The Boy in the Lake

'LUCA!' 

Selene wanted to scream, to yell, to explode. But she couldn't, the sight had paralysed her. His head was bowed, and he was submerged up to his knees in the lake. His arms were bound out to his sides; leather straps tethered his wrists to two wooden posts protruding out of the murky water. His body was slumped, but upright enough that Selene knew he was still alive. Possibly barely.

Selene's instincts began to kick in; she surveyed her surroundings, listened for sounds of anyone watching and tried to formulate a plan of how to get Luca out of the lake as quick as possible. Seeing no other way, she resolved to wade through the lake, untie him and drag him back to the shore. As she was about to make her move, she was tackled to the ground. She was about to fight back, when she saw the flames on the forearm of her assailant. Rafe.

"Stay. Down." Rafe ordered in a whisper. 'But Luca' Selene thought, her desire to run to Luca was so strong, but her trust in Rafe won out and she listened to him. 

"He's bait." Rafe explained, like it would make her feel better. Instead, it just made her look at him with like she was going to kill him. Rafe rolled his eyes. "We have a plan. OK? Just stay down until we need you. You trust us, right?" Selene's angry gaze stayed on Rafe, but he knew she was wordlessly agreeing to listen to him. Mainly by the fact that she wasn't fighting him right now.

Selene lay on the ground, she could see Luca through the branches and foliage of the bushes that Rafe had launched her into, he looked so vulnerable. Luca as bait? Why was that a plan? She just wanted to get to him, to help him. This wasn't a feeling that she was used to, or really ever had. Instead of focusing on the danger he was in, Selene decided to fixate on Luca. The light coming from the trees was highlighting the muscles in his arms and shoulders. Selene just wanted to be wrapped in those strong arms again. He deserved better than this, this wasn't what he was raised for. He shouldn't be tied up like that, waiting to be captured, all because he wanted to help her save Rafe. 

Suddenly, Selene's senses sprung into action. She could here far off sounds of people approaching. Clipped, military voices sounding off. The enemy. LUCA. Rafe felt Selene's body jolt underneath him as she tried to spring herself up and towards Luca. He used all of his body weight to keep her still.

"We know what we are doing. You'll get to save him. I promise. Just not just yet."

The men were getting closer and closer, straight for the lake. And Luca was still the boy in the lake, tied up and alone.