The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-02-28
chapter A
rhE PLUNGE

TfE PLUNGE
cWIFTER plunged the current.
- The ca fern seemed wider, but
the roof Vi ; lower. A down-pro1ect.
Ing stalacfite struck his head. Half
stunned. be struggled to keep bis
hands above his head to guard
against repetition.
He was thrown against wall pro
5ections. and sucked away into the
greedy current. He became dazed
with an ever-increasing dizziness.
Il was an effort to breathe with the
spray flashing his face.
His arms ached with the effort of
unfolding them. He put hls elbows
upon the top OF his life-jacket and
.clasped his hands above his head.
He realized tina. he was growing
weak with the buffeting.
But the minutes. be knew. were
rolling into precious hours. Soon he
hoDed 70 be spsWed into the daylight
--into the quiet waters Of some man
grove-fringed lagoon that Joined the
sea.
Gray daylight showsd above hint
He was being shot downstream be
tween creeper-nung walls. But half
conscious. he realized that although
he was In the main channel the
width of It was diminishing.
The stream was branching vari.
ously. A danger lay in that. Sucked
into one OF the branches he might be
forced into q swamp from which he
might not be able to extricate him
self.
He must keep to the main channel
at all costs! Only the main channel
would have water-force enough to
have cut through the sWamps to the
sea.
Suddenly he shouted with hope.
Ahead. glimpsed on either side Of q
1utting spire OF rock that thrust up
ward from the seething water about
Il. we're low grass-coyered banks
hacked with palmetto and man.
groves. Further on was turquoise
blueness. The seat
Franks nostrils twitched with the
tang of beach kelp rotting in the
sun. That flaming disc burst. as he
looked. through layer Of clouds
lying low above the horizon. It was
nearing sunset. ...4s
As the current twisted him toward
The divided channel. he felt tug
ging at his legs. an inexorable sue
ton that pulled his feet away from
the surface current while the buoy
aney OF the life-belt tended to float
It toward the peaceful lagoon.
SubconscIously he struggled a 1T
tie as II the attempt could relieve
his legs OF some clinging, unseen
menace. The suction pulled harder.
Sudden realization swept him.
The underground river discharged
here al sea level: but also II plunged
iato the hidden chasm that could
have no outlet except in the floor
under that gIlttering. turquoise sea
aheadl
Frantic now. he failed his arms.
lie kicked and thrashed with his
legs. Striving TO free himself OF the
life-belt so that be could tiatten him.
self on the surface and swim to the
safety that was now Just few yards
away. he found that the fiber knots
we're swollen be, ond loosening.
The breath gasped in his lungs.
Deeper the suction pulled him. He
pas spun about In the infiexible grip
o. whirlpool.
Lower be SANK. re clawed for a
support that was denied him. Down
ne vas dragged into q vortex. he
ielt the waters closIng about his
head.
0asping for . last despairing
breath. he was shot down into q
great funnel. A crashing and roaring
sound tlled his ears. His body was
hammered and llailed against the
rough sides OF this terrible aqneduct.
His lungs were on fire--no. they
we're bursting.
There was q binding fash on the
mirror behind his eyes.
Then the darkness OF oblivion.
JANICE KENT walked slowly back
to the little clearing where theiE
sver.burnIng IRE smoked amid It's
rocky bed. She seated herself upon
the backlog and stared apatheti
eAlly at the glowing emhers.
Something had gone dead within
her-somethlng that In dying had
lsft = void that yet was capable oi
aching. Her mind was too confused
Cor analysis but that very confusion
released . swarm OF queer mental