Kapitel 267: Chapter 267: Underwater

I grasped for the rail as I hit it, fingers sliding over the slippery wood, my equilibrium already a mess thanks to my dislike of the rocking motion. I caught at the thin metal under railing and hung on, whoofing out a breath as my full body weight impacted the side of the boat. Sneaker rubber squeaked on fiberglass as I fought for purchase, panting and staring up at my assailant who peeked over the edge.

Doreen's curly head looked oddly innocuous, her glasses catching the light. As I drew a breath to scream for help, one of her small, wrinkled hands dropped a long string of decorative lights over me, the end landing with a splash in the water. At the exact moment her foot stepped against my fingers and the pain made me reflexively release my grasp, sending me over into the water.

But not before, in a final desperate grab, I latched onto her ankle and, with my body weight behind my momentum, jerked her into the water after me.