Into the Deep Read Online Free PDF Page A

the knots of tension in my neck loosen, replaced by a different kind of nervousness. Suddenly, the sinking suspicion of not fitting into my life fades. Now, I’m only a teenager with an unattainable crush, not shark bait.
    Later in the evening, Charlotte skips over and hugs me tight. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
    We wander down the beach to a secluded spot. Sand is awkward to walk in with a prosthetic so our progress is slow. Often, I have to reach out and hold onto my friend for balance, but I don’t give up. I keep a safe distance from the waves out of habit. As much as I love the feel of the sand and smell of the water, I’m wary of its grandness, its power, how quickly it can devour.
    The storms have really churned up the surf. Large waves crash into the beach, replacing their soft rhythmic whoosh with a frantic, booming staccato and depositing a treasure trove of debris. Chunks of driftwood litter the sand and it’s tricky to step around the broken kelp. Remains of shattered shells lay abandoned, casualties of the sea’s invasion. I close my eyes and take a deep breath of the salty and slightly fishy air. It doesn’t smell frightening. It’s wonderful.
    Charlotte kicks off her flip-flops and bounds into the shallow, frothy surf. I watch her and jealously bubbles up from nowhere, mixing with the galloping of my heart.
    “Come on, Zo,” she calls out her childhood nickname for me and I grin. “You’re a woman now. Face your fears. No more scared kid stuff. Don’t let the sharks win.”
    I shake my head, reluctantly chuckling at her joke. There’s no way I can do that. If I took off my leg, hopping out on one foot would mess with my balance and I’d fall in. The scenario causes my breath to escape in quick pants as I try to stamp down the mounting fear. I’m too close and the desire to run burns hot.
    A gust of wind whips my hair in front of my eyes and, when I push it back, movement draws my attention past Charlotte, to the mouth of the small bay. Waves are coming in at a steady pace, but the next one is bigger than the rest.
    “Char! Watch out!”
    I’m not fast enough. The force of the wave knocks her off her feet and steamrolls in my direction. Turning to scramble up the beach, my foot tangles in a long rope of algae and I fall into the sand. The water is on me before I have a chance to prepare, frothing and tugging me back to its depths. Gasping for breath, I reach out for anything solid, but the sand is too soft. The taste of salt is intense on my tongue and I spit it out.
    When the wave dissipates, I notice it’s only dragged me a few feet into the water. The ocean caresses my waist and my legs are completely submerged, the artificial one knocked lose. Sobs claw at my throat. I should not have come here. A few feet away, Charlotte struggles to stand upright. She’s drenched from head to toe, her features set in a startled expression. I probably look worse.
    I attempt to stand, but a hot tingling sensation spreads down my leg.
    “Something’s wrong!” I screech.
    Warmth enfolds my lower limb. What if I stepped on a jellyfish? My stomach clenches at the possibility and, while there is no pain, I double over. A thousand tiny electric needles stab into me but strangely, it still doesn’t hurt.
    My friend scrambles over to me. “Zoey! Calm down, you’re fine. It’s just water. You’ll be okay,” Charlotte says soothingly, then glances down at my legs.
    Only, there aren’t any legs. In their place is a bright shiny tail equipped with flippers and scales. The moon peeks through the heavy clouds, shimmering off the deep blue and green colors. I shift my long skirt to get a better view, blinking furiously. Reaching out, I graze the soft, slick scales. My fake leg floats in the water next to me and I gawk at it in disbelief.
    Charlotte gasps and scoots back. We remain there in complete silence, staring at the tail. Without realizing it, I use the unfamiliar muscles to lift the strange