>>Val
The cold seeped into my bones, and the rain kept coming, relentless and unforgiving. The trench was filling with water fast—too fast. I could feel it rising around me, creeping up my legs, soaking through my clothes.
I shivered, teeth chattering, and a heavy weight settled in my chest. I was stuck, hurt, and alone, and I couldn't stop the panic clawing at my insides.
I shouldn't have gone out. I knew it the second I slipped and fell. Pen's parents were right. What was I thinking? I should've waited until the storm passed, until it was safe. Now I was trapped, and all I could think about was how stupid I'd been. The cold water climbed higher, reaching my waist now, and I tried to shift, to pull myself up, but my leg wouldn't budge, and every movement sent a wave of pain crashing through me.
