My eyes scan the ocean. Nothing … only the hungry dark scarfing down everything in its path …
“Over here!” a voice calls. The two greatest words I’ve ever heard.
I drop and plunge my oar back into the water. “It came from that direction!” I point just off to our starboard side.
She’s already rowing. “I see them.”
As we draw nearer to the voice, I can’t help wonder who it was that called out. Between the thrashing of our oars in the water and the stutters and weakness in that cry, it’s impossible to be sure. It doesn’t matter. The three of them are still alive. They have to be.
“Look!” Cypress shouts.
A clump of tangled limbs floats listless in the water. My heart sinks.
“Watch your oar!” I shout back to Cypress. I struggle to maneuver the raft around so I won’t hit them with the oars. I throw my oar down and lean over the edge, gripping an icy arm.
Cypress is at my side in a flash, helping me haul the three of them up and over onto the raft. First Ophelia, shaking uncontrollably. Then Gideon, who looks like all the blood’s been drained from him. And finally, it takes all of our strength to drag Digory aboard. Even in the pale moonlight, I can see the gray taint to his skin.
Cypress grabs my shoulder. “There may be thermal blankets in that supply container over-”
“Check it!”
Then she’s gone, ripping through the gear stowed in the corner.
I lean in close to Digory, looking for signs of life. “Digory!” I slap his cheek lightly. But there’s no response. I hold my hand in front of his nose. Not a hint of warmth from his nostrils.
Nothing.
This is not happening! I grab his shoulders, shake him. “Digory! Wake up! Listen to me, damn it! Wake up!”
“Wrap yourselves in these.” Cypress throws a couple of thermal blankets at Ophelia and Gideon, and plops down next to me.
“I don’t think he’s breathing,” I say.
“Cover him in this.” Cypress pulls the thermal blanket close and I help her wrap it around his bare chest. There’s a click and an orange glow, and the blanket begins to heat.
Cypress hands me another blanket. “You too.”
Dazed, I offer no resistance as she cloaks me in the therm’s comforting warmth. But even that’s not enough to douse the icy fear creeping through me. I pull myself close to Digory and wrap myself around him. Maybe my added warmth will be enough to spark life back into his veins.
“Listen to me, Digory,” I whisper in his ear. “You’re going to be okay. I promise.” I press my head against his chest. Shivers rock me, despite the heat radiating from the blanket.
Gideon stands over us, wrapped in his own thermal blanket. He’s colorless. “He tried going after you, but I started to drown while trying to help Juniper here, so he came back. He saved our lives.” He looks away. “I’m sorry.”
A flash of anger sears through me. “Don’t eulogize him, Warrick. He’s not dead!” I turn to Digory, whose face now has a blue hue.
The resuscitation exercises we learned in first aid training. Damn it. What if I’ve wasted too much time already?
I squat beside Digory and Ophelia. “Tilt his head back!”
Her eyes go wide.“What?”
“Just do it!” As Ophelia tilts Digory’s head back on her lap, I place both my hands on top of each other in the middle of his chest and start pushing, over and over again. Then I pinch his nose and blow two breaths into his lips before returning to pumping his chest.
“This is all your fault!” Gideon yells at Cypress. “You took the raft and left us to die. You killed him.” He grabs her shoulder. “Maybe you ought to spend a few minutes in that freezing water and see how it feels?”
She glares at the fingers clutching her. “Unless you’re planning on reliving the experience, I suggest you take your hand off me.”
Ophelia shakes her head. “It isn’t working!”
With each thrust of my hands, an image flashes into my mind. The first time I saw Digory at the Instructional Facility. Meeting him in that alley years later. His defiant look during the Recruitment.
I lean forward and pinch his nostrils closed again, press my lips to his, and blow in more air. I think about all those times he stole my breath away. Why doesn’t he use it now?
His eyes remain closed. His body still.
Ophelia touches my hand. “I’m really sorry, Spark. He’s gone.”
I yank my hand away. “No!” My fists pound his chest. “Come back!” Whomp! “Open your eyes!” Thwack! “Don’t”-slap-“Give”-slap-“Up!” Smack!
“Spark! Let him go!” Gideon grabs one of my fists in mid-swing.
Digory’s eyes snap open. Icy water spews from his mouth. He leans forward, coughing and gasping for air.
“You did it, Spark!” Ophelia holds up the back of Digory’s head, steadying him against her.
Relief floods me. Pushing Gideon aside, I squat beside Digory, pull the thermal blanket over him, and pat his back. “It’s okay. You’re okay now.”
He continues to cough. But eventually it peters out, as does the trembling. Little by little, the pink returns to his skin. Finally, his breathing eases into a normal rhythm.
His eyes wander around the raft, taking us all in.
“I feel like a Squawker ran into me,” he says at last. His voice sounds a little weak, but at least it’s not laced with chill. “What happened?” He looks right at me. “The last thing I remember, you took off after … ” His eyes narrow at Cypress. “Her.” He bolts upright. “Warrick! You were drowning-!”
“Take it easy, Tycho,” Gideon says. “At least you came back.” He glares at Cypress. “Quicker than some other people.” He looks back at Digory. The hint of a smile appears on his face. “You helped us out.” His head swings to Ophelia. “Both of us. We owe you one.”
Ophelia nods.
“Don’t worry about it, Warrick.” Digory smiles. “So, what happened to me?”
“You just passed out,” I say before anyone else can respond. My eyes sweep Ophelia, Gideon, and finally Cypress before relaxing on Digory. “But the therm’s doing its job and you’re better now. And we have a Radio Tower to find.”
Cypress just stares at me with a crooked smile painted on her face. Her eyes shift between Digory and me. “So much selflessness tonight is gonna make for a much more interesting competition during the actual Trials.”
Gideon pulls out the map and rattles off the coordinates while I grab the compass, Ophelia and Cypress take the oars, and Digory trains the binoculars toward our destination.
Behind us, the carrier is just a few specks of flickering light on the horizon. We’re all alone now, adrift in the engulfing blackness.
I study the faces around me. Digory. Gideon. Ophelia. Cypress.
No. Not alone.
We have each other.
“I see it!” Digory points into the distance.
Before us, a tiny island looms, with a triangular tower at its center.
We can barely contain our whoops and hollers. We did it. Together.
As we approach the shoreline, the island flickers. At first I think it’s lightning from an approaching storm. Then the radio tower shimmers-and vanishes, along with the island, sky, and stars.
Harsh lights come on. When my eyes adjust, I see that we’re actually indoors, in a vast domed tank, surrounded by huge empty walls.
Screens.
Congratulations, Recruits, Slade’s voice booms from the loudspeakers. You have successfully navigated through your first training Simulation without any casualties. This concludes Phase One of your training. Only two more phases to go. But I warn you. No more coddling. Now get your butts to bed. We start bright and early tomorrow.