He does notice the desk floating in their direction, but with it comes something else—ghostly, bobbing faces upturning in the water's waves.

"There's people under the water!" he gasps. He reaches to try to find one of their hands to yank them up and out, but when he does the water ebbs and the face disappears.

He tries again, and again. The water only rushes toward them, and the so does the desk.