Splash.

It felt like the water was going to consume me, but it wouldn’t, not yet. It was cold. Insanely cold. I swum deeper and deeper, I was going to find him. It was too dark for me to see, I just had to feel it. Two floppy ears, a button and gem for eyes and a few loose stitches. Was this necessary for any plush rabbit? Probably not. For Jerry? Most definitely. My lungs were on fire, I had no choice to go back up for water, because Jerry would sink far too deep into the water, so I opted for holding my breath and occasionally swallowing water. _I can keep going, just for a little longer, _my heart told myself. Just a little longer. I rubbed my eyes gently and reopened them to see a sparkle, a sparkle in the dark that I couldn’t mistake for anything else.

Jerry’s gem for an eye.

I’m nearly there.

My eyes burned. My arms were aching. My legs no better.

Swim faster. He’ll be gone forever if you don’t.

__

The next thing I knew, Jerry the floppy rabbit was in my hand.

Swim lower, there’s something else here for you. You’re here for a reason.

__

__ I wasn’t here for any other reason but to save Jerry and go back home.

You’ll regret it if you go back up.

I kicked my feet through the water and swam to the surface, I would finally be able to get a breath of air.

Though it never occurred to me how fast the ice would freeze over.