The Lifeguard

by Richie Tankersley Cusick

  “No, really!” Kelsey’s voice rose. “I’ll feel like I’ve spoiled it for you—”

  “Kelsey, don’t be silly. I can swim anytime I want to.”

  “Please, Justin! I don’t want to be afraid of it!”

  She didn’t know why she said it; the words had tumbled out as if eager to be free of her once and for all. Justin gave her a strange look, and then slowly began to pull his sweatshirt up over his head.

  “All right I’ll go in. You’ll see it’s really nice. Warm and soothing. Like a massage after a hard day’s work.”

  She stood there, watching him, as he kicked his jeans away and straightened the band of his swim trunks.

  “I’ll go in,” he said again, “and then you can come closer.”

  “No…I’ll sit here.”

  “Just to the edge. Right here. See? The water doesn’t even come up this far.” Justin backed away from her, very slowly, his eyes never leaving her face. She took one cautious step, balked, and crossed her arms tightly over her chest, shaking her head at him.

  “No—I don’t want to get my clothes all wet—I’ll just watch you. I can see fine from—”

  “You’ve got shorts on, and that practically counts as a bathing suit. Just think of it as going wading,” Justin chuckled. “In a giant bathtub.” He was in the water now, surf bubbling gently up over his calves, and he reached out his hand to her. “Come on. Hold onto me.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can. I won’t let go of you. We’ll just stand here and give you time to get used to it.”

  Kelsey felt her feet moving, carrying her forward as if they belonged to someone else. There was a roaring in her head that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

  “A little more,” Justin urged. “That’s right—”

  She felt the sand dissolve beneath her feet, like the earth melting away, and the steady warmth of Justin’s fingers, tightening over her own.

  “See? Nothing to it.” His eyes were so blue, even in the moonlight she could see them, and they were gentle, gazing at her encouragingly. In spite of herself she gave a nervous laugh, and he laughed with her, drawing her closer, so that once more she was tucked protectively beneath his chin. “Okay?” he whispered.

  She drew a ragged breath, felt his arms go around her as one wave, larger than the others, dashed recklessly against their legs, throwing her against his chest.

  She nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. The dread was still there, the awful feeling that something bad would happen if she challenged her fears too far. But with the dread there was also something else—a racing in her heart, a warmth spreading through her at the feel of Justin’s bare skin against her cheek.

  “I know what it’s like to be afraid,” Justin whispered.

  She looked up at him, so sorry for all he’d been through, and he read the sympathy in her eyes.

  “It’s all right.” His lips moved against her hair, her forehead, closing her eyes, hesitant upon her cheek. Kelsey didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until she felt him pull back from her, heard him laugh, almost guiltily. “Well, I guess this isn’t much of a swimming lesson.”

  Now it was her turn to feel shy. She lowered her eyes and laughed with him nervously, staring at his strong, slender hands that still held her. “Maybe we should get back,” she said, hoping the quiver in her voice wasn’t giving her away. She didn’t want to go back. She wished they could just stand here this way forever, with Justin keeping all the terrible fears at bay.

  He squeezed her arms. “Not until I show you how much you’re missing. Come on. That’s right. Another two steps. Just follow me—”

  “Justin—” Her fingers clamped down on his arms as he guided her out into the water, but his voice was soft, soothing her, his lips upon her ear—

  “Ssh, now, just hold onto me—”

  “Justin—no—”

  “I’ve got you, Kelsey. I’m not going to let go of you—”

  The world was disappearing beneath her feet; she had no choice but to hang onto him as he waded farther out into the water. She felt the undercurrents bubbling around her ankles and instinctively kicked away from them, thrusting herself out into the deeper waves and into Justin’s arms.

  “See?” Justin’s face was so close, his smile growing. “See? You’re doing it. I knew you could.”

  And she was swimming, the old muscles taking over as if they’d never forgotten how, her body light and buoyant in the protective circle of Justin’s arms. She felt a strange thrill—triumph? Apprehension? Relief? She wasn’t sure what it was, only that Justin’s lips closed over hers, and the salt and the warmth of him and the gentle waves lapping their bodies together as she held onto him, tighter…tighter…

  She never saw the huge wave rumbling toward them.

