Raging Waters

SARAH DAVIES

in

RAGING WATERS

By RONNIE DAUBER

Copyright © 2018 Ronnie Dauber

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used by any means, graphic, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and book reviews.

Printed in the United States of America 2018

Author Credits:

Author of:

Whiteout (Sarah Davies series #3 revised)—2017

Firestorm (Sarah Davies series #2 revised)—2017

Mudslide (Sarah Davies series #1 revised)—2017

From Slave to Hero (Crown Series #2)—2017

No Compromise (Revised)—2017

A Christmas King—2016

From Cradle to King (Crown Series #1)—2016

God's Calling…It's for You—2016

Let Faith Arise (revised edition)—2016

No Compromise (First Edition)—2015

Whiteout (Sarah Davies series #3 first edition)—2012

Raging Waters (Sarah Davies series #4)—2012

Let Faith Arise (first edition)—2012

Mudslide (Sarah Davies series #1 first edition)—2011

Firestorm (Sarah Davies series #2 first edition)—2011

Web Secrets—2011

Books may be ordered through Amazon stores or by contacting:

Smashwords at http://smashwords.com

Or

Ronnie Dauber’s website http://www.ronniedauber.ca

ISBN-978-1542931106

Acknowledgments

Thanks to my best friend and husband, Eric Dauber. Your patience and understanding allowed me to engage my time in writing an outdoor adventure story that will keep the adrenalin running.

Special thanks to my grandson, Joey. You are the inspiration for this book. The adventure we shared with you is nothing compared to the adventure in this book, but it was enough to initiate a great story.

Dedication

To my grandson, Joey, and to all of my children and grandchildren.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Prologue

A Seized Wheel

Fallen Teen

More Sorrows

Missing

Clueless

What’s in a Name Tag?

Running Scared

A Step in Time

Tale of Two Cars

Treading Water

Voices

When Fear Takes Over

Buckled Up

Heavy Breathing

The Last Wave

Adrenalin Rush

Crackle, Pop!

The Crash

The Last Ring

Prologue

The only place I really feel safe anymore is right here in my bedroom, sitting in the window box and staring into the garden. I'm watching the leaves of the big oak tree rustle in the breeze and I have such peace. But as I look at the scratches and bruises on my arms and legs, my chest starts to tighten with stress as I remember the horror that I went through last week. I really thought my days of great outdoor adventures were over, and after going through three absolute nightmares on previous vacations, I thought they were over. After all, it's said that bad things happen in three's. So I never imagined that I would ever again face the kind of horror that we endured last week. I know that if it weren't for God watching over us, I would never have made it out alive.

It all began at the theatre. Meagan and I chatted as we pulled on our denim jackets and followed the anxious crowd of movie enthusiasts down the corridor toward the front foyer of the small theatre. I grabbed a tissue from my pocket and wiped under my eyes to make sure my eyeliner was still in place as Meagan blew her nose and sniffled.

Sarah, I've seen Titanic about five times and I always feel as if it was the first time. I just love that movie, so sad and yet so romantic.

I don't know, Meg. I've only seen it once before and it was too sad for me then. I don't know why I let you talk me into seeing it again. Next time I pick the movie and it's going to something cheerful with a happy ending.

Meagan snapped the buttons closed on her jacket as she nudged my shoulder. Are you okay? I didn't realize that the movie had gotten to you so much. I'm really sorry and you're right, you choose the next movie. But come on! Let's cheer up now because we're off to see the guys.

We stepped out through the revolving glass doors and headed toward the parking lot where Meagan had parked her red Focus. But even the short walk in the cool night air didn't stop me feeling the emotional experience of the movie. Meg, I had a really creepy feeling come over me when the guy was floating in the water. I know it's a movie and I know Leonardo DiCaprio is just fine, but still, watching him drown this time really got to me. It seemed so real and I don't know what I'd do if that were Brad.

Well, it wasn't Brad. It was just a movie, Sarah. Come on, let's forget the movie. The guys will be back from Nik's uncle's place by now and when we get to his house we'll see them and forget all about the movie. Then we'll remember how lucky we are to have such wonderful boyfriends.

Oh Meg, I know. I never thought I'd ever be so lucky and have someone like Brad, and I still can't believe that we're a couple. We've been together just over a year and now I can't imagine living without him. Of course, you and I are still waiting for that special date to dress up for these guys and I wonder if he'll still like me when he sees me in a dress.

