The Shark Whisperer (18 page)

They stopped and everyone piled out of the truck, grabbing their backpacks.

Coach Fred took the lead. “Okay, this way. There are two rooms just like at the Sea Park, one for the girls and one for the boys. Not quite as cushy, but I think you can handle it for a day or two. Hustle up, grab a bunk, and dinner is in thirty minutes. Meet at the mess hall and don't go wandering off until we've gone over the rules.”

“He wasn't kidding when he said the bare minimum,” Hugh noted, looking at the boys' small room. It was only slightly bigger than a closet with two sets of bunk beds crammed inside.

“Yeah, but it's only for a couple of nights,” Tristan said encouragingly. “It'll be fine. Think of it as an adventure.”

They each chose a bunk, dropped their backpacks, and headed back outside. There wasn't much to see other than white rocks and sand, some scruffy pine trees, and the few one-story wooden buildings. It was pretty sparse; some might say outdoorsy, in a tropical, hot, sandy sort of way. The buildings overlooked the water, but there was no way to get to it. They were
perched on a rocky cliff overgrown with thick vegetation.

The walk back to the mess hall took just a few minutes. Soon all the campers were inside waiting, seated on plain wooden benches. Director Davis came hurrying in and gave them a little history of the island. He again noted the buildings they'd passed and the dock, and discussed the lab's rules. The campers were not to explore or swim on their own and everyone on the island was asked to carefully conserve energy and water use. They could walk on the dirt road this evening and have a look around, but shouldn't go off the road or stay up late. They'd be up early in the morning for breakfast and then a trip to Rainbow Reef. They had just two days on the island so they had to make the most of them. Dinner was then served—fish and chips.

Ryder and Rosina dug in with gusto, however Tristan, Sam, and Hugh sat looking at their plates uncomfortably.

“I know that some of you may feel a bit awkward now about consuming seafood,” Director Davis said. “I'll speak to the cook so that we'll have other options from now on. This, however, is one of the local favorites and the fishery is well managed and sustainable, so just go with it for tonight. You need to eat something.”

Tristan looked at his plate. At least with the fish breaded and fried it didn't much resemble a wild creature of the sea.

“Just pretend it's chicken,” Hugh said.

Tristan leaned over to Hugh and Sam. “Wonder where Coach Fred and Ms. Sanchez are?”

Sam was still contemplating the food on her plate. “Yeah, where'd they go?”

Hugh had his mouth full, so he just shook his head.

After dinner, Ryder and Rosina wanted to stay at the mess hall to watch a movie on the television and DVD player they'd discovered. Tristan, Sam, and Hugh decided to explore a little instead. They headed down the road. Every few feet along its sides were small lights that resembled giant glowing mushrooms. Still, it was pretty dark, very quiet, and, as Tristan decided, kind of creepy—not like at home with bright streetlights. In the shadows in front of them, something big and possibly furry scurried across the road.

“What was that?” Sam asked quietly.

“I don't think I want to know,” Hugh responded.

They moved closer together, walking slowly shoulder-to-shoulder, their eyes focused on the road ahead. The shadows seemed to move across the sand like hands reaching out to grab them.

“C'mon,” Sam said, grabbing for Hugh's hand to pull him along faster. He jumped from her touch and bumped into Tristan, who stumbled forward. His foot hit a rock and he skidded in some loose sand like a baseball player sliding for a base. Tristan tried to stay upright, but his long body and legs just couldn't keep it together. He fell, landing firmly on his butt on the road.

“Lucky you're good in the water, Tristan,” Hugh said smiling.

“Yeah, yeah,” Tristan said. Given his newly discovered skills in the ocean, he felt a little less embarrassed about his clumsiness on land. Still, he wished he wasn't such a terrestrial dork.

A way-too-large insect with way too many legs scuttled over Tristan's bare leg. He leapt to his feet. “Yuck! A huge bug just cruised over my leg.”

The three of them ran ahead, took a right turn at the intersection, and headed for the dock. There was a light on in the lab's office building to their right. Tristan thought he saw a boat slowly motoring away from the dock. Just before reaching the start of its wooden planks, the teens ran into Director Davis walking toward them.

“I should have figured it would be you three. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat?'”

The three teens shook their heads.

“Uh sir, was that a boat leaving?” Tristan asked.

“Oh, that's just Ms. Sanchez and Coach checking out the site for the morning trip,” the director replied, quickly walking away and shouting back. “Okay now, don't stay up late, you've got a full day tomorrow.”

“No problem, sir. We just wanted to check out the water before going to bed,” Hugh said.

Director Davis paused for a few seconds, looking at the teens suspiciously. Then he turned back and entered the office building.

Walking onto the dock, Tristan said, “Something is definitely going on. Why would they go check things out in the dark?”

“Yeah, and supposedly they come here every year,” Sam added.

“Did you guys see the ship as we flew in?” Tristan asked. “Wonder if it's the one with the red letter on it. Maybe that's where they're going.”

They reached the end of the dock.

“Whoa! Check it out,” Tristan said staring down into the water.

“What is it?” Sam asked.

“No idea,” Tristan replied.

Everywhere they looked there were bursts of blue-green light. Twinkling pinpoints flashed on and off, and glowing stringy strands spiraled up to the surface where each discharged a shimmering, sparkling cloud. It was like a laser light show in the ocean.

“Hugh, you usually know what things are,” Sam said.

“Must be bioluminescence. That's when ocean creatures produce light biologically. Don't know what those wriggly, stringy things are though. Maybe worms?”

