Yes. The narrator of “The Seventh Man” must forgive himself of his failure to save K. People usually blame themselves after someone dies and they survive, but the narrator of the book warns K - his friend - when he realizes that something is happening in the water. He also has a strong surviving instinct - as all humans do - and he runs to save himself.
He carries the guilt of not saving his friend, but in reality, it would be impossible. The water was probably too strong and would kill them both, all he could do he did, that was warn his friend as soon as he noticed something strange.