  Or the one that came after, tearing them apart—

  What she did see was an explosion of darkness, and stars cartwheeling across the sky, and a moon hung upside down as the ocean somersaulted her onto the shore.

  Chapter 11

  “JUSTIN!”

  Coughing, Kelsey scrambled up out of the wet sand, slipping, falling, her eyes desperate upon the slow, pulsing surface of the water. Nowhere was it broken by a familiar silhouette—no sign of a body swimming toward shore, no cries for help, no head bobbing suddenly to the surface…

  There was just the empty beach…the ocean with its secrets…and Kelsey.

  “Justin!” she screamed again. Panic-stricken she ran into the water, gasping as it crept up her thighs. It was her the ocean had wanted, not Justin, but she had tempted it too far, and now she would be punished for her daring. She had cheated it once…and it would keep trying and trying until—“Justin! Where are you? Answer me!”

  In utter helplessness she stood there, fists to her mouth, frenzy welling up in her in cold, choking waves.

  And that’s when she felt something bump against her leg.

  At first, in the strange, slow motions that only fear can produce, she looked down in a kind of detachment, surprised that she wasn’t alone as she had thought, half expecting to see Justin’s body paddling furiously toward shore.

  Only it wasn’t Justin’s body.

  There was nothing there.

  And again she felt the curious surprise, something almost like wonder, propelling her like a doll, making her look all around for whatever had made her stumble.

  And then it made her stumble again.

  And the water parted in a long, wide ripple, moving slowly, deliberately, away from her…

  She watched it, hypnotized, the ocean splitting beneath the moon…and Neale’s voice, grim and prophetic, driving relentlessly through the fog of terror and into her brain. “…don’t need deep water…three feet will do…”

  And as she gazed at the smooth, clean break in the water, she saw it swing back in a gentle arc…saw it coming straight for her…saw something rise, bladelike, beneath the moon…

  Sheer terror flung her onto the beach once more—screams echoing over and over in her head, the sand crumbling beneath her feet, scraping her hands and face as she fell—ran—fell—ran—the whole beach a macabre funhouse where she raced for her life but never got anywhere. Lights swam by in a dizzying stream—Where is everybody? Can’t they hear? Don’t they care?—and she ran, crying Justin’s name that nobody heard—

  She tripped over some driftwood and sprawled flat, blood gushing from her nose, and as she stumbled to her feet, arms grabbed her from behind, nearly sending her into hysterics.

  “What is it? Kelsey! Stop it!”

  She fought the hands that tried to steady her, swinging out at the wet body wrestling to hold her still.

  “Let me go! Oh, God—”

  “What the hell’s the matter with you?”

  She saw Neale’s black eyes, his scowl; she tried to twist free, but his grip was too strong.

  “Justin—” she babbled—“back there—”

  “Where?” He sho
ok her. “What about Justin?”

  “He disappeared,” she sobbed. “I saw a shark—”

  Even in the shadows Neale’s tan went white. He shoved her roughly in front of him.

  “Show me where—”

  “You’ve got to get help—”

  “Show me—now!”

  Together they raced back down the beach, Kelsey trying to keep up with Neale’s effortless sprint. She felt sick, undigested seawater and absolute terror churning up into her throat. Her muscles shrieked in exhaustion, but when she stumbled, Neale ran on and didn’t stop.

  “Where?” he called back over his shoulder. “Where were you?”

  “I don’t know!” Kelsey cried, pitching forward, struggling up again. He was getting farther ahead of her, and her legs were giving out. She could hear him calling Justin’s name over and over again.

  “What do you mean you don’t know?” he yelled angrily.

  “I don’t know!” Kelsey screamed back at him. “I know we were past the houses and the lights—I don’t know the beach, Neale—I don’t know!” She felt herself losing all mental control but she couldn’t help it. She ran up just in time to see him dash into the water.

