Page 6 of Drown Like Heaven
I looked around frantically, my teeth chattering and all my muscles flexing in rapid succession—some desperate attempt to regulate my temperature, presumably. It wasn’t working, and I still didn’t see anything. Was he really dead? I knew CPR, so maybe I still had time.
A wave swelled and crashed over me, stealing my air and sweeping me below it. And it was so, so cold down there. Dark and cold and terrifying. I pushed up to the surface again, gasping, coughing up saltwater, my mind reeling. With dull horror, I realized I couldn’t touch the bottom here. I spun around, trying not to freak out as I saw just how far the shoreline was now.
My arms and legs were burning while I treaded water, spitting it out when waves lapped at my face. Again, my gaze darted all around myself, hoping against all odds that I’d see the man. But now that I was really here, in the water, my hopes had all but dissolved. The Pacific was merciless, taking as many prisoners as it wanted.
I gulped in as big of an inhale as I could muster, then dove down, back below the surface. It was way too dark to see down here, but I extended my arms, reaching in every direction, swimmingdown.
This was my last attempt. When I resurfaced, I’d have to swim back. Even if I didn’t find him. I wouldn’t survive out here on my own. At least I’dtried.
My lungs ached, my legs kicking hard, taking me deeper still. The pressure on my skull increased, sounds swelling andmuffling in my ears, rushing on currents. My hair bloomed around my head, curling in floating tendrils, wrapping around me. I flicked my fingers through the icy coldness, stretching my limbs, grasping atnothing. Panic started burning brighter in my brain, shooting through my skull as the lack of oxygen stabbed my lungs.
I couldn’t do this.
My clothes were heavy, yanking me down, my chest on fire.
The rest of my air escaped through my nose in a flurry of bubbles. I tried to reorient myself, kick my legs, crawling towards precious air with my arms.
A hand grabbed my wrist.
I jerked back, my eyes flying open on instinct. But I couldn’t see anything.
The hand wasn’t letting go, even as I flailed, struggling towards the surface.
I squeezed my eyelids shut, feeling myself slipping.
Please.
And then I was beingpulled,pulledupwards. Hard.
I broke through the surface, coughing and gasping, choking on air while I tried to get some into my lungs. My mind was a chaotic jumble, my hair plastered to my face. Hands grabbed my shoulders, holding me, keeping me above water as I panted, drawing in heaving breaths. I was…warm. My eyes snapped back open, blinking through the blurriness of ocean water.
“What the fuck are you doing?” a rough voice asked me.
I couldn’t focus. All my thoughts ebbed away from me in inky trails, sifting through my fingers. I didn’t know how to describe the way the man looked up close; he was almost inhumanly perfect. It tripped some vital fear very deep inside of me, something I’d never felt before. My mind was warring between the desire to get closer to him and get the hell away from him.
“I—I don’t—” I stuttered, at a loss for words. I swore his skin was pulsing with each inhale, faintly glowing every time he sucked in a breath. But when I shook my head, it stopped.
He shifted his grip on me, almost cradling me as he began swimming back to the shore. He was a very strong swimmer, seemingly uninhibited by the fact that he had to drag my limp body with him. How was he so warm? It didn’t take us long to get back to the sand; I was still out of breath by the time I could stand on my own feet again.
“Are you okay?” he asked, towering over me now that we were both standing on flat ground. “What were youdoing?”
“What wereyoudoing?” I spluttered, gesturing pointlessly towards the ocean. “I thought you drowned.”
“You were trying to save me?”
“Well, I don’t—I don’t know if I would’ve beensuccessful, but I had to try.” I wished he’d at least pretend to be grateful I’d just risked my life for him.
“Why?” He narrowed his eyes.
I didn’t really have an answer to that.
A gust of wind whipped across my skin, my soaked clothes clinging cold to my body, and I shivered as if suddenly remembering just how freezing I was without his touch. The man’s expression shifted and he glanced down at my body, skimming my figure briefly before he started towards our clothes. My eyes instantly locked onto the scars on his back, wondering againhowhe’d gotten them. His skin was strangely flawless, save for those two gashes.
He pulled his t-shirt and hoodie on, hiding the scars, then picked up the rest of his stuff—and mine—then held his hand out to me. I just stared at him.
“W-w-what?” I asked, teeth chattering violently.
“You’re freezing. Come with me.”
