Chapter 7 - Holding On
Daniel didn't waste a precious second screaming for help. He took the deepest, most massive breath his lungs could hold and dove back down into the abyss.
The water was growing darker as the cover slid overhead, blocking out the sun. He reached the bottom.
Valeria was nearly motionless. Her eyes were half-closed, her body floating listlessly against the tension of the chain. The frantic kicking had stopped. The instinct to breathe was overwhelming her system.
Daniel swam to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. He grabbed her face with both hands, gently slapping her cheeks to keep her conscious.
Don't close your eyes, he mouthed, shaking his head.
Through the increasingly murky water, her eyes fluttered open, locking onto his. She looked terrified, exhausted, and ready to surrender. A single, distinct tear mixed with the trail of silver bubbles escaping her lips.
Daniel grabbed her bound hands and pressed them firmly against her swollen stomach.
Think of the baby, he mouthed deliberately, staring fiercely into her eyes. Resist. I will get you out.
He let go of her face and swam down to the base of the marble statue. He grabbed the thick iron chain with both hands, planted his feet against the concrete floor, and pulled with a desperate, animalistic fury. The chain groaned, but it did not yield. He searched frantically for a weak link, a rusted hinge, anything.
May you like
Nothing. The statue was bolted directly into the reinforced concrete foundation of the pool.
His lungs began to burn like fire. He had to breathe. He shot back up to the surface.
