Five Hours in the River

The sun was high in the sky, and the summer air felt heavy. Birds chirped in the trees, and the sound of the river flowing nearby made the world seem calm. For most people, it was just another hot day. But for 13-year-old Sami, this day would be unlike any other.

Sami loved the outdoors. He was curious, brave, and always ready for a new adventure. His small village sat beside a wide river. The water was deep and sometimes wild, but people used it for fishing, swimming, and even crossing to the forest on the other side.

That morning, Sami woke up early. He had planned to go to the river with his older cousin Rahim. "Let’s go explore the island in the middle of the river today," Rahim said with excitement. Sami agreed. He packed some bread, a bottle of water, and his small notebook — he liked to write about the things he saw.

By 9 a.m., the two boys stood at the edge of the river, their bare feet in the cool water. Rahim had made a small wooden raft two weeks ago. It floated on the water, tied with a rope to a tree. They climbed onto the raft and slowly pushed away from the shore.

“Hold the rope until we get far enough,” Rahim said. But the rope slipped too fast, and suddenly, they were floating freely.

“It’s okay,” Rahim said. “The current is not strong.”

They laughed and paddled slowly toward the island. Trees grew on the small piece of land, and birds flew above it. When they reached the shore, they tied the raft to a branch and explored for a while. Sami took notes in his book, and Rahim climbed trees. They didn’t notice the clouds gathering in the sky.

Then, around noon, the wind began to blow harder. The trees shook, and the river's water looked darker. “We should go back,” Sami said, feeling nervous.

They ran to the raft. But something was wrong. The rope was broken. The raft had floated away.

“It must have come loose in the wind!” Rahim shouted. The raft was already too far to swim to.

“We have to find another way,” Sami said.

The boys tried to shout for help, but the wind and river were too loud. No one could hear them. Rahim looked around. “There’s an old tree that fell into the water,” he said. “Maybe we can use it to cross.”

They tried, but the tree was slippery. As Rahim stepped onto it, he lost his balance and fell into the water. Sami jumped in after him. The river pulled them fast.

Sami grabbed Rahim’s hand, but the current was strong. “Swim to that rock!” Sami shouted.

They swam hard. Rahim reached a rock and pulled himself up. But Sami couldn’t make it. The current pulled him away.

“Hold on, Sami!” Rahim cried. But the river carried Sami downstream.

The Longest Hours

Sami held onto a broken branch floating in the water. It helped him stay above the surface. The river was cold now, and his arms were tired. He didn’t know how far he had gone. Trees passed by on both sides. He was alone.

He tried to stay calm. He remembered what his teacher once said: “When you're afraid, take deep breaths and think clearly.”

Sami took a deep breath. “I need to stay awake. I need to find help,” he told himself.

After maybe one hour — he wasn’t sure anymore — he saw a low branch from a tree leaning over the water. He reached for it and grabbed it. The branch bent but didn’t break. Carefully, he pulled himself up and sat on the tree.

He was safe for now. But the tree was in the middle of the river, and no one could see him.

Sami waited. The sun moved across the sky. He felt hungry, then cold. His wet clothes made him shiver. He started singing softly — songs his mother used to sing. They made him feel less alone.

Hours passed. He saw no one.

Then, he heard something. A boat engine.

He stood and waved. The tree shook, and he almost fell.

“Help!” he screamed.

The boat moved closer. A man stood inside it, wearing a red life jacket.

“Are you okay?” the man shouted.

“Yes! Please help!” Sami cried.

The man came near and helped Sami into the boat. His hands were shaking. His lips were blue.

“We’ve been looking for you,” the man said kindly. “Your cousin found help. He told us what happened.”

Sami couldn’t stop his tears.

Back Home

Sami was taken to the health center. The nurse gave him warm clothes and soup. His parents came, crying and hugging him tightly.

That night, he lay in bed, dry and warm. He still felt like he was floating, but he knew he was safe.

The next day, Rahim visited him. “You were so brave,” Rahim said.

Sami smiled. “We both were.”

He opened his notebook. It was wet and ruined, but that didn’t matter.

He would write the story again — this time, from memory.

Epilogue

Sami’s story became well-known in his village. People called him “The River Boy.” But for Sami, the most important part was not the name or the attention. It was the lesson he learned:

Courage is not about never being afraid — it is about staying strong even when you are.