jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第17部分

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men；　and　no　Rosa。
　Ron　finally　swam　down　the　last　wave；　riding　it　right　to　the　hull…inverted；　but　it　looked　to　be　intact。　Still　he　found　no　sign　of　his　family…they　had　to　be　somewhere；　they　had　to　be！　He'd　lost　one　wife；　and　he　couldn't　stand　losing　another；　let　alone　a　child。　Ron　pulled　himself　to　the　stem　and　used　the　rudder　to　clatter　up　on　the　hull。　Then　he　heard　pounding。　The　kids　were　still　inside。
　Ron　slid　back　down　into　the　water　and　tried　to　dive；　but　his　life　jacket　pulled　him　back　to　the　surface。　He　unsnapped　the　catches　and　shrugged　it　off。　Now　he　could　feel　the　weight　of　his　shoes　and　clothes。　He　kicked　off　his　shoes　and　pulled　his　shirt　over　his　head；　and　then　he　dipped　below　the　surface；　stroking　down　to　the　inverted　deck。　In　the　murky　green　he　could　see　the　cabin　door　was　open。　He　swam　to　it　and　used　the　frame　to　propel　himself　through　the　opening。　He　could　see　legs　ahead　of　him　and　he　curved　up；　searching　for　the　air　pocket。　He　burst　through　the　surface　tension　to　find　a　foot　of　warm；　foul　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　jugs　and　headed　back　to　the　surface。　He　left　one　jug　just　inside　the　door　and　pulled　the　other　to　the　surface。　His　lungs　ached　when　he　reached　the　surface　again。
　〃Carmen！　Reach　this。　I'm　going　back　for　more。〃
　Ron　found　the　second　jug　easily　and　passed　it　up　to　Carmen。
　〃Ron；　what　about　the　life　raft？　Can　you　get　that？〃
　The。　inflatable　life　raft　was　strapped　to　the　bow　just　in　front　of　the　cabin。　It　was　packed　with　survival　gear　and　a　canopy。　Ron　hesitated。　He　couldn't　be　sure　it　was　still　strapped　to　the　deck。
　The　Entrepreneur　had　taken　quite　a　beating。　His　family　was　temporarily　safe　on　the　hull；　and　he　was　retrieving　food　and　water　they　would　need。　If　he　tried　to　unstrap　the　raft；　he　would　have　to　do　it　upside　down；　underwater；　and　it　might　take　several　dives。　He　decided　on　another　trip　for　the　gear　in　the　cabin　first　and　was　about　to　dive　again　when　Carmen　called　down　to　him。
　〃Ron；　is　there　a　life　jacket　for　Rosa？〃
　Suddenly；　Ron　was　mortified。　In　his　worry　about　Chris；　he　had　forgotten　about　Carmen's　child。　Ron　dove　again；　and　found　a　life　jacket　floating　in　the　cabin　and　wrestled　it　down　and　through　the　opening。　It　snagged　on　something　on　the　way　out　and　he　had　to　get　another　breath　before　he　could　free　it。　Carmen's　smile　when　he　tossed　her　the　life　jacket　meant　he　could　forgive　himself。
　Nearly　exhausted；　Ron　decided　it　was　time　to　get　the　raft。　Ron　paddled　forward　to　the　bow；　took　several　deep　breaths；　and　then　dove。　He　found　the　raft　almost　immediately　and　felt　for　the　straps　that　held　it　to　the　deck。　The　strap　catches　were　still　holding　but　one　of　the　straps　was　loose；　its　cleat　torn　away。
　The　raft　had　a　length　of　cord　with　a　loop　on　the　end；　for　looping　around　the　arm　or　leg。　Then；　when　you　tossed　the　raft　overboard；　you　pulled　the　inflation　ring；　and　the　rope　would　keep　the　inflated　raft　from　drifting　out　of　reach。
　Confident　he　could　locate　all　the　raft's　features；　Ron　returned　to　the　surface　to　replenish　his　air　supply。　On　the　swim　back；　he　ran　into　the　railing。　Now　he　was