Rosie crawled towards him then realised the raft was heading straight for the canyon wall. She pulled the paddle out from under the straps then shoved it into the water like a rudder. The raft tossed and bobbed in the current and it took all her concentration to control it. She balanced on her knees and dipped the paddle in left, then right, shuffling from one side to the other as she tried to steer them on a straight course. The water dragged hard at the paddle and she was terrified they’d tip over. “Riley!” She shouted at him several times, and finally he moved his hand the tiniest bit. “Okay,” he said weakly, but didn’t open his eyes. It was better than nothing. After a frantic dance of shuffling and dipping, Rosie managed to steer the raft towards the centre of the river, where the water ran swift but smooth. They settled into the strong central current, floating in a relatively straight course. Her knees sore, she sat back on her heels to catch her breath, inhaling deeply through the breather.
