Sound the Alarm
The day had been slow going, which seemed all together odd. This was the famous Bondi Beach for crying out loud and yet at nearly 3:00 in the afternoon, Hadlee's first day had been very uneventful. The most interesting thing that had happened all day was when a mother had knocked on the back door with a screaming 2-year-old in her arms who had stubbed his toe while riding his scooter along the promenade. The poor mother apologized profusely for all of the noise that her son was making. Hadlee felt bad for the woman, she looked exhausted and the boy was just scared, the shock of what had happened was more likely the culprit of the screaming than the pain. Soon though, Hadlee had him laughing and happily eating an ice pop. With his toe bandaged and a high-five for Hadlee, she sent the boy and his mother on their way. However, in retrospect Hadlee should have expected what came next, Mouse was on the beach after all.
Hadlee was up in the tower with Chappo, Beardy, and Tommy when the call came in.
"Mass rescue in the South corner, I'm going in." Harrison's voice came over the radio.
Immediately four sets of eyes swept straight over to the South corner just in time to see Harrison running into the water to help the other lifeguards.
~~~~~~~
Harrison paddled hard out to the pack of swimmers that had gotten themselves in trouble. Jethro, Harries, and Deano were already out, trying to keep as many of the swimmers afloat as they could but there were too many of them to get them all in without more help. To make matters worse with four lifeguards in the water, only Jules was left to patrol the remaining kilometer of beach. They had to do this fast.
"Ah, Harrison, come to join the fun?" Harries quipped as Harrison sat up on his board.
Harrison laughed.
"You guys start taking people in, I'll stay here." Harrison told the others.
They nodded and each took two people onto their boards and began paddling back, leaving Harrison with four people to attempt to keep afloat until somebody can make the trip back.
"They'll be back soon." Harrison promised the people.
Harrison had hoped that they spoke at least a little English but by the blank expressions that he received, he knew that his hope was misplaced. The four swimmers clung to his board tight and Harrison was having to constantly shift to the left and right to keep his balance. He was looking around casually when something caught his attention. He didn't think much of it, until he saw it again.
"Shit," He muttered and tried to find the shadow again. "Please don't be what I think it is."
Harrison pulled his feet out of the water and carefully pushed himself onto his knees so that he could see into the dark water a bit better. And that's when he knew that he was in trouble.
~~~~~~~
Hadlee was sitting on the desk watching the small figure of her brother as the three men in the tower watched the water.
"What the fuck is he doin." Beardy muttered, standing up and leaning forward as he looked through his binos.
"Who?" Hadlee asked.
"Your brother," Beardy clarified. "Is he dancing?"
"Dancing." Hadlee deadpanned, not believing Beardy's judgment.
"I am not kidding," Beardy said, passing the binos to Hadlee so that she could see for herself. "Take a look."
Hadlee breathed out a sigh and took the binoculars.
"You'd better not be pranking me." She muttered as she lifted the binos.
She found Harrison in the water and watched him closely. At first all she saw was him talking to the swimmers that were holding onto his board and then he looked in the direction of the tower and started to sign.
"He isn't dancing you idiot, he's signing." Hadlee said and watched her brother's movements.
"Harrison knows how to sign?" Tommy asked.
"A little, we both do. It makes things easier when I can't talk after a seizure." Hadlee said.
"What's he saying?" Chappo asked.
Hadlee watched her brother as he repeated his message and her eyes went wide.
"Bullshark, 6 meters, launch jet ski." Hadlee relayed.
She heard rapid movement as she finished speaking and turned to see both Chappo and Beardy pulling on life vests.
"Tommy get the jet ski out, Hadlee sound the shark alarm. We gotta clear the water." Chappo instructed as he and Beardy ran out of the tower.
Hadlee was still for a moment but a gentle shake from Tommy shook Hadlee from her head and she walked across the room and hit the shark alarm.
"Of course this happens on my first day." Hadlee muttered to herself as she picked up the binos again to watch things unfold.
She saw the jet ski being launched, Harries paddling out to Harrison, and Harrison who was trying to calm down the four tourists resting on his board, though Hadlee could see that he was barely keeping it together himself.
"Hoppo to tower, why is the shark alarm on?" Hoppo's voice crackled over the radio.
Hadlee reached for the radio and pressed what she hoped was the right button. She had heard the lifeguards talk over the radio a few times and figured she could at least try to be helpful.
"Tower to Hoppo, we have a confirmed shark sighting in the South corner of the bay." Hadlee replied.
"Who confirmed it?" Hoppo asked.
"Harrison." Hadlee replied, dreading the reality of her answer
"Where is it now?" Hoppo asked.
"Under him." Hadlee said hesitantly.
"WHAT?!" Was the only reply she got before static.
~~~~~~~
Harrison signed until he saw the jet ski being launched.
"Thank God for Hadlee." Harrison muttered.
Then he turned back to his patients. Harries was almost to them but he didn't know how long he would be with the new circumstances. He took a breath and tried to guide the people onto his board.
~~~~~~~
Hadlee couldn't sit still, her hands were shaking frantically, and she was trying to answer phones and keep an eye on the beach. Her gut twisted when she heard a knock on the door that led to the promenade.
"Uhhh," She muttered, wondering whether or not she should answer it, or leave it but another heavier knock answered her question for her. "Fuck."
She practically ran down the steps, and when she opened the door her heart sunk even more. A group of teens stood there, most of them scraped up pretty good.
"Come in," She said. "Sit here, don't move."
There wasn't much else she could tell them as she went back up to the desk. People were calling in to ask questions about the situation, radios were signing with voices and static and there was still the issue of her brother sitting in the bay, weighed down by four patients and a shark swimming under him.
"God help us." Hadlee said as she picked up the binos again.
"Jet ski to tower." Chappo's voice came over the radio.
Hadlee slowly and shakily picked it up.
"Go ahead jet ski." Hadlee said, she knew her voice was shaking.
There was static for a moment and then the teens in the med bay got too loud. She couldn't hear Chappo.
"Hey, quiet down there!" Hadlee yelled, the teens' cut off quickly.
"Say again, Chap?" Hadlee asked.
"Harrison is in, sweeping the bay one more time. He's okay, Hads." Chappo said.
Hadlee's knees felt weak, she had to sit down.
"He's okay." She said.
She heard a door open and she turned in her chair to see Hoppo come in. One look and she knew she was clear.
~~~~~~~
Harrison pulled himself onto the sand and had only just put away his board when something hit him full force nearly taking him to the ground. He looked down and immediately recognized the blonde-brown ponytail.
"I'm okay Hads." He assured her, wrapping his arms around her tightly.
"Don't you ever do that to me again." Hadlee cried.
Harrison smiled and nodded.
"I don't plan on it." He said and hugged his sister tighter.