She barely had time to clasp it together when they were off again, running down the tunnel.  The cloak did make her warmer.  Heat spread throughout her body, giving her more strength.

“Stop!”

The others had caught up to them!  The man sped up, pulling the girl with him.  She could hear the others gaining on them, but when she looked back she saw nothing.

Smack!

The man’s back was a brick wall.  It stunned her for a few seconds.  Shaking her head clear she realized they had stopped.  So had the other men.

The man thrush her behind him while he confronted what she could not see.  A loud rushing sound came to her ears, and she could tell the water current had grown stronger.  Turning from the man she faced the opposite wall, but there was no wall.  Hazy moonlight flickered on the water rushing around her feet, a fresh wintry breeze blew on her face, and she could vaguely see the tops of trees blowing in the wind.  Looking down she watched the water vanish over a ridge into a dark oblivion.

“Give us the girl and we’ll let you live,”  The voice was awfully close.  It chilled her more than the water did.

The man took a step back, pushing her behind him, “You can have her over my dead body.”  He spoke calmly and quietly.

What!  The girl whirled to face the man.  She didn’t want him to die!  She reached out a hand to grab him, but caught only air.  Coming from the darkness she heard grunts, moans, the crack of a fist hitting a jaw, and occasionally the splash of a body hitting the water.  The moonlight only showed her shadowy figures of the fight.  

She didn’t dare move, the tunnel floor was slippery and she knew not where to go.

The fight was still ongoing, but few shadowy figures could now be seen.  She hoped the man was alright, but she knew she could offer him no help.

She clutched his cloak tightly about her and searched the darkness in hopes of finding him, but to no avail.

A figure jumped at her and knocked her backwards.  The moss made it impossible for her to regain her balance.  For several terrifying moments she quivered on the edge.  Then screaming, she slipped, falling into the churning river below.

THE END IS NOW YOURS!  ENJOY!