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And then he told them

Chapter 17: Corkscrew

The icy chill when they dove back into the churning waters of the purple ocean took Michael’s breath away He gasped for air as he fought the whitecaps Bryson and Sarah were right next to hi to stay afloat

"This better work!" Bryson yelled at him over the roar of the sea

"You knoill!" Michael shouted back

Sarah’s lips quivered in the cold They were al about her "Just re the air here anyway It’s all an illusion Once we’ve … gotten past the hard part we’ll probably feelWeber"

"The hard part?" Bryson repeated "Try horrific I think that’s a better word It’ll be the worst few seconds of our entire lives"

Michael smiled, which creased his frozen face in a way that hurt, made him feel like he was about to crureed with his friend What they were about to do went against every human instinct

Hopefully it wouldn’t kill them

"Let’s do it," he said to his friends "I’rin at that last part

"Pretty sure, huh?" Bryson asked, not amused

"Ninety-nine percent" That was the honest truth He just hoped that one percent wouldn’t mean the end

Sarah found his hand underwater and squeezed

"Okay," she said "I was the one giving the pep talk, but I’m actually scared I don’t know if I can do this"

"You can," Michael insisted "No e breath, then sub his eyes, he felt the sting of salt, but he forced his lids to stay up, telling hi the substance around hi disappeared and his vision cleared

Sarah and Bryson floated before hi in halos around their heads Sunlight slanted in shafts through the purple water, illus of code--nuether They were everywhere Like minnows, they darted back and forth and swirled around each other