“Ok, we’ve got one more test for the day. This one separates the winners from the losers.” Wes’s severe stare almost makes me laugh until it dawns on me. He’s serious.
“All right, rookie. It’s time for the real test. We’re going to simulate a lost line. Remember, if you panic, you’re a goner.”
He demonstrates the technique with methodical movements.
“Stop. Breathe. Think. Act. You must stay calm and trust your training over instinct. Panic kills.”
Now it’s my turn.
I close my eyes, letting the darkness swallow me. Wes puts a blindfold over my mask and guides me to a place where I don’t know where I am or how close I am to the line.
He let’s go.
At first, I’m calm, moving slowly. Searching, my fingers tracing the sandy terrain.
But the silence stretches. I’m underwater, blind. Where is Wes? Unease creeps into my head. I think of the ocean’s expanse. The impossibility of finding one thin line in the millions of gallons of water and sand.
Images of Nathan flash through my thoughts. I picture his final moments. Lost, forever.
A surge of panic grips my chest. My breathing quickens and my hands falter.
“Hey.” Wes’s voice cuts through the fog in my mind. “Breathe. Slow down. You’re okay.”
I latch onto his words, forcing my breaths to steady.
His hand grips my arm firmly. He gently guides me back to the line and removes the blindfold. I open my eyes.
Relief floods me as I grip the neon cord.
Wes uses his thumb to motion up, ending the dive.
We rise to the surface, emerging into the warm sunlight. I rip off my mask, gasping for air as water drips from my face.
Wes floats nearby, silent, watching me.
“I panicked,” I spurt out, my voice shaking. “I thought I could manage it, but I just froze.”
He tilts his head, studying me. “Yeah, you froze a moment, but you recovered and didn’t give up. That’s what matters.” He takes my mask and clutches my shoulder. “Remember—Stop. Breathe. Think. Act.”
I blink, surprised. “You’re not mad at me?”
“Mad?” He huffs. “Most people don’t even make it halfway through that drill without bolting to the surface the first time.” He stares at me, pinching in his brows. “You’ve got the best buoyancy I’ve seen in a long time. You’re an excellent diver, Maddie.”
I relax my shoulders. “So… I passed?”
“You didn’t fail.” We swim to the boat ladder. He looks back over his shoulder. “But don’t get too cocky. We have a lot more work to do before you’re ready for the cavern, starting with training for closed-circuit diving equipment. Get ready for the rebreather.”
He’s a good teacher. Excitement rushes through all my muscles. For the first time—I know I have a chance at doing this. And I love it!
As we climb onto the boat, I turn to Wes.
“Thanks for today. Really. I know you didn’t have to help me. You’re a true friend.”
He shrugs. “Don’t thank me just yet. The next lesson is going to make this seem like a piece of cake. You’ll probably hate me.”
I raise an eyebrow. “That bad?”
“Oh, it’s worse than you’re thinking. I promise you that,” he teases.
