Zailey (Sequel) ✔️

Part Two

The surf committee were all about drawing things out, so the final was being stretched into two seperate intervals.
At the end of the first twenty minute block, Zander held a comfortable lead over the other three guys.
Brimming with excitement, I raced to find my boyfriend.
Though I'd be lucky if I even got to see him, because there was only going to be twenty minutes before the second half of the final would commence.
Two suited up men were talking to Zander when I finally broke through the crowd.
I slowed my steps, not wanting to impose.
One of the guys handed something to Zander, which I couldn't make out.
With a nod shared between the three of them, the suited men turned to leave.
I approached now, my veins thrumming with nervousness about what was going on.
I suppose the history of him making stupid decisions like selling weed for his Dad had me on edge.
Just because the men were in suits didn't mean they weren't shady, right?
"What was that about?"
Zander turned around quickly, his surf board tucked under his arm.
He seemed surprised I'd snuck up on him.
"Nothing."
He said with a quick smile and leaned down to kiss my forehead.
Right...
"You're up Zander."
A round bellied surf life saving top wearing man, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat commanded as he strode by.
"I gotta go."
My boyfriend told me.
I nodded wordlessly.
He turned to head back down to the ocean.
With a heavy feeling heart, I trudged back in the direction I'd left my friends.
Why did things always seem to be 'one step forward and two steps back'?

Zander was the furthest guy out, waiting on the next set, when the screaming shark siren blared.
My heart was in my throat as I, like hundreds of other people, shot to my feet.
We were sat on the bleacher's again, so even though I'm a short ass I had an advantage over many others as I scanned the aqua water with wide, terrified eyes.
Two of the guys started paddling hard core for the shore.
One guy had caught a wave in and been about to head black out, but a surf life saver dragged him toward the sand.
Zander began to paddle and a wave was starