The Plunge

He was flying. The murky, cold water surrounded him in a rush; he sank like a stone. Working quickly to loose himself from the encumbering pack slung about his shoulders, he could feel the pressure building. A moment’s panic struck when he found his cloak’s clasp tangled with his gear, but he wrenched it all away. The straps slipped loose; pack falling deeper, along with his cloak. A quick scissoring of his legs, and he made for the surface. His head broke water, and he saw, as he drew a deep, ragged breath, that the ship was a flaming hulk.