"Everyone, pay attention. This road has turned into a swamp. It's nothing but sludge underneath. If you fall in, you won't be able to pull yourself out. Be extremely careful."
After Evelyn Ford spoke, Ronan Kendrick plunged the oar into the sludge. With a slight push, he propelled the raft forward.
The people behind them hurried to keep up. At a time like this, the large rafts were much safer than the small ones. The smaller a raft was, the less stable it became, making it easier to capsize.
The raft began to glide forward with the current. Evelyn Ford could now clearly see the "thing" wedged between two trees. It was a person, all right—likely dead for three or four days, their body bloated and pale from the water.
Evelyn Ford gripped the raft tightly. 'Once we're past this stretch, we won't have to be so careful.' Rain pounded on her hat, collecting on the brim before streaming down. Evelyn blinked, trying to shake the water from her eyelashes.
