Merman - Romance

chapter 35

Chapter 35

“Okay Ridec, you have to try and push yourself up with the water then grab onto the rope and drag yourself up the balance of the way.”

Jessell was shouting into the well from the top of it and yet not quite shouting. She was obviously trying not to attract the attention of the zombies at the top.

“I can do this,” Ridec responded trying to summon all his power to create the elevator of water.

“Stop can-ning and just do it,” Jessell instructed.

Ridec inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly; it was not going to be easy to propel himself to the top of the well using the water. His power was strong but once he left the water his power would immediately disappear.

“I'm ready,” Ridec muttered.

He swirled his arms about below the surface of the water and brought them rushing into the air.  Suddenly he was being propelled like a rocket to the top.  It was a risk he knew but it was one he had to take. If he didn't put enough punch behind the elevator he might not make it to the top of the well and if he put too much there was all possibility that he might simply be tossed straight out of the well and injure himself. Finding the right combination of force was the real trick.

“Darn.”

Ridec could feel the water falling away from below him.

“Grab the rope!” Jessell screamed.

“Darn,” Ridec shouted again this time reaching out his hand and grabbing unto the rope as the elevator of water started a steady decline.

“You need to climb the balance of the way,” Jessell said.

Jessell had made it look so easy pulling herself up on the rope from the bottom of the well, but Ridec wasn't fooled by that.

“You need to do this today Ridec, those things are starting to show an interest.”

For one brief moment Ridec contemplated falling back into the safety of the well but he couldn't do that. It was time to go home and the well was just a dead end.

“Hurry,” Jessell said as Ridec's hands gripped the rope and he struggled to pull himself up.

This was not going to be easy.

“Ridec, stop messing about.”

Ridec released his left hand and immediately felt the weight of his whole body on his right hand. He gritted his teeth and clasped his left hand a few inches above the other on the rope. He grunted as he released the right hand and hooked the rope a few inches above his left. He could feel the muscles in his arm straining at the effort. A couple of weeks ago he would have already lost his grip and tumbled back to the bottom of the well but now inch by inch he was slowly making it up the rope. He would have been impressed if not for the fact that he knew that even though he was making it, he was not making it very quickly.

“Ridec you need to hurry,” Jessell shouted down the well again and Ridec was disappointed to note that she still seemed to be a couple feet away.

“I am hurrying,” Ridec grunted. He had never realised just how much energy it took to speak.

“Just hold on to the rope, I'm going to pull you up.”

“You can't.”

It was pointless arguing with Jessell, in seconds he could feel himself being slowly dragged towards the top of the well.

“Try to grip the edge of the well with your hands,” Jessell instructed as Ridec's head came just in line with the top of the well.

He reached out tentatively at first, a little fearful that the other hand wouldn't be able to bear all of his weight as he struggled to get a hold of the well's edge. He could see Jessell now, she had one leg pressed against the well, the rope threaded between her hands and wrapped around her waist for added support.