She knows the first word. Not the second. Maybe it's respirate and she coughed too much to hear it. Who says respirate instead of breathe outside some fancy official trial?

Kate coughs instead of saying anything, coughs and gasps until she is harshly breathing. Then, slowly and carefully and easily, she eases herself up into a crouch. Then she tilts her head up, still with her hands on the ground. Balance. The world is spinning and her skull wants to pop.

There's hair in front of her face, but she can see. And stability is more important right now.

"Who," Kate says finally, voice rasping, "tried t'drown me?"