Sage.
I look over at Magnus. He looks suitably nervous but that's ok. Whatever it is we can do this. I catch his eye and he nods. We start running at the same time.
And then we jump.
I learnt to dive ages ago, so I'm proud to say that I leapt gracefully into the air in a perfect arc. I had timed it perfectly. As the wave crashed, I slid into the water. The water was shockingly cold and I found myself gasping for breath. I kept going though, knowing that I had to keep moving to keep warm. I had swam in a little in the pool back home but not like this. Never like this. The black waters pounded mercilessly against my head and I went under. It swirled around me, trying to drag me downwards. Then something caught hold of my t shirt and dragged me upwards. Magnus was treading water next to me.
"Thanks." I gasped. Then we were off again. There was literally no technique. We were splashing around, trying to get across. That was when the waves started coming in. And I realised that this was not just an ocean. It was being controlled. To give us as much hell as possible. I shouted something very rude and Magnus laughed. He wasn't laughing a minute later when waves started hitting us from all sides, surrounding us in a whirlpool of sand and saltwater. It whipped at my hair and stung my skin. We both went under his time. Dragged down under the surface into the darkness below.
I sink down into the soft sand at the bottom. The sea doesn't churn that much down here. It's not the worst way to die, I think sleepily. My chest aches. My lungs ache. I can't help myself. I have reached the bottom now, everyone not far behind me.
I am slowly losing my breath, everything in my mind is going dull. I am going to die.
