which, now that it had completed its job of grabbing air, was grabbing currents in the sea, threatening to pull us under.
I flailed. Though he was strapped to me, it was very difficult to keep Michael’s head above water. The only way I could do it effectively was to lie on my back and thrust my belly up, but it was a herculean effort. Even with my superhuman abilities, I would not be able to continue like this for very long.
The shouting came closer, but I still couldn’t make it out. Something about a propeller? Or something called shoo-daway? It didn’t make sense. Besides, I had other things to worry about. Great. We’re saved from certain death at the hands of Brotherhood traitors by an enormous plane crash, which thrusts us into certain death at the hands of gravity. And an airborne horde of demons. I went down the list, thinking that if I were a cat I would almost be out of lives by now.
My top priority was fast becoming finding a way to release the chute from Michael and me. I thought it certainly had to be like the ripcord pull, only different enough to eliminate confusion. I tried to scramble for it with one hand, but every time I did that we sank under the waves. I was seriously worried about Michael. If his airway became restricted in his unconscious state, he would suffocate and drown. I didn’t know how to release the pack straps; I searched in vain.
Now the shouting was near and very clear. It was Ellie. “…your chute away!”
I figured she was telling me to cut the chute away. Like duh. Trying that, genius.
“Airel, cut your chute away! Use the Sword!”
The Sword! “Duh!” I said, and focused as hard as I could on my grandfather’s blade. It was obvious when it appeared; the sea lit up all around it, fizzing like crazy. I did my best to cut us loose, being careful not to injure Michael or me. But the cords of the chute were on all sides now, tangled with us. After the first few swipes of the Blade we were in better shape, which was good, because I didn’t have both arms to keep us afloat. I kicked my feet as hard and as quick as I could to keep us up, but I was running out of energy fast.
I looked around for the largest remaining mass of cords and took one final swipe at them. The Sword made the sea boil around us; I could feel the warmth coming across us in alternations of cold and hot. But at last we were free; the parachute fell away and drifted off.
I had figured out by now how to put the sword away with a thought, and I did so. I basically just had to think of something I needed more desperately, and what I needed then most of all was to keep us afloat. The Sword returned to wherever it had come from and I treaded water furiously, hoping Michael hadn’t gotten too much seawater in his mouth.
Then I heard Ellie’s voice. “We’ve gotta stick together! Stay close, okay?”
I was breathing very hard, working even harder. “Okay!”
“We’re in real danger, all right?”
“Well, duh! Unless I’m missing something?”
She spat salty seawater out of her mouth audibly. “Yeah! You are! We’re in False Bay, girlie. There’s no greater concentration of sharks in the whole world…”
As I treaded water, I rolled my eyes. This is impossible. Just one thing after another.
“Is it?” She answered me. “Just watch.”
“So stay close!” Ellie continued. “And here.” I heard a pop and a whooshing sound, like something being filled with air. She slapped the water with it in front of me and I peered at it in the darkness. “Grab it!” she shouted.
I did. It was a float. Now I truly understood the meaning of the words “life preserver.” I didn’t know where in the world she had gotten one; I figured it had to be just another part of all her fancy survival gear I had seen stashed away in the back of the plane. The plane. Holy crap, we just survived a full-on plane crash! But I couldn’t take the time to be amazed at anything. I had to keep Michael’s head above water.
“And stay close, remember?” Ellie shouted.
“Okay!”
I tried to get Michael higher. I stuck an arm through the inflatable life ring and shifted his weight around, pulling the ring under us and floating us both.