Page 58 of All He Sees

There was no way back up.

They had to swim away.

Nicky held her breath tight and began to kick. It was like that night, all over again. She looked up, seeing the surface of the sun ripple at the top.

They were so far down.

I might not make it.

But she had to try.

Swimming while holding onto Rachel was not easy, but Nicky kicked and kicked, hurling herself upward as her oxygen depleted quickly. She felt an intense pressure in her head.

But she'd been through this before.

When the man had taken her and Rosie, all those years ago. When he'd tried to drown them, only to save them in a cruel twist of fate...

All these years later, here Nicky was again, swimming for her life.

Nicky swam. She kicked, again, and again, and again, moving herself and Rachel away from the helicopter.

She kicked, and kicked, and kicked.

Up, up, up she went, reaching for the surface.

The water was still enveloping her. It was still pushing her down. But she was fighting the pressure. She was fighting the water.

It was getting harder to breathe. She was running out of air.

She couldn't think about it.

She had to keep kicking.

She pushed herself up, up, up.

She could feel the burning in her chest.

Her vision blurred.

It was getting harder to see.

But she saw the surface of the sky.

She felt herself moving closer and closer to the surface of the water.

She felt the sun on her face.

She felt the light welcome her.

She could see again.

And all at once, Nicky broke the surface of the water and gasped for air, allowing oxygen to sweep into her lungs. She was still holding Rachel and pulled her up above the water using all her strength, but Rachel was still unconscious. Nicky looked around. They were far out at sea, but the beach--it was there.

I can make it.

Nicky rolled onto her back, holding Rachel under the armpits, and kicked, keeping both their heads above water. She couldn't see Ken or Danny, but she had to hope--to pray--they were alive. For now, all Nicky could do was swim. Swim back to shore. Back to land. Back to safety.

The water was getting shallower. The water was getting warmer.