Chapter 29: Emily: Signs of Life

"There wasn't anything we could do for her," Aiden says softly.

His words do nothing to calm me, though. "That could have been me. She was pulling me in there with her." I look up at him through teary eyes.

He brushes a strand of hair from my face, his hand lingering on my cheek. "She was trying to get out, Emily. Nothing else."

My lips quiver, and I nod.

"Hey, what's the hold up? She hurt?" Tom calls back to us.

"She's fine." Aiden's reply is curt and stern. "Do you want to keep going? Or do you want to go back to the beach?"

"No, I want to keep going." If I go back to the beach, I'll have to see Sierra, and I can't face her knowing I hadn't done anything to help her sister.

"Then let's get moving!" Tom hollers.