Page 1 of Keeping Kama

Chapter1

From behind, a fast car dipped over a bump, making their headlights cast a brief glow on Leia. “Geez,” Leia muttered under her breath.

Taking a quick glance over her shoulder, Leia reverted her gaze to the road in front of her. As the headlights approached, Leia tried to maintain her running pace. Only a few months remained until the Honolulu marathon, Leia planned on getting her personal best.

Her shoes crunched into the gravel. The headlights grew closer, Leia peered over her shoulder a second time and said to herself, “I hope they plan on slowing down.” The words were carried away with the ocean breeze.

Readjusting her headlamp, Leia counted on it, along with the lights on her shoes, to be enough for the driver to make out her silhouette in the darkness of early morning. Leia moved as far as possible to the side of the road. The car violently came closer and closer. An annoying low beat from the car made her body vibrate. Did the driver have their windows rolled down, belting out loud music? At this hour?

Twisting halfway, Leia caught a better view of the small Honda. Yep, the windows were down, making the blaring music louder with each passing second. And it wasn’t good music, it was annoying music. Like maybe Tom Petty?

Concentrating, Leia recognized the tune, ‘I Won’t Back Down’, confirming whoever was driving recklessly also had bad taste in music. Two knocks against them. Leia never understood the singer’s appeal, an opinion she knew enough not to voice out loud to others, though. People became awfully touchy when it came to Mr. Tom Petty.

Besides her dislike for the driver’s music choice, why did they feel the need to broadcast it at a deafening volume at five-thirty in the morning? Especially on the North Shore? Ugh. Leia purposely started her long runs early in the morning to avoid cars, commuters, and tourists.

As the car loomed behind her, Leia abruptly stopped and twisted to face it. Lifting her hand to block out the blinding light of the car’s headlights, it took Leia’s vision a moment to adjust. It was barreling toward her and getting dangerously close to hitting her. Leia jumped into the grassy plain next to the shoulder. A near hit, the car passed, taking its annoying music with it.

Once it was out of sight, Leia moved back onto the road, brushing off her arms, and continued running. Forcing herself to forget the encounter, Leia dug out a gel from her side pocket. Ripping off the top with her teeth, she gulped it down in seconds, sliding the empty packet back into her pocket when she was finished. Five miles down, five more to go.

Glancing to her right, Leia took in the beautiful sight of the ocean. Sunlight skimmed an inch above the water enough to make the black sky turn to a milky dark blue. Slowly, the warmth of the sunrise hit her skin.

When she was only a mile from home, Leia ran by Shark’s Cove. A popular destination for both locals and tourists alike, Shark’s Cove had the best snorkeling around. Though getting into the cove, past the break of rock, tended to be a bit dangerous this time of year for an inexperienced swimmer. It was equally important once in the safety of the cove that one did not swim past where the waves broke or venture out on their own.

Usually, people don’t swim in the cove this early in the morning. Rarely did Leia spot anyone in the water on her early morning runs. But today, a lonely Honda was parked on the road, next to the path leading down to Shark’s Cove. Leia wasn’t positive, but she believed it was the same car as earlier.

Out of breath, Leia stopped, walking over to the lookout point. Down below, in Shark’s Cove, she spotted someone way past the basin of the cove, snorkeling. The water past the basin was choppy, deep, and dangerous. Leia hoped the person out therealonewas a strong swimmer.

For a few moments, Leia watched the swimmer, wondering if they were aware of how far they were from the calmer waters in the cove. Then a huge wave came, pulling the person further out past the cove and into the treacherous open ocean. Leia scurried down the rocky path to the shoreline.

Hitting the sand, Leia cupped her mouth with one hand while she waved frantically with the other. “You are out too far. Come back!” She knew it was fruitless. Her voice couldn’t carry that great a distance. But to no avail, she yelled again, “It’s not safe. You’re out too far!” With a frenzy, Leia waved both arms, trying to catch the swimmer’s attention.

Another wave came, hitting the shore. Leia took a step back to keep from getting wet. When she glanced back to spot the swimmer, the person was gone. Leia ripped off her shoes and shirt, dumping the contents of her pockets onto the sand. Then she waded past the choppy break of the shore, once beyond the rocky portion, Leia dove into the water, swimming with her entire might toward where she last spotted the swimmer. Her lungs burned. Salt water stung her eyes. Every so often she came up for air, peering around to try and locate the person. When she didn’t see anyone, she dipped her head back in, using her strong lean legs to catapult herself forward.

Finally, several yards ahead, Leia clocked a man’s head bobbing in and out of the water.

“I’m coming, hold on!” shouted Leia. With another several strong, fast strokes, Leia neared the man in distress. “Calm down. I’m almost to you!” His body floated up and down like a buoy. “I’m here to help!”

With only a few feet left between them, Leia reached out, wrapping her arm under his armpits in a move she learned in her lifeguard training course.

Teeth chattering, the man attempted a reply, “I’m— I’m—” the man replied. Then his eyes rolled back.

Leia secured him in a football hold, swimming and dragging his body with her free arm, depending on the strength of her legs to catapult them forward. A rip tide attempted to drag them in the opposite direction. Each stroke was a fight against the strength of the tide. Why had she done this? This rash decision might cost her life. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, giving her a bit of herculean strength. Leia forced herself to not think about how far she still needed to swim, or how she might not make it back to the safety of the shore. No, Leia swam and swam, fighting for each inch, dragging the man behind her.

“AHHH …” Leia screamed as the man’s weight made every part of her body throbbed from exertion. Her shoulder popped, and Leia wondered if she had dislocated it. “What were you thinking?” she tried to yell, but salt water filled her mouth. She spit it out, gritting her teeth against the stinging grime coating her tongue.

Another wave rolled over them, but Leia didn’t let go. She couldn’t let go. Then another wave broke on them, but Leia held on, refusing to let herself or this guy die. After spending every summer from eighteen to twenty-two as a lifeguard at Waikiki Beach, Leia’s training took over. Pure muscle memory allowed her to swim and drag the man back to safety.

Eventually, they reached the calmer water of the cove. Her toes hit the rough bottom of the ocean floor, making them sting as the rocky coral cut through her socks and into her skin. After a few steps, the rock gave way to sand, making the end almost near. The water eventually danced around her waist then her knees. Leia jumped out of the water, pulling the man by the arms onto the sand.

Every part of her hurt, but Leia didn’t stop. Ready to begin CPR, Leia kneeled next to the man. He rolled to his side unassisted, coughing and sputtering out water. His hand flew to his chest, as he continued to cough up water.

Leia pounded on his back with a closed fist. “Good. Get it all out,” instructed Leia.

Eventually, he stopped coughing and Leia helped him sit up. Still kneeling beside him, she scanned him, looking for any injuries. “Are you okay?” Leia practically shouted.

“I—think—so,” his words came out in short spurts. He coughed some more but appeared to be regaining his normal breathing. Swiping his hair out of his eyes, he said, “Just a bit shaken up.” His voice evened out while his chest slowed its heaving.

Relieved, Leia dropped onto her backside. Sand stuck to her shorts and legs. Leia paused, waiting for the commotion in her chest to subside enough for her mind to clear. Salt stung her eyes as water ran down her face in long continuous streams. Leia reached for her tank top on the sand next to her, using it to wipe her face dry. She tossed it back onto her pile of stuff.

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