The sky was still dark outside, nearly black, when Lane finally resurfaces, a good few hours before sunrise. Compared to the darkness in the depths of the lake, though, it felt almost too bright. Lane blinked a few times, waiting for his eyes to adjust, and took off the mask, taking a breath of fresh air.
It felt great to be out. After this night, Lane was quite fed up with water. He probably wasn't going to take a dip for a while if he could help it, not even in the bathtub. It wasn't so bad that he'd be left traumatized, but…
"Do you need any help?" one of the rescuers asked, noticing that Lane made no move to climb onto the pier.
"Ah, yes, if you could…" Lane nodded with a bashful smile. "I'm still feeling rather numb…"
"I understand." The man nodded, and quickly pulled himself up onto the pier, before reaching out and grabbing Lane by the arms, lifting him up from the water. Considering Lane's injuries, it was understandable that his mobility could be compromised…
