For a long moment, all Elias could hear was the shallow, uneven rasp of the old man’s breathing. He looked smaller up close, pale and shaking, his wetsuit torn along one shoulder. Elias crouched beside him. “You’re hurt. We need to get you out of here.”
The man’s eyes fluttered open. “Can’t,” he whispered. “My air hose tore on the rocks. Lost pressure before I could get back out.” Edwin stepped closer, voice trembling. “You’ve been here this whole time?”