“Yeah, mutant nuclear worms that light up,” Tristan said. He watched one of the glowing squiggling strings hit the surface and release its shimmering cloud. Then another. Nearby there was sudden sparkling of light. A small fish darted in and ate one of the glittering strands just as it hit at the surface. “Did you see that? A fish just ate the worm thing.”

The three teens sat on the dock mesmerized by the spectacular undersea light show. More fish darted in to feast on the glowing worms at the surface. Soon
they heard splashes and larger fish started zooming by. It was the large-eat-the-little-show, all highlighted by glowing squiggles and bursts of blue-green light. Then they heard a much bigger splash. All three teens scooted back, away from the edge of the dock.

“What was that?” Sam asked.

“Sounded big, whatever it was,” Hugh said.

Tristan inched back closer to the dock's edge and leaned over to see what was in the water below. He was starting to get that odd feeling again, like he knew what was there. A large fin passed by.

“I think it's a shark.”

The three of them cautiously leaned over, staring into the water. Soon there were two fins circling below.

“Well, shark boy, are they saying anything?” Sam said.

“Hard to tell from up here,” Tristan said concentrating, wondering what kind of sharks they were, especially if they were the friendly sort.

“Maybe you should get in the water,” Sam suggested.

Hugh and Tristan looked at her as if she'd just suggested he jump into a volcano to see if the lava was hot.

“It's pitch black in there and we don't know what kind of sharks they are,” Hugh said. “Or what else is down there.”

“Maybe I should,” Tristan said, looking down. “They're still there, just swimming in circles. Maybe they have more information about that ship and everything.”

“I don't know . . . ,” Hugh said.

“There's a ladder at the end of the dock,” Sam said. “You could just go down a little way and see what happens.”

“Yeah, okay,” Tristan agreed. Though he wasn't really sure it was such a good idea.

He walked to the ladder, took off his sandals, and tentatively stepped down two rungs. The water came up to just above his knees. Tristan paused and stared down. The bioluminescent worms had stopped their wriggling light show. Most of the fish seemed to have disappeared as well. Blackness surrounded him. The water was inky dark and impossible to see through. Tristan steeled himself and climbed down another ladder rung. He sensed movement nearby and knew it was the sharks.
Here we go again
, he said to himself,
stay calm
.

The sharks made a pass by Tristan's legs, but it was too dark to see what kind they were. Tristan concentrated, thinking:
I'm friendly. Don't eat me
. He nervously stepped down one more rung, bending down so his head was in the water.

The sharks swam by more slowly, a little closer this time.

Mon, we no want to eat your bony butt! Blah, no yummy blubber or juicy oil. Humans—dey taste terrible, mon
.

The other shark then interjected:
Hey mon, how 'bout I just nibble on his toes to be sure?

Tristan took a step back up the ladder, thinking:
Hey, no nibbling on my toes
.

Sorry Mon, my little brother here is hungry. All the fish are hiding or swam away because of that ship. He no gonna eat your skinny toes, if I don't let him. We got some information for ya. You gonna help us, we gonna help you
.

“So,” Sam said. “What's happening?”

“They're definitely Bahamian sharks—have an accent. They say humans taste awful and they can help us if we help them.”

“That's good to know, but how can
they
help
us
?” Hugh asked.

“Hold on, give me a minute,” Tristan said to Sam and Hugh who were hovering over him.

Tristan ducked underwater. Unfortunately, his new underwater eyesight didn't come with night-vision. He could hardly see five inches in front of his face. One of the sharks nearly collided with him:
Yo Mon, stay still, I got a lot to tell ya
.

No let me tell him, Mon
, the other shark said, bumping into the first one.

Hey mon, watch it, go chase some fish, I'll do the telling here
.

Tristan thought:
Just make up your minds and tell me
.

Both sharks stopped and glared at Tristan. That he could see.

I mean, thanks, uh, could one of you please tell me
. Tristan stayed in the water for at least ten minutes while the sharks passed on their information and argued. The older shark was still trying to convince its
younger brother that a human toe snack wouldn't satisfy his hunger or taste very good. By the time Tristan got out, Sam and Hugh were pacing at the end of the dock waiting for him.

“So what they'd say?” Hugh asked.

“We've got to get to Director Davis fast,” Tristan said as he grabbed his sandals and started to jog off the dock. “It's the same ship as before alright. And some lying fish were gliding by one of the portholes and saw three teenagers inside a room. They looked scared. Word got out and some dolphins and seagulls have been making regular passes by the ship. They think the teens are campers—sounds like Jade, Rusty, and Rory.”

“That's why we didn't see them around camp before we left,” Sam said.

Tristan continued, “And they've got all sorts of gear aboard the ship and are blasting up the bottom. The octopuses and eels are afraid to come out of their holes, the fish are swimming away, and even the whales are leaving the area. The sharks are nervous. Though mostly they're mad and getting very hungry.”

The teens ran to the lab's office building and knocked on the door. When Director Davis saw the three of them standing there and Tristan dripping wet, he rolled his eyes. “Now what?”

Tristan proceeded to tell him what had happened and everything the sharks had said.

“Stay right there, don't move an inch,” the director told them.

Director Davis ran to where Mr. M was sitting by a
computer with a radio in his hand. Mr. M nodded to the campers.

Director Davis took the radio. “Island base to sea ray one, come in?”

He repeated, “Island base to sea ray one, do you read me?”

No response.

“This is island base. Coach Fred, are you there?”

They heard crackling static on the radio and finally a voice, “Sea ray one here, come in. You're breaking up.”

“Coach, we've just had confirmation that the campers
are
aboard. I repeat
are
aboard. Head back.”