Chapter 10 – Trapped
My first reaction is to remove my reg and press it into her hand. But she waves it off and pulls her own reg back inside the door. That tells me they still have some oxygen left.
God only knows how much longer they have until their air supply runs dry. After all, ours is running low.
‘We’ve got to get them out of there now!’ I think in growing panic. But the damned door is barely open enough to let their arms through.
There’s no way in hell we can squeeze another tank through to them. Even if we left it here for them, allowing them to use the hose while we dashed up for help, it would still only buy them a few more minutes at most. I’m not even sure what we have on board.
My dive buddy and I both put our shoulders to the door, anxiously trying to force it open. At the same time I see two sets of hands trying to pry it open from the inside. Together the four of us strain with all our might.
I feel a little movement. But it’s agonizingly small, just enough to give us a little hope. It’s still not nearly enough for either of them to be able to wiggle their way out through the opening.
We finally exhaust ourselves and give up. It’s not about to open on the strength of the four of us.
Frantic, I remove my reg. Then I start calling out bubbly suggestions. Can they understand me? Is there another solution…
“HAVE YOU TRIED THE HATCH? …UP AT THE TOP? …THE HATCH – THE HATCH?”
“NO GOOD!” is the bubbly reply.
“WHAT??”
“NO GOOD – NO GOOD! HATCH NO GOOD!”
“PORTHOLES!” my companion cries out after removing her reg. “TRY THE PORTHOLES!”
“NO GOOD – NO GOOD! PORTHOLE’S TOO SMALL!”
I feel panic swell within me. The only way out seems to be the only way they got in… right through this door. But how the hell did they get inside if we can’t get the door open??
I suddenly remember the sound I heard while my dive buddy and I were pawing each other. It was followed by the faint disturbance of soil. That’s when a thought occurs to me…
What if the ship settled? What if somehow the door got wedged on them while they were inside? Is that what happened? Does it really matter how they got trapped inside??
Shit! How the hell are we going to get them out of there??
I look at my companion in growing panic. The fear in my features mirrors her own.
Once more we throw ourselves against the door, grunting and groaning as we strain with all our might. Their hands appear on the edge of the door again. And once again the four of us strain for all we’re worth to open the damned thing.
This time it hardly budges…
DAMNIT!
Andria’s hand emerges once more. This time it has a regulator in it. She beats on the door with it before letting go of it.
She makes a show of grabbing for something else. The implication is all too horribly clear. My face goes deathly pale as the panic swells within me…
They’re out of air already?? No – no – NO!
My heart leaps into my throat as I swallow hard. Am I about to lose Andria to some stupid diving accident? Is the cargo hold about to become her tomb??
I fill my lungs before removing my regulator. Then I place it in her hands. A moment later it disappears inside the hold.
For the moment I’m relieved. At least we can get them an air source. Then my dive partner grabs the gauge and checks our own tank.
I can tell by the horrified expression on her face that ours is almost gone as well.
This is not good! Four females sharing one tank? It’ll be empty in a matter of minutes… maybe even less than that!
The hose moves through the opening in the door. That tells me the reg is probably being passed back and forth. That’s when my companion pulls hers out of her mouth and gives it to me.
I do the best I can to breathe shallow. Then I realize it’s not going to matter all that much. A human body needs a decent lungful of air to work. But there’s only so much remaining inside the scuba tank.
My friend points at herself and then at me before she frantically starts motioning upward. She’s indicating one of us could go up and get help. I shake my head as I point at an imaginary watch on my wrist… “Not enough time.”
We’ve got to get them out now! If only we could get the damned door open somehow! What we need is more leverage, something to help force it open… a pipe or something…
… a pipe??
I suddenly remember seeing a couple lengths of pipe. They were lying on the floor of the pilot house with the rest of the debris. What if I could get one and bring it back down? Maybe then we could…
As far as I’m concerned, there’s no other option. We’re running out of time. I’m the one who thought of it, so I should go. Otherwise, precious seconds will be wasted trying to explain things to everyone.
I quickly fill my lungs before removing the reg from my mouth and giving it back to her. I try to gesture I’ll be right back. Then I turn and fin like crazy toward the bow of the sunken vessel, my heart hammering in my chest.
I tell myself I can do this. I HAVE to do this! If only I can hold my breath long enough in my increasingly panic-stricken state.
I turn the corner and detect sunlight coming down the stairwell. I rapidly fin toward it. At the same time, I consciously try to slow down just a little.
I have to calm myself. Panic won’t help anyone right now. I can’t afford to use up all the oxygen that’s left in my lungs. And I don’t want them to stumble upon my drowned body.
I tell myself they’ll be ok for a couple more minutes. I just have to fetch the damned pipe. I just hope it will be sufficient enough to do the damned job.
What if it won’t be enough? Then Andria and her newfound friend will drown! I tell myself not to consider the worst possible outcome and to just fetch the damned pipe!
I emerge from the stairwell and dart toward the pilothouse, quickly finning myself through the open doorway. Sure enough, the pipes are still there. I’m relieved to find them right where I saw them last.
