Jack is buffeted by the icy water as the shouting grows ever louder from behind. Turning around, the shouts overpower the banging rapids. There are 7 of them, across three boats, torches ablaze, rapidly closing the distance.

“Don’t just stand there!” Yelled Clair. “This was your idea!”

“I didn’t think the natives would follow us on the raft.” Exclaimed Jack. You didn’t seem to mind the plan when I told you it’s value.”

Clair unwraps the cloth slightly, and the golden skulls warm reflection radiants out and clashes with the dark oak raft and gloomy sky.

The natives boat from the right closes the distance. One holds the torch, while the other jumps the gap towards Jacks.

Jack releases the rudder and ducks towards the front of the boat, where the other natives greats him with the suffocating heat of the flame. Clair rotates to the back, grabbing the rudder and swerving the boat to the left. The natives tips off balance, and Jack pushes him off their boat and into the water.

“Turn the boat back to the right again!” Ordered Jack.

“Are you crazy!” Exclaimed Clair.

“Trust me, just one more time.”

Clair swerves the boat right, and it clashes into the natives boat. Startled, the natives falls to the side and drops the torch into the water. Jack jumps the gap to capitalize the stratigic manoeuvre. To his surprise, the native regains his balance and contests the challenge.

“Watch out!” Screamed Clair. Both men turn to the front, where a large rock attracts their boat like a magnet.

Jack stops pushing against the native all at once, and instead pulls with all his might. Jack pulls the native on top of him, and uses his legs to flip him over the side. In another burst of exertion, Jack jumps back to Clair, and the other boat crashes into the rock.

“Great plan, as always.” Remarked Clair. But her face quickly morphed from smug to despair.

“What’s the matter…” Jack’s voice left him as he turned around and faced the impending doom. The horizon came closer and closer, rejecting the law of natural order. They had reached the end of the river, and the beginning of the end. Their raft raced faster and faster towards the waterfall.

Jack looked back at Clair. She was now all he could see. Jack smiled, for there was nothing else to do, and said, “I knew all along that this is how it would end”.