  “Justin!” His voice thundered across the waves, came back mockingly on the wind.

  “Neale, don’t go in there!” Kelsey looked wildly around, searching desperately for some landmark, some sign of where they had been. It all looked the same—black and empty—and dead. She raced up behind Neale and tried to pull him back. “Neale—we’ve got to get help—”

  “Let go—just get back—” He went deeper, leaving her helplessly on shore.

  “Neale! Please!”

  “Justin!” he shouted again. “Justin!” Looking back, he waved one arm in a direction farther down the beach. “Go to the lifeguard station and use the phone—just take it off the hook—”

  But Kelsey was already running. Gasping painfully for breath she pushed herself along the shore, legs pumping, prayers whistling through clenched teeth, eyes fixed ahead, willing herself forward. Only minutes away…only seconds…I couldn’t help Dad before…I couldn’t save Dad before…but I’ll save Justin…

  She hardly noticed the sound at first. A soft, indistinct sputter, like a cough, only liquid. She thought it was her own throat, that she was going to be sick at last—but when she glanced down and saw the long shadow stretched half out of the water, she gave a shriek and fell down on the sand beside it.

  “Justin—oh—Justin—are you—?”

  He heaved, ocean water emptying again and again from his lungs, and she held him until his body lay quiet once more. She was vaguely aware that somewhere in between the spasms she shouted for Neale, and that Justin was shaking uncontrollably as she eased him over onto his back.

  She wasn’t prepared for the terror in his eyes,

  “Where is he?” Justin grabbed onto her, trying to pull himself up, to look around at the deserted stretch of sand, and she fought to push him back down.

  “Who? Neale? He was going in to look for you and—”

  “No!” Justin was squeezing her arm so tightly that she winced. “Where was he when I went in the water—”

  Kelsey stared at him as if the water had somehow affected his reasoning. “I don’t know, but I’ve got to go back and get him!” She tried to pry his fingers away, but he only held her tighter. “Justin, he’s gone in to look for you! I saw a shark out there—you don’t understand—”

  “No!” Justin looked up at her, his face pleading, his voice sinking to a whisper—“No…you don’t understand…”

  Kelsey felt a chill ripple up her spine. For a long moment she stared into his eyes, so bright with fear, and didn’t even realize at first that someone had slipped out of the shadows to join them.

  “Are you all right?” Neale’s deep voice fell between them, and Kelsey looked up in alarm. Justin was still trembling. She slipped her fingers around his cold ones and squeezed.

  “He’s freezing,” she said. She watched in silence as Neale knelt down to examine him. Justin lay there passively, too weak to even move. Weak? Or afraid? The thought hit Kelsey unexpectedly. With a slight shock she studied Justin’s face and watched the color drain away. She released his hand and stood up.

  “Where are you going?” Neale asked quietly.

  “To get help. He needs a doctor.”

  “No. He’s okay.” Neale rocked back on his heels, fixing her with a level stare.

  “But he’s shaking and—”

  “I’ve checked him over. He’s fine. We’ll let him rest for a while, and then you can help me get him back to the house.”

  Kelsey frowned, a strange apprehension creeping over her. This was all too much…first Beth and now Justin…so easily…right in front of her eyes…and nothing she could do…nothing…just like before…just like the last time…only I wouldn’t have let you die, Justin…I wouldn’t have…

  She choked back a new wave of panic and looked over at Justin as he shifted uncomfortably on his back. She saw his eyelids close…saw his lips move…saw Neale bending closer to catch the half-murmured words that were so hard to hear…

  But Kelsey heard them.

  Staring at Justin’s pale, exhausted face, Kelsey heard them and the fear that filled them.

  “Neale…” Justin whispered, “Where were you?”

  Chapter 12

  “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I would have done,” Donna said for the fifth time. She poured boiling water over the teabag in Kelsey’s cup and stood back to look at her. “Out there all alone in the water like that, and Justin disappearing—”

  “Donna, we have to talk,” Kelsey pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and eyed her friend dismally. “Someone was in my room tonight, only nobody believes me.”

  The teakettle clattered down onto the stove. “Are you kidding?”

  Kelsey’s serious expression convinced her. “The boys don’t believe me—I should never have told them. They think I imagined the whole thing. They think I tracked water across the floor onto the rug, only it wasn’t me, and there were footprints.”

  Donna looked puzzled. “You mean…someone was prowling around in your room?”

  “I can’t prove anything,” Kelsey groaned. “It’s as bad as what happened today, finding that body that disappeared. Which, by the way, Skip told the other guys about. They think it’s hysterically funny.”

  “They would,” Donna grumbled. “Now Skip’ll tell the sheriff and no one’ll believe us. Damn him!” Donna slammed her potholder onto the counter.

  “You better take Justin his tea,” Kelsey reminded her, and Donna grudgingly took the cup and went out of the room. Kelsey could hear them all in the den—all their easy, comfortable voices weaving in and out through the music on the stereo, as if nothing had happened. Even Justin, who had stretched out on the couch, sounded like his old self. Kelsey was proud of herself, really, for having kept up her controlled façade this long. Neale had been very explicit about not wanting to upset anyone, not wanting to create a scene. She had been calm and steady all the way back from the beach; she had brushed off Skip’s and Donna’s alarm at their long absence, and she had done her share of reassuring and understating. But now—now in the warmth and brightness and safety of the kitchen, she felt herself slowly crumbling apart.

  “Are you warm enough?”

  The voice startled her, and she looked up. Neale was leaning in the doorway, all angles and shadows and expressions she couldn’t read. She looked away and concentrated on stirring her tea.

  “Yes, thanks. I’m fine.” No tears now, Kelsey, not the time, not the place… She wondered if he noticed how her spoon clattered against her cup, how it wobbled though she tried to hold it still.

  “About the shark,” Neale said, coming into the room. He paused beside her, and she stiffened. “Are you…sure…you saw it?”

  Kelsey’s mouth tightened obstinately. “Why? Do you think I hallucinated everything back there? Like the p
rowler in my room? Like the body Skip thinks Donna and I made up? You think maybe Justin just washed himself up on the beach to scare us all to death?” She was shocked at her own belligerence. She glanced at Neale, but his look was one of cool assessment.

  “The shark,” he said again, as if her outburst had never come. “Couldn’t you have mistaken it for something else?”

  “I saw it come up out of the water,” she said stubbornly. “It bumped against my legs—” She shuddered at the memory, her cup rattling in its saucer.

  “Lots of things could bump you underwater,” Neale said, going over to the counter, pouring a mug of strong coffee. He raised it halfway to his mouth, his lips pursed to blow. “Fish…driftwood…seaweed…”

  “I felt it,” Kelsey said. “I saw it.”

  “I’m not saying you didn’t feel and see something.” Neale narrowed his eyes. “But sharkskin feels really different—it’s rough like sandpaper and you could have been scraped pretty bad. I’m just saying that things can seem pretty scary out there on the ocean after dark.”

  Kelsey lapsed into uncooperative silence. She felt like she was going to explode.

  “Don’t say anything about it,” Neale’s eyes pinned her over the rim of his upturned cup. “At least not just yet.”

  “Don’t you think people have a right to know if they’re about to be eaten alive—”

  “Sure I do,” he lifted his cup in a mock toast. “And they will. But there’s no need for complete panic about this. Just let me notify the right people so they can handle it the best way. Does that meet with your approval?”

  Kelsey looked daggers at him, gripping the hot cup so tightly that her fingers burned. Neale walked out without a word, brushing Donna aside as he went.

  “Well!” Donna looked surprised. “What was that all about?”

  “I hate his—his—superior attitude!” Kelsey sputtered. “And the way he’s always bossing people around! And he’s always showing up where you don’t expect him—like a snake under a rock. Donna, where was he anyway?”

  “When?” Donna groped around in the pantry and pulled out a new tin of coffee.