JohnLock 3: Missing Sherlock

In the Water

With rounded eyes following Locke's astonishing flight, Adrian's fumbling hands struggled to dislodge his boots. As soon as his feet were freed, he was over the damaged railing, diving out as far into the water as he could and swimming hard to where he hoped he had seen Locke land. He passed a few splashing, floundering souls and without a second thought, pushed or pulled them to a large piece of floating debris. He promised himself he would come back to help them ... after he found Sherlock.

After several yards of frantic swimming, he noticed the insistent tug of a strong Southward current pulling at his legs and making further progress exhausting. He treaded water wearily and lifted himself as high as he could over the small wave crests, looking around and calling "Locke! Locke, can you hear me?" He swam a little farther into the current, calling Locke and listening for a response. Diving under a couple times, he swung his arms around hoping to encounter Sherlock. Each time he surfaced, he called out to Locke ... with no success.

Using the burning, sinking ship as a North/South reference point he swam in all directions for a little way, diving and propelling himself up above the wavelets. After so many minutes, he was so tired from fighting the current, he feared he would become one of the casualties. As he turned North, paddling sluggishly, he spotted a sparkling something amidst a tangle of splintered rails and ropes. A couple of desperate strokes brought him abreast of the shining object. His heart lurched when he recognized it as a plumed pirate hat, that when he retrieved it, he discovered a large piece of splintered wood lodged in a blood-soaked hole where Locke's forehead would be, was he still wearing the hat.

Burning tears blurring his eyes, Adrian glanced around helplessly. Sherlock's hat was a hope-killing sign. He didn't want to, but knew he had to give up his search and perhaps try to help some of the others in the cold lake water. Shoving the hat inside his coat, he turned back to the Mariner and swam as strongly as his exhausted body would allow. Disheartened but determined, he swam back to where he thought he had seen Mary.

The first person he encountered on his way back toward the ship was a Shelby's Mariner crewman, treading water and supporting the head of another seriously injured crewman who seemed to be unconscious but alive. Adrian pulled them with him to a tangle of spars and boards that gave them a little more buoyancy. "Can you hang on a while longer while I check on other survivors?"

"Certainly, sir." He glanced at the man he was holding. "I wish I could come with you to help, sir, but I'm afraid that Josephs here still needs me. If he wakes and can hang on by himself, I'll follow and do what I can."

"That's all I can ask." Adrian performed a half-hearted salute and paddled away. He looked back to see the crewman hefting his unconscious friend higher onto the floating debris.

He discovered Princess Mary a few yards farther on. She was crying, moving her hands and legs listlessly, and was herself considering giving up and letting the waters take her. She spotted Adrian heading in her direction and smiled. It came off as more a grimace than a smile.

Sniffling and barely able to speak, she gasped in little more than a whisper, "Oh, Adrian ... I can't hold ... on. My skirts ... pulling me under..." She spluttered and sank below the water, her hands clutching at the spar onto which she had been holding. Adrian dove after her and grabbing her hands, pulled her back up to the wooden flotsam. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling how cold her shivering body had become.

"Mary," he spoke to her. She seemed not to hear. "Mary", he demanded loudly. She turned her head toward his face. "Mary, I'm going to remove your skirts. It'll make floating easier." She nodded frantically. Scooting close to her, grabbing her skirts in one hand, he used his knife to cut the waist bands on all her petticoats and skirts. Pulling them away from her legs, he let them drift into the depths.