Athanasia had not meant to scare her rescuer, but it seemed like he had thought she was dead. She was shivering, she felt a bit nauseous and her head ached, but she was alive. “I’m fine … I think,” she replied. “And I’ll be so still that you won’t even know I’m here.” She would have offered to lighten the load and swim to shore if she had not been so dizzy.

She couldn’t look back to see what was happening behind her, but most of the competitors had not caught up with them yet. Her savior was a good rower. Though she would have liked to ask what had happened to her, she didn’t want to break his concentration.

There were only a few tubs ahead of them. “You’re doing really well,” she remarked.

“Maybe not that still,” Ropati said, eyes on the goal.

Last thing he wanted was to lose her and not even realize it.

There was a quizzical blink when she told him he was doing well. He hadn’t actually expected to, but this cheery little vineyard tub seemed to be holding up better than, uh, a bunch of them judging by the screams.

“Thankyou,” he managed to grit out in one exhale as he threw his back into it.

Hopefully that sounded friendlier than a rusty gear.

#1: Murphy Maddock

Murphy Maddock [29]
(19 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 2)
Total progress: 105 (#1)

Bram Ward [24]
(20 + 1 + 3)
Total progress: 86

Lory Ward [23]
(16 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 3)
Total progress: 85

William Ward [12]
(3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 2)
Total progress: 84

Ropati Fa’afili [12]
(5 + 1 + 4 + 2)
Total progress: 80

Francis Tully [20]
(14 + 2 + 4)
Total progress: 72

Elliot Riley [18]
(11 + 3 + 2 + 2)
Total progress: 69

Evelyn Griffin [26]
(20 + 2 + 4)
Total progress: 69

Joseph Blacke [10]
(4 + 3 + 1 + 2)
Total progress: 67

Noah Longbottom [18]
(17 + 1)
Total progress: 66

Thomas Shelley [10]
(5 + 2 + 2 + 1)
Total progress: 61

Albert Adams [7]
(1 + 3 + 1 + 2)
Total progress: DISASTER STRIKES!

William Blacke [8]
(4 + 1 + 3)
Total progress: DISASTER STRIKES!

Steve Kelly [5]
(5)
Total progress: DISASTER STRIKES!

#1: Murphy Maddock
#2: Lory Ward
#3: Bram Ward
#4: William Ward

Lory Ward [29]
(20 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2)
Total progress: 114 [#2]

Bram Ward [27]
(20 + 3 + 4)
Total progress: 113 [#3]

William Ward [20]
(10 + 3 + 1 + 3 + 3)
Total progress: 104 [#4]

Joseph Blacke [27]
(19 + 4 + 3 + 1)
Total progress: 94

Francis Tully [20]
(13 + 4 + 3)
Total progress: 92

Ropati Fa’afili [10]
(4 + 4 + 1 + 1)
Total progress: 90

Thomas Shelley [26]
(20 + 2 + 2 + 2)
Total progress: 87

Elliot Riley [16]
(10 + 2 + 1 + 3)
Total progress: 85

Noah Longbottom [16]
(15 + 1)
Total progress: 82

Evelyn Griffin [8]
(5 + 1 + 2)
Total progress: DISASTER STRIKES!

#1: Murphy Maddock
#2: Lory Ward
#3: Bram Ward
#4: William Ward
#5: Ropati Fa’afili
#6: Joseph Blacke
#7: Francis Tully and Elliot Riley
#8: Thomas Shelley and Noah Longbottom


Ropati Fa’afili [15]
(11 + 2 + 1 + 1)
Total progress: 105 [#5]

Joseph Blacke [10]
(5 + 1 + 1 + 3)
Total progress: 104 [#6]

Francis Tully [11]
(8 + 2 + 1)
Total progress: 103 [#7]

Elliot Riley [18]
(13 + 1 + 1 + 3)
Total progress: 103 [#7]

Thomas Shelley [15]
(6 + 3 + 3 + 3)
Total progress: 102 [#8]

Noah Longbottom [20]
(15 + 1)
Total progress: 102 [#8]