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“He’s going to drown. I have to stop this,” I whisper.
“No, he’s not. He thought the same thing watching you. But the time goes by quickly. It’s harder to watch than to go through it,” Liesel tries to reassure me.
Finally, on Archard’s signal, Langston lets Enzo’s head up.
“God, I can’t do this two more times,” I say, feeling tears threaten.
“You are a badass. Don’t you dare lose because you can’t watch your man get a little wet,” Liesel whispers so only I can hear in her strongest voice.
Enzo coughs and then his head goes back under.
I count to myself trying to distract myself.
One.
Two.
Three.
When I get to a hundred, I lose it.
I start pacing, unable to watch anymore.
Milo smirks, thinking I’m going to lose on this round.
“Fuck you,” I curse, not caring that by showing him how this is affecting me he’s winning.
“Gladly,” he says back.
I tug at my hair to keep from killing him.
And then I hear Enzo’s breath as his lungs fill with air when Langston lets him up. Only one more. Enzo can do this. I can do this.
Langston barely lets Enzo catch his breath before he shoves him underwater again. And this time I feel it all.
Enzo’s lungs fill with water this time, as he didn’t take a good breath before going under. They burn despite whatever is pumping through his veins to keep the pain away. The feel of his lungs panicking overrides the drugs. Trying to tell him to reach the surface and breathe. But Enzo doesn’t have any say in the matter.
Just stay calm. It’s almost over.
But Enzo can’t stay calm. Not when he’s running out of his precious oxygen. His legs tremble, and his arms push against the edge, trying to break free of Langston’s hold. But Langston holds him firm, watching Archard intently for the signal, and I feel Langston’s panic too. He’s not so sure Enzo has this.
I feel Enzo’s heart beating quickly, racing to try to spread what little oxygen he has through his body.
I bite my lip to keep from screaming as I stare at Archard, but I know he still has several seconds left.
Come on, Enzo. Relax. Let go.
Finally, after what feels like hours, Archard gives the signal. Langston doesn’t just let go this time; he jerks Enzo up by the back of his shirt. Enzo falls lifeless to the floor.
I run to him, but Liesel grabs me to keep me from being consumed with the pain.
“Help him!” I scream.
Langston kneels down and starts performing CPR. He pushes hard on his chest, but Enzo doesn’t move.
My hands go over my face as I watch him. He can’t drown. He can’t die.
But Enzo Black is human, just like all of us. And in this moment, I’ve never realized just how human he really is.
