Chapter One: Quick think.
“Aria Emily Savage!” Dad yelled to me from the kitchen. I opened my eyes and squinted at the sunlight beaming through the window.
Opposite from me, sprawled across his bed, was my twin brother Aiden. The pair of us got on well when he was alone. We had to share a room because our apartment was so small, Dad could only just afford it.
I swung my legs out of bed and let my toes make contact with the carpet.
“Psssst!” I hiss at Aiden. “Wake up.”
He stirred but didn’t wake. I poked his ribs with my finger.
“Oww Ari!” he moaned, groggily.
“I told you to wake up.”
I head for the door of our room. As soon as it’s open, the strong smell of deodorant fills my nose and lungs.
I can tell Dad is about to leave because it always smells of his deodorant before he goes.
“Yes dad?” I ask him as I grab myself a glass for juice.
“I’m going away for the weekend.”
“And?” I mumbled and continued to search through the fridge.
“And so you need to behave. There’s a note of the microwave for you explaining where everything you need is.” He points at it. “Also, your sister is coming to check up on you. And phone Dunstan would you!”
sister is coming to check up on you. And phone Dunstan would you!”
“I will, bye dad.” I approached him in his big hurry to get out of the apartment in time. He kissed my forehead and grips the door handle.
“BYE AIDEN!” he yelled.
“BYE DAD!” Aiden replied.
Dad left and that meant me and Aiden had the run of our apartment.
I returned to my juice and took a few sips before Aiden appeared in the doorway. He looked so tired with bags under his eyes and he was unusually pale.
Aiden stepped towards me and put his hand on my shoulder while he leaned in and kissed my brown hair.
“Good morning.”
“You too.” I smiled. “I’m going out soon to see Dunno.”
“Tell him I need to catch up with him soon. Oh and tell Bacon to text me ok?”
I nodded and headed back into our room. I stared at my almost empty drawer.
The outfit I decided on was one of my usuals, a band t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a pair of cut off levis.
I grabbed my vans and skateboard before looking briefly in the mirror. I patted my bed hair down headed out of the room.
“Bye Aid!” I yelled as I shut the front door. I took the stairs two at a time, jumped the last three and landed on my feet.
I let my board hit the floor before stepping on it with my foot. The breeze cooled me down as I skated down the hill until I was at the road on the top of the cliff.
“Sav!” a guy shouted at me. I stepped on the end of my board so it tilted and I grabbed it with my hand.
“Hey Matt” I replied. He headed over to me. “I’ve got your boardies in my bag. Where are you based today?”
“Bronte” Matt smiled. “So’s Dunno…”
Dunno was my brother. Well his name is Dunstan and we’re only half brother and sister but we’re closer than me and Aiden. He was a lifeguard at Bondi and Bronte. Positions in that job were highly coveted.
“I’ll walk you?” he asked politely. I nodded and let him place his arm around my shoulder.
Bronte beach was the less busy of the two beaches.Not that many people were here because it was onl--y 6:00am but a few people had already hit the surf. The swell looked good, but not for beginners. I had a feeling the boys would have a big job on their hands.
“Hey Sav!” Dunno yelled over at me from the sand below the railings.
“Hey bro!”
“Get down here and give me a hug!” he winks. I enjoyed spending time here with my brother. I didn’t know any of his other colleges though, except Bacon and Matt Dee. The pair of them knew me from outside his work though.
I skipped down the stairs and jumped into Dunno’s arms. After nuzzling his nose into my hair, he set me down on the sand. Already it was burning hot.
“Where’s your van?” I asked him as he adjusted the straps on his rescue board. Absentmindedly he pointed over at his VW dub van, it was vintage and covered in stickers. I nodded in thanks and run over to it.
I slid the door open and threw my skateboard and rucksack in and then climbed in. My wetsuit was always kept in his van, along with my surf board. I slid my wetsuit on over my bikini and took my board off its rack.
I made my way down the sand until I was stood facing the ocean, the only place I ever really felt at home.
The waves lapped over my bare feet. I waded out until I was deep enough to put my board down and lie fla-t on it. My arms dove into the cold water as I propelled myself out further and further
**
I surfed for an hour or so when the beach began to get busier.
I was sat on my board quite far out just watching everyone. A few pro surfers were at one end of the beach, away from the flags.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw something. I had no idea what it was but knew that I had to find out.
Slowly, I turned my head to face the direction I saw the movement in.
A boy, no older than sixteen was gripping the edge of his board but his head was lolling about. He was probably a minute or less away from going under. I glanced at the shore. Not many lifeguards were on duty and they were attending to a lost child.
“Shit” I mumbled to myself.
Without really thinking I paddled over to him.
“Oi buddy!” I yelled. He seemed to register my voice but didn’t move. “Mate! Stay with me ok? I’m going to help you.”
I made sure my voice was calm and collected, just like Dunno told me he had to do.
I knew in the back of my mind that if I made a mistake in this swell, both of us were in trouble.
My breathing quickened slightly at the thought of what I was about to do.
With one hand on my board, I lowered myself in the water after timing it so a wave wouldn’t crush us.
Then I wrapped my arm around his waist. I managed to pluck up the strength to pull him out of the water and push him onto my board. He seemed to be getting worse. I prepared myself for the big wave coming. I pushed his board out of my way and slowly and carefully climbed onto my board behind the boy.
The wave hit us full on the backs. In that moment everything went blurry.
