Page 40 of Wild for You
This time I circle the reef on the other side, still filming, and set my sights on a dolphin fish that probably weighs twenty pounds. That could easily keep us fed for three days if I smoke it overnight and preserve it.
I’m just about to take my shot when I glance to the side and see Gwen kicking her legs and a very large nurse shark heading straight toward her and the trail of fresh blood seeping through her bikini bottoms.
Oh fuck.
Even though I know the shark likely won’t hurt her, I’m afraid she doesn’t know that. And if she freaks the fuck out, as I expect her to … then it may react.
I abandon the dolphin fish, pushing off from the bottom as hard as my legs can kick, launching up. The shark is alone, and he’s probably just curious, no doubt attracted to us by the blood. I knew she was acting weird earlier, and myonly-brother-senseswere tingling when I saw her pale face. I can’t believe I didn’t put the pieces together sooner. Of course, she’d get her period eventually. I guess that explains her moodiness this morning.
I don’t want to hurt the shark. The best thing to do is to lure Gwen away from it without telling her why. Though, if she would only look down, she’d see it circling her feet in this clear water.
And there it is. I see it the instant she realizes it. I’ve seen a lot of crazy shit during my time as an adventure guide, but none of it could’ve prepared me for this …
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Gwen
“Holy-mother-fucking-shit-balls!”Something slimy grazes the side of my leg, and it’s only then, when I look down, that I discover I’m being circled by the biggest shark I’ve ever seen.
Its body is long and brown with speckles, and it saunters through the water, circling around me, just waiting to bite off one of my legs.
Adrenaline floods my systems, and my vision goes blurry for a minute. I close my eyes and try to breathe.Just stay calm, I tell myself. Isn’t there something about them being able to smell fear?Is that a real thing, or am I thinking of wasps?
I try to slow my kicking, though, with each wave that crashes over my head, I struggle to keep my footing on the rough sandy ocean floor. Where the fuck is Jack when I need him?
I look around at my surroundings, and since we’re in this shallow tide pool, I’ll need to swim at least fifty feet to reach the closest rock, and I’ll still have to figure out how to climb out of the water by myself. I see Jack come up for air in the distance, and I wave my arms to get his attention, but he drops back down under the water’s surface.
Here I am, literally about to be eaten alive, while Jack’s getting a boner over the coral reef. Sounds about right.
I knew I shouldn’t have let him talk me into swimming today. I fucking knew something like this would happen to me with the shit-luck I’ve had on this island. I started my period this morning, and don’t you know, I only had three tampons in my bag.
Three.
Three measly regular-sized, medium-flow tampons that I need to last me at least five days. I’ll never think of shark week the same. The first day is always the worst for me, and I’m practically bleeding out in the middle of the ocean, just begging to attract predators.
I look down and confirm my suspicions. My tampon is leaking, and it doesn’t take much to notice the trail of bright red blood seeping from my vagina. This is a new level of betrayal from the cruel bitch. I’m sorry I didn’t have you impregnated this month. Must you literally throw me to the sharks!?
I bite my lip and consider my options. I could doggy-paddle my heart out toward the closest rock, but there’s still the blood trail to consider. My frantic flailing will probably attract more attention, and that, with the fresh blood, may make the shark more excited.
I think of my dad’s old joke about how if a bear was chasing him, he didn’t need to be faster than the bear, just faster than the other guy. Since there isn’t another guy … well, not really, the only thing I can do is try to lure it away with something it wants.
Before I can talk myself out of it or think of any other option, my survival instincts kick in. I slide my hand down my bikini bottom and rip the oversoaked tampon free from my body and throw it as hard as I can in the opposite direction.
I hear the faint sound of a plop as the tampon hits the water, and suddenly, there’s blood everywhere, a trail directly from my body to the dilapidated tampon that the ocean’s decided to return to me with the push of a wave.
Goddammit.
I dive for my life, chest heaving, as I try to swim the way Jack taught me. Kicking frantically, arms flying over the water’s surface, I make some headway toward the rock. My foot makes contact with the beast, and I kick as hard as I can, hoping to push it farther away from me and continue my journey to safety.
When I’m finally close enough to the rock, I reach out my hand to grab its sharp surface, but instead, I’m met with a large hand. And then Jack’s there, pulling me up from the sea as if he’d been waiting for me the whole time.
I collapse in his arms, sobbing and shuddering at my near-death experience, when I notice he’s shaking, too.
I look up to see his forest green eyes shining with tears, but upon further inspection, I notice his blazing white teeth and his trademark rolling laughter.
“Why … why are you laughing?” I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, still pressed against his chest.
He pulls me in tighter, squeezing me. “Because that was the funniest shit I’ve ever seen … and I got it all on film.”
