“That’s because your body knows it’s not supposed to be in an all-water environment,” said Ben. “It’s a natural response. What you have to do is trick it into believing it’s okay. Which it is,” he added emphatically. “Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Especially not in four feet of water. Now, shall we give it another go?”

Hudson nodded and put the regulator back in his mouth. With Ben in front of him, watching closely, he knelt down until the water was halfway up his mask. Then he stretched out flat on the bottom of the pool. Immediately he felt the urge to bolt for the surface. Ben, perhaps sensing this, grabbed both of his hands and held them. Hudson looked into his eyes, focusing on them as he breathed.

Everything’s fine, he told himself. Everything’s fine.

After a minute of just breathing, he realized that everything was indeed fine. The air was flowing through the regulator just as Ben had promised it would. He was breathing normally, and no water was streaming into his throat. He was so elated by the realization that he gave a little giggle and squeezed Ben’s hands.

Ben let go and indicated that Hudson should watch him. Then he took the regulator from his mouth and let it hang down. He pointed at his lips, from which issued a small but steady stream of bubbles. Right, Hudson thought. He said never to hold your breath.

With slow and deliberate movements, Ben retrieved the regulator by sweeping his hand down along his thigh and up toward his shoulder. The regulator hose, hooked on his arm, came with it. Ben placed it back in his mouth, blew out an exaggerated blast of air, and held his hands up to indicate that the entire process was nothing at all.

For you maybe, Hudson thought. Now it was his turn to try. He hesitated, starting to breathe more quickly. Calm down, he ordered himself, and waited until he felt his pulse slow. Then, just as Ben had instructed him to do, he took a breath and removed the regulator. Fighting the fear that the air in his lungs would never last long enough for him to complete the task, he imitated Ben’s arm movement. When the regulator appeared, as if by magic, in his hand, he placed it with great relief in his mouth and blew out to clear it of water. When the bubbles cleared, he saw Ben flashing him a big OK sign. Then he pointed with his thumb to the surface, and they both rose through the few feet of water.

“That was perfect,” Ben said.

“I had a good teacher,” said Hudson. “Thanks for walking me through that whole drowning thing.”