Last Gasp

[Namira]

((Robert Herrmann continued from The start of something truly absurd, in the death that should have been via DZ))

As the crackling PA came online, Robert Herrmann started, eyes that had almost completely closed snapping fully open. A day. My god. He'd survived an entire day.

~*~

When the previous announcement had started up, Robert had been sitting on the deck of the shipwreck, staring off into the sea. It had been completely absent minded, and he'd tried to tune out the voice of Danya, gleefully reeling off who'd died in the previous day. He'd in fact, been so successful that he'd failed to realise that the key had became a dangerzone until his collar started beeping shrilly. At that moment, Robert had tried not to freak out and think things through. His 100 yard dash wasn't exactly up to scratch, not enough to bail from the boat, wade back to shore and then escape the beach before the collar went off.

So he did all his desperate mind could come up with; Robert dived off the side of the shipwrecked boat, and struck out to sea, kicking so hard he felt a splintering of wood. A confident swimmer, he rapidly put distance between himself and the shore, until... the beeping stopped. Robert's frantic strokes stopped and he floated in the water, fully clothed. It only now occurred to him that it was damn freezing. He turned himself around and looked back to the shore. Oddly, he wasn't actually all that far out. Out of his depth, certainly, but... close to shore.

Only problem was, what did he do now?

~*~

The answer, it turned out, was 'tread water'. Desperately. He was a strong swimmer, but keeping afloat for hour after hour after hour. That seemed like an impossibility. But he tried, dammit he tried. He knew enough about survival that there was no way he'd last long with all the extra weight, so he jettisoned his daypack and duffle, as well as his shirt and shoes. And he'd tried to keep afloat as best he could. It was exhausting, terrifying work and over the next several hours, a few times Robert had been on the point of giving up. A few times, his head had slipped underwater and he'd thought about... just giving up.

But for whatever reason, he hadn't. Not even in the dark hours of night, when the temperature dropped and he grew chilled to the very bone. Robert had lucked out at that stage, he knew, because that was when the driftwood had floated along. Hell, screw driftwood, it was practically a raft. It must have broken away from the shipwreck earlier. Either way. It was a respite. It was something to cling onto, to get himself out of the chilled water, at least for a little while. He probably had hypothermia, probably didn't even have a chance... but he had to try. He instilled the determination into himself, even when the rotting wood that had provided him sanctuary broke apart under his weight after a couple of hours, Robert kept striving.

And he survived until dawn.

~*~

Something approaching a smile made it onto Robert's face as he heard the announcement. He'd managed to get turned around in the night, so he, ever so wearisomely, wheeled around in the water. And his heart dropped. Sometime over the past 24 hours, he'd drifted away from the island. The shore seemed miles away. Endlessly far.

And that's when Robert knew that he had no chance. He didn't have the energy or the body heat or the determination, it was too far.

But he had to try.

He made his move, every stroke and every kick feeling like he had lead weights strapped to his limbs. His muscles screamed at him, his brain cried with fatigue, but Robert pressed on grimly. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen, he was supposed to become a doctor. How was he going to save people if he couldn't even save himself? Couldn't-

Under. He choked, water flowing into his nose and mouth. Robert resurfaced, gasping, kept moving.

He had to do this. He didn't survive an entire night just to fall at the final-

Under. Salt water into his eyes, body screaming to just give it up and let go... but no.

No he couldn't. He had to ma-

Under.

...

Had to-

Can't--

...


B113 - ROBERT HERRMANN - ELIMINATED