The river flowed faster and faster the cold seeping down to my core. I was out of hope. There was no way I could possibly survive this! I knew I shouldn't have gone on that trail at night by myself. I should have known that it would be flooded at the end with the current of the river. I should have known!
I knew this area, or at least I thought I did. The water was stronger than I remembered and the river was wider than I thought it had been. I can't believe that my fun trip back to the family summer cabin would turn into the death of me. How could I have known?
The rocks were right up ahead. I saw them as I struggled to keep my head above the raging waters. I couldn't keep this up for much longer. I felt my arms give out first. My eyes locked on a shadow down the river. I couldn't yell for help, because I was going down with cold icy water filling my lungs. I tried to yell but all I could see were the bubbles under the water growing the more I screamed. I tried to push myself up to the surface, but my arms were noodles at my side. They had given up on me. I hoped the shadow wasn't just my imagination or the spirit world coming to take me. I wanted it to be a person that could save me. As the light above the waters was starting to blur and my vision was starting to go black I saw an arm reach down. It was a person!
I thought I was going to pass out or at least not be conscience for a little bit, but I saw it all. I just couldn't move or speak until all this water in my body was out. The arm reached around my middle and pulled me out of the depths of the raging waters. He draped me around his strong and perfect shoulders as I dangled like a rag doll. If he only knew what was running through my mind right now. What an idiot I was. I was the damsel in distress that had to be saved by the strong handsome man because I made a dumb choice. I mean, come on! Who goes walking in the woods at night on a trail they haven't been on in a few years. Things change, but silly me didn't think they could change that fast. I was just learning how fast things could change. The river not only changed, but my life could have changed! I could have died. It would have been all my fault.
But thankfully strong-shouldered, the man with dark hair that was slick on his head from the icy water had jumped in to save a stranger. He carried me to the shore with one long-armed stroke one right after the other. It was elegant, yet fast and harsh. It seemed to define him. He was soft and kind, yet would fight to the bitter end. It reminded me a lot of myself right now. I had no idea how much of a fight I would put up, but here I was, fighting till the bitter end. An end that wasn’t going to happen today.
We finally reached the muddy banks and he lay me on my side, hoping I would start coughing up the water. I wanted to. I did more than you could have ever known, but my body would not listen to my pleas. It would not do what I desperately needed it to do. He turned me on my back in a fluid movement that shocked me. It was as quick a flash of lightning. He put his fist near my chest and clasped his hand over his fist and started pumping. One… Two… Three… He looked into my eyes. Waiting. Hoping. To just see one glimmer of life within me. I guess he decided there wasn’t any because in the next moment he was doing mouth-to-mouth CPR. I have no idea if he knew what he was doing, but at least he was trying. He took his mouth away and looked into my eyes, pleading for me to show a sign that I will be okay. Then in an instant, my body responded and I started choking up all the water that was in me. I still couldn’t move so as I was choking he put me back on my side with that inhuman swift movement he had.
I lay there choking and wondering how he had found me. Where had he come from? Why was he shirtless in the dead of winter? It didn’t make any sense to me, but there was something about him that just made me never want to leave his side. It was like there was an invisible connection between us. Unexplainable. He made sure not to leave my side. He just lay there next to me with his arm still around my side that he had used to swiftly turn me over. I finally started to be okay and felt like all the water was out. I slowly fell to my back from exhaustion looking up into the sparkling blue eyes right above my head, I fell into a peaceful trance. My eyes closed and I was out like a light had switched off in my brain. I knew I was alive and safe, so my body made a move that I wasn’t ready for just yet. I didn’t know who this man was. Even though I felt safe in his arms, my mind was crying out to get up and ask questions. I was just too exhausted to listen to my mind. I listened to my instincts and drifted off into a peaceful sleep I hoped I would awake from.
To be continued....
About the Creator
Alicia Lenea
Hey guys, I am the small town girl that moved to NYC to follow her dreams to be a writer.
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Going Home For The Weekend
I have been going to college in NYC for the past few months and for the first time in my life have been more than a mile from my family. Instead of choosing to go to an easy college that was closer to home, I chose to go to the hardest college I got into that just so happened to be over 900 miles away.
