Page 76 of Leveling

Chapter 54

Beckett didn’t think. Like going in after the whale, his automatic reflexes kicked in. He climbed over the railing. There wasn’t a rope ladder, but it was just as well, he couldn’t hold on to one, anyway. He wrapped an arm around the top railing, pushed away with his legs, shoved and jumped. He was horizontal. Arced out and away, arms spread,

and down,

down,

down,

landing belly first

with a giant and mighty smacking sound.

He pulled to the surface, clutched his stomach, moaned, grabbed some quick breaths, located Luna’s direction, and swam toward her with even, impressive strokes, if not for the big, white, round bandages at the end of his arms.

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