Page 29 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

8

Something was wrong.

Something was very wrong.

Her eyes were open, but there was nothing except the hazy blackness that surrounded her.

She tried to move forward, but felt a current of resistance that seemed to force her down. She was sinking lower and lower into the depths of this blackness, where only emptiness lived.

And it was cold.

So cold.

Pimples raced up and down her arms as an increasing pressure built. Like a clamp was squeezing her chest, her breathing became tighter and tighter. The pressure grew until she could no longer hold it. She had to release it.

The air burst out of her mouth and lungs.

Only then did she realize she was underwater.

Drowningunderwater.

Forcing her eyes skyward, she caught a glimpse of the light on the surface. She knew she had to get up there if she was to have any chance of surviving.

Panic coursed through her body. She willed her arms and legs to move, but they were numb and felt as if they were strapped down against her body.

Were her arms tied?

Was she restrained?

She didn’t know, but as the fire began to burn inside her lungs again, she kicked her feet with renewed vigor and was rewarded with the tiniest movement.

A glimmer of hope flared inside, only for her body to be sucked down further than where she had begun.

She had to get the surface.

She had to breathe if she was to have any chance of surviving. The icy waters seemed to have lulled her body into a strange state. Though her heart pounded, she was light-headed, and the world seemed to be fading away from her.

She sank further into the murky darkness as her eyes began to close.

The sound of rushing water filled her ears…

Jane eyes flashed open as she found herself staring at the white ceiling above the bed.

She could hear the splashing of the water as if she were still in its grasp. Forcing herself up, she pressed a hand against her chest to feel her racing heart.

The nightmare had felt so real that she could swear that she could feel the water in her lungs. The dream was likely a flashback to whatever had happened to her. It was no wonder that the distress she’d been feeling was so real — her body couldn’t tell the difference.

Blinking away the sleep from her eyes, she felt beside her for Loki, but there was no sign of the puppy. A happy yip sounded outside, followed by more of that splashing which was actually coming from outside.

She got out of bed and padded toward the sound. It didn’t take long to discover the source of the commotion.

Logan cut through the pool, swimming length after length in super fast time. An overexcited Loki ran beside him, following each length, apparently too afraid of the water, yet wanting to partake of this fun exercise. His tail whipped behind him in a frenzy.

Occasionally, Logan would glance over at the dog to make sure that he was OK, but other than that, his sole attention was on this morning swim.

He slid through the water like a seal as Jane marveled at how easily he made it seem. If she had been able to swim half as well, maybe she wouldn’t have ended up on the shore in the state that she had.

She wasn’t aware how long she stood watching him, but she must have made a noise as Loki’s attention was suddenly diverted to her. He stopped chasing Logan and started tearing toward her.

---