Suspending Reality (91 page)

“Hey, can you guys hear me?” Mike’s voice echoed from the other side of the cave wall. “Are you two ready to make a prison break? I can see land, and it’s—wow!—you’re not going to believe it! It’s awesome.”

“Whoo Hoo!” shouted Jack. “Mike, you rock!”

I smiled, and the tears welled up all over again. “He’s okay, and he found a way out.”

Jack’s blue eyes lit up as he grinned. “This is the best news ever!”

I cupped my hands like a megaphone and directed my voice toward the gap high in the rock. “Fantastic! You did it. Catch your breath and hurry back.” I smiled even bigger as Jack’s arms wrapped around my waist and spun me in the deep water.

Minutes passed before Mike emerged with a gasp. Letting out the biggest sigh of relief, I threw my arms around him and relaxed in his embrace. His risk had definitely paid off. He sucked in mouthfuls of air and caught his breath. His green eyes bulged underneath the disheveled mess of blond hair.

Meeting his gaze, I asked, “What’s it like down there?”

“All I can say is…wow! The water turned crystal clear, and I saw everything—I mean everything! There were tropical fish, these cool-looking sponges, twisted rocks, amazing coral beds, and—”

Jack laughed. “Slow down, slow down. You’re talking a million miles an hour.”

I loved seeing Mike so excited, especially since he’d found a way out. “Sounds neat.”

He flashed his trademark smile. “It’s awesome! There’re colors down there that Crayola crayons has never even invented! And there’re all kinds of fish I’ve never seen before in my life.” He gave my hand a squeeze and then clapped Jack on the shoulder. “C’mon, guys. I found a hole about two minutes away. There’s an air pocket halfway if you need it.”

I gripped his hands tightly. “Are you sure? I can only hold my breath for a minute. What if I pass out?”

Mike grinned. “Hmm. In that case, I guess I’ll have to carry you out the rest of the way and give you CPR on the surface.”

“Wouldn’t you love that?” said Jack.

“I won’t be loving it so much if I have to suck your face too,” shot back Mike.

Jack gagged. “Gross.”

Mouth-to-mouth CPR? Well, that would be one way of getting Mike’s affection.
It sounded like a brilliant plan, minus the passing out part. I didn’t want to spend another minute in that cave. “Okay, let’s do this thing.” I slipped off my life jacket, and Jack followed suit.

The water changed to sky blue as Mike turned toward us. “On the count of three. One…two…three!”

I took a long, deep breath and ducked my head under the water.

Mike held my hand, and we dove deeper under a rocky curtain into a gigantic subterranean chamber. The visibility there was awesome. The high walls were beautifully decorated in a kaleidoscope of marine life; from clusters of colorful anemones to large sponges, coral, and starfish. Thick carpets of strawberry anemones covered the bottom, and Jurassic-sized sea fans swayed in the current, like branches in the wind. I noticed every light and shadow and thought how wonderful they would look captured on canvas.

I grinned at passing tropical fish in startling reds, blues, greens, and yellows. There had to be zillions of them. My eyes opened wide as I noted their sparkling appearance, complex patterns, and vibrant coloration. The spots, stripes, and shapes were all different. I couldn’t identify most of them.
Have we discovered some new, unknown species?

Mike’s blond hair flowed out, waving back and forth to the rhythm of the sea. A stream of bubbles came out of his mouth as he smiled, his eyes wide. He picked up a huge stingray measuring at least five feet across, from wingtip to wingtip. Mike tugged my arm and pointed directly above them to a swirling hole.

Good. It must be the halfway point where I can catch my breath.
I reached out and touched the gentle giant as it swam out of Mike’s hands and disappeared into the sandy sea bottom.
Too cool!
It felt soft and slimy, like a big, wet Portobello mushroom. I resurfaced in a large air pocket and gasped for air.

Leaning back against the hard rock, Mike asked, “You guys doing okay?”

