Elias’s vision tunneled. His chest convulsed. The world went white around the edges— And then they broke the surface. The roar of their own gasps filled the air, wild and unrestrained. Elias coughed violently, choking on salt, his body trembling as he dragged in lungfuls of oxygen.
Edwin surfaced beside him, tearing his mask off, his breathing ragged and uneven. For a moment, none of them moved. They floated in silence, the waves slapping gently against the hull of the boat nearby, salvation just within reach.