…until I reach down to pick one up…
Oh, SHIT!
It’s heavier than I thought it would be. I try a second, but that one’s even worse. So I go back to the first one.
I grab one end and lift it up. Then I start dragging it with me as I back out the open door. I get it out onto the deck and work it over to the stairwell.
I let it go. It makes a disturbing banging sound as it clatters down the stairwell. At least now I’ve got it down below.
I notice a distinct burn in my lungs. My chest starts to heave. Gawd; I’m running out of breath!
I fin down the stairwell and find the end of the pipe. I lift it up and start backing up toward the opening to the corridor. It’s heavy enough to keep my feet in contact with the floor of the vessel.
I frantically pull on it. I’m afraid at some point I’m going to have to let it go. Soon I’ll need to make a mad dash back to the scuba tank for another breath.
I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder. I bubbled in alarm as I cry out. My Asian friend has just scared the hell out of me with her sudden appearance.
A moment later she starts helping me pull the damned thing around the corner. Then we’re off down the corridor to the hold. She must’ve heard the banging and came to investigate.
I feel my lungs spasm more insistently. It makes me pull harder. I’m conflicted with the knowledge I need another breath from the scuba tank. In my current state I’ll probably breathe deeply, rapidly using up what little is left.
Fuck! This is going down much too fast! Ohmygawd; we’ve got to hurry!
I lose bubbles out of my mouth as we frantically pull the pipe down the passageway. My lungs heave more insistently. But I stubbornly pull on the damned thing, refusing to let go.
I’ll drown first before I let Andria suffer a similar fate! I feel a distinct arousal threatening to overwhelm me. But I can’t think about that, not right now!
The scuba tank appears, sitting up against the partly open door to the hold. My companion reaches for the hose. Then she gathers up the regulator and stuffs it into my mouth.
She’s just in time. I’m given a few refreshing puffs of air. Then I spit it back out, afraid I might be depriving Andria of what she might need.
Refreshed with a renewed burst of energy, I help her pull the pipe beyond the doorway. The other end reaches the door to the hold. Then we drop our end with a loud “CLANG”.
My partner quickly picks up the other end. She swings it over until it’s in the opening. The two of us struggle to force it through.
Beyond the door I see two sets of hands grab on. they help pull it partway inside. Maybe there’s hope after all!
Once more my dive buddy pushed the reg into my mouth. After another couple of quick, frantic puffs I shake my head… “TAKE IT OUT!” She pulls it out of my mouth and quickly sticks it in hers.
I call out to our two friends trapped inside the hold. “PULL, ANDRIA! PULL LIKE HELL!” Then I lift up our end and start to pull like crazy.
My dive partner spits out the regulator. She grabs onto the pipe and starts pulling on it with me. The two of us work like hell in a frantic effort to force the damned door open.
We each manage to lift up a finned foot. We brace ourselves against the door, desperate to release our two friends. Gawd; this has got to work!
At first it feels like nothing is happening. I start to get all sick inside. Despair wells up within me.
For a panicked moment I find myself wanting to bawl like a baby. “OHMYGAWD – NO! I DON’T WANT TO LOSE ANDRIA!” Then I hear the sound of screeching metal… of metal giving way.
Maybe?? C’mon – c’mon! Maybe??
The pipe starts to give. The door reluctantly nudges further open. My heart swells with renewed hope…
“C’MON, DAMN YOU – C’MON-C’MON-C’MON! OPEN ALREADY!!”
It creaks and groans. The door opens further. I can see it starting to wide.
Is it enough? Has it opened wide enough? Then the pipe suddenly feels heavier.
What? Have they lost it? Did they let go on purpose?
NOOOO! OHMYGAWD – DON’T GIVE UP, YOU TWO!
A moment later my dive buddy’s Asian friend starts to squirm through the opening. YES! OHMYGAWD – YES!
My lungs are on fire. I haven’t been paying attention to my growing need for air. Seeing her emerge means so much more to me.
The two of us keep on pulling on the pipe. If we stop now, Andria might not make it out alive. I burble and bubble like crazy as I strain with all my might…
C’MON, GIRLFRIEND – GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!
Andria’s head and chest emerge. But it looks like she’s struggling, trying to squeeze her way through. Ohmygawd; we didn’t get it open far enough!
C’MON, BABY; YOU CAN DO IT!
Andria suddenly squirts through the opening. A moment later my new dive buddy and I both let go of the pipe. It drops to the floor of the passageway with a loud bang.
Tears well up in my eyes; I’m on the verge of tears. Then I feel my chest spasm painfully. Shit; I’m out of breath!
My lungs are on fire as I lunge for the hose. I frantically cram the reg between my lips. I’m alarmed how hard it is to pull air into my lungs. That’s when it hits me… “Oh, shit! The damned thing is empty!!”
After getting a couple of quick puffs, I pull the reg out of my mouth. I place it in Andria’s hand, hoping there’s enough left for her and the others. Then I point at her and the reg before motioning… “Take a breath, then follow me!”
