Chapter Twenty Seven
Sachie

The water rushed up at me.

White and churning, it came up and up and up...

I was the only one left on the deck. Miniature lifeboats floated away into the distance. Hopefully, Fuji and Ishizaki would be on one of them.

The ship had almost gone vertical, with me hanging onto the railings to prevent myself from falling into the water.

However, me being on a sinking ship, getting a little wet was inevitable. Up came the frothy waves.

"Ah!" I gasped, feeling the cold fingers of the icy sea water wrap themselves around me.

If I could just stay afloat...I was overcome by a violent fit of coughing, due to the large amount of salty water which I had just swallowed.

The ship evidently didn't want to sink, ensnaring me in a mass of watery ropes which pulled me under in its vain struggle to remain on the surface.

I kicked out as hard as I could, battling its grasp like there was no tomorrow. If I stopped, there certainly wouldn't be.

Still I was drawn deeper and deeper into the depths of the sea. The movement of my legs slowed to a stop. My lungs burned for oxygen, with me powerless to give it any.

I could see the sun shining above my head. It appeared to be setting unusually quickly. Or at least, I saw it grow dimmer.

There was no more energy in my body, no more strength to fight, even to save my own life. I was going to die.

Why did you do it? A voice asked me. Why did you not let one of the boys help you escape?

All alone, never to be found again...I was going to die.

Because, I told it, I'd never be able to live with myself, if one of them gave their life to save me.

I was going to die. Already my eyesight was fading. They say that before you pass away, your whole life flashes before you. One single image surfaced in my mind.

It was late afternoon. We were in the park. Hitomi, Fuji and me, sprawled on the grass. I could hear them laughing. I could see the blue sky, so like the one that was glowing above me now.

I was never going to see them again...

NO!

I know not by what power, but by some power it was, my arms and legs started moving again, starting a fresh war against the pull of the doomed ship.

My whole body was hurting, my limbs stiff with the cold. Oxygen. I needed oxygen. Agony enveloped me as I struggled with all my might, to reach that bright blue sky which was coming closer. Slowly, but definitely closer.

Why are you doing this? The little voice asked me again. Why go through all this pain when you could just drift away and never have to feel pain again?

I told Fuji...I told him, I said to the voice, pushing it away, I told him...I would meet him...on the shore...and I...I would never...I would never LIE!

"Ah!" With a final kick, I surged up above the water, gulping in my long awaited breath as the foam exploded around me. The sunlight licked my pale white skin, doing its best to defrost me. Welcome, it seemed to say. Welcome back.

A nudge in the back alerted me to the presence of a wooden crate which was floating behind me. I clambered onto it, heaving my upper body onto the soaking wood. Gasping and sputtering, I didn't move a muscle for a long time.

It was already twilight when I finally stirred my aching limbs. At first, there seemed to be no land in sight, but on careful inspection, I could see a speck of black in the middle of the blood red sun. Fuji and Ishizaki should have found out about the broom cupboard trick I had pulled on them by now, and thus think me dead. Of course, I knew otherwise, but that didn't mean I could summon a rescue team with no help whatsoever.

And so I swam towards the west, hanging on to the wooden crate and flopping onto it when I was tired. The sky gradually turned dark and the stars came out. I fixed my eyes on one particular star that was a rough guide to where I wanted to go. I never stopped staring at it, even for a second, as though I would lose it if I did.

True, I was tired, but a crate in the middle of the ocean made a very uncomfortable bed, so it wasn't like I could get some sleep, even if I tried. I swam until I was so worn out, I could barely move. Then I contented in making sure that I at least didn't go off course.

I couldn't see much at night, try as I did to strain my eyes and penetrate the darkness. Impatiently, I awaited the dawn, which brought the reward of seeing that the speck I had spied the night before was now much closer, and yes, it was land.

It took me the better part of that day to reach the sandy beach—even with the help of the current, which speeded up my trip considerably—which I collapsed on at once, all but kissing the ground in my delight to be half out of danger at last.

Again the sun set, leaving me with no choice but to crawl out of the water and curl up on one of the bigger rocks along the coast, and drift off into my dreams for the first time in over twenty four hours.

I've come back, Fuji, I silently said to him before sleep took over.

I've come back, just like I said I would.