Chapter 39: Outside
The water seems even colder the second time and almost forces the extra air from Reid's lungs as he swims hard toward the
tunnel. He reaches the lip just as panic sets in. Maybe he should surface, take another gulp of air? But he is already
being drawn in by the current and has no choice.
He swims as best he can in the narrow way, finding it widens as he goes, the undertow slowing. Reid realizes they were
lucky the front end is a bottleneck. It creates enough pressure to make the current possible.
The light is stronger ahead but his lungs are burning and his legs feel like useless weights trailing behind him.
Something brushes against his face and he lets fear drive some of the precious oxygen from his lungs. It's a shoe,
someone's foot. He swims up as the boy's body spins slowly around, the dead and staring eyes meeting his. It's Eric, his
broken arm hanging free of the sling he wore it in.