from the shock of the temperature. She waited until her descent slowed, then kicked for the surface. The waves poured over her head, spewing salt into her mouth and up her nose, but she clutched the life preserver tight. It was cumbersome to swim with, but if she found Dawn--when she found Dawn--they would both need it to stay a oat while they waited for the lifeboat.
She could vaguely sense a clamoring up on the yacht, people shouting and scurrying around the deck, calling down to her. But if Luce was going to be any help to Dawn, she had to tune all of them out.
Luce thought she saw the dark dot of Dawn's head in the freezing water. She tore forward, against the waves, toward it. Her foot connected with something--a hand?--but then it was gone and she wasn't sure whether it had been Dawn at all.
Luce couldn't go underwater while holding on to the life preserver, and she had a bad feeling that Dawn was deeper down. She knew she shouldn't let go of the life preserver. But she couldn't save Dawn unless she did.
Tossing it aside, Luce lled her lungs with air, then plunged down deep, swimming hard until the surface warmth disappeared and the water became so cold it hurt. She couldn't see a thing, just grasped everywhere she could, hoping to reach Dawn before it was too late.
It was Dawn's hair that Luce felt rst, the thin shock of short, dark waves. Probing lower with her hand, she felt her friend's cheek, then her neck, then her shoulder. Dawn had sunk pretty far in such a short time. Luce slipped her arms under Dawn's armpits, then used all her strength to pull her up, kicking powerfully toward the surface.
They were far underwater, the daylight a distant shimmer.
And Dawn felt heavier than she could possibly be, like a great weight was attached to her, dragging both of them down.
At last Luce broke the surface. Dawn sputtered, spewing water out of her mouth and coughing. Her eyes were red and her hair was matted on her forehead. With one arm looped across Dawn's chest, Luce gently paddled them both toward the life preserver.
"Luce," Dawn whispered. In the tumbling waves, Luce couldn't hear her, but she could read her lips. "What's happening?"
"I don't know." Luce shook her head, straining to keep them both a oat.
"Swim to the lifeboat!" The call came from behind. But swimming anywhere was impossible. They could barely keep their heads above water.
The crew was lowering an in atable life raft. Steven was inside it. As soon as the boat met the ocean, he began paddling briskly toward them. Luce closed her eyes and let the palpable relief wash over her with the next wave. If she could just hold on a little longer, they were going to be okay.
"Grab my hand," Steven shouted to the girls. Luce's legs felt like she'd been swimming for an hour. She pushed Dawn toward him so that Dawn could be the rst one out.
Steven had stripped down to his slacks and white oxford shirt, which was wet now and clinging to his chest. His muscled arms were huge as he Steven had stripped down to his slacks and white oxford shirt, which was wet now and clinging to his chest. His muscled arms were huge as he reached for Dawn. His face red with exertion, he grunted and heaved her up. When Dawn was draped over the gunwale, far enough that she wouldn't fall back in, Steven turned and quickly took hold of Luce's arms.
She felt weightless, practically soaring out of the water with his help. It was only when she felt her body slipping the rest of the way into the boat that she realized how sopping wet and freezing she was.
Except for where Steven's ngers had been.
There the drops of water on her skin were steaming.
She sat up, moving to help Steven pull the shivering Dawn the rest of the way into the raft. Exhausted, Dawn could barely drag herself upright. Luce and Steven each had to take her by an arm and heave. She was almost all the way inside the boat when Luce felt a shocking jerk pull Dawn back into the water.
Dawn's dark eyes bulged and she cried out as she slipped backward. Luce was not prepared: Dawn slipped out of her wet grip, and Luce fell back against the side of the raft.
"Hold on!" Steven caught hold of Dawn's waist just in