Free Absolute Pressure by Sigmund Brouwer Page B

help myself. I would suck for air through my nose. All I would get would be water. I would be dead long before we hit the ocean floor two miles down.
    Then, suddenly, the water stopped tugging at me.
    I was free!
    Both my arms could move!
    My lungs were screaming for air. I bit down hard and kicked my legs.
    Up, up, I told myself, kick up!
    I fought against the water. I had to get to the surface. All I could think of was reaching air.
    I kicked. But the harder I kicked, the more I needed air.
    I kicked. I felt myself growing weaker, but still I kicked.
    And I reached cool air. The black of the water was now the black of night. With stars above. I tried to gasp for air, but my mouth was taped. I got a little air through my nostrils, but I needed more. I ripped the tape from my mouth and pulled in lungful after lungful of air.
    The noise of the
GypSea
grew fainter and fainter as it left me behind.
    I took in more air. It was great to be alive.
    It hit me.
I was alive.
What had happened? Where was Judd?
    There was a splash beside me.
    â€œJudd?” I called out.
    â€œOver here.” His voice croaked just like mine.
    We kept splashing until we were side by side. We dog-paddled to keep our heads above the water.
    â€œI can’t believe this,” I said. “How did you do that?”
    He coughed out water. “I had the key in my free hand.”
    He stopped again to cough out more water. “I didn’t dare try to unlock the handcuffs until we were in the water. I had to unlock your side first, because if I didn’t, you’d still be dropping and I’d have no way to catch you...”
    â€œUm, thanks,” I said.
    â€œDon’t thank me yet,” he said. “We’re miles from shore. I’m not a good swimmer. And I’m scared of sharks.”
    â€œLet me show you something,” I said. “You got us here. I’ll get you to land.”

chapter thirty-three
    He was paddling hard. He was afraid.
    â€œListen,” I said. “Slow it down. It doesn’t take much effort to paddle. And if you swim in jerky movements, you draw in sharks. They look for quick, hard movements. It makes them think of scared or hurt fish. And that makes them think of food.”
    â€œI hate this,” Judd said. “Thinking of sharks circling us.”
    I did too. I had strong memories of watching the bull shark close in on me. But it wouldn’t do to add to Judd’s fear. So I didn’t say anything about it.
    Instead I got him thinking about doing something positive.
    â€œYou can float without moving much,” I said. “Take a big breath. It will fill your lungs with air and help you float. When you breathe out, you paddle a bit to keep your head above the water. Then breathe in again.”
    â€œThanks for the lesson,” he said.
    â€œNo problem,” I said. “We may be in the water for hours.
    Without warning, a blinking light appeared on the surface of the water. It was so strange, it took me a second to identify it. Emergency light. On a...
    â€œIt’s a life jacket,” Judd said. “Must be from the
GypSea
. Look around. I’ll bet we find another.”
    â€œBut why?” This didn’t make sense.
    â€œTrust me,” he said. “If there’s one, there should be two.”
    I couldn’t believe it. It only took thirty seconds for us to find it. And about another ten seconds for me to slip it on.
    â€œMuch easier than paddling,” I said. He probably couldn’t see my grin in the dark. But I didn’t grin for long. There was something else to worry about. “Don’t move your legs. Sharks won’t have a clue we’re here.”
    I couldn’t stop thinking about how weird it was to find these life jackets.
    I mentioned this to Judd.
    â€œI don’t think it’s weird at all,” he said.
    â€œNo weirder than having a handcuff key in my free hand.”
    â€œIt wasn’t a