I fin down the corridor with long, smooth strokes. My heart thumps loudly in my chest. I’m out of breath, but all I feel is relief knowing they’re out of that damned hold! Now we’ve got to get the hell out of here and get to the surface fast!
I round the corner into the shadows. Then I halt, unwilling to head up by myself. I’ve got to make sure Andria’s coming too.
She emerges around the corner. I grab her arm, startling her as I push her off in the direction of the stairwell. She burbles as she gestures for me to come with her.
I wave her on ahead. Andria’s safely on her way. Now I have to make sure the others make it out.
A moment later Andria’s dive partner appears. I startle her too as I grab her arm from the shadows. Then I pull her onward before pushing her off toward the stairwell.
She sees it and nods at me. Then she makes a mad dash for it. I watch as her legs disappear out of sight.
My lungs are screaming at me. But I can’t make myself leave just yet. There’s one more; I won’t be able to live with myself until I know she’s safely out.
My sexy Asian dive buddy rounds the corner. But she’s minus the scuba tank. I realize to my utter horror that I’m now on my last breath. The next one will have to come from the surface.
As my lungs heave, she grabs MY hand. She pulls me out of the shadows towards the light of the stairwell. Then we’re out of the wreck and on our way to the surface, finning with smooth, powerful strokes.
…only now my lungs are on fire.
So is my damned pussy…
I find myself losing air like crazy. I feel like I’m getting weaker by the moment. At least I can look up and see Andria and her friend approaching the surface a few feet away from the two boats. Thankfully they’re both going to make it.
My dive partner fins hard. I can actually feel her pulling me rapidly to the surface. I try to help but I’m starting to get dizzy all over.
My legs aren’t working very well. My lungs feel like they want to explode. My body wants to inhale so fucking badly!
Air dribbles out of my nose. I fight like hell not to give in and inhale. Then it bursts out of my mouth, a small eruption of bubbles.
I’m going to inhale any second now. I’m going to drown within sight of the surface. A split-second later my damned pussy goes off.
I start convulsing and spasming a few feet from the surface. A flush of pleasure envelops me as my lungs try to suck air down my windpipe. Then my head’s out of water.
I gasp and cough like mad before sucking a huge mouthful of air down into my tortured lungs. My dive buddy helps keep my head above water. My body shudders as orgasmic aftershocks wash through me.
I weakly look all around, still coughing like crazy. I notice everyone else around me is gasping and sputtering. At least we’re all at the surface. I’m damned thankful for that!
It takes several seconds before getting fresh air into my system energizes me. Soon I’m able to tread water on my own without the aid of the woman who’s been at my side most of the time we’ve been down on the wreck. Then Andria’s right in front of me.
We hold each other tight, our words spilling out over each other as tears fill our eyes…
“You ok, babe…?” “I was so SCARED; I thought we were gonna DROWN…!” “I thought I was gonna LOSE you…!” “I thought you two were NEVER going to come…!” “What a STUPID thing to do…!” “It’s not OUR fault! The ship made a sound and then the door got jammed on us! I threw my bikini top out the door for you guys to see it!” “We TRIED the door – where the hell were you…?” “We were up at the hatch, trying to get out! I’m sorry…!” “Gawd, Andria – I’m so GLAD you’re ok…!”
We sob openly into each other’s necks. Next to us I hear in Japanese what amounts to the same type of conversation we’re just now having.
When I turn to look at them, I see they’ve stopped talking. Now they’re just crying softly as they hold onto each other. Andria and I stare at them for a long moment.
They become aware we’re looking at them. I think it embarrasses them. They push each other away, their sobs fading to sniffles.
“Thank you so much for helping me save my friend! The pipe was brilliant! I’m ashamed I did not think of it.” Her English is pretty damned good, although her accent is clearly Asian.
“No, thank you!” I reply, equally grateful. “I wouldn’t have made it had you not come and helped pull the pipe down the corridor with me.”
She smiles and nods. We all go quiet, suddenly at a loss for words. That’s when she speaks up once again.
“My name is Shiori. This is Emiko. Her name means ‘smiling child’, but I think it should be changed to ‘playful child’, considering her actions down on the wreck.”
She looks at her friend and adds, “Wouldn’t you agree?” Emiko blushes. Andria giggles like a naughty school girl. I can’t resist giving her the stink-eye.
“My name is Shelly.” Then I wrap an arm around my girlfriend’s neck.
“This is Andria. I think her name means ‘trouble-maker’. But I’ve never really looked it up…”
“HEY!”
“You guys coming aboard or not?” We all turn to see Jake at the rail of the sailboat as he leans toward us.
“Lunch is just about ready. I see you’ve met Shiori and Emiko. C’mon aboard and meet Almonte! He’s down below helping with lunch.”
I suddenly realize how famished I am. So the four of us swim toward the side of the sailboat. Our adventure on the wreck is momentarily forgotten as strong pangs of hunger set in.
2007; 2021 (written Sep 13 ’07; ed. Jan 11 ‘21 by riwa)