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As I floated quietly, holding Doris above water, keeping my head on a swivel like I’d learned to do watchingShark Week,Doris started to move in my arms. Suddenly, her eyes blinked open behind her mask and locked with mine.
“Oh, shit. You’re awake. Uh, don’t panic, Doris. Okay? Whatever you do, don’t panic.”
“Don’t panic? Why...” As she glanced at her surroundings, her eyes went big, and her mouth opened, making way for a scream so loud I was sure it would have scared off every shark in the ocean ... or perhaps drawn them to us.
“Ahhhhhhhh! Shark! Shark! Ahhhhhh!” she screeched as she started flailing in my arms.
“Doris!” I grabbed her tighter. “I saiddon’tpanic! If you start splashing, you’ll attract them! Don’t. Move!”
“Help!” she screamed as she fought me. “Help!”
“DORIS!” I reached forward and slapped the side of her head. “Get it together, soldier! Don’t freaking move, or you’re gonna get us both killed! Stay. STILL!”
The stun of my blow snapped her out of her blind panic, and finally, her body softened in my grip.
“Marge,” she whimpered between panting breaths. “Help.”
“I’m helping. They’re grabbing a pole. We’re gonna be out of here in just a hot second. If you just stay calm, they won’t attack, and we’ll be just fine. You gotta trust me.”
Tears brewed behind her eyes, but she softly nodded her head. I looked at the boat and saw the crew scurrying around and a man running toward the edge with a large hook. It hadn’t even been thirty seconds since we’d gone in, but it already felt like it was taking an eternity for them to get to us.
“See. Here they come,” I whispered. Then I looked left and saw a large fin heading straight at us ... the fin with the dot on it.
Dotty.
She leaped out of the water, shaking the chum as she splashed back down, then spun around and moved toward us. I saw a piece of chum floating nearby, and I cursed it as a small wave pushed it right at us.
“No.” I started blowing on it like my meager breath could push it away. “Don’t you dare, you freakin’ dead fish. You get your stinking carcass over there.” I blew harder, but the piece of ripped-up fish flesh bobbed closer.
Dotty’s dorsal disappeared for a moment, then resurfaced, and my heart palpated when I saw its trajectory heading straight at us. And we were smack dab between Dotty and her dinner.
Holy shit. She’s gonna freakin’ eat us.
As her fin grew closer, I gripped Doris tighter, prepared to push her out of the way if Dotty decided I was an interloper for her supper, or worse, her supper.
“Marge?” Doris whispered. “It’s getting closer.”
“Don’t panic, Doris. Please. For the love of God, don’t panic.”
“I’m panicking,” she squeaked out.
Me too,I wanted to say, but I had to stay calm for my friend. I suddenly missed Percy so much it hurt and knew he’d have been right here beside me if he’d been alive, keeping me calm and helping me paddle out of the Shit Creek I was neck deep in. But Percy wasn’t here, and it was up to me to be the person Doris needed to get her out alive since it was my damn fault I’d forced her down here in the first place.
Percy, if you’re up there, for the love of God, get your ass down here and help us!I begged up into the sky as Dotty closed the last of the distance.I miss you like crazy, but I’m not ready to see you again yet. Just please protect us so I can get home to Roxie, and then someday, far down the road, and hopefully not after meeting a grizzly end and having my limbs ripped from my body by a shark, I’ll join you. But not now. Please, Percy. Help me.
A soft bump moved our bodies, and I screamed with Doris when I instantly realized it was a shark pushing against us. I whipped my head to the right and saw the biggest fin of them all just inches from my body.
Deep Blue.
The largest Great White in the world was now circling us, and I was as exhilarated as I was utterly terrified.
Don’t piss. It’s a shark attractant. You’ll get bit in the vajayjay,I thought as the urge to soil myself grew stronger.
Dotty lunged toward the bait beside us, but Deep Blue’s huge body blocked the attempt, sending Dotty thrashing away in a fit of rage. Deep Blue continued her quiet circling, never once reaching for the chum or investigating our bodies bobbing just beside her. It was then I realized she was protecting us. I closed my eyes and whispered my silent prayer, knowing exactly why it was happening. I reached up and touched the dog tags beneath my wet suit.
Thank you, Percy.
He had brought her to me, and now, somehow, I knew he was there coaxing her to protect me, his best friend, while I protected my best friend.
