We stretched out long and tall, floating several feet under the water, trying to look like anything but food. I was putting off apex predator vibes. I didn’t lose eye contact with the shark.
I had a K-bar on my belt. It probably wouldn't do much good, but I was a firm believer in reciprocity. Anyone or anything that tried to take a piece out of me would leave with a scar at the least. Protected or not.
After another pass, the shark got curious. It turned toward us and finned forward. I wouldn't call it aggressive, but anytime a great white is heading in your direction, it can seem a little threatening.
It was a recon mission. I think it wanted to learn as much about us as we wanted to learn about it. Maybe a little more.
I knew enough.
It swam close to Ariel.
She reached out her hand, touched its nose, and pushed it away with a gentle but firm shove.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was impressive, to say the least.
Ariel didn't look flustered. This was an everyday occurrence for her. I’ll bet if she had been wearing a heart monitor, it wouldn’t have fluctuated. Like a race car driver who gets an inch from the wall at Indy and doesn’t break a sweat.
The shark changed direction, then swam around the boat again.
Was it really just that simple? Could you stare a great white shark down and gently shove him away, letting him know who's boss?
That took brass balls.
Surely Ariel had some special quality. A superpower gifted from above. The ability to stand fearless in the face of death. Not everybody could do this kind of thing and get away with it, right?
Maybe it was the ultimate test. Maybe the shark could sense fear and doubt. Maybe fear made a person taste better.
Technically, I had died once and been given a second chance. This just seemed like tempting fate to me.
Toothy approached again. He took the same vector and moved with an inquisitive nature. I didn't get threatening vibes from the shark. Maybe youcouldactually communicate with them in a nonverbal way. Posture and positioning. Body language. Aura, for lack of a better word.
I'm not going to say I was relaxed, but I was less anxious than during the first pass.
That's when it happened.
Out of the haze emerged another shark. One twice the size of Toothy.
That son-of-a-bitch was enough to put the fear of God in you. Not quite a great white, not quite a megalodon. It was something else entirely. And I knew I didn't want to be in the water with it.
37
The massive shark sliced through the water like a torpedo. It opened its mouth, and its jaw spread wide with rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth. It made the great white look like a minnow. With a fierce grip, it clamped onto the smaller shark and bit down. Blood clouded the water. The megalodon hybrid thrashed and gnawed at the great white.
That was our cue to exit the pool. Playtime was over.
Even Ariel wasn't going to tempt fate. This was not a shark that could be whispered to.
We swam to the swim platform and climbed out of the water, then climbed up to the aft deck. Out of harm’s way, we took a minute to catch our breath. My chest heaved, and my heart thumped. Even Ariel looked a little spooked. A rare occasion for her.
She looked at me with round eyes. "Okay, that shark was big.”
At the gunwale, Jack watched the massive shark thrash about, blood filling the water. When the beast had its fill, it swam away, its dorsal fin towering out of the water.
"So much for free diving," Ariel said. “I think we should get in the cage for this one.” It was a rare concession for her.
"I think the two of you are crazy if you go back in the water," Jack said.
Ariel sprang into action. She swung the davit out over the transom and lowered the cage into the water with a splash. She killed the winch when the top of the cage was just above the surface. She unhooked the winch line with a yank on the pelican hook.
