Bondi Rescue Imagines

Chappo - The Challenge

It was the annual lifeguard challenge and to say you were strangely excited was an understatement. You'd committed to gruelling training sessions for weeks and you were determined to see them pay off. If you hadn't had put in so many hours at the gym, or completed so many laps of Bondi, you wouldn't have taken-up Max's bet that you could beat him. There was a crate of Corona riding on it and you were hell-bent on ensuring that you were victorious - not for the beer, as such, but for the glorious bragging rights.

Chappo was at least three handicaps behind your starting time, but you'd wished him luck and when the whistle blew for your group to begin, he clapped and whistled you on.

Running was your strongest asset in the race and you made it to the water at Bronte in good time. For the swim leg, however, you were slightly less confident - you were an apt swimmer, of course, but the Tasman Sea had thrown-up some rough conditions and as you peeled-off your trainers on the sand, you reviewed your strategy. You decided to launch into the shore break, opting for an aggressive determination to power you through, rather than a complex battle plan - some of those striving for the top three positions, you knew, invested time in developing a comprehensive plan, but you weren't that committed.

As you charged through the waves, arms propelling you forward, you were faintly aware of the rip endeavouring to tug you towards the rocks. You felt the time slipping by as you fought to keep your course round to Tamarama and when you comprehended how little progress you were making, you realised just how far you'd been swept, the rocks inching nearer. Between the waves, when a lull offered it, you cast a glance about the water around, searching for a head that you might follow, or Jesse patrolling on the jetski, who might pull you from the current. Your search, however, proved fruitless, all other figures having seemingly disappeared and the time spent looking, rather than battling through the waves, had caused forced you almost upon the cliff face.

With your gaze cast in the other direction, you hadn't acknowledged the approaching set until it was upon your position. Subconsciously, you ducked beneath the first two - yet, as the waves seemed to stack upon one another, you managed the avoid the third, but the fourth, only half a second behind, smacked into you. That was all it took to push you further - a few more waves, sometimes ducking beneath them, otherwise, unable to avoid their wrath, you returned to the surface, disorientated, but keeping a firm cap on the thought of panic. In your vulnerable state, however, another wave - this seized your attention and filched your line of vision from the one building behind. Breaking the surface, you managed another gasp of oxygen, before it loomed and at once, you knew you'd stumbled into a sticky situation.

You felt the force of the water move against you, thrusting you beneath the waterline, spinning you in a violent vortex. As the the light from above the water seemed to mould into the darkness beneath, you lost sense as to which way you ought to attempt to swim and it wasn't until your movement was viciously halted that you gained some understanding of your environment. The set had at last sent you onto the rocks and as the water drained, you were conscious only of the light behind your eyelids and coolness as the evening air struck your skin. Your chest was heaving, grateful to have access to oxygen once more and there was a dull throb across your body as it groaned after its futile fight against the waves. Slowly, you shifted to a sitting position, reluctantly peeling open your eyes to review the state of yourself - you were certain you'd attainted several scrapes and bruises as you'd collided with the rocks.

You certainly weren't incorrect - there were grazes almost lining your arms and legs and the pitiful sight almost tempted a chuckle to your mouth. However, the movement stirred a sudden pain across your abdomen and the intensity of it made you hesitant to glance at yourself, becoming quickly aware that you'd done more damage to yourself than you'd initially believed and now, with the adrenaline beginning to wane, you feared the extent of the injury.