Unit2TextASwimmingthroughfear1IwasonatourofFrancewithmyfriendswhenourcarpulledtoastopatthebeachandwesawtheMediterraneanSea.Massivewavessurgedagainstlargerocksthatformedawaterproofjetty.Peoplesaidthisbeachwasknownforitsnotoriousripcurrents.Ishiveredwithfear.Nothingscaredmeasmuchaswater.2Justthesightoftheseamademesicktomystomach.3I'dalwayslovedwaterandbeenagoodswimmeruntillastsummer,whenI'ddecidedtoclimbuptothehighestdivingboardatthepool.I'dhoppedfromthatheightandhitthewaterwithanincredibleimpact.TheairwasoustedfrommylungsandIblackedout.ThenextthingIknew,mybrotherwaspullingmyfeeblebodyoutofthepool.Fromthenon,myfearwouldn'trecede;Iwasabsolutelyterrifiedofwater.4"Jason,areyoucoming?"myfriend,Matt,called.5"Yeah,"Isaid."Justenjoyingtheview,"fromdryland,Iaddedsilently,worriedtheymightdeemmyfearpatheticiftheyknew.6SuddenlyIheardshoutinginFrench.Amobofpeoplewererunningintothesea,fullyclothed.That'sodd,Ithought.7Iglimpsedsomethingmovingupanddownamidthewaves,pasttheendofthejetty.Igasped,realizingthecatastrophewithhorror.That'salittleboyoutthere!Thewould-berescuersfoughtagainstthetide,butthesituationwasbleak.Withthewater'stow,they'dnevergettohimintime.8Ilookedbackattheboy.Hisheadpoppedup,thenawavecrashedoverhimandhedisappearedforamoment;Ihadtointervene.9Iappraisedthesituationandrealized—thejetty!Theboywasclosetoit;maybeIcouldhelpfromthere.Iraceddownthebeach,outontothejetty,andithitme:Water!Mypalmsgotsweatyandmystomachfeltsick,symptomsofmyfear.Istoppedshort.10Thepeopleinthewaterhadunderestimatedthewavesandweren'tmakinganyprogress.Iwastheonlyonewhosawthatgoingoutonthejettywasthefastestwaytoreachthedrowningboy.Yetinthemidstofthistragedy,Iwasextremelyterrified.ItriedtorememberthelifeguardtrainingI'dhadasateenager.11Iwasparalyzedwithfear,butIforcedmyselftomoveforwardwiththisimprompturescue.Idon'twantthis.SurelysomeoneelsecansavehimbeforeIhaveto.12Attheridgeofthejetty,Iwhirledaround,convincedI'dseeanathleticswimmerplowingthroughtheroughwatertowardtheboy.Tomydismay,noonewasthere.Iturnedbackouttotheseatoseetheboybatteredbyviciouswavesabout25yardsawayfromme.Suckinginadeepbreath,Ithrewmyselfintothewater.AssoonasIjumpedin,IfeltlikeIwasbackinthatpool,breathless,struggling,terrified.Saltstungmyeyes.Focus,Ishoutedinmyhead.Whereishe?13Then,withclarity,Isawathinarmwavingweaklyafewyardsaway.Iswamwithallmystrength,reachingtheboyjustashesankbelowthesurface.Igrabbedhisarmandpulled.Hepoppedbackup,eyeswidewithterror,pawingandtwistingagainstme."Repose(Calmdown)!"IcommandedtheboyinFrench.Hisstrugglingwouldderailanyrescueattempt,andwe'dbothperish."Repose!"Icommandedagain.Thankfully,thistimehelistened,andwasstill.14WhenIturnedbacktowardshoreawavepoundedoverus.Thejettywasfurtheraway!Theripcurrent!Itwasforciblydraggingusouttothesea.Ifoughttogetusbacktoland,butmadelittleprogress.IknewI'dneverbeabletoescorthimbacklikethis.15Desperatetosurvive,IrememberedwhatI'dlearnedinmylifesavingclass:Never,everswimagainsttheripcurrent!Swimsidewaystothepullofthecurrentandslowlymakeyourwaybacktowardshore.Itwasanodd-lookingbutpracticablesolution.Swimsidewaysandfloattorest.Swimsidewaysandfloattorest.Wedidthatoverandover.Weslowlymadeourwaytosafety."Jason,youcandoit!"IheardMattsayashestoodonthejetty.Ihadn'tevennoticedhowclosewewere,onlyaboutsevenfeetlefttogo.16And,aswemadeourwaytosafetyIrealizedsomethingincredible:Iwasnolongerafr...
