CHAPTER 78

By the time Gary reappeared from below, holding a coiled rope and a knife, the ferry was only a few metres behind his boat.

‘Pull alongside,’ Seb said to the captain.

Gary made his way to the front of his boat where he tied one end of the rope around the anchor chain.

Barb realised what he was intending and hurried forward to the captain. ‘Pull alongside. Quick.’

The captain manoeuvred the ferry closer. On the other boat Gary started cutting through the rope, a few metres from the end tied to the anchor.

As the boats gently bumped, Barb appeared at Seb’s shoulder. ‘He’s going to go over with the anchor.’

‘Shit.’ Seb grabbed the guard rail and stepped over. The boats were only a couple of metres apart. He caught the captain’s eyes and motioned him closer.

Gary cut the rope and tied the loose end tightly around his ankle.

‘Gary! Don’t!’ Seb screamed, but the engines drowned him out.

Gary stepped to the front of the boat, sat on the rail and swung his feet over.

Seb leaped from the ferry to Gary’s boat, slipped on the edge, half falling, before he grabbed the rail and hauled himself up.

Gary looked expressionlessly at him and pressed a button next to the anchor. The anchor plunged into the water, dragging its chain with it.

Seb ran toward the front. Gary stayed still, his eyes flicking between the unravelling chain and Seb. Seb got to him and grabbed his arm, before the descending chain yanked the rope attached to Gary’s ankle, whisking him overboard and under the water.

Without thinking, Seb dived after him. The water hit him and he grabbed the still descending chain. As it pulled him deeper, he went hand over hand down it. Below him, next to the chain, was Gary, his foot attached to the chain by the rope, being dragged down, his head and arms lagging behind, like one of those inflatable tube men outside car dealerships. Seb’s lungs throbbed. He dragged himself further down the chain, past Gary’s upper body, and grabbed the rope knot that connected Gary to the anchor chain. He started to untie the knot. If he could, Gary would be freed from the anchor and, whether he liked it or not, would float to the surface.

Seb felt a hand in his hair yank him up. He lost his grip on the rope. Gary had pulled him away.

Seb reached above his head, grabbed Gary’s wrist and tried to break his grip, but it was hard to generate power in the water. Seb’s lungs were screaming. He tried to pull himself back down the chain, but Gary held his hair, stopping him, like an owner controlling his dog.

Seb stretched, but couldn’t reach the knot. He needed air. He realised Gary could kill him if he wanted. All he had to do was keep hold of his hair until they both drowned.