An Unlikely Rescue [RP Excerpt]

    The narrow culvert descended at a shallow angle, until it dropped sharply into a drainage canal about as wide as an average man’s height. The woman was obviously acquainted with her chosen escape route, because she jumped at the right time and landed on her feet in with a splash in spite of the darkness. She dropped her victim into the murky water and let the current help carry him along, grabbing a fistful of hair to keep his head above water. After two tunnels, she released her hold on him to pull a candle stub from the folds of her ragged cloak, and lit it with matches from a waterproof pouch. The little flame was feeble, but it illuminated the inky black enough to keep moving forward.

    Colo sputtered and opened his eyes when his head was submerged. He stood up so quickly he almost toppled over, flailing and coughing in disoriented alarm. The high-pitched ringing in one ear persisted. A pungent mold smell struck his nose nearly as hard as the woman holding the only light source. She punched him with a balled fist, and tripped him backwards.

    Dazed by the blow, Colo went under the surface of the water again. The next thing he knew the woman hauled him out and a leather belt was wrapped around his torso--pinning his arms at his sides. She gagged him with a wad of wet cloth, and threw him over her shoulder. He struggled, but the woman's limbs were stronger than they appeared and he couldn't free himself from her grasp. He thrashed and kicked in an effort to free himself from her grip. Using her shoulder, the woman smashed him against the tunnel wall.

    “Keep fightin’ and I’ll drown you!” She hissed barbarically.

    Colo fell limp against her, more from the impact with the wall rather than her threat. Blood dripped freely from his nose onto the woman’s cloak making it a challenge to draw in air. The woman took another turn. The only mercy for him seemed to be that the new tunnel was wider than the last.