Meagan giggled and put on her favorite music as we drove off. He'll love you in that cobalt blue dress that you'll wear for him one day.

I leaned back in my seat and when an old classic by Van Morrison came on, the quiet melody relaxed me so much that I closed my eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

Seconds later, I was walking hand-in-hand with Brad along the beach with the warm summer breeze blowing gently through my long brown hair. I was wearing that cobalt blue silk dress with the spaghetti straps that I always wanted to wear to impress him. Things couldn't have been more perfect. There was a peace that I'd never experienced before and a thrill in my heart that captivated my thoughts and made me realize that I was the luckiest girl on earth.

We walked for a while and then slowly the peace became infiltrated with the distant voices of shouting and panic. It got louder and louder and soon we were running through a park where people were screaming and crying. I had no idea what was going on, but I felt an urgency inside me to help them.

Brad and I were soon separated and I was running through the landscaped gardens and I ended up in an amusement park where I was searching diligently for someone. But I had no idea who. The screams got louder and the old ladies were crying hysterically.

Sarah, you have to find him, one of them shouted.

Find who? No one would tell me who I was looking for, and whenever I stopped to ask I was pushed away and told to keep searching. My heart was racing with anxiety as I saw their tears flowing. I kept running and searching, and then it occurred to me that maybe I was looking for Brad. That's when my heart almost jumped out of my chest. Is Brad in some kind of trouble?

Now I was as scared as they were. I ran from ride to ride looking for Brad, but I couldn't find him anywhere. Meagan and Nik came at me from behind and Meagan asked me if I saw him. I struggled to answer her, No, I don't know where he could be. He was with me a second ago and everything was fine. How could he be in danger so quickly?

Meagan was shaking and her lips were quivering as an old lady ran passed us. She was shouting at us to stay away from the water because it was evil and that we shouldn't find him there. We both stopped in our tracks and asked at the same time. Why?

The woman disappeared and I turned to Meagan and asked her what she meant, but Meagan didn't know, either. I don't know, Sarah. She just said not to go there.

I looked at Nik who was searching all around us the whole time we were talking. He began focussing on a path that led down to the beach and I could read his thoughts.

Come on, Meg. Nik and I are going down to the water.

We ran down the winding path as fast as we could and that wasn't easy for Meagan or I since we were wearing heels and formal dresses. All of a sudden, it was quiet and the screaming voices were left behind as we ran toward the water. There was a loud rumbling all around us as our eyes anxiously searched the water. A minute later, Nik said that there was nothing there, so we began heading back towards the park with the others.

My insides shook with fear because I was terrified that something terrible had happened to Brad. Everything was silent and I couldn't hear anything. Not even the birds chirped. The only sound I could hear was my own heartbeat that pounded in my ears.

Meagan lifted her arm and waved and I turned around to see Brad running towards me wearing a big smile. No one moved and I felt as if I was in the Twilight Zone. A crowd of people stared passed me and the fear on their faces made my chest pound harder.

As I turned toward the water I saw someone far out waving their arms frantically—and then they disappeared. The blood drained from my head and I gasped as I stared at Brad. Then the music began to play the Van Morrison song, Those Were the Days—the same song that Meagan was playing in her car earlier. Brad reached out his hand and asked me to dance. I had waited for these words since the day I realized that I was in love with him, yet I couldn't take my thoughts off of the person in the water.

I looked back at the beach and saw only the ripple in the place where I'd seen someone waving for help. I closed my eyes and all I could do was cry as Meagan wrapped her arms around me and tried to comfort me. Sarah! Sarah?

I opened my eyes and held my breath. Meagan was rubbing my left arm and asking me if I was okay. I looked around and saw that I was still in the car.

Hey, you're dreaming, Sarah. Another bad dream?

Yeah, it was. I was, I was walking along the beach with Brad and then we were looking for someone. No, I was looking for him because he got lost. But then I found him.

Slow down. You're not making any sense. You were looking for Brad?

Yes. No. I'm not sure now. I was with him and we were looking for someone and all the people around us were so scared, like this person was in real danger or something. I'm not sure what, though, but there was water or something. Geez, I'm losing it. Anyway, we couldn't find him and then the music started to play and Brad and I were dancing. It was scary, Meg.

How could dancing with Brad be scary?

No, not that! The feeling that someone was in danger and needed our help is scary. But we couldn't do anything. Oh geez, we're going to the family reunion tomorrow at White Falls Park. I hope this isn't another premonition.