I kept my arm raised so my head wouldn’t hit the sandy-colored and white marbled roof that looked like melted candle wax. “I’m doing good, thanks.” No way was I going to admit fear. Besides, I was an adventurous girl who was willing to try anything—at least once. “Jack, are you alright?”

He nodded and said between breaths, “This place…it’s incredible…the colors…the fish…” He let out a soft groan and turned away.

I touched his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“I cut my leg on one of the stalagmites, but it’s no biggie.”

“Oh, man, sorry you got nailed,” said Mike. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I shouldn’t have swam so close.” Jack’s voice echoed in the small, confined place.

“Especially since I left the needle and thread at home,” I said, trying to distract his pain with humor.

“You sew about as good as I do painting portraits in your art studio,” he retorted with a smile.

“That bad, huh? But if I saved your life, who’d care about crooked stitches?” I inched closer. “Let me see your gash.”

Jack clung to the wall, holding back a grimace. “I’m fine. Besides, it’s the least of our worries.”

Minutes passed. I didn’t like the pressure on my lungs, but I trusted Mike. The sooner I got going, the sooner I’d find myself in an open space again. “The water’s clear. You guys ready?”

They both nodded.

I inhaled one last time and dove back down again. I kicked hard to propel myself forward, gliding over a beautiful coral garden. The formations offered vivid patterns, fantastic shapes, weird textures, and unique colors I’d never seen before: bolder, brighter, and more brilliant than any I was used to from what I’d seen on previous dives. I couldn’t resist touching a colony of green coral as I swam by. In an instant, the entire colony changed color, from green to red.

The pressure on my chest increased, and my lungs burned. I gave Mike’s arm a hard tug. He pointed upward to a giant hole in the ragged rock. I struggled, swimming as fast as I could through the natural doorway, and burst through the surface. Sucking in long gulps of air, I noticed radiant sunbeams glinting in Mike’s golden hair and Jack’s blue eyes. We were officially out of the dreary bug hotel and into the beautiful sunshine, and nothing could feel better.

Jack caught my gaze. “We did it!”

My breath came in quick, shallow heaves. “Yeah, and I’ve never seen anything like that. Those fish—”

“Told ya!” Mike pushed back his dripping hair from his eyes. “I would’ve taken you down there kickin’ and screamin’ if I had to.”

“Yeah, and you might’ve ended up with a nice shiner,” I said. He laughed, and I turned my attention upward. Unmistakably, dual suns hung in the sky. “That’s no optical illusion, you guys.”

“It’s a mock sun. I’m sure of it,” Jack insisted.

Mike pounded the water with his fists, splashing it in all directions. “Isn’t it awesome? Now, let’s go find a burger joint—and hopefully not a mock one.”

I smirked. “It’s morning, you goof.”

Drifting clouds floated above them, turning from gold to brown, and then to purple, pink, and orange. I stared at the surroundings in awe. Morning mist hung over a landscape that stretched for miles and miles. Palm trees lined the beach, and in the distance, green mountains dotted with color towered high into the sky. Canopies of leaves in the glowing hues of autumn decorated the dense trees. Where the sun seeped through, the skyline seemed to sparkle, like something right out of a fairytale.   

“What’s up with the leaves?” asked Mike. “’Cause I swear it’s July, not October.”

Fall in the tropics?
Even if it was, the leaves usually dried, dropped, and fell to the ground without any brilliant display of colors. “I dunno, but I’m going to paint this when I get back home—all of it! It’s going to be a masterpiece.”

Jack touched my elbow and smiled. “I know it will be, but for now let’s get to shore.”

“Race ya!” I called over my shoulder.

“Ohhh, you’re on.” Mike submerged and breached the surface a few feet past me, then cut the water with expert precision. He was so competitive and could never resist a challenge.

Jack gave me a push-off and yelled to Mike, “You’re going to need that head start. She’s gaining on you!”

I heard Jack’s chuckle and a big splash behind me. I glided through the pink water in pursuit of Mike.
That’s it. Remain focused. Good body position and kicking.
All I had to do was roll my head easily to the side to breathe.
Nice, smooth, long, powerful strokes. Steady rhythm.
I can beat these guys.

