I shoved my backpack into the water tight compartment at the back of the kayak and kicked off my sneakers and slipped into water shoes. Anton had mentioned there might be areas where the current was to strong and we'd be better off walking with the kayaks so I changed into a pair of quick drying shorts and a plain navy blue tank top.

"Okay, let's go!" Anton announced, shoving his kayak into the water and wading in up to his shins before swinging a tan leg over the side and slipping into the dark green kayak.

Hannah and I followed easily, each climbing up into are own kayaks. Ty stared at us, apprehensively pushing his kayak into the shallow water.

"Come on! We don't have all day!" Anton whined. I shot him a glare which shut him up.

"Ty, what's wrong?" I asked.

I-I'm scared Rebecca! What if I have an episode in the water? I could drowned! He responded mentally.

You'll be okay Ty. We are here for you and if that happens we will help you but we have to find Dr. Belford or you'll be dead either way.

Ty nodded and took a deep breath as he climbed up into his own kayak.

Anton rolled his eyes and said, "Finally! Oh, and I think it's rude to exclude me from your mental conversations."

Ty clenched his jaw. "Well I think-"

I interrupted Ty. "We have a right to have private conversations Anton. Now let's go."

Anton sighed in frustration but didn't protest. We started paddling down stream, which all of us were thankful for. We only had to paddle slightly, but for the most part the current did the work.

I looked around me. The river was narrow and about seven feet deep. It couldn't be more than twenty feet wide. We paddled in pairs. Ty's kayak was parallel to mine but a couple feet away while Anton and Hannah were paddling ahead of us.

A bank closed us in. Roots sprung from the dirt, winding through the land. Pine trees lined the river, a breeze ruffling the green needles. A small deer trotted out to the bank, a small speckled fawn behind it. Hannah cooed, looking at the cute innocent animal hiding behind his mother. The fawn peeked his head over his mom and took a few steps forward, curious to see what we were doing.

Unfortunately we had to keep paddling which startled the doe and fawn. They scurried off as quick as they had came and were soon out of site, running deeper into the forest. Ahead was a huge mountain, it's peek reaching past the clouds. It was miles away, but it still seemed bigger than anything I'd ever seen before.

After paddling for and hour Anton stopped and turned his kayak slightly. "Okay guys, this is where it gets a little rough. I suggest we step out and walk for a while until we get through this shallow rocky part. If one of us tipped it would be really dangerous."

Hannah, Ty, and I nodded. I swung my feet over the edge of the kayak and felt it rock underneath my weight. My legs burned at the touch of the ice cold water but I ignored it and submerged the rest of my legs bare skin into the river. The water came up to my hips, getting the hem of my shirt wet.

Hannah shrieked after she jumped in. She was never one to like cold water. "The water is like 10 degrees!"

Anton laughed. "Uh no, it's like 50 degrees. Today it's warmer than usual. I'd actually guess around 55 degrees."

"Warmer than usual?" Hannah raised her eyebrows in shock.

"Yes warmer than usual," Anton said. "Let's get a move on!"

We started walking down the river. The water sloshed up my back and on my stomach but I didn't mind. The sun was beating down on us as we dragged heavy kayaks through the river so the cold  water was refreshing.

I was busy listening to birds chirp and sing when someone cried out for help. That someone was Ty. His fear had come true. He was clinging onto the kayak, trying to scramble to his feet but his body wouldn't cooperate.

His grip loosened on the rim of the kayak and he slipped, loosing his footing and falling underneath the water. The kayak floated over him, but he wasn't swimming to the top. He just floated to the bottom. His eyes were wide and I could tell he was holding his breath. His body wouldn't move though.

"Hannah grab the kayaks!" I shouted, shoving the kayaks forward just before diving underneath the water. I opened my eyes, the water stinging them. Ty was thrashing around and squirming but he couldn't get full control. I stood to get a deep breath but slipped on a wet rock at the bottom and crashed into the water but my hands found his hands. I could feel the strong force of the water. We were being pulled downstream by the current but I didn't care.

I tugged on his arms and got his feet underneath him. We both burst through the 5 foot deep water but Ty's head went limp and flopped forward. He was unconscious. I dragged him to the shore, which was just a narrow strip of dry land but it would work.

"What happened? Doesn't he know how to swim?" Anton demanded.

"I don't know! He had an episode! He couldn't help himself. Sometimes he looses control of his body, like he is in a coma!" I screamed, the words clawing at the back of my raw throat. Tears stung my eyes, streaking down my face and mixing in with the river water.

I looked back to Ty and noticed blood on his shirt. My eyes widened and I lifted up the bottom of his black t-shirt. A deep four inch long gash spread across his abdomen. Hannah gasped in horror. The sight of blood had always sickened her. She turned away, but Anton rushed over beside Ty.

"How did this happen?" He asked me.

"I don't know," I answered.

"We'll talk to him!"

"I can't, he is completely unconscious."

Anton nodded in understanding. "He needs to be stitched up. Do you know how?" Ty's cut was deep enough you could see tissue and it was loosing quite a bit of blood.

"I do. I worked at a clinic for several years and learned a few things. I've taken first aid courses too," I answered honestly.

"Good. I have a first aid kit in the kayak. Hannah grab it please!" Anton instructed. He tore a sleeve of his sweatshirt and pressed it down on Ty's wound. Hannah came beside us a few minutes later holding a first aid bag. She quickly looked away and took a few steps back, her face going pale.

I unzipped the bag while Anton continued to apply pressure on Ty's stomach. I quickly found the sewing kit and and disinfectant. I grabbed a small towel and poured disinfectant on the needle, making sure there was no germs. I then poured a small amount of it on Ty's cut and used the towel to clean the surrounding skin.

After, I started on the stitches. It took me a half hour to finish, but Ty hadn't woken up. When I finished I stood back and looked at the cut which was now a long thin line of red with stitches covering most of it, a little blood seeping out.

"You did good," Anton commended.

"Is the blood gone?" Hannah asked from a couple feet away.

"More or less," Anton replied. Hannah took her chances and came beside us.

"Do you guys want lunch while we wait for Ty to wake up?" Anton suggested. Hannah and I agreed, pulling out our chicken sandwiches and fresh picked raspberries.

Forty five minutes later Ty stirred beside me. His eyes flutter open and he sat up but immediately collapsed back on the ground with a shout of pain. He clutched his stomach, blowing out a shaky breath.

"Whoa! Take it easy Ty," Anton said.

"What h-happened?" Ty forced out.

"You had an episode and fell in the water. Rebecca pulled you out but you must have gotten caught on a rock or branch. Somehow you got a really deep long gash in your stomach. Rebecca sewed it up," Hannah explained.

It was silent between us for several minutes.

"How you feeling blueberry?"'I asked.

Ty groaned. "Thank you, for saving my life," he said. "But, I don't think I can kayak. I'll tear the stitches out and it will be to painful."

Anton nodded. "I know. Hannah and I will tow your kayak while Rebecca will keep and eye on you in the back."

"I don't need a babysitter," Ty muttered but loud enough that we could hear.

"No, but if you have another episode or something else goes wrong you could be in a lot more trouble. You were fortunate this time, but next time it could be a broken limb or a severe head injury and we have water rapids coming up."

"Water what?" Hannah and I asked in unison.

"Water rapids."