I do not own Rise of the Guardians in any way, shape, or form.
The ice gave way underneath him so quickly he barely had time to think. The water was cold. For a second, the cold paralyzed him. He flailed his arms wildly, but he'd sunk far beneath the ice and there was nothing to grab onto. The cold was creeping into his limbs, and it was hard for him to think, let alone move. His lungs were burning. He reached dizzily for the surface, one last time. I'm going to die, he thought.
Time seemed to slow down. He floated there in the water, trying to stay conscious.
Maybe Pippa will get dad in time. Maybe he'll be able to help. Just stay awake, he thought.
He thought, At least Pippa will be okay. I'd never be able to live with myself if she'd drowned.
And then the world was getting fuzzy, and his eyes closed.
All he knew was that it was cold.
And it was dark.
And he was scared.
And then, he saw the moon.
He felt alive again, even if he couldn't remember what had come before.
He wasn't scared anymore.
I know, it's sorta depressing. "Rising" works as a sequel to this, and it has a slightly happier ending.
