CHAPTER 3: WHEN HOPE BEGAN TO DIE
The second night was worse.
Far worse.
The temperature dropped.
The wind grew stronger.
The waves became violent.
Amelia's body was reaching its limit.
Her lips turned blue.
Her hands felt numb.
Even holding Lily became difficult.
Another massive wave struck the raft.
The wood cracked again.
The raft tilted dangerously.
For one horrifying second, Amelia nearly lost her grip on her daughter.
"No!"
She pulled Lily back against her chest.
Tears mixed with seawater on her face.
The baby cried weakly beneath the blanket.
The sound shattered Amelia's heart.
A mother could survive suffering.
She could survive pain.
She could survive fear.
But hearing her child suffer was something else entirely.
A giant wave lifted the raft high into the air.
Then dropped it violently.
The ocean roared around them.
Amelia lowered her head and hugged Lily tighter.
"Please!" she cried into the storm.
"Hold on, baby, please!"
The wind carried her words away.
No answer came.
No rescue appeared.
Only darkness.
For the first time, Amelia wondered if this was the end.
Not for her.
For Lily.
The thought nearly broke her.
But then something happened.
A tiny movement beneath the blanket.
A small hand.
A weak squeeze against Amelia's finger.
Lily was still fighting.
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And if her daughter hadn't given up...
Neither would she.
