Water dripped from her hair onto her shoulders. Her teeth chattered, but not just from cold. She was scared. The circle of bikers around Sarah and Dave was closing tighter. Some of them looked at Maya with hard eyes. A woman in a leather vest stepped up to Maya. She had short red hair and many tattoos on her arms. “You’re the one who found her?” she asked.
Maya nodded, too nervous to speak. “What were you doing out in the lake?” “I I saw her go under,” Maya said, her voice small. “No one else was looking.” The red-haired woman frowned. “Where’d you come from? You’re not with our group.” Maya’s heart beat faster. She glanced toward the pier where her backpack was hidden.
She needed to get away from these people. They might be angry when they learned she’d been spying on them. Just then, Sarah made a sound. Everyone turned to look. It was a small cough at first, then a bigger one. Water spurted from her mouth. Dave turned her onto her side as she coughed up more water. “That’s it, baby.
Get it out,” Dave said. his voice cracking. Sarah’s eyes fluttered open. They were blue like the sky. She looked confused. “Dave,” she whispered. A huge cheer went up from the bikers. Dave gathered Sarah in his arms, holding her tight but gentle. “I thought I lost you,” he said, his big shoulders shaking as he cried.
Someone ran to get blankets. Someone else called 911 on their cell phone. The mood changed from scared to happy in a flash. Maya took a step back, then another. No one was watching her now. This was her chance to slip away. She turned and started walking slowly toward the pier. “Hey, wait,” a deep voice called. Maya froze.
She looked back to see Dave standing up, leaving Sarah wrapped in blankets with others caring for her. “You,” he said, pointing a thick finger at Maya. “You saved my wife.” Everyone turned to look at her again. Maya wished the ground would open up and swallow her. She wasn’t used to so many eyes on her.
“What’s your name, kid?” Dave asked, walking closer. Maya,” she said so quietly he had to lean down to hear her. “Maya,” he repeated. “Sarah was under for 9 minutes. The doctors always told us brain damage starts after 4 to 5 minutes without oxygen. But you got her out and she’s awake and talking. You’re a hero.” Maya shook her head.
I just saw her stuck down there. Anyone would have helped. A man with a patch on his vest that said treasurer stepped forward, but no one else did help. We all missed it. You’re the only one who saw and did something. Dave nodded. Where are your parents, Maya? They should know what you did today. Maya looked at her feet.
Her toes were muddy from the lake bottom. Don’t have any, she said. I mean, I’m on my own. Dave and the others exchanged looks. The red-haired woman from before stepped closer. “How old are you?” she asked. “11 17?” Maya answered. “Jesus,” someone muttered. “She’s just a kid.” Dave looked at Maya more carefully now. He took in her thin arms, her old clothes, the dark circles under her eyes.
“When’s the last time you ate, Mia?” he asked. Maya shrugged. “Yesterday morning, found half a sandwich.” The words hung in the air. Maya wished she hadn’t said it. Now they’d call social services. She’d be put back in foster care, maybe even sent back to the grants. She took another step back. “I should go,” she said.
