Caught Inside

Prologue

I highly suggest reading Can't Get Enough, the preceding story, before continuing.  The characters' relationships and situations will make much more sense! :) You can find CGE on my profile.

All dedications are to people who have kindly taken the time to read, vote, comment, and show support for this story. I am so thankful for my readers, and without them this novel probably wouldn't be complete.

(Special thanks to @Prettygilr for the picture above!)

The life of a surfer isn't easy.

It goes beyond being an athlete, a fun-seeker, an adventurer, or an adrenaline junkie. It involves the little things, like having sunburnt skin and sunkissed hair, as well as habits that take a lifetime to develop, such as being in tune with the ocean. It means having quiet moments during the lulls and rapid explosions of energy during the sets. But most importantly, it requires respect for the ocean—respect, and fear.

Nature isn't always peaceful. It's rarely predictable, and it's certainly never tamable. The sea is a mass of swirling, moving, crashing water. Incredible storms in the middle of the Pacific generate so much energy that the force of the wind itself is what creates swells. Like a ripple effect, these unformed waves travel hundreds of miles in all directions until they reach a barrier—land. When the seafloor becomes too shallow, the waves' energy causes them to curl over and break.

Even the smallest of rideable waves has enough power to push one over. And when the wave size increases, so does the level of danger. The ocean is a sleeping giant when calm, but a single deep-sea storm can cause it to rear up in a colossal display of energy. The sheer force and power of one wave can be enough to end a surfer's life.

The area where the waves break is undeniably the most dangerous, but it's through this impact zone that each surfer must paddle. For some, their timing is correct, and they paddle out during a lull. But for others, they find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. A surfer's worst nightmare is to be caught inside during a huge set. With no way to escape, the surfer must endure wave after wave crashing on top of them, spinning them underwater, and holding them down—sometimes for minutes at a time.

Being caught in the impact zone is a mistake no surfer wants to make. That's why, throughout the history of the sport, the same warning has been passed down from generation to generation: don't get caught inside.