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oxygen apparatus. Getting out naked will kill us. We are down half kilometer now," Kamal said.
    Kamal and Taan Singh were inspecting the torpedo tubes; they were not looking at me. I set my body free and was gradually sinking in. It was not that I was trying to die, but it was just that I was starkly dismayed by my fellow officers dying in front of my eyes.
    Kamal and Taan Singh immediately pulled me up. I inhaled a long breath of air into my lungs.
    "You have lost your senses, now tell us how to get out from here," Kamal said.
    "OK, we go to the control room - third compartment, pass to the fourth compartment and get the life suits - this should be our first step", I said as the responsible officer in me woke up.
    "But again, where do we leave from?" he asked in a tone of urgency.
    "We will find some way," I answered.
    "There is a water leak in this compartment too and it's slowly rising," Taan Singh said worryingly.
    I felt the urge to hurry up now.
    "Before this water rises up fully, we need to get our life suits," I said.
    "How shall we go there leaving this place? We open the hatch and the water will fill this compartment. And the hatch is broken from outside we cannot open or lock it from the other side," Kamal said.
    "Yes, we can do it from here inside but we need to be real quick before water fills this compartment too. We don't have any timer, so we count numbers- 1...2...3...4..."
    "How many counts?"
    "It will take around 100 counts I guess."
    "You want to hold your breath for nearly one and a half minutes?"
    "Now we don't have any option. How much time will it take to go to fourth compartment exactly?"
    "If we start from where we are, it should ideally take 30-40 counts to reach the fourth compartment hatch.”
    "What if the hatch doesn't open? What if it's jammed?" Taan Singh raised a valid doubt.
    "I go there 40 counts - open hatch 10 counts - just open and come back within another 40 counts. If it doesn't open I will come back at the end of the count. And you open this hatch on time." I answered although I could feel my hope dwindle.
    I took the first step.
    "I will go, open the hatch in the fourth compartment and will come back; and again we will take a second trip."
    "OK... count 90 or 100?" Kamal said.
    "Count 90, ready all..."
    "Don't lose your count. Just be on count - losing the count will eventually result in losing lives."
    Kamal raised his hand, indicating that the count has begun. Taan Singh opened the hatch and I quickly got to the next compartment which was filled with water. Taan Singh immediately closed the hatch behind me.
    I kept diving slowly towards the third compartment. It was very disturbing for me to look at Prathap's body lying over there. I closed my eyes and went straight ahead.
    It was 20 counts until now.
    As I got into the third compartment, I was shocked to see Sharma, and other officers floating dead over there. It was the most terrifying thing I had seen. I wanted some air; I no longer could hold my breath.
    I lost my count. However, I focused and made my way to the fourth compartment. I turned the latch of the fourth compartment, quickly turned around, and picked up S21’s blueprint floating over there.
    While coming back I didn't dare to see any of the dead officers over there. But again, I remembered the letter written by Prathap. I went towards him, though I was not feeling comfortable, I reached his pocket - pulled the letter out and carried it with me.
    I banged on the first compartment hatch, Taan Singh immediately opened it and I quickly entered. I quickly raised my head above the water, and breathed deeply and desperately.
    "It was 87 counts," Kamal said.
    "Commanding officer, Steering Operator, Navigational officer and others are all dead," I announced.
    “That’s what I thought when we didn’t get any response. Did you open the hatch?”
    "Yes Sir."
    "Did you see anything there?"
    "No. I immediately turned back."
    I took the blueprint above the water, opened it and