CHAPTER 3
Dan
I drop my sandwich and stand, cupping my hands to my mouth.
“Croc!”
I reach down and into my backpack.
“Got it!”
My feet hit the sand in an all out sprint and seconds later my body darts through the surf as I paddle at her as fast as I can.
My teeth bite down hard on ol’ faithful as I breathe through my nose as I swim through the choppy waves.
I’m moving as fast as I can and I’m going to make it to her no matter what.
She’s a sitting duck out there. She’s finished if she stays there and she’s finished if she tries to paddle.
I’m gonna teach that crocodile to mess with someone his own size if it’s the last thing I do.
And it won’t be but I’d rather go down as his lunch than watch him harm a hair on that girl’s head.
She’s on one of those rental longboards telling me she’s probably a tourist.
No way one of our men and women of uniform is going to be calling her home country tonight to deliver bad news.
Not happening.
I love my country and I’m proud of it. I’ll protect anyone that sets foot on it, especially a woman.
As I near the board the waves subside. It’s more still which will help for what I have to do next.
I breathe in deep and then dive down under the water’s surface.
It’s not perfectly clear, but it’s not bad. The sun’s definitely helping and there’s not much sand kicking up.
I’m used to having my eyes open from years of living as a waterman.
I know that rascal’s down here somewhere. The question is—
Suddenly he swims right at me,
I move my body to the side and feel his snout just graze me as he darts by.
I turn quickly and reach out with my hands.
Got ‘em!
He drags me through the water, but I’m determined not to let go.
He tries to bend in half and lunge at me but I use the opportunity to move up his body.
His mouth opens wide and chomps down right in front of my face, missing taking my nose off by inches.
If I were still farther back on his tail he would have cut me in half.
Just as I go to reach for the knife I’ve got clenched in-between my teeth he does the one thing I was hoping he wouldn’t but that crocs always do.
He rolls.
But this isn’t any roll, this is the death roll.
That bugger doesn’t even have me in his mouth, but he’s smart enough to know he can drown me another way.
I hold on for dear life as I feel like I’m inside a washing machine.
If I let go he’ll finish me off instantly, but if I don’t he’ll drown me in twenty more seconds.
I’ve got one shot.
I grab ahold as hard as I can with one arm and reach for my knife with the other.
I get the knife from my teeth and put it in the direction he’s rolling us to.
Even if I don’t finish him off it will be enough to scare him off or cause him to attack me which will give the girl time to paddle for shore before the sharks finish off both of us.
I brace the knife hard and he rolls right toward my hand.