Hitman X Reborn

Chapter 3

There was sickening crunch somewhere inside my body as soon as we hit the deck barrier. We tore through the wood and were thrown over the lake. Suddenly everything around me slowed, usually whenever something fast-paced happened my reactions would be slow, but now for the first time I could see (and feel) everything in high definition. The yellow scooter that was already skimming the lakes surface, the angelic girl who had shut her eyes tight and was clenching on the handles for dear life, the pieces of debris that was in flight with us and even the ripples on the lakes surface.

In that second I reflexively shut my eyes and gulped down fresh air. We smacked the lakes surface and my entire backside flared up in pain. Water flooded my senses causing me to nearly let go of my breath. The scooter sank faster than a stone. I tried to free myself from its path but I was pinned to the handle bars.  At this point the only thing that was keeping me alive and from feeling pain was the adrenaline pumping through my body. The angel must have let go and was probably a few meters above me by now. After what felt like an eternity the scooter finally reached the bed of the lake. 

Sensing my opportunity, I opened my eyes and to my surprise I found the angel struggling in a frenzy, frantically trying to pry her neck loose from her sling bag which was anchoring her to the scooter. Our eyes locked, and I knew that she hadn't taken any air before impact, but those eyes had not given up hope yet. I reached out and tugged her backpack loose, while she pulled at my arm freeing me of the handle bar. Without a second to lose we both swam upwards. My vision was slowly starting to vignette and I was already craving oxygen. 

The girl however had already reached her limit and slowly her movements became more and more stagnated, until she completely stopped and started sinking.

I grabbed her hand and started to swim as hard as I could, but I knew it was futile. We were not even halfway to the top and already one of us was out of oxygen. I looked at the her blurred features. She was about my age, probably admired by everyone around her, enough so that people would notice if she were to suddenly disappear. She had so many dreams and wishes, and all of them were going to be left unfulfilled. Her eyes were drooped and it was clear she was about to breath in water, after which she would start choking, eventually losing consciousness and ultimately passing on. Which was when I decided that it was too early for her to die. 

Thing is I never really admired heroes, after all, they were too nonsensical in their reasoning to save a life to be real. However in that moment I thought that saving this one life might possibly help me find the thing I have been searching for. I stopped ascending and wheeled around pulling her close to me and pressed my mouth against hers. She reflexively breathed in and took my breath away. Her eyes fluttered open and she immediately tried to pull away but I held her closer and as my breath seeped into her my vision began to darken. Eventually I had nothing left and let go of her. 

At first very little water entered my lungs, but then my chest gave a  spasm that sealed away my airway and prevented the passage of both air and water. My consciousness started slipping and my vision had almost blackened, but then a figure appeared above me. A figure with an outstretched hand, with nothing to lose I used every last ounce of strength and reached out.

Suddenly I broke through the surface of the water, oxygen flowed through my being, making me cough up water. I felt the ground on my back and the sun on my skin. I breathed heavily and could hear a crowd gathered around me. My head felt heavy and when I opened my eyes everything appeared blurred. I looked to my left and saw what looked like the angel sitting on the deck. Turned my back and stared up at a distorted sky. My consciousness began to slip agian and black started creeping in from the corner of my eyes. 

Before I could pass out though a face of a man came into focus. Being a guy I won't go into any more detail, but he was handsome. He leaned in close and murmured loud enough for only him to hear.

"We cannot have you die on us now, can we Decimo? Not before you become the greatest man this world will ever know."