By Alicia Lenea5 years ago in Humans
Hind Rajab: A Child the World Heard Too Late
Cinema has always been a powerful medium for telling stories that history books often reduce to numbers. When a film chooses to focus on a single child caught in the machinery of war, it forces audiences to confront reality not as statistics, but as human loss. The movie inspired by the tragic story of Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian girl, does exactly that. It is not merely a film; it is a testimony, a memorial, and a question posed to the conscience of the world. Hind Rajab’s name became known globally after reports emerged of her final hours during the Gaza conflict. She was a child trapped in circumstances no child should ever experience. The film based on her story does not sensationalize her death, nor does it turn her suffering into spectacle. Instead, it approaches her story with restraint, dignity, and an unwavering focus on innocence lost amid violence. The Story at the Heart of the Film The movie centers on a young Palestinian girl who becomes separated from safety during intense military escalation. Through her eyes, viewers witness fear, confusion, and the fragile hope that someone, somewhere, will come to help. The film follows her final journey—both physical and emotional—using minimal dialogue and powerful visual storytelling. Rather than relying on graphic imagery, the filmmakers choose silence, pauses, and close-up shots to convey terror and vulnerability. This artistic choice makes the film even more haunting. The audience is left to sit with the child’s fear, her calls for help, and the unbearable waiting that defines her final moments. By focusing on Hind as an individual rather than a symbol, the film restores her humanity. She is not portrayed as a political tool, but as a daughter, a child with dreams, and a life that mattered. A Child as the Center of a Global Tragedy What makes this movie particularly impactful is its refusal to shift focus away from the civilian cost of war. The story does not revolve around soldiers, strategies, or power struggles. It revolves around a child who should have been worried about school, friends, and play—not survival. This narrative choice challenges the audience to rethink how conflicts are discussed in media and politics. Wars are often framed in terms of borders, ideologies, and victory. This film asks a different question: What is the price paid by those who have no role in choosing the war? By centering the story on Hind, the film exposes the imbalance of power and the devastating consequences faced by the most vulnerable. Artistic Direction and Emotional Weight The film’s direction is deliberately restrained. There is no dramatic background score overpowering the scenes. Instead, ambient sounds—distant explosions, static-filled phone calls, the quiet breathing of a frightened child—carry the emotional weight. This realism makes the film deeply unsettling. The young actress portraying Hind delivers a performance that is heartbreakingly authentic. Her expressions alone communicate fear, confusion, and bravery far beyond her years. The filmmakers avoid overacting or melodrama, allowing the story’s truth to speak for itself. Cinematography plays a crucial role as well. Tight frames and limited perspectives reinforce the feeling of entrapment, while long, unbroken shots force viewers to experience time as Hind did—slow, uncertain, and terrifying. A Political Film Without Political Speeches One of the film’s greatest strengths is that it does not rely on speeches or overt political messaging. Its power lies in its simplicity. By telling one child’s story honestly, it exposes the broader reality of civilian suffering in conflict zones. The film does not tell audiences what to think. Instead, it asks them to feel—and that is far more powerful. Viewers are left to grapple with difficult questions about responsibility, accountability, and the value of human life. This approach has made the movie resonate across cultures and ideologies. Even those unfamiliar with the details of the Palestinian struggle can connect with the universal themes of childhood, fear, and loss. Reception and Global Impact Since its release, the film has sparked intense discussion on social media, in film circles, and among human rights advocates. Many viewers describe it as one of the most emotionally challenging films they have ever watched. Critics have praised its ethical storytelling and refusal to exploit tragedy. For many, the movie serves as an entry point into understanding the human cost of the Gaza conflict. It has been screened at independent film festivals and community events, often followed by discussions about civilian protection and children in war zones. Most importantly, the film ensures that Hind Rajab’s name is not forgotten. In a world where news cycles move quickly, cinema has given her story permanence. Why This Film Matters This movie matters because it stands against normalization of suffering. It reminds us that behind every headline about war are real people, real families, and real children whose lives are forever altered—or ended. By immortalizing Hind Rajab’s story, the film becomes an act of resistance against silence. It insists that her life had meaning and that her death deserves acknowledgment, reflection, and accountability. In the end, this is not just a film about one Palestinian girl. It is a film about every child trapped in conflict, every unanswered call for help, and every moment when humanity fails its youngest members. Cinema cannot undo tragedy, but it can refuse to let it be ignored. And in doing so, this film ensures that Hind Rajab’s story continues to speak—long after the screen fades to black.
By Hasbanullah3 days ago in Humans
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