The Wyld Girls

Chapter 10 - Kylie

Wyld Times, Episode 42

"I don't like this," says Kylie. Her pre-teen face is white and drawn as she stares over the railing of the boat and into the crystal-clear water. Several dark shapes are slowly cruising around beneath the surface, distinctive silhouettes that strike fear into any sensible creature in the ocean.

"Come on, little sister – grow a pair!" says Bruce. He's wearing a wetsuit, his strong body evident through the flimsy rubber. "We didn't come all the way to South Africa just to look at the Great Whites from up here!" He strides away to the other side of the boat, where a giant shark cage hangs ominously over the water.

"They're really scary." Kylie's voice is quiet, and the camera zooms in on her frightened face.

Michelle walks into frame and puts a reassuring arm around Kylie's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Let's talk about sharks – sometimes understanding something makes it less frightening."

Michelle and Kylie sit on a bench seat together, and Michelle says, "Sharks have one of the worst reputations in the animal kingdom. With their big teeth, black eyes and massive size, some people are quick to call them evil predators. But it's not that simple."

The camera pans to the ocean, where several large fins break the surface, circling the boat in lazy, Jaws-like circuits. "Sharks aren't bad guys – they're misunderstood. They're actually really important for the ocean's ecosystem, because they help to control the populations of fish. Sharks are pretty clever, mostly attacking old, sick or slow fish, which means the population they leave behind is stronger - plus they clean up the sea floor by scavenging carcasses. They're what we call a keystone species – if you get rid of shark, the whole ecosystem will collapse."

"But what about when they attack humans?" says Kylie.

"Yep, the way the media reports shark attacks makes them seem really scary and like something that happens all the time – but only about six to eight people die in shark attacks each year. Statistically, you're more likely to be killed by a champagne cork or a lawn mower than a shark."

"What?" Kylie's jaw drops. "I mean, like, that's kind of good, I guess – but lawn mowers and wine bottles aren't trying to hunt you."

"Neither are sharks. Most of the time, sharks bite humans out of curiosity to see if they're food. When they realise they're not, they swim away – the problem is that a single shark bit is enough to cause a human to bleed out. We can reduce our risk of shark attacks by not swimming at night or dusk when sharks are more likely to be active, and avoid wearing shiny jewellery in the ocean that reflects the light like fish scales."

"So..." Kylie seems to process the new information, her features scrunched in concentration. "The attacks are accidents? They don't mean to do bad things?"

Michelle kisses the top of the smaller girl's head. "No, sweet girl. Most of the time, no one does bad things on purpose."

The sun is shining – finally. After so much rain, everything feels damp but super clean, as if the water has washed out all the filth. I tilt my face towards the sun, smiling and enjoying the warmth on my skin as I ride through the park on a push bike, headed for the seal enclosures.

It's something I've been doing more and more in the last week: smiling. It's not that I don't smile normally because I do – I have to. I smile for crowds, for publicity photos, for randos who stop me in when I'm just trying to buy my lunch and make me pose for selfies.

But these smiles have been different. I'm not forcing them, not having to think about them. They flow out of me, catch me off guard, tug at my lips, even when I'm sleeping. They're heart smiles – and Simeon is the reason for each and every one.