“No!”
I screamed, trying to wiggle out from beneath Max however as he stomping down on my ribs, I fell back.
Giving up, I let my eyes which were filled with tears spill over and that was in everything happened at once.
In the corner, Calum shot to his feet, elbowing Connor in the face before making a dive for the door at the same moment that James did. And Jay, who had been sneaking up on Tristan, with a tray, brought it down on his head, making the blonde boy crumple to the ground.
Lunging for the button, Calum punched it and the doors slid open. Not wasting a moment, James dove in. Glancing around and finding the no longer hot fire poker within grabbing distance, I reached out and just as Max noticed I had it and lunged down to take it from me, I cracked him in the temple.
As he clasped I struggled to my feet, staggering over to where the others were gathered, watching in horror as James dove down towards the bottom of the massive tank in the floor, towards Charlie and Luke.
Looking around widely for the shark, my heart sunk as I saw it swim slowly out of the depths.
“Oh God!” Calum cried, “I’m going in there!”
“No!” Jay cried, holding him back, “We can’t risk losing anyone else.”
“That’s my best friend down there!” Calum screamed.
My heart hammering, I watched as James struggled to kick to the surface with both Luke and Charlie.
“Let me help him!” Calum cried.
“No!” Jay shouted, “They’re already gone!”
“No they’re not.” I replied, kicking off my shoes.
“Ashton don’t!” Lauren screamed behind me.
Ignoring her, I jumped though the hole.
Immediately, the salt stunk my eyes, however blinking, I was able to make out James swimming up from below me, the shark circling below them lazily, and then as if it were in slow motion, I watched the small trail of blood coming from Charlie’s shoulder, reach the shark’s nostril and then something switched inside him, and he was swinging after them.
Panicking, I kicked down, reaching out a hand. Struggling to reach me, James handed me Charlie. Wrapping my arms around her, I swam upwards until my head broke the surface.
“Ashton!” Calum cried, kneeling down and taking Charlie from me, as I took in ragged breaths.
Then, after taking a deep breath as I could manage, I went back under, swimming down to James who to my dismay I realized was no longer swimming but sinking. Panicking, I grabbed Luke under his armpits and holding Tristan by his shirt kicked up, however just before I reached the surface, something pulled me down.
Looking down horrified, my heart stopped, as I found James’ leg in the shark’s mouth.
Knowing that If I didn’t get Luke to the surface in the next two seconds he was a goner, I forced myself to release my grip on James’s shirt and swam up, breaking though to the air above.
“Take him!” I gasped, as Calum and Jay hurriedly took Luke from my grasp.
Calum then reached a hand out for me, however taking a deep breath, I ignored him and went back down. Immediately my stomach churned, realizing the water was red. My lungs burning I struggled to make out anything however after what felt like an eternity I found James, sinking towards the bottom, a large bite sized chunk missing from his leg.
