The next part with the holy words of wisdom in bold:
Karlik, noticing that the light was falling behind, looked back at him.
- Swim, man! - he shouted, trying to shout over the noise. - Can you hear that? Swim!
- Why... it doesn't matter, whether here... or a meter away - Gola muttered in a weak voice.
Karlik didn't hear these words, but he understood that Gola had had enough. With a last effort he swam to him, took the lamp and dragged him along. Seeing him resist, he gritted his teeth and knocked him off balance with a punch to the chest. Gola submerged with his head, but immediately surfaced. Choking and snorting, he began to swim after Karlik.
Karlik moved with difficulty, holding a lamp in his hand. Splashes of water hissed through the flame. To prevent it from going out, he turned the tap on to the highest setting.
His father's words echoed in his mind: "A miner never abandons his lamp."
The lamp was the most important thing now. It was probably the only thing that kept them conscious and alive.It still let them believe that everything they were experiencing was just an adventure... a terrible one, but an adventure, a real adventure, and not some terrible dream, that there really was water and rocks, and among them... they . If it went out, it would be the end. They would stop believing that they were still alive, that they were fighting, that they existed, and then they would really die.
So, although exhausted by the inhuman effort, he can barely stay afloat on his own, although the lamp weighs unbearably and bothers him, although every fiber of his tired muscles demands that he throw it into the water, although he is tempted to let himself be swallowed up by the water, the rock and the darkness - he clitches it steadfastly in the fainting hand and he knows that he won't let go, even if he has to hold it with his teeth.
But meanwhile the journey seemed to be drawing near to its terrible end.
At one point, when he emerged from the water, he could no longer see the rest of the tunnel, that black abyss that roared with fear, but also with hope. Instead, he clearly saw a yellowish wall against which the foamy current was breaking. That means... it's over. So the tunnel was blind after all.
At the same moment, a powerful whirlpool carried him away and drove him somewhere nearby. He almost dropped the lamp from his numb hand. He tried to reach the bottom with his foot, but it was impossible. He only felt strong underwater whirlpools. When the water encountered the rock barrier, it churned, retreated and collided. To avoid being sucked into this deadly whirlpool, he clung to the rock.
he clitches it steadfastly in the fainting hand and he knows that he won't let go, even if he has to hold it with his teeth.
These holy words became my inspiration - never ever give up - you have to fight to the fekking end. Successful end, of course.
BTW, the boys find the way out of the flooded tunnel and return home. Sigh!!!!!! ):):):
