The Passing; Desperation

Quickly she rushed to the room, her footsteps thudding like the pounding of drums in a storm. She gasped for air, her breaths coming in short, ragged bursts. Lily stood silently as if she was a statue. Vincent tried to wake up his seemingly 'asleep' father. He shook him vigorously, but the old man didn't respond. His voice choked as tears streamed down his eyes, his cries piercing the air like a wounded animal's desperate plea. "NO! I'M NOT READY! NOT YET! DAD! COME BACK!" he yelled. Suddenly, the old man's eyes fluttered open, and he wheezed. 

Vincent squeezed his father's shoulders. "DAD! YOU'RE ALIVE!" he exclaimed, then turned to Isabella, who was almost going to break down, her eyes already teary and red. "BELLA! HELP ME GET HIM UP!" he called, as she hurriedly approached.

"No…" grandpa wheezed, his voice feeble and strained like the last dying embers of a fading fire.

"What do you… mean—" Vincent said.

"I see something…" the old man said.

"Wha—"

"It's collapsing."

Isabella sat close, holding grandpa's arm. "What…?"

"God didn't forgive…" said grandpa. 

"He— he saved you!" Vincent exclaimed.

Grandpa pointed to something weakly. "The floor… it's… collapsing…"

Lily screamed.

The floor groaned, its protest echoing through the room like a death knell, before giving in with a violent crack and plummeting into the harsh floodwaters below. They yelped, their voices lost amidst the roar of the rushing water. Vincent's head popped out of the flowing water, his father had slipped away from his grip. He yelled for his family. "Bella! Lily! D-dad!"

Then, Isabella's head popped out too, as she desperately tried to hang on— hang on to something. The water flowing muffled the surrounding sounds.

"LILY!" Vincent shouted.

"LILY!" Isabella shouted.

But no response came. Until suddenly, they heard a cry for help. "MAMA! PAPA!"

"Stay calm, Lily! We're coming!" Vincent shouted, his voice strained as he fought against the relentless current.

Isabella scanned the murky waters for any sign of Lily. "Lily, sweetheart, hold on! Mama's coming for you!" she called out. And then, they caught sight of her. Lily's arms were flailing. She tried to keep her head above the water. Vincent began swimming with the current, he could see the river slowly coming more into view. 

"Lily! Grab onto this!" Vincent shouted, reaching out to her with a trembling hand. The other arm trying to keep him afloat. She reached out towards her father, fingers brushing against Vincent's outstretched hand. She grasped hold, clinging to him with all her might as he pulled her closer. Immediately, Vincent began to swim against the current, slowly going forward, towards Isabella.

"Vinny…!" she called.

"Come on, Bella! I'm almost there!" he said, reaching for her, as water relentlessly beat against his face.

"I can't… anymore… the water's… too cold…!" she yelled. Vincent's hand brushed against hers, but then, his heart sank. A wave crashed into them, tossing them like leaves in a gusty wind. They were plunged into the raging waters. Vincent held his breath, but he flailed, screamed and cried as he realised his hands were empty. He popped his head out, shouting for them, but no response came. His screams were lost in the roar of the tempest. Vincent thrashed against the water, his body battered and bruised. His eyelids slowly gave in, and they shut. Time seemed to slow for him. His body went limp, and the current drove him into the deep river.

Vincent's body was twisted and turned, tossed around in the water like a ragdoll. Downstream he drifted, past jagged rocks and gnarled tree branches. The water, cold and unyielding, battered against his skin like a barrage of icy needles, stinging and numbing him. The river seemed to carry him effortlessly, as if guiding him towards some unknown destination. The rain continued to pelt down on him, mingling with the water. Thunder boomed and lightning streaked across the sky. Water filled his ear canals and splashed in his face, Vincent was continuously being thrashed around. But slowly, his eyelids fluttered open. Then, he felt the cold water enveloping him again like a suffocating blanket. His limbs fought against the current, thrashing and kicking. Finally, his head broke through the surface of the water, gasping for air. Scanning the riverbank through rain-slicked lashes, he found a shoreline he could climb. With a burst of energy, he propelled himself towards the bank. Coughing and sputtering, Vincent dragged himself onto the muddy shore, his clothes clinging to his body like a second skin. He collapsed onto the ground, exhausted and shivering from the cold. The storm still raged above him, but he was safe for now, away from the merciless grip of the river. Lying there, Vincent's mind raced with worry for his family. Where were they? Were they safe? The thought of losing them in the chaos of the storm filled him with dread. Despite his exhaustion, he pushed himself up. The storm was relentless, the wind howled and whipped against his body. Hurriedly, he jumped into the undergrowth, hoping it would keep him warm. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to preserve what little warmth he had left. Vincent's fingers fumbled with the wet fabric of his clothes, his teeth chattering from the cold. With each squeeze, icy water trickled down his arms, sending shivers down his spine. He winced as his numb fingers struggled to wring out as much water as possible. Once finished, he put them back on. Now dirty from the soil, he ran deeper into the forest, taking shelter from the rain under the canopy every now and then as he continuously wrung his clothes. Goosebumps erupted across his skin as he shivered. The darkness was obscuring his vision, but the lightning occasionally helped him take a glimpse around. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spotted a dense cluster of bushes ahead under a dense tree, perfect for shelter. He quickened his pace. Ducking into the shelter, he groaned in relief. Teeth still chattering, he began sobbing, tears mingling with the storm.