Swimming with sharks

5

I look over at Leo as he tries to find a nice place to rest. He's finally let me go and is now trying to figure out if this will be a good place for us to stay or not.

"You know. I don't think we will find a much better spot then this. I mean think about it we've got good cover right there," I say pointing to the large rock formation besides me "plus is it that big a deal if he does find me?" Leo freezes looking over at me shocked.

"What? Why would you say that?" He gasps swimming back over to me "your my friend Emma. And friends don't leave friends to die."

"My father killed your brother," I say and he flinches "and you haven't even known me that long. Hell, I'm still a bit scared of you!" He looks at me sadly sitting down next to me now.

"Look, I get your scared. Your confused, and that's ok. You literally got dragged into this. I may not have known you long but I would still enjoy being your friend," he says facing me slightly "and sure your father might have done a horrible thing but you are not your father, just like how I am not mine. Things will work out, and I will not let him kill you." I smile softly looking towards the weeds as they sway peacefully with the current.

"Your a good person," I say softly then look back at him "your not really a person, but your good nonetheless. Thank you."

"For what? I've hardly done much," Leo says sounding confused.

"Ah but you have," I say "you saved me from your father twice now."

"I guess I have haven't I," he says smirking "I'm quite the protector aren't I?"

"Ha! Yes, my hero!" I laugh shaking my head. Leo puffs up his chest pretending to flex causing me to laugh some more. After a moment of laughter we fall back into a peaceful silence. Then I hear them.

"Isn't it crazy how easy it is to get fish to talk?" Someone says laughing softly "all it took was a bit of persuasion and they opened up like a book." I look over at Leo panicked as he rushes me to the formation and bolts.

"Hurry go!" He yells as he does, a diversion. I watch as they take off towards him and follow at a distance as they catch him quickly.

"Where's the human?" Don growls down at his son looking pissed off.

"Gone," Leo growls "you'll never find her." I frown when Don starts laughing.

"Oh is that so?" He growls pulling him up and getting in his face "Leo I think you forget who your friends are. One word from me and those little fish you consider friends are dead. I feel my jaw drop. He'd hurt his son like that mentality?

"You wouldn't," Leo growls struggling now.

"I would," Don says dead serious "and I wouldn't even blink twice."

"You'd lose your only son over this?" Leo spits and Don seems shocked that he's still talking back.

I look around for something anything to help. I'm not worth this, I'm not worth a son losing his father, or a father losing a son. I notice a sharp rock and pick it up like a knife and without thinking twice cutting my arm right down my forearm. Everyone stiffens and swings their heads in my direction. They can't see me but they definitely can smell me.

"No," Leo breaths looking horrified. Don drops him as do the other sharks around him. I bolt in the other direction as fast as possible. I can no longer hide now all I can do is run.

"Get her!" Don yells coming after he himself. I don't slow or look back just go as fast as I can to get away and straight into open water. Panicking at this point I dodge multiple random rock formations as they flash by. Then I get an idea.

I swim up towards the surface and they all follow me as expected. Then I swim down and stop faster then they can slow down. I go the other direction looking back to see how much space I've gained when I run into a chest. I look up and see Leo pulling me behind him as his father and his goons swim over.

"Stop this," Leo yells as everyone closes in "Dad this is pointless, she did nothing to deserve everything you've given her."

"She is part of the reason your brother, my eldest son, is dead!" Don growls then motions around "She deserves all of this. Don't you see son, that's what humans do. they pretend they have good intentions but the second you turn your back, the moment you let your guard down the get you."

"No, She is not the reason Mike is dead. She may have been on the ship but I heard her screaming. She didn't want anything to do with the killing that happened on that ship that day. Maybe if you'd listen for once you'd know that!" Leo yells sounding very upset over the whole thing.

"Leo," I say softly and he turns to me quickly "it's okay, I'm not worth this. I'm not worth you two fighting." Looking over at Don I see shock grace his expression momentarily.

Then the worst thing happens, almost in slow motion a net falls in between us. Most of the sharks that worked with Don bolt yelling about a fishing boat as they go. Leo panics, thrashing madly causing the net to tangle and knot.

"Leo!" Don yells swimming up to us "Leo, listen to me I'm going to get you out of there!" I look down at the rock that somehow managed to stay in my hand throughout this whole ordeal and start cutting the net.

"Leo calm down, okay? It's going to be alright, but I need you to stop moving," I say turning to him as we start to get pulled to the surface slowly. I grab his face calmly to further get his attention when he doesn't calm down at all and wait for him to nod before going back to cutting the net. I've got a hole big enough for myself to squeeze through but keep cutting knowing I can't stop.

"Emma, just go," Leo says in an urgent manner "get out if they see you-"

"Be quiet will you," I growl "I'm not getting out until you do. I owe you my life Leo, there is no way I'm gunna leave you just to save myself." It takes me a bit but I finally have a hole he can swim through. I shove him out and go to follow dropping my rock only to find out that with all of the struggling and thrashing my tale got tangled into the net.

"Emma come on," Leo says then notices my tale "No, Emma hold on." He goes to swim back to me but Don stops him.

"Stop you'll just tangle yourself up too," Don growls "Think about what your doing!"

"She doesn't have time!" Leo grows back "They'll drag her to the surface and kill her." I zone out of there conversation and attempt to untangle my fin. I can tell that if I don't get myself out soon it'll be too late and the people on the boat will see me. This seems to spark a panic in me that is hard to push down and I find it hard to hold myself still enough to free my tail.

"Did you really try to stop them," Don asks swimming up to me. With the combination of him and my trapped fin all of my anxiety and fear finally surfaces without my consent at that moment. I thrash and death roll scared for my life. Don backs up shocked at my actions before grabbing my tale right above the tangled mess and making a quick job of untangling the mess before letting me go. I bolt down to the bottom trying to get as far away from both the boat and Don.

"Emma!" Leo calls grabbing me and holding me to himself trying to calm me I suppose "Emma, calm down. It's ok. Your ok." I'm shaking and I'm sure if I could, I would be crying. I end up death gripping Leo's fin and digging my face into his soft underbelly.

"Let's get back to the ship. We aren't safe in open water," Don says swimming up to us. I tighten my hold on Leo still not calm enough to think clearly.

"Hey it's ok. I've got you," Leo says softly as he starts to swim with me in the direction of the ship "this is all going to work out. I promise."