I was a good swimmer; there are none like me among the humans of your
Earth. But I soon found I was not the equal of Og. He eluded my first
rush. With his arms close against his sides, his body slipped between my
outstretched hands. He mounted upward—a pink streak through the glaring
water.
I was after him. Up in the foliage, almost directly over the King, he
hovered, waiting for me. The contemptuous smile on his face maddened me.
As I came up, he turned sidewise into another dive, but I gripped his
ankle as it went past me.
The crowd was shouting as we floundered, churning the water. I was
trying to turn and clutch Og around the body. But he twisted away. I
knew, if I could once get him in my grip, I could crush him. But he
seemed to know it also.
I still held his ankle, and he did not try to kick himself loose. He
seemed to be manoeuvering for something. He was swimming forcibly
downward now, using his arms but leaving his legs limp. It drew our
bodies through the water in a single straight line, like one boat towing
another. Then Og turned into a sharp circle. I still clung to him, and
his body, bent like a bow, went over mine. The movement brought his head
near my feet. One of his arms swept down, made a clutch for my ankle,
but missed.
I heard the shout of mingled horror and relief from the crowd. I was now
above Og. Our turning movement confused me. The bottom of the arena was
over my head in another instant; then the side and top swung past.
Og made another clutch at my ankles; and warned at last of some danger
which I did not understand, I dropped him abruptly and swam away. He did
not chase me, but turned over a few times more and then hovered in the
center of the cube.
Into the upper foliage I swam. I was breathing heavily. My chest seemed
constricted. I was not physically able to undergo such exertion without
distress. I realized it. The excess oxygen my blood was demanding could
not be obtained by my lungs from water. I would have to get my grip
around Og at once.
Some of the spectators were now shouting at me derisively. They thought
that after this first encounter I was now afraid of my adversary.
Afraid? I was beginning to be in truth. I ground my teeth, and turning,
head downward, again dove for Og. He waited, quietly; he was tense
again, his body slowly sinking.
Ten feet from him, I brought myself up short. We faced each other, both
sinking gradually. Once he slid forward, and made a pass at me with an
arm. But I dove away, returning at once.
We were nearly at the bottom of the arena when Og suddenly threw all
four arms above his head. His body was bent forward, crescent-shaped. It
seemed to be my opportunity. I rushed at him. He retreated; and as I
came into an upright position for another lunge, his body bent over me
like a bow. One of his feet touched one of mine; and simultaneously his
fingers struck my head.
For a brief instant I was conscious that his touch seemed to burn. A
tingling shock ran through me. Then, inert and unconscious, my stiffened
body sank slowly to the bottom of the arena.