Chapter 23

“You do understand, Sam. In your heart, you

understand. Stop questioning it. I don’t have the time to sit here

and try to convince you of something that deep down you know is

true. So either help me help them, or get out of my way,” Mr.

Woodard said, and then turned and began to run in the direction of

the stranded shark.

Mr. Woodard was older, and although he had

the heart of champion, his body didn’t match. I was faster and

stronger than him. I needed to do this. If there was a snowball’s

chance in hell that the stranded shark was Derek, I had to save it.

I could deal with losing an arm if I was wrong, but I couldn’t deal

with losing Derek or Wyn. I had come here to think, but Mr. Woodard

was correct, I knew all along what was right in my heart.

I dropped the towel and ran to the shark,

passing Mr. Woodard on the way. The shark was facing shore. I moved

behind him and approached his fins. I put my hands on the ones by