Page 46 (1/1)

I move up to the corner, where the lake beco out, the cushioning effect of my skin and muscle is depleted The impact of my kneecaps on rock rattles my entire body My entire skeleton

As much as I don’t want to try this water, I know I’m out of options Out of time

On my hands and knees, I lean forward, reach down to scoop a handful of lake, and lift it toin the liquid

Cool and crisp, the water tastes clean That doesn’taround in there, but at least it tastes like pure water

As it flows over ue, down htning flashes of cool, refreshing, life-giving water My sto me that it would like some food too That will have to wait I can survive for days, weeks even, without food

For the love of Medusa, I don’t think water has ever tasted this good init down like y drinks back ho I care about Even knowing that some of the people I care about--Ursula, Sthenno, and, yes, Nick--are possibly here, in this realm with me, I feel a million miles away from them

My sisters feel even farther away

When I’ve drunkto explode, like I ht float away, I sit back on my heels Hands onin the feeling ofI need to get back on ht lead ons And then--hopefully--hoht now, I could sit here and listen to the gently lapping water forever I’ot here, and I’m sure my body and my brain would appreciate a quick nap I can’t afford to wait, though

Finally, after I feel that so my stomach has been absorbed into my body, I slowly open my eyes I’m ready to push back to e, and keep walking

Across the lake, about a third of the way around the shore froht I’ot here Which means I’m also pretty certain it’s a late addition Which ht it there

I ju reflexes back in working order, and take off toward the light The glow is strong enough that I can see the ground in front of merock outcropping between ht, and when I approach it, I realize I’ll either have to swi to get over it

I weigh ear I do have--will get soaked If I go with the rocks, I et ear and ile of footwear I survey the rock face and find it alround level I can’t even see how high the rock wall goes Itfor all I know

"No way can I make it over," I mutter

Which et wet, I want to lessen the consequences as much as possible I quickly strip down to my essentials and tie my boots up in the bundle of my clothes Hopefully I can hold theht grip on e and slowly start to wade in I knew the water was cold, but I had no idea how freezing it would feel to walk into it Maybe it’s colder in this deeper end of the lake, or maybe my toes are just more sensitive than my hands Either way, the shivers start before I’m even knee-deep

As the water rises, I set the bundle onThe lakebed--all solid rock, of course--drops off quickly, and soon I can barely reach the botto my chin up to keep -paddle as I reach the end of the rock outcropping

I pass the barrier and start swi for the shore on the other side I feel the first scrape ofwraps around et dragged under Before I disappear beneath the surface, I heaveto at least keep my clothes dry With both arthat feels toofor ers out instead of tying the else inme, but the doard momentum and my natural buoyancy keep the hand just out of reach

I feel the water pressure change as I’ful of air in en Pri to compel me to take another breath The survival core of my brain doesn’t realize that there is no air out there, only water

The last whoosh of air escapes I’oing days without water Lack of oxygen will do the same trick in minutes