Meagan turned into Nik's driveway. Well, maybe it isn't. I think that movie really bothered you and I'm sorry that I put you through this. It was all about water and people dying and now you've had a dream about it. I promise we'll never watch it again. Anyway, come on. The guys are home so let's forget this and go have some fun.

There was nothing I wanted more than to be with Brad, and I know that Meagan was looking forward to her and I sitting around with the guys and having fun. But I couldn't shake the fear that I felt from the dream and it took me a few seconds to get my composure. I know that other times when I've had these dreams right before we're about to do something fun, we always ended up living my nightmare.

And sure enough, the goosebumps began to slowly creep up my arms and spike across the nape of my neck. My chest tightened and I started to shake inside. I knew that this was not a reaction to the movie. It was a warning that something terrible was going to happen tomorrow.

Chapter 1

A Seized Wheel

White Falls Park was the ideal park setting for our family reunion and it was only about a two-hour drive from my home in Bearsfield, Idaho. We have these family gatherings every few years so that my mom’s family can get together and catch up on their busy lives. Each of her brothers and sisters and cousins get a turn to pick the park that it will be held in, which is why they’re always at a different location. It's also the reason I’d never been to this one before.

Meagan always comes to these reunions with me, and even though she’s my cousin on my dad’s side she’s more like my sister and we do everything together. We’re even dating two guys from our neighborhood who we graduated high school with, and who are also best friends. Meagan waited all year in our last year of high school for Nik to ask her out and now they’re inseparable. Two weeks ago he gave her a beautiful diamond ring and she’s ecstatic even though they haven’t set a date yet.

Meanwhile, Brad had asked me out a hundred times in that last year, but I was too caught up with the high school football icon to really pay any attention to him. And it was through a class trip-turned-disaster that I realized what a great guy Brad was, and just how much we had in common. Now I never want to be apart from him. I know

he cares for me, but he’s never given me a ring or even hinted at it so sometimes I worry if we’re really as close as I hope we are.

The sky was clear blue and the sun warmed the gentle breeze that brushed against my bare arms. There appeared to be a promise in the air that today was going to be a great day. Everything seemed perfect: the weather, the fact that we got here without encountering any problems and the fact that every member of the family had agreed to come. And this was a first because usually there was some kind of issue going on and some couldn’t or wouldn’t come.

Everything was perfect except for the nightmare I had last night that still scourged my thoughts and scared me into worrying that something terrible was going to happen. It was so real at the time and every detail was clear to me then, but within minutes of coming out of it I’d forgotten most of it. I only remember some things and one of them is the wave of fear that forewarned that something really terrible was going to happen.

I dreamed that we were at a park and that Meagan and I were dressed in formal gowns as we walked along the calm beach with Brad and Nik. Brad was about to ask me to dance, but then disappeared just as someone went missing. At first I thought it was him because he was gone for quite a while, but then he returned and I knew it was someone else. I had no idea who, yet everyone seemed to be in a state of panic while we searched for this lost one. There was something else going on at the same time, but I couldn’t remember what it was, but it made searching for this person a terrifying race against time.

Just thinking about it shot goosebumps up and down my arms. I knew it was more than just a dream brought on by my emotions as a result of the movie I’d seen with Meagan. We’d watched The Titanic recently and it bothered me that so many people died and that there was nothing anyone could do to change their fate. I told Meagan about the dream and she insisted that it was my emotions reacting to the movie. Maybe it was, but I don’t think so.

I’ve had dreams before that turned out to be warnings and I had the same creepy fear flood through me right afterward and throughout the visit of wherever we went. And something always went wrong just like it did in my dream. So, I knew that this was a premonition of some kind, and yet, nothing around me even hinted that anything could go wrong.

Meagan and I drove with the guys in Nik’s Kia sports car and followed my dad’s van into the parking area of the park. Nik pulled up beside my dad who had driven Aunt Gerdi and Grandma Watson along with my mom and my brother, Scotty. I figured that by now, these two lovely older ladies were probably driving my dad crazy. Come on! Aunt Gerdi and Grandma are probably banging on the walls of the van by now so let’s help Dad get them out.

Brad pulled the side door to the van wide open and smiled at the older women as he told them that he would help them out and onto the grass. Grandma Watson reached for Brad’s hand and smiled back at him. What a nice boy you are.

They chatted for a few seconds and then Aunt Gerdi leaned in as close to Brad as she could and then shouted out to