When It Comes For You

Ten: Beast

"H-help me!"

Sniffling, Aimee looked for the source of the voice.

A young female in an orange life jacket bobbled in the water a few meters away.

She moved from Chad and half hung over the side of the hull.

"Here! Over here!" Aimee shouted.

When the female waded closer, Aimee saw she couldn't be any older than fifteen or sixteen.

The girl reached the hull and peered up.

"I-I can't get to you!" She whimpered.

Aimee held out a hand. "If you can jump, I'll catch you!"

The girl hesitated for a second before leaping upward.

Aimee caught her outstretched arm and hauled her on top.

She studied the water-logged teenager and noticed that one shoulder held an unnatural-looking slump.

"You have to help her!" The girl sobbed.

"Help who?" Aimee asked.

"Lizzy." She pointed in the direction of the wreckage. "My sister!"

Aimee's brown eyes darkened once she spotted the other girl.

Lizzie's golden blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight. Her little hands gripped the sides of her vest, her eyes wide with fear.

Her petite body bobbed with the rolling waves.

Too far. She was simply too far away.

Something caught her eye.

To the north, near where water met the sky, was a ship.

"T-that's a Coast Guard Cutter." The teen murmured. "I have an older brother stationed at Cape Vincent."

Aimee didn't respond as she glanced back and forth from the approaching ship and the girl adrift in the water.

She badly wanted to wait for the Coast Guard to arrive and rescue the girl.

But with the creature somewhere out there, Aimee knew the girl wouldn't stand a chance if she waited for the help.

"Please, please help Lizzie!" The teenager begged.

Cold sweat beaded on Aimee's forehead. Her legs felt as if they had turned to stone. Her heart pounded inside her head as everything around her began to spin out of control.

Mae's round, dimpled face filled her mind.

She couldn't save her own sister.

Aimee moaned as she rocked back and forth.

But what if she could help save Lizzie?

She took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled before turning to the girl.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"M-Margo."

Aimee stood, her legs shaking.

"Margo. Need you to watch my friend there while I go get your sister, okay?"

Before waiting for Margo's answer, Aimee jumped into the water.

She swam hard and reached the girl a short time later.

The child was no older than five.

Her chubby face, so pale.

"Hi, Lizzie." She forced a smile. "I'm here to help you get back to your sister, Margo. Ready?"

Lizzie's blue eyes blinked furiously at her and nodded.

Aimee took hold of the grab handle of the girl's vest and began the swim back to the sailboat.

Even with adrenaline pumping through her, Aimee knew she had spent most of her energy in getting to the girl.

Instead of rushing back, Aimee settled into a steady pace to conserve her strength.

She kept her eyes trained on the sailboat as it drew closer. Margo was on her knees beside the unconscious Chad.

Each time any thought of the creature attempted to enter her mind, she immediately squelched it.

Twenty feet from the boat, Margo abruptly stood.

"Behind you!" Margo shrieked.

Aimee's first instinct was to freeze.

No! She screamed silently.

The water was not going to claim this girl's life.

A sudden surge of energy flooded her body, propelling her forward at a much faster speed.

Opting not to slow down, she bumped hard into the side of the sailboat.

"Grab her!" Aimee yelled at Margo.

She took Lizzie by the torso and threw her up into the air.

In that split moment, a thought occurred to her.

How was Margo to catch her sister with one functional arm?

But it wasn't Margo who caught the child.

It was Chad.

He snatched the girl in midair and pulled her onto the hull.

After handing Lizzie off to her older sister, Chad leaned over the side.

His eyes met hers.

And Aimee knew then that it was over for her.

At first, she felt the increasing pressure of the water building beneath her.

Then, excruciating pain seared through her legs.

It felt like an enormous rope lined with razors had coiled around her lower body.

As she was pulled under, the humming from the approaching ship's engine was the last thing she heard before darkness claimed her.