Twitch stared at Cam as if she had just announced that she was dying. I'll bet he feels sorry for me... but his face is soft with worry...God...don't pity me... Cam hated feeling pitied, after all, she was the lucky one, she'd escaped to prison camp.

"Tats... I'm glad you're here... and I'm sure your brother will get out..."

"He's so young and I'm not there to protect him... he'll die... and... and it'll be my fault... I could have kept us safe... hidden... or just stayed with Her..." Cam was weeping softly, so Twitch pulled her into his arms.

"NO! You couldn't! If you had, you'd both probably already be dead... and it wouldn't be your fault, it be your mother's. I'm sure you taught him to protect himself any way possible. He'll be fine, you'll see." Cam quickly drew back from Twitch's arms, embaressed by her outbreak, and the jerky movement made the little boat woble violently. Twitch gripped it's side to steady it, but Cam, who was not use to boats, flailed her arms wildly and fell overboard.

The orange jumpsuit rapidly became heavy with water and try as she might, Cam couldn't keep her head above the glassy surface. As she sank down, Twitch jumped up, pulled off his own jumpsuit and dived in.

Cam opened her eyes as she felt her foot hit something hard. Blurily she could see the lake bottom and just under her left foot was a small metal box. Just then she saw Twitch swiming toward her. He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her arm over his neck. She pulled back and tried to grab the box, but she was weak from not breathing and he wouldn't let her.

Their heads broke the surface in unison, a glorious moment of returned life. Then, Twitch pulled the two of them onto the boat, barely managing not to capsize it. Cam had fallen unconscience during the swim upward and Twitch was exausted but knew he needed to wake her up. He unzipped her jumpsuit so as to lessen the weight on her chest. Seeing that her shirt was tied tightly, he undid the bow at the back. Then, thanking whatever god existed that he knew CPR, he put his mouth to hers.

Cam awoke with Twitch's hands on her breast, his lips against hers. For a moment she thought she had passed out at a party and some guy was mauling her, then it all flooded back to her and she push him gently away.

"CPR..." Twitch explained, blushing furiously.

"Thanks... were's the box?"

"What box?"

"In the lake... it was there... I need that box... I'm going back for it..." Cam didn't know why, but she wanted it as if it held her heart.

"No! If it's that important to you, I'll get it." Before Cam could argue or tell him where it was, Twitch was out of the boat. He dived down to where he had found Cam and scanned the lake floor. He saw a metalic shimmer like the corner of a tin and swam to it. He dug at the mud and revealed the whole of a small box with engravings on it. As his lungs began to ache, he lifted it up and swam to the surface.

Cam was sitting at the edge of the boat studying the water for any sign of him when Twitch's head bobbed up like a booie. He swam tiredly to the boat shoved the tin into it then pulled himself in with Cam's help. He sat on the bench elbows on knees, head bowed and in hands, breathing shakily. Please be okay... stupid Cam... selfish, selfish idiot... how could I... God, let him be okay... all my fault...Cam's head was still fuzy but these thoughts exploded against her mind clearly and rapidly.

"You okay?" She didn't know how else to word her worry.

"Fine... just tired... thats all; let's take a look at that box."

Cam picked up the tin and with the sleeve of her jumpsuit wiped the mud from it to read the inscription. As soon as she saw what it said she froze.

"So... what's it say?" Twitch, having somewhat recovered, was extremely interested in the mysterious box that meant so much to his friend.

"Johnathon Barlow."