Unconditional

He deserves it, the TRAITOR!

Ant felt his lungs struggling to hold and was wriggling with all his might when the hand moved from his mouth to waist to hold him down. That was when he tried to pry the hand away and was taken aback to see the familiar texture of the palm. The familiar way the fingers held his shirt to pull him down reminded him of the familiar way those fingers held the pages of a book, traced the sketches he had drawn. Ant with a frown turns around to see a struggling Dec, his one hand around a hard metal pipe used to pump the water in and other trying hard to pull Ant down. Dec squint at him through water and gestures above and Ant realise what he was saying. His heart was struggling hard and he realises Dec must be also the same. But they couldn't get out soon. They had to hide from those boys outside and there was no better way. Shit!

As Ant watched Dec struggling to hold their weight so as to not get lifted up, he felt guilty. He had put up a fight not knowing who it was and he could see Dec's struggling face as he tried to hold his breath. Worry envelopes him as he sees Dec's eyes cringing and he feels Dec's hold on him loosening. Acting on his instincts, he pulls Dec's hands away, curls his own fingers around the pipe while by another hand he held the smaller boy close to him, drowning them both using the pipe as leverage.

Ant felt dizzy when his chest prompted his mouth to open and controlled his best. But their struggle had cost Dec much and adding to Ant's panic, Dec lose his fight with his lungs and his mouth opens on its own, and water enters his throat. Ant swears inwardly and looks up to see the boys above, probably in some discussion as he could only hear muffled voices through the water. Shit!! Go somewhere else!! move!!

Suddenly he felt spasm go through Dec as the smaller body in his arms rejected the water that entered. Ant holds Dec closer not knowing what to do as the panicking eyes of Dec found his own and fear flashed through them. And taking Ant's own fears to the greatest heights, those green-blue eye rises run around the pure white inside and slowly but uncontrollably rolls up.

After a beat , Dec turns limp in Ant's arms.

Ant felt his own lungs struggling to burst and after what felt like ages for him, the shadows above disappear and he hears something like muffled footsteps. Without thinking further, he uncurls his fingers from around the pipe and buoyancy takes him and Dec upwards. As they break the water surface, he gasps a whole lot of air into his system, instantly feeling dizzy and light headed. But he had more things to look at. He looks around to see no one and slowly climb out of the tank , pulling Dec out of it carefully.

Ant tries to suppress his own struggling lungs as harsh coughs overtook his form and he placed Dec's head flat on the floor and started to thump his chest in hope of getting the water out of his lungs. Dec was completely unresponsive and Ant felt his heart rate hiking. He slapped gently on Dec's cheeks and called out for him
"Heyy.... wake up man... can you hear me?!! "

Ant felt worry choking him and looked around in distress Why is he not responding! shit why are compressions not working?!! where is my phone.. his phone?!!

Ant try Dec's drenched pockets but find no phone Shit! okay.. I should calm down... okay okay.. I can do it.. 100 per minute, okay okay.. shit!! it's not okay!!!

He pressed Dec's chest in regular intervals, listening for air to come out of his mouth and nose. He was relieved to see water coming out of Dec's mouth and nose, but it was not the amount Ant would have liked. What should I do now ?! If I run down, I won't find anyone in time.. I might be too late to... oh shit...what else can I do.... I can press harder, but jeez his ribs... Shit!! what else!! Oh no! I can't do THAT. I am not trained.. I am not trained... I can't.. I can't... Ohhh Fuck it!!