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ul air； but also light； someone had turned on a floating lantern。 Ron turned to find Rosa staring at him； her eyes wide with fear。 Even soaking wet he could tell she had been crying。 〃Thank God。 Oh； Ron； Chris is hurt。 I can't wake him up and I don't know what to do。 I couldn't get him out of here。〃 Ron looked past Rosa to Chris。 He was unconscious； and Rosa was supporting his head； keeping it out of the water。 Ron pushed through the water。 There was a nasty gash high on Chris's forehead and water dribbled from his hair through the wound； emerging pinkish on the other side。 Ron gripped the boy's wrist but couldn't tell if the pounding he felt was Chris's pulse or his own。 Ron shook Chris； talking； urging him to wake up。 He knew the longer Chris was unconscious the more serious the damage。 To keep him alive they had to get him out of the hull and into the fresh air； even if that air was a storm。 Tears in his eyes； Ron fully realized Rosa's dilemma。 She could have saved herself by swimming under the water and out to the surface； but she had to leave Chris behind to do that。 If she tried to take him with her he would drown on the way。
The air was getting worse。 Ron knew they still had oxygen； but he and Rosa were beginning to gasp。 The only chance was pulling Chris under and letting him inhale the water。 He knew from the baby swim class his wife had taken with Chris that newborns reflexively stop breathing when placed under water。 Would that reflex still exist in some form？ Would a lower part of Chris's brain take over and protect him for the underwater trip？ If only Chris could keep from breathing for even thirty seconds； Ron could； have him out by then。 Then a solution occurred to him。
〃Rosa； feel around in the water there。 Find some tape； wide tape。 It's in the everything drawer。〃
The 〃everything drawer〃 was the place where they put everything that had no other place。 Ron kept two or three kinds of tape in the drawer； most of them useful even if wet。 Rosa felt around briefly and then took off her life jacket and ducked under the water。 While she swam； Ron pulled Chris to the rear of the cabin； where a rack for drying clothes was attached to the wall。 He felt around until he found a clothespin； and then started back to Rosa。 Rosa was still ducking under the water； occasionally ing up with something in her hand； holding it to the light； and then tossing it aside。 She popped up again； this time with a big roll of silver tape in her hand。
〃I got some；〃 she said and held it up for Ron to see。 She was smiling； happy to be doing anything that might save Chris。
Ron supported Chris while Rosa unsnapped the catches on his life jacket； then they wrestled it off the limp boy。 The inert weight of his son unnerved Ron； who struggled to support Chris's head。 When the life jacket was off； Ron peeled up a length of tape； then struggled to tear it。 It finally tore but folded up against itself。 At least； Ron reflected； it was still sticky when wet。 Futilely； Ron tried again。 The air was much worse and Ron realized they were running out of oxygen。 He was about to tell Rosa to swim out when she ducked under the water。 Disappointed； he still knew she made the right decision。 Now the oxygen would last a little longer。 Ron was struggling with still another length of tape when Rosa's hand suddenly appeared out of the water holding an Exacto knife。 Her face followed； smiling broadly。
Ron smiled back； grabbed the knife； and sliced off tape； pressing it down firmly over Chris's mouth。 Chris began to breathe deeply through his nose； with an alarming liquid sound to it。
〃Okay； Rosa； time to go。〃
Rosa hesitated； her eyes reflecting her concern。 〃I can help with Chris；〃 she offered。
〃You wait on the other side for him and help pull him up。〃
Rosa nodded； sucked in a deep breath； and disappeared into the liquid gloom。 Ron gave her time to swim out； then moved Chris to the opening。 He had to push him under a couple of feet of water； through the cabin door； and then out past the helm to the surface。 A short swim； but it would be difficult with a dead weight。 Ron determined to do it the first time； took several deep breaths； then clamped the clothespin on Chris's nose。 Chris immediately began puffing against the tape and Ron saw it wouldn't hold long。 He shoved his son down into the water and tried to follow him； but Chris kept bobbing upward。 After a couple of attempts he grabbed a fistful of Chris's shirt with one hand； the edge of the door with the other； and pulled Chris toward the opening； like propelling a slow…motion torpedo； Ron strained； trying to push Chris lower with one arm so he would clear the opening and not bang his injured head on the door frame。 Chris moved toward the opening slowly at first； and then more quickly。
Now Ron let go of the frame and pushed Chris down with both hands。 As the boy filled the opening Ron realized he had overpensated。 Chris was going to clear the top and right door frame easily； but not the left frame。 Ron didn't want to slow Chris's momentum so he tried to change his course。 He managed to keep the child's head from hitting the side； but the frame scraped down his forehead and then along his nose。 When the clothespin scraped off； the convulsions started。
Chris began twitching and jerking； and clawing frantically。 Ron tried to steady the boy； but one flailing leg caught Ron in the solar plexus and the air exploded from his lungs。 He tried to stay under； but the breathing reflex drove him to the surface。 He broke into the air pocket again； filling his lungs with the oxygen…poor air as the water churned with Chris's struggles。 Although he needed more oxygen； he forced his mouth closed and his head back in the water； still； he wouldn't be able to stay down long。 To his horror； he saw Chris's body still flailing violently； but slower。
Suddenly Chris shot forward through the opening。 Surprised； Ron returned to the air pocket； gasping in the nearly spent air； and then dove； following Chris。
Ron came up gasping； the sea air quickly flushing his system of the excess carbon dioxide； and was surprised and relieved to see Carmen helping Rosa shove Chris up onto the hull of the Entrepreneur。 Ron pushed the boy from below and then climbed up carefully。 The boat was still pitching from the aftermath of the tidal wave； although the breeze had died down。 Ron looked at the sky： black； not a star in sight。
On the hull Rosa was pulling Chris along behind her while Carmen pushed。 It took Ron a minute to see that Chris was moving his legs； trying to help himself along。 Relief spread through Ron； his son was conscious…not the same as okay； but in the right direction。 He watched helplessly as Carmen took off her life jacket and helped Chris into it。 The thought of diving back under the hull sent shivers through Ron； but they needed supplies if they were going to survive。
Ron relaxed； let gravity pull him into the wet blackness； and then dove under the hull。 Once inside he didn't bother trying to breathe the stale air； instead he held his breath and pulled open the bunk exposing the storage chest。 Survival food and bottled water tumbled out。 He grabbed two water