There--an access tunnel! Taking a deep breath, Lara flipped in the water and kicked her way down to the bottom of the pool, then turned and swam along the bottom until she reached the opening. Stray shots occasionally plunked against the metal flooring beneath her, but deflection and the low light kept her relatively safe. The light levels dimmed even further once she entered the tunnel, but she swam on as quickly as she could--the wound, the cold water, and her own fear were sapping her strength. She needed to surface quickly; her lungs were burning already.
A minute later, it felt like molten rock had been poured down her throat. Sweet God, I don't want to drown! On the verge of panic, she kicked upwards and began swimming as quickly as she could along the ceiling. Fighting to keep her lungs from drawing in breath, her lips drew back in a frightened grimace. Can't go back, I'll drown before I make it--please, let there be an air pocket!
Unable to hold it any longer, Lara's breath left her in a terrified scream--just as her hand splashed out of the water. A moment later, Lara was gasping in lungfuls of stale air, her cheek pressed against the low ceiling as she sobbed in relief. It took her several moments to realize that the water had gained a current, which was slowly pulling her along. Her bleeding calf protested at the thought of swimming back the way she'd come; she'd never make it, she knew, and they'd eventually find her water-logged body bobbing against the ceiling of the tunnel. Ever forward.
Allowing herself to be carried forward, Lara strained her eyes against the
near-total darkness for nearly a minute before bumping into the far end of the
air pocket. Looking down, she could just barely make out the outline of the
tunnel where it submerged again--which meant that there was light and,
hopefully, air further on down. Suppressing a shudder as she filled her lungs
for a second time, she plunged into the water again and swam with the current
down the tunnel. Bloody hell, that's fast! Peering ahead through the
dimly-lit water, Lara thought she noted a wavering quality to the light. The
current was dragging her along more quickly now, to the point that she stopped
swimming with it and put out a hand to slow herself slightly. It wouldn't do
to smack into a wall--
--Oh, shit!
Now! Sticking out her good leg, Lara braced herself against the handle and spread her hands wide along the ceiling to keep from getting pulled loose. Then, working carefully but quickly, she hooked her foot through the handle and tugged.
It was rusted! The blasted thing had rusted shut! Lungs pressing against her ribs with Olypmic strength, Lara tugged as hard as she dared, trying to work loose the hinges. Harder, harder--Oh God!
Lara's hands slipped against the ceiling as, in desperation, she pulled at the door harder than she should have. Screaming into the water with terror, Lara tried to grab something--anything--but the current was too great; it sucked her against the fan, pulling her legs and one arm through the wide gap between the blades. Before she could struggle away from the propeller, the second fan closed on her protruding limbs.
All her air had already been expended, but Lara tried to shriek anyway as her left arm and leg were ripped away and sucked through. Flailing, her other hand caught on the door handle, jerking her off of the center of the fan. The fast-streaming water quickly pulled her through up to her hips, which were crushed and chopped apart as her body racked in horrified sobs. Slipping further, she found herself jammmed sideways betweent he blades of the first fan, with one breast on either side of it and streams of viscera coiling and catching in the blades. Helpless, Lara could do nothing but watch as as was scissored in half down the center of her chest, her vision mercilessly clear as the fans quickly swept away the whorling gouts of blood. Finally sucked all the way through, Lara's throat mindlessly continued to work in screamless horror as mangled chunks of her own body floated through her dimming vision.