Page 73 of Sinners Reunion

Josie lowers her Cattle, and one of the smaller animals grips a foot and tries to twist it off. Something definitely snaps internally, but the foot remains attached. She drags him over the deeper water and dunks him in. When she brings him up again, a small gator grips his penis. It pops right off when the creature twists.

Back in the shallow end, Rose’s Cattle has been snatched in half. Jaws open and close on the spilled innards as one of the beasties drags its prize to the murkier end of the pond. Blood discolors the water.

I turn as I hear the sound of Josie’s Cattle being cut loose, but that’s when the catwalk tips beneath my feet. She didn’t cut him loose. The catwalk has come loose.

The platform the four of us stand on cants at an impossible angle for several seconds, pointing us right at the water. Grim and I manage to hold on, but both Rose and Josie flip over the railing. Thankfully, both women also manage to keep at least one arm wrapped around it, preventing them from falling into the death pit below.

I slam my hands over each of theirs, then look at Grim. The platform continues to wobble, and until it stops, it’s safest if I just keep both women still. Then I can help them both back onto the platform. Simple.

“Come hold Rose,” I say to Grim.

Grim shakes his head and keeps his grip on the railing. “What you ask cannot be done.”

“Right,” I say. “I forgot. You are absolute dog shite in an emergency.”

It’s not a problem, however. I can easily get both women back onto⁠—

“Save her!” Josie screams. “I might be able to make it if I swim!”

I snap my head around and look at her. “You can’t bloody swim!”

The platform’s wobbling aftershocks have nearly ceased, and there’s no need to make a choice at all. I can haul them both up. If Josie could possibly stop with the histrionics, that would be helpful. I tighten my grip on her wrist.

“I don’t have to pick which one of you to⁠—”

Rose wriggles out of my hold and lets go of the railing. Josie screams as we watch her drop into the water below us. A few breathless seconds later, she emerges and starts to swim for the bushes near the shallow end.

“She didn’t have to bloody jump!” I bellow. “I could have held you both like this for ages, but it only needed to be long enough for the fucking thing to stop being so wibbly-wobbly! Why does no one listen when I speak?”

“I cannot save her, but I may follow where she goes,” Grim says behind us. “Even to meet Death.”

I have no time to stop him from dropping over the railing. A second splash breaks the water, and the platform starts to wobble again, thanks to Grim’s acrobatic swan dive. Now I’ll have to wait even longer before pulling her to safety.

Josie and I see Grim swimming beside Rose. They’re heading toward the shallow section, but those alligators are still there. They’re occupied with what remains of that first dropped Cattle, but the movement from Grim and Rose will surely draw their attention.

I close my eyes. I suck in a steeling breath.

“How long can you hold on to that railing, my beauty?”

Her fingers tense under my arm. “As long as I need to, Captain Cocksure.”

I smile to myself and nod. “Right, then. I’m going to let go. Your controller is wedged under my shoe, and I think you know what I need to do.”

“Do it,” she says. “And if you save them and me, I’ll give you the best blow job you’ve ever had.”

“Can’t fuck it up now, can I?”

I release her hand and brace against the railing as I bend to grab the controller. The platform wobbles a little less now; the high-flying rodeo from hell is almost over.

Widening my stance for better balance, I peer over Josie and spot Grim and Rose. They’re halfway across the pond now, and unfortunately, they’ve been spotted by one of the larger animals.

Before the great beast can slink into the water, I drag Josie’s weinerless meat puppet into his line of sight. He adjusts course and lunges at the Cattle instead, snagging the man’s ankle and pulling off his foot.

While that one is busy knocking back his appetizer, I pull the rig toward two smaller threats. They’re big enough to hurt my friends, however, and I can’t have that. The bleeding stump and thrashing arms are enough to tempt them away, clearing a path for Grim and Rose.

“Oh, shit! Hurry!” Josie screams, and I toss down the controller, certain she’s about to fall, but then I look down.

A large shadow drifts through the water, and it’s heading right for them.