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One last inhalation that barely puffed out his lungs and he relaxed, exhaling s pressure as he rose froulator dis ran dry

The surface appeared so close he could reach out and touch it when his lungs began to burn It was a spiteful illusion The waves were still 20 meters (66 feet) away

He put sohten around his chest Soon, the desire for air becaes of his eyes

Pitt beca that hindered his ascent His vision, blurred without a divehim Instinctively, he thrashed clumsily in an attempt to free himself

A great roaring sound came from inside his brain as it screamed in protest But in that instant before blackness shut down hispulled toward the surface

"I've hooked a big one!" shouted Joe Hagen joyously,

"You got apole bent like a question mark

"He's not giving ht for a marlin," Joe panted as he feverishly turned the crank on his reel

"Feels ht"

"Maybe you dragged him to death"

"Get the gaff He's almost to the surface"

Claire snatched a long-handled gaff from two hooks and pointed it over the side of the yacht like a spear "I see so and black"

Then she screamed in horror

Pitt was a millimeter away froh between the waves He spit out his regulator and drew in a deep breath The sun's reflection on the water blinded eyes that hadn't seen light in almost two days He squinted rapturously at the sudden kaleidoscope of colors

Relief, joy of living, fulfillether