[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by Graham

I like limited third person. :-)

http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/g.../g/limited.htm

Spoiler:

If Ricky jumped in the water, she'd be dead.

That's in the river in your head, not necessarily in the river in the story. You tell us that it is 'massive' and has a 'strong current', but while a big deep strong river may be a problem for a car it doesn't definitely become a problem for a human who can swim.

But there's your opportunity. If the current is strong, Ricky jumps in and gets swept away. Now she's watching the car going under and is completely helpless and in danger. The next thing she knows she's waking up at her parents. Wow.

You can handwave how she was found near death on the bank downstream.

Graham

Spoiler:

That would be good, but I also like the moral ambiguity of fear stopping her from doing the cliche thing that everyone expects. The ensuing guilt contributes to her subsequent breakdown. Maybe I'll have to mention the guilt.

Jim