Complicated People, Complicated Love

Please

Lucas

     "We're gonna sink!" Auggie yells from the backseat, thrashing around, yanking at his seatbelt. The water is only reaching our legs.

     "No we're not Auggie its ok, this is as high as the water's going to get, we're touching the bottom of the lake," I reassure him, laying a hand on his knee.

      "Are you sure?" Maya quietly asks me, careful not to let Auggie hear her doubt.

      "Yeah, I promise," she gives me a small smile.
      
      I pull on her leg for the fifth time but it still won't move. I try to push the steering wheel upwards but it's too heavy.

      "I'll get it," I say reassuringly. She opens her mouth to say something but is interrupted by a booming sound.

     "What was that!?" Auggie screams. I look out the window to my left and see a giant wave of water coming towards us.

      "The levy!" I yell. The barrier holding in most of the city's water must have broken, and it's branching out to all the lakes. The car rocks slightly with the impact of the water. Auggie screams as water pours in from the open windows. I desperately take hold of Maya's leg again.

       "Hey, get him out of here," Maya says over the sound of rushing water.

      "No, I'm not leaving," I demand, once again tugging on her leg.

     "Please Lucas, you can come back, but get him out of here," I look to the backseat where Auggie is crying.

     "Lucas!" He pleads.

     "Please, he's just a boy," Maya puts her hand to my face and I look back at her. "He's just a boy,"

      "I'll come back for you,"

      "I know," she says. I squirm over the front seats and reach Auggie. I grab the seatbelt, already halfway cut through and I pull as hard as I can until it rips. I take Auggie who's already dashing out from his seat and get both of us out of the trunk opening. Once out, I swim him to the end of the lake and place him on the grass.

      "Go up to the bridge and be careful," I say right before swimming right back to the car. The water is up to Maya's shoulders now and she's looking for something. "I'm back," I announce.

     "Lucas! There might be a crowbar in here," she says can, without asking, I immediately grab my floating flashlight and dive under the water.

      I must have gone up and down in the water ten times with no luck.

     "Hang on baby I'll get you out," I call to Maya, the water is up to her chin. She leans her head back, giving her some more time before the water reaves her mouth. I dive back under. I flash the light in the backseat, under the backseat. Nothing. And then i see an inch of metal under the drivers seat, I pull it and it gets longer, I found it. I  push myself above the water. "I got it!" I yell holding it over my head. I look to Maya but I don't see her. "No!" I yell.

      I swim over the front seats again and take a deep breath before I go under. Maya turns to me and smiles at the crowbar. I put my lips to hers and blow air into her mouth and then shove the crowbar under the steering wheel. I push and push until I need more air. I go up, take a deep breath and go give Maya more air. I push and for a second I thought I felt it move.

      I repeat my process and then I for sure feel it move. I grab her leg and it comes free easily. I go to give her air but she's not moving. Her eyes are open and she's for sure not moving. I scream underwater, feeling all hope leave my body. I grab her and pull her above the water. I swim us as best I can out of the trunk and towards the earth.

       When I can feel the ground beneath me I walk, carrying Maya in my arms. As we come out if the water I feel just how motionless she really is.

      Her arms dangle in front of me and I try to control my breathing. I'm not going to cry, she can still be alive. I step into the grass and run up the slope of dirt to the bridge. Once on level ground, I place her down and listen to her heart. Nothing. "No," I tilt her head back and give her air. I put my palms over her heart and press down to the rhythm of my own heart, which I can hear very clearly by the loudness of it.

       "Come on!" I yell. I continue CPR but it's not working. When I was a lifeguard in Texas I learned how to do CPR but I never had to actually use it, and now I'm questioning the man who taught me. "Please!" I scream. "Maya! Come on!" I don't know why I'm screaming, it's just the best thing I can do. I hear a car door slam but it feels like it's miles away, I can't take my eyes off of Maya.

      I hear voices from far away ask someone what's happening and Auggie's answer echos in my head. "Maya's dead,"

      "Maya!" I yell again but it's incomprehensible with my tears. My hands are shaking and I realize my whole body is because of my crying. I feel weak. I'm on my knees and I place my hands on the ground on either side of her. I can't remember the last time I full on sobbed, maybe when I was seven. I lift my hand and hit the hard ground.

        I lay my head in Maya's chest, hugging her as best I can. And that's when I hear it, the heartbeat, so faint I almost missed it. "Maya!" I get up and give her air again, and push on her heart.

      I see her hand twitch and I keep going until all at once water comes gushing out of her mouth. She coughs and gasps at what seems like the same time over and over again. I put my arm under her back and pull her to me even as she coughs up more water. I feel her hand against my chest, scrunching up my shirt. She's shaking and I can hear her crying. I hold her until the cops and ambulance finally get here.