also died in the tragedy That's all anyone would tell Cruz and his family That and his mother had been in the wrong place at the wrong time Cruz hated that saying Isn't everyone who accidentally dies in the wrong place at the wrong time I thought the plan was for us to go to the Academy together Lani had said to Cruz Yeah but Aunt Marisol thinks Of course your aunt wants you to go now She's going to be there What do you think Cruz knew Lani had wanted him to say he would ask the school to let him wait a year That would give Lani another chance to apply He wasn't sure that was a good idea Cruz was afraid if he didn't go this year they'd never invite him again There was something else too A feeling No it was more than a feeling He couldn't explain it he only knew he had to obey I think His breath had caught I think I want to go now Lani had thrown her hands up That's it then Fine Go Don't be mad We'll still be able to see each other whenever we want even when I go aboard Orion She'd raised a suspicious eyebrow Right Like you're really gonna call me from the explorers ship halfway around the world Why not I'll have Mell They're letting you take your MAV Mell was Cruz's honeybee drone a micro air vehicle MAV no bigger than his thumb It was a gift from his dad last year after Cruz had sprained his knee so that he would still be able to see the surf even if he couldn't feel it Turned out he'd only missed a few days of surfing Uh huh Cruz had given her a smirk See it won't be so bad I can give you the scoop on what it's like so when you get in next year you'll be set All we have to do is pretend you're in your room and I'm in mine instead of Half a world away she'd said wistfully yet she had been twisting her hair a sign surrender of
Come on Lani he had pleaded I need your support Okay okay but you'd better stay in touch or so help me I will track you down all the way to the North Pole if I have to She wasn't kidding If Cruz had learned anything it was that when Leilani Kealoha said she would do something she meant it Absolutely he'd said Easy as Dad's guava pie She had folded her arms You know I hate pie Girls There Cruz spotted his wave Dropping his chest he flattened him self against the board As the swell rolled in behind him Cruz turned for shore and paddled hard His strokes were strong and deliberate Timing was key Pop up too early and he'd miss the crest Go too late and he'd wipe out Cruz could feel the surge growing behind him Almost time Just a few more seconds When he felt the tail of his board begin to lift Cruz arched his back pushed off with his hands and planted his feet under him right foot in front and left foot in back in goofy foot position Most right handed people surf with their left foot in front but not Cruz Slowly he lifted himself into a low crouch The moment the wave broke under him he let go of the board and rose arms out for balance Cruz felt the famil iar smooth glide of success He'd hit the crest perfectly Woo hoo he yelled angling the board inward Mist sprayed his face as he made a sweeping S pattern through the curl of water Cruz shifted his weight skimming left then right then left again to ride the swirl as fast and as far as he could Surfing made him feel powerful Free Invincible If only the feeling lasted longer than a TV commercial Cruz rode the wave inland until it dissipated into foam Reaching for the Velcro strap on his ankle that tethered him to his board his hand hesitated It hadn't been five minutes had it Maybe one more run Charging back into the foam Cruz tossed his board into the water hopped on and paddled out past the break As before he scooted upright to straddle his board Cruz was lifting his left foot
to double check the ankle strap of the leash when he felt a tug on his right heel It wasn't a swish like a fish or turtle passing It was a good pull And it could mean only one thing shark Cruz tried to slide to the left side of his board away from the shark but it had a firm hold on his ankle He was being dragged down away from the surface Don't panic KICK Cruz clung to his surfboard the only thing that would keep him afloat and kicked with all his might If he could manage to turn around he could use the board to bop the shark on the nose and break loose As he struggled a million thoughts raced through his head Stupid Sharks feed at dusk You should have gone in when Dad called You're not supposed to drown Stupid He was swallowing water He couldn't breathe No No NO The words pounded in rhythm to his heart He would not die this way With his lungs burning and his energy waning Cruz twisted his body in one last effort to strike a blow He lashed out and his fist hit some thing smooth and hard Bubbles swarmed around him He saw a yellow snake No A tube This was no shark It was a person His thrashing had knocked the air hose loose from the diver's tank Cruz felt a sharp pain in his ankle and then suddenly he was free Through the bubbles he caught sight of a pair of fanning fins The diver was moving away Cruz stroked for the surface his chest on the verge of exploding He pushed his arms up through the water up and out up and out He kept his feet moving kicking kicking until finally he breached the surface Cruz gulped as much air as his lungs could handle Treading he spun around his eyes darting from the pier to the beach to the horizon and back He did several circles but didn't see anyone nearby Take it easy You're okay He's gone You're okay Cruz flung his arm behind him groping for his surfboard still tied to his leg He tried to slide it under his body but was shaking so much it took him a few tries to do what usually came naturally Clutching his