As I picked up speed, something brushed against my legs. I came to an abrupt halt, my gaze darting left and right as I scanned the surface of the water around me. I opened my mouth and took a huge breath. “What was that?”

***

      A surge of water crashed against my legs. The beach was still about 400 feet away, but at least land was in sight. I blew out a half-breath as I flung one arm out to try and swim for the shore. My stomach knotted as something gritty, like sandpaper, brushed across my ankles…again. I instinctively jerked back and swallowed hard, hoping it was something harmless, perhaps a sea turtle? “I felt something.”

Jack treaded water a few feet behind me. “You mean, like a fish?”

“I…I don’t know. The water’s too dark to see.”

“It’s rocks, man. I just nailed one with my knee, but don’t worry, I’m fine.” Mike pumped his hands as he rose three feet out of the water, presumably standing on one of the underwater rock formations, all covered in slimy seaweed. I’d better start watching for jagged rocks since we  were getting closer to shore.

“C’mon, Mike!” I said. “My feet are dying to touch land.”

His gaze darted about. “Hey, something’s not right.”

“You’re sinking,” I noted.

Mike’s brows twitched as the water swirled around his knees, his waist, his chest, and then his neck. He flapped his arms about as if struggling to keep his balance.

“Whatever it is, it’s starting to roll like a submerged log…and I’m no lumberjack!”
The ocean changed to a turquoise hue and my breath caught in my throat. Mike was standing on a twenty-foot fish!
A whale? 

At the same time, I heard Jack gasp next to me. “That’s no rock. Get off!”

Why isn’t Mike swimming for the hills
? A rush of bubbles surrounded him and his eyes widened. I flailed my arms to get his attention. “It’s alive, Mike! Get outta there!”

A giant tail slashed past his legs with a
whoosh
, and then the thing was gone. Mike had been thrown aside and disappeared under the waves.

“Mike!” I said, my heart racing. The water turned emerald green. It was so dark, I couldn’t even see my hands and feet. “I’m going to go find him!”

With perfect timing, as always, a blond head burst through the surface. “Whoa!”

I let out a sigh as I hugged him hard. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine,” he said, inhaling deeply.

“What was that thing?” I asked.

The line of Jack’s jaw set. “A shark…and judging by its size, I bet it was a Great White!”

I covered my mouth with my hands to stifle a scream. Only one word flashed in my head:
shore
. All I wanted was to feel the soil under my feet again. “I’m soooo outta here.” I took off with a vertical kick and a fast-paced hand-over-hand stroke.

“Slow down, Casey!” Mike yelled.

“But it’s…it’s a freaking shark! I want to get away from it,” I yelled back, my heart pounding.

Jack caught up to swim beside me. “Try to use smooth strokes. You don’t want Jaws thinking you’re a wounded fish. Splashing around is like ringing a dinner bell and screaming, ‘Come and get it.’”

My stomach turned at the scary thought.

“The the last thing we wanna do is invite Jaws to dinner,” said Jack.  

“Gotcha!” I slowed my arms and legs, controlling each movement as I headed for shore.

“Hey, guys. I’m afraid the dinner invitation’s already been sent out,” came Mike’s voice from behind me.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Who invited the shark?”

“Well, by accident…Jack sort of did. Sharks could’ve picked up the scent of his blood from that gash on his leg.”

Before Jack could reply, a
splash
in the distance caught my attention. Tiny ripples moved across the surface. My pulse quickened. I had to get out fast before… The water turned to a greenish tone of light blue. A dark shape headed straight for us—slow, careful, deliberate
.
A triangular gray fin broke the surface about thirty feet away.

I froze, the sound of my breathing carrying through the eerie silence. I tried to hold my breath, certain that the shark would attack. Instead, the shape disappeared. My gaze darted back and forth, but the ocean was calm, without a ripple in sight. “It’s gone. Swim!”

“It’s back,” roared Mike, “and coming right for us!”