in the current. I grabbed onto one dragging it under us. We slammed into another wall and a long gash opened up on my arm. I jammed m eyes shut in pain for a second before opening them again.

Blank fell face first into the water as we spun around and I grabbed his head with one arm and the drift wood with the other.

Just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse the tree floating in front of us got stuck between two rocks. Like a sharp pile of daggers which we shot straight toward. Very few things were as dangerous as a tree in the water. If you try to go under you'd get caught in the branches and die. If you try to go over you might get skewered alive. Well dry skewered or drowned skewered?

I swam toward the tree remembering a weird lesson a rafting instructor had once told me. Always swim toward a 'sweeper' as they called them, fancy term for tree in the water, if you can't avoid it. Make sure you don't get dragged under it.

Keeping my body one the surface of the water by swimming I launched myself into the tree and managed to pull myself on top of it. Dragging Blank out behind me was a lot harder though.

Since he was unconscious he was not on top of the water and was currently half under and half over the tree. It did not look comfortable. I almost lost him to the underside of the tree before giving an extra strong tug and dragging him above.

Adrenaline was the only thing keeping me alive. Just beyond the tree the sides of the slot canyon opened up and the water was spilling out into a flat area. For a solid second I debated just jumping back in and being spit out. Then I frowned squinting closer. Destroyer was on the banks watching the water pouring out. The last thing I needed was to run into him right now.

I took Blank hauling him over one shoulder and started making my way along the tree toward the cliff wall. The tree was thick thankfully. And now that we weren't being skewered alive the extra branches made it much easier to navigate along the slick trunk.

Each little wave of water sent me stumbling into the branches. A few times I slipped off with one foot on each side leading my sore rear to hurt even more. It didn't help that each time a wave of pleasure coursed through me almost making me want to try to do it with the tree. Stupid drug.

I finally reached the wall and was relieved beyond belief to see a small path of two foot, leading upward along the cliff. Could you call that a path? Maybe the term ledge would be better. The only problem was about 8 feet of current driven water was between me and it.

I made sure Blank was securely on my back then started climbing along the rocks over the water. Somehow we made it to the path and I dropped onto it. I quickly scurried up it away from the deadly current. It wasn't that wide, but maybe we could sleep on it? Sleeping above the flood didn't seem like a good idea though.

I continued upward and to my surprise it opened up into a little alcove with a cave formation on one end. Did the universe finally run out of bad luck to give me for the day? I went straight to the cave, it even had a sandy bottom. I set Blank down gently before collapsing next to him.

I had no strength left but my paranoia kept me awake for quite awhile before I finally drifted off to sleep. How long had I slept for? I looked at the timer.

[Status effect: Poison -50% all stats, +60% dizziness +20% hunger, duration 3 days 12 hours 49 minutes]

[Status effect: sensation poison, effects: unknown]

A day and a half? So long. I pushed myself into a sitting position my whole body groaning in pain.

Blank... I quickly went over to check on him. He looked fine thankfully, but the poison was also in his system. I accidentally nudged his lower second and realized it was like a rock.

I hadn't really tried to stabilize someone's heart before, but it was basic like CPR any healer class could do it, even an alchemist. I gulped what if they had lied though? What reason would they have for lying when they already expected us to be dead though?

"Hey buddy" I whispered quietly, "This might hurt a little okay? Granted why am I even talking it's not like you can hear me."

I rolled my eyes at myself as I unzipped the jeans he was wearing. Then I slipped down his underwear and paused to admire his body.

"Beautiful" I whispered then mentally slapped myself, "Come on Royal focus on saving Blank's life and not your stupid crush and desire to be his boyfriend."

I started gently massaging him while half looking and half feeling obligated to not look. He hadn't specifically given me permission. That and right now he still hated my guts and thought I was a traitor right? He hadn't seen Rush transform had he? No he was unconscious. Just because I wanted him to understand everything didn't mean he did. When he woke up I'd have to ask how much he knew and hope he believed me on the rest.

Even unconscious Blank started responding to the drug until finally his whole body was shaking. Then he released and I felt my heart clench in horror.

His heartbeat had stopped.

I tried to calm my own brain down, then I started the CPR type treatment. Focus keep it steady, and please let this actually work I can't bear to watch him die!

Ten minutes...…

Twenty....

Finally I felt his heart beat start working on its own again. Oh thank goodness. I leaned over and hugged him tightly. He was alive. I could feel tears running down my face as I just held him for the better part of an hour.

Then I fell asleep again.

When I woke my own body felt even worse. My tiredness was gone and I could function again, but my whole body felt hot? The drug was giving me a slight fever, or was it that one of my injuries got infected? Either way I need to keep moving before I am unable to.

If it was just me I could die in this cozy cave, but I have to get Blank back. I stumbled a little as I got to my feet. Then I adjusted Blank on my back again. All I have to do is get by Destroyer, escape the game, get past the rest of team red, and drop Blank by a member of the SnowLeopards. Simple right?

I owe him that much at least since he got dragged into my death match with Team Red.