My body pruned and wrinkled until I looked like a raisin. It was difficult to get all the mud off of my body, so I couldn't even imagine how Tilly was doing. We had spent most of the night cleaning the substance off of our bodies. I could tell that all Tilly wanted to sleep, but we both knew that we would get sick or our wounds would get infected if we didn't clean up.

I got out of the water, not bothering to wait for my suit to dry before putting it on. Tilly was still in the water, so I ducked behind a couple of trees. I slid my blade out from inside my boot and threw it at a tree in front of me. The knife flew out of my hand so naturally that it took all of my strength not to smile. A little practice went a long way.

I continued to throw my knife at the trees, wondering if I would ever have to throw it at something moving. I hadn't seen another human for a while, would I need to use my skills then?

I shook my head, ashamed at the thought. The Kat I knew from a couple of weeks ago would have never picked up a knife, much less throw it at someone else. That Kat was gone, though. She was replaced with one that would have never looked twice at the old Kat. After all, a New Yorker that used her money on snacks and got nightmares from horror films wasn't someone who could be able to hang out with a girl that just survived a mud waterfall.

My heart ached. I placed my blade back in my boot. What I would do to go back to the old Kat. To be with Caden and Stace again. To not have cameras and near death following me twenty-four seven. To not—

"Kat, where are you?"

I blinked my tears away. God, why was I so emotional? Every course took at least five weeks to achieve, so I had ways to go. If I kept on crying, then I would become a mess.

"I'm over here," I replied. Tilly crept out from behind a pair of trees. I could only make out the outline of her body, but I could tell that her eyes were wide.

"What are you doing over here?" she whispered.

I smoothed down my hair, my finger catching on a few knots along the way. "Just clearing my thoughts."

"I can't sleep. Would you mind if I took my watch now?"

I nodded. When I remembered that she couldn't see me, I said, "Yeah, no problem." I walked back, not realizing how tired I was until I had laid down.

My head pounded as my eyes fluttered open. My cheek was glued to the floor and my back was arched in an uncomfortable position. I sat up slowly, flinching as my back sent sharp pains up my spine. I wiped the dirt off my face with the back of my hand before standing up.

Tilly was sitting next to me, her legs crossed and her chin resting on her hands. Her eyes were closed and her lips were silently trying to say something. Her eyelids snapped open when she heard me get up. She nearly bolted to her feet.

"I didn't know whether to wake you up or not," Tilly muttered. I shook my head, smiling.

"It's alright," I said. "Let's start moving."

We had nothing to take with us, so it wasn't hard to start walking again. My body felt like it was made of rusting metal, but I placed one foot in front of the other. My muscles began to loosen in no time, but neither Tilly nor my mouth managed to move. Tilly appeared to be too exhausted to talk. There were many things I wanted to say, but they were caught in my throat.

By the time we reached the next obstacle, all of my words were gone.

"What is that?" I finally said.

A stream of a strange colored liquid separated the path from us. The current wasn't moving in any direction, but I knew from the odd look that it wasn't safe to drink.

I snatched a stick from the side, sinking it halfway before twisting it. I tried to pull it out, but it remained stuck. I gave it one more tug, and the wood snapping in half.

I scanned the area. There has to be something we can use to walk across this river. I collected a couple of rocks, grabbing enough to step without falling in.

I handed a few of the stones to Tilly, trusting her to throw them accurately. She lightly tossed them a couple of feet in front of her. The rocks sank halfway before remaining stuck. I grinned. Hopefully, it would remain as stuck as the stick had been.

I went first. Tilly protested, but I was already jumping across before she could say anything.

My heart hammered against my chest as I pressed my foot against the rocks. My heart skipped a beat as it sank under my weight. When I felt confident that it would not budge, I pressed the rest of my weight on the next stone.

Adrenaline pulsed through my veins as I threw a few rocks in front of me. Everything seemed to blur out as I continued to throw and step, standing on my tip-toes so that my heels didn't get stuck in the substance. I didn't even realize that I had crossed until the stones had dropped out of my hands and my feet were on the solid ground.

"Your turn," I said. With a deep breath, Tilly began to place her feet on each of the rocks. Her feet fitted on the surface without her needing to stand on her toes. Her eyebrows were knitted in concentration and her lips were formed in a straight line. The risk of getting stuck appeared to be getting her. Luck could only be pushed so many times.

On cue, she mis-stepped, and her foot slid off of the rock and ankle-deep into the liquid.

I clasped my hand over my mouth, watching her foot sink deep into the river. I wanted to run and pull her out, but my feet were planted on the floor. It would be no use trying to assist her. That would just risk me getting stuck, too.

Tilly tore her boot off and threw herself onto the next rock. From there she had made it to the other side faster than I had ever seen someone run. She was sweating and her lips were pale with fear.

I allowed her to sit for a moment as I moved towards the liquid-like substance. I my feet on two rocks. I crouched down, my feet trembling at the weight. My fingers latched onto the small shoe. I pulled furiously, nearly tearing the fabric as I did so. After a couple of attempts, it loosened enough for me to pull it out. I threw the boot to the other side before making it over myself. Gratefully, Tilly slipped her shoe on.

We continued walking, both in one piece. Thank God we got that shoe, I thought with a grin as we continued on the path, shoes and bodies fully intact.

Hello, happy Monday! Sorry that I didn't update last week, I was feeling sick, so my ideas weren't running smoothly. I hope that this was good enough to make up for it, though!

The Wattpad Block Party is up, and it's almost my turn to be presented. It's been so amazing so far, and I really hope that you guys come and read your favorite author's pieces.

Also, it's Valentine's Day tomorrow, so happy early Valentine's Day! I hope that you celebrate the day with your loved ones and really have a great day. (Also, eat lots of chocolate ;) )

Don't forget to read, comment, and share with all of your friends! Also, don't forget to vote with your favorite candy (in honor of Valentine's Day). Stay cool. :)

This song is Unsteady by X Ambassadors. This shows how well they kept their balance when crossing, and how Kat is slowly missing her family and her old self. Enjoy.