at least this one young life in return for all he had sacrificed. He
saw that the boy was watching him. Come on, David/ he shouted Here!
called David, bracing himself at the ship's rail and he threw the
life-ring. He threw it with an expert round arm motion that sent it
skimming forty feet to where the hooded head bobbed on the agitated
water. He threw it so accurately that it hit the bobbing figure a
glancing blow on the shoulder and then plopped into the water alongside,
almost nudging the boy.
Grab it! yelled Nick. Grab hold! The face turned slowly, and the boy
lifted a gloved hand clear of the surface, but the movement was
uncoordinated.
here. It's A& next to you/ David encouraged. Grab it, man! The boy had
been in the water for almost two minutes already, he had lost control of
his body and limbs, he made two inconclusive movements with the raised
hand, one actually bumped the ring but he could not hold it and slowly
the life-ring bobbed away from him.
You bloody idiot/ stormed Nick. Grab it, And those huge green eyes
turned back to him, looking up at him with the total resignation of
defeat, one stiff arm still raised - almost a farewell salute.
Nick did not realize what he was going to do until he had shrugged off
his coat and kicked away his shoes; then he realized that if he stopped
to think about it, he would not go.
He jumped feet first, throwing himself far out to miss the rail below
him, and as the water closed over his head he experienced a terrified
sense of disbelief at the cold.
It seized his chest in a vice that choked the air from his lungs, it
drove needles of agony deep into his forehead, and blinded him with the
pain as he rose to the surface The cold rushed through his light
closing, it crushed his testicles and his stomach was filled with
nausea. The marrow in the bones of his legs and arms ached so that he
found it difficult to force his limbs to respond, but he struck out for
the floating figure.
It was only forty feet, but halfway there he was seized by a panic that
he was not going to make it. He clenched his teeth and fought the icy
water as though it was a mortal enemy, but it sapped away his strength
with the heat of his body.
He struck the floating figure with one outflung before he realized he
had reached him, and he clung desperately to him, peering up at
Warlock's deck.
David Allen had retrieved the ring by its line and he threw it again.
The cold had slowed Nick down so that he could not avoid the ring and it
struck him on the forehead, but he felt no pain, there was no feeling in
his face or feet or hands.
The fleeting seconds counted out the life left to them as he struggled
with the inert figure, slowly losing command of his own limbs as he
tried to fit the ring over the boy's body. He did not accomplish it. He
got the boy's head and one arm through, and he knew he could do no more.
Pull/ he screamed in rising panic, and his voice was remote and echoed
strangely in his own ears.
