Escape, a New Life Read Online Free PDF Page A

not come up that far in the few hours they had spent there.  The fire at the entrance kept the temperature perfect inside.  They decided that they would spend the night here, and if the tide started to get close, they would move.  Eric had volunteered to stay up and tend to the fire for a while so they would not get cold. 
    Hours later, Abby woke up, cold and her feet a little damp. She drowsily opened her eyes and figured that Eric must have fallen asleep on duty. It was black in the cave.  Between being half asleep and facing near total darkness, she could not make out a thing other than the faint glow of the embers from the fire.  She listened closely and finally heard his breathing somewhere just behind her.  She smiled knowing he was close.  She also heard the crash of a wave.  She thought it seemed closer than it should.  Assuming that the sound was just bouncing off the walls of the cave and playing tricks with her ears, she quickly dismissed the thought.
    She sat up and looked at the glowing embers a few feet away at the entrance.  She thought about getting up and putting some kindling and another log on to rebuild the fire.  Before she could summon the will to move, there was a sudden hiss and the embers disappeared.  A second later, she felt the ocean water lap at her feet and run up her thighs.
    She quickly turned to wake up Eric.  Apparently the water did come up this far, and they should move before it came any farther and soaked them. Calling out to Eric, she reached behind her, searching for him to shake him awake.  Only she did not move as fast as Mother Nature.  A wave crashed on top of her from behind, throwing her forward.  In an instant she collided with him.  As the wave quickly retreated, they were left on the wet sand, piled on top of each other.
    After choking up a mouthful of salt water, he managed to shout, “What that hell!”  Just then the next wave crashed into them, pushing them end over end, further into the cave. 
    In the dark, they made a silent agreement that they must get out of this death trap.  The cave was not tall enough for them to stand up, so they stayed on their hands and knees and tried to crawl out.  The next wave hit and they both caught it square in the face.  Abby was thrown upward and smacked her head on the ceiling, leaving her dizzy, but conscious. 
    Their hands found each other in the darkness, and they quickly scurried toward the moonlit opening as the water retreated.  They knew there was not much time.  As soon as they cleared the cave and were under the lip of the opening, they stood up to run.  Just then, the next wave – the biggest one yet – crashed into them.
    Their hands lost each other as Abby was thrown backward against the stone face of the cliff.  Catching a sharp rock in her lower back, the pain seared through her body , and she went limp like a fish.  As the water retreated, she was dragged out with it, until Eric grabbed the back of her shirt and lifted her up.  “Come on!” he yelled as he began sloshing through the knee-deep water toward dry ground. 
    Given his much taller stature, he had stayed sure on his feet.  Abby took two steps and pain shot through her lower back causing her to lose her balance, falling backwards into the water.  Eric turned to see her flailing on her back, and he bounded back into the water to scoop her up.  He carried her to the dry sand before gently setting her down.
    On the beach, near the tree line and well out of range of the water, he collapsed on the sand next to her.  They held each other while their labored breathing found rhythm together.  As they sat there trying to digest what just happened, Abby was overcome by a feeling of safety and confidence.  She felt at home with this stranger and confident in herself.  When she was in the cave, the thought that they would not make it out had never crossed her mind, despite the difficulties they had.  Abby knew he would pull her out.