New Beginnings | A Bondi Rescue Fanfic

Gloom and Doom

The weeks drifted by as the cool breeze of autumn swept away the last remnants of summer. The crowds thinned, the sun rose an hour later, the air beautifully crisp. The season was drawing to a close. 

"It's been one hell of a season, eh?" Jesse sipped on his water as the six lifeguards on duty sat in the tower idly. 

"Dumb people, usual pommies-"

"I mean we won the regional lifeguard challenge. Third time's the charm," Maxi puffed up, obviously proud that he'd ran the team home, crossing the line first. 

"We also had a proposal," Tania smiled smugly. 

"And Az's finally getting hitched." 

"Can't say I'm not looking forward to it," Jethro snickered. 

"You're only looking forward to the buck's party," Tania rolled her eyes. God knows what they'll be up to that night, she shuddered. 

"Most important thing- no drownings." Corey nodded approvingly. 

"It's been a good one-" Tania broke off abruptly as the phone rang. Jesse, who sat nearest to the phone, quickly leaned over his chair and grabbed it. 

"Bondi Lifeguards, Jesse speaking."

Jesse paused for a few seconds, then a crease began to form between his brows. Tania shot a worried glance to Corey. 

"Did you just say there's a body in the water?"

Tania sprang up from her chair. Just when she thought the season would end on a high note. 

"Alright, we're going to send someone over there on the ski right now, can you tell me where approximately the body is located?" Jesse asked urgently. Launch the ski, he mouthed frantically.

Tania grabbed a life jacket off the rack, throwing one to Jake, who was quickly behind her. 

"At the bottom of the golf course- okay, we've got someone heading over there now- thanks for calling!" Jesse slammed the phone down. "You heard it, I'll call the coppers but get the ski in now!"

"I'll go help Nia and Jake launch the ski, c'mon!" Corey barked, his years of experience coming into play, speeding down the stairs. 

"You got the ski hooked on, Jake?" Tania called from the driver's seat, her shirt already off, fingers tapping against the wheel anxiously. Corey sat at the back of the buggy, his stoic face betraying no emotions. 

"Yeah," he panted, hopping into the seat besides her. "Get down there!" 

"We don't know if the person's alive or dead right? Have they seen him waving or anything like that?" Tania asked Jake, feeling a little flicker of hope. 

"Jess just said it was a body, mate, I'm pretty sure it'll be a retrieval," Jake sighed, slipping his arms through the holes of his life jacket. He had to be one of the most unlucky ones in the service, having retrieved more bodies than average. Tania didn't know if she should be grateful that she'd only seen a dead person a couple of times. 

Body retrievals are part of her job, but they sucked. Big time. 

Tania gritted her teeth as she backed the buggy down the beach, peering over her shoulder every few seconds. She'd launched the jetski plenty of times, but never in an emergency.

"Okay, stop here," Corey ordered, signaling the two of them to get out of the buggy. Tania breathed an inward sigh of relief- the shorebreak and growing swell were unnerving. 

As he backed the buggy and the trailer with an ease that could only be achieved through years of experience, Tania zipped up her life jacket and Jake mounted the jetski.