The Chamber

Samantha tried to keep hold of Prudence as the water swept them through the dark. She clung to Prudence's left hand, her fingernails digging in hard enough to draw blood. The current drove them along faster, Samantha's fingers losing their grip on Prudence's hand. First her pinkie, then her ring finger let go. With a final scream, Samantha's thumb and index finger lost their grip. She reached out to grab anything she could, but came away with only air.

She tried to fight against the current and find the shore, but again her feeble paddling did nothing against the water. When she had exhausted herself from struggling, she let the current sweep her through the dark. She tried to call Prudence's name only to swallow a mouthful of musty water. She tried to spit the water out, but more filled her mouth until she thought she would choke.

Still battling to get air into her lungs, she smashed into something hard. Samantha tumbled over a boulder, landing on solid ground. For a few minutes she knelt on the stone, spitting out water and trying to catch her breath. When she recovered enough to stand, she set out to find Prudence and figure out where the river had taken them.

She felt her way along the rocky shore, stumbling around with arms outstretched like a blind person. She called for Prudence, but heard only an echo in response. Above her came the screeching and beating wings of bats. One flew close enough to graze the side of her head. She screamed and swatted at it with her hand long after it had streaked away. In the process, she tripped over what she thought was a rock until it groaned. "Prudence?"