It was now or never. Biting back common sense and throwing caution to the wind, Usher stepped back and then committed himself to the jump that all summer he had felt destined to make. ‘Cal, Cal. Watch me … Cal!’ Running two steps forward he took a mighty leap, to gain some distance from the jagged belly of the cliff, and flew, rejoicing in the sudden rush of air as he tumbled, arms and legs waving wildly as he narrowly missed the rocky outcrop of the cliffs that they called The Tooth. 'Caaaaaaaaaaaaaalll!' As the dark water of the lake rushed towards him, he stole a moment of satisfaction from the shocked look on Cal’s upturned face. He just caught his cry of ‘Usher…You crazy fool! Ush...’ before he hit the cold water with an explosion that drove the air from his lungs and plunged him into a world of confusion. The lake claimed him. A roaring sound filled his ears, and he struggled to control the panic that threatened to smother him. He gagged, and just managed to resist the impulse to draw a breath of ice-cold water into his aching lungs.
