Chapter 15: Save the Boy
An elderly man standing next to her heard the commotion. Overjoyed, he said, “Girl, you can swim, right? That’s great. The child is about to drown. Please save him…” His loud voice attracted a crowd. Everyone wanted to save the drowning boy, but no one knew how to swim.
Stephanie looked at the water under the bridge. The river water was far from the cleanliness of a high-end swimming pool. Seeing the turbid river water, she frowned. Disgust flashed in her eyes. The water was so dirty, and its flow so fast. Her life might be in danger if she entered the river. She wouldn’t risk her life for a kid she didn’t know.
But with so many eyes looking at her expectantly, she couldn’t bluntly refuse. Stephanie bit her lip, her eyes softening, and feigned embarrassment. “I only learned swimming in summer class for a few days. I don’t swim well… I may not be able to rescue the boy even if I go down. I can call Lawson to come over; he’s also nearby.”
She took out her phone and affected a kind-hearted attitude while making the call. The elderly man beside her wanted to say it would be too late to call for help, but Stephanie was unwilling to enter the river. He could only stand on the roadside, consumed with worry.
The waves were so high that the struggling child was about to be submerged. Some onlookers called the police. Others tried to find ropes, basins, and other things that could float.
At that moment, a slender figure decisively squeezed through the crowd, set down a bag, and jumped into the river.
“Myrna?” One of the girls who followed Stephanie recognized her. She screamed, “Stephie, isn’t that your sister?”
Everyone at Melcester Central High School knew Myrna wasn’t Stephanie’s biological daughter. They also knew Myrna’s biological parents had come to visit, her father a poor teacher in River Town.
Why didn’t Myrna follow them back to River Town and come here instead? Stephanie also gasped in surprise. She hadn’t expected the person she met at Watershed Restaurant to appear again. What should she do? She had even called Lawson…
The water flowed very fast. When Myrna entered the water, she realized it wasn’t easy to bring the boy up. The boy, unconscious from drowning, grabbed her neck and thrashed around. If this continued, she would be dragged under.
“If you move again, I’ll beat you!” Myrna’s neck was scratched by the boy, and a burning pain shot through her ears. She couldn’t comfort the panicked boy; instead, she gritted her teeth and threatened him in a low voice.
The boy’s wet eyes were as beautiful as black gems. He seemed to have heard her words, and his grip loosened. His little face was caked with mud, making it hard to see his features clearly.
Myrna waited until his movements became gentler and then slapped him on the back of his neck to knock him unconscious. She held his limp body with one hand and swam to the shore. The waves hit her several times, forcing her to take a few sips of river water.
At the riverside, Lawson arrived. He quickly squeezed into the crowd, his expression anxious. He instantly spotted Stephanie and her friends, walked over, grabbed Stephanie’s arm, and worriedly looked her up and down.
“Stephie, are you okay?”
Seeing Lawson, Stephanie curled her lips into a shy, sweet smile and shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Lawson sighed in relief. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” He then greeted Stephanie’s friends. “Hello! I just want to thank you for taking care of Stephie for me. Let’s have dinner together this evening.”
Stephanie’s two classmates’ eyes lit up, and they hurriedly agreed, “Thank you,…”