He quickly got his footing. The water came up to his waist.
Colin’s head and neck were all that stuck up above the water. His eyes were wide and terrified. The water was rising fast enough to see it; even as Jonathan stood there, frozen with fear, it rose and lapped at Colin’s chin.
“Untie me!” he begged, his voice high and panicked. “Hurry! Pleath!”
Jonathan hurried over, the water sloshing around his belly button. The ropes were underwater. He looked at his candle, then into Colin’s eyes.
“We’re gonna have to get out of here in the dark,” he said.
Colin was stretching his neck up, the water now splashing against his mouth.
“Fine!” he gurgled. “Hurry!”
Jonathan dropped the candle and matches. The room was plunged into darkness.
His fingers fumbled under the water. They were cold and stiff. He found the ropes and pulled at them, jerking and tugging. They were tight and wet, swollen even tighter by the water. He worked his fingers into one of the loops and managed to pull it loose. He began tugging at another loop.
“Hurry u—” Colin started to beg, before his words were cut off by a wet gurgle.
“Colin?”
There was no answer, except a frantic moaning. Jonathan lifted one hand and felt in the darkness for Colin’s face. The water was above his mouth now. His head was tilted back so that his nose just barely rose above the waterline.
Jonathan yanked and wrestled frantically with the knots. There was a surge of water. He felt the water level rise suddenly, up to his stooped shoulder. Colin’s moans grew more desperate, but quieter. Jonathan felt with his hand again.
The water had risen over Colin’s face.
He let go of the ropes and wrapped his arms around Colin’s bound body. With all his strength he lifted him, chair and all, above the water. He heard Colin gasp and cough. The water was still rising. It was to Jonathan’s ribs now.
“I’m gonna have to put you back down now,” he said. “Take a deep breath.” Colin sucked in a great gasping breath. Jonathan dropped him and reached for the ropes. Colin’s whole head was underwater, and the ropes were too deep for Jonathan to reach without going under himself. He gulped a huge lungful of air and ducked beneath the surface.
He loosened another loop. Then another. He pulled a long stretch of rope through. The rope was mostly slack now, with one stubborn knot left tight against Colin’s wrists. He pulled and tugged and got one loop loose before he ran out of air. He could feel Colin kicking and fighting in the water. Jonathan wrapped his arms around Colin and picked him up again.
They both panted and gasped and choked. The water was to Jonathan’s shoulders.
“This is it,” he said. “I’ll get it this time.”
“You have to,” Colin sputtered.
“I will.” Jonathan readied himself for another drop into the water.
“Jonathan!” Colin said quickly, stopping him. “If you can’t get it, jutht go. You can make it out yourthelf.”
Jonathan took a couple more heaving breaths.
“Shut up, Colin. And take a deep breath.”
They dropped together beneath the surface.
The ropes were stubborn. The water was cold, and dark, and determined. Colin fought and thrashed against his ties. His closed-mouth screaming rang dull and frantic under the black water.
Jonathan’s fingers and arms burned with exhaustion. His lungs screamed for air.
He felt the burning in his arms and gritted his teeth. His lungs begged him to swim to the surface, to air, but he held tight to the ropes and worked at the knots.
I can do it, he told himself. Even his mind’s voice was breathless and terrified. I can save her! He shook his head and slid his fingers between the taut ropes. I can save him, he corrected himself. I can.
His fingers slid through. He hooked them around the last loop and pulled. It hung for a moment, stuck, then slid loose and the rope went slack and Colin shook his arms free and they both kicked up to the surface.
They tread water for a few ravenous breaths. He’d done it. He’d saved him. Tears were hot in Jonathan’s eyes. He wasn’t sure why. Relief, maybe.
His head bumped something hard and he jerked when he realized it was the ceiling.
“We’ve gotta get out of here!” he shouted. “Follow me.”
They swam through the complete blackness toward the doorway. The water was still flowing down the staircase, pushing them back into the room, trapping them in the rising water.
“Grab the wall with your fingers!” he hollered over his shoulder. “You can hold on to the cracks between the blocks!”
He pulled himself block by block up the staircase, against the current, kicking with his legs. His fingers and arms ached but he made it, finally hooking his hands around the edge of the upper doorway. The water was only shoulder deep there and he was able to brace his feet against the doorway and help pull Colin into the corridor.
They stood for just a moment to catch their breath.