𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 | | 1917

3. I'M GOING THERE

" It is a moment, an experience, a something where your trust is smashed, your worth is gone and all that is left is pain. "

-

JO FELT HERSELF becoming heavier and heavier. If only she wasn't wearing that bloody dress. The cotton pulled her down like a leaf in the wind. Reaching out for anything that would stop her from sinking while quickly running out of air.

She felt a hand grabbing hers and starting to pull her upwards slowly. When she finally reached the surface, everything spun around her. She gasped for air and waved with her arms in an attempt to get the situation in control, but failing. The stream was strong, dragging her along with it. Assuming she was nothing more than yet another branch in the never-ending sea of dried-out waste.

"It's- it's okay. You're okay," the voice of William spoke to her. Seemingly coming from all kinds of directions. She felt looked down upon while kicking forcefully as to stay above the water level. Desperately looking around. Finding the source of his reassuring voice.

She felt his cold hand on her face as he made her look him into the eyes.

"It's- we're safe now." he tried speaking as softly as he could, in a quiet manner, searching for some sort of acknowledgement in her intense eyes. His warm breath dusted her icy cheeks in such a polite manner.

She stayed silent, as their bodies continued being swapped down the stream. William had caught a branch that had been floating by and held onto it as Jo had her own steady grip around his arm. Nothing else but the poor soldier to hold close.

The water turned calm, melodic, and kind.
Her feet became numb and her throat continued to cough until her insides turned dry. A low sound could be heard in front of them, but neither showed any signs of making an effort to see the source of it.

Jo stared at William as panic flashed onto his face. He tried to grab onto any nearby rock or another branch in an act to get to the side, but the stream was too strong. They got caught in the speed and only then did Jo see the waterfall.

It was too late for her to react when they were swung over the edge, losing each other's grip and landing in the water with a splash. Falling deeper and deeper away from reality.

The young woman managed to grab a rock and pull herself upwards and though her arms remained weak, she still felt her eyes searching for the surface. She gasped beggingly for air once she was given it, yet her lungs seemingly didn't have enough room for the oxygen she actually needed.

It took her a couple of moments of flustered breaths in silence before realizing that Will wasn't there. Her dark pupils tried searching for his figure under the water, but it was far too dark under there for her to grasp anything at all.

A few long moments lasted when she suddenly saw something as it resurfaced the cold water, gasping for air. She tried to get closer to Will but had a hard time once the weight of her own body felt far too overwhelming.

She noticed the way his eyes darted, avoiding hers as if he just had woken up from a horrible daydream. Almost only his face was above the surface, staring up into the sky. She wondered if his wound had worsened, and she suddenly became very aware of the sudden situation she had been thrown into.

White petals washed by them. He raised his arm, letting the small leaves clinging onto his skin.

Jo struggled to keep herself above water while watching him from a few feet behind.

"Lance-" a gurgling sound brought Will back as the woman's face got pulled under the surface. Watching her empty hand reach out for something that wasn't there, he hastily turned his entire self towards her. Moving closer and eventually helping her unstable figure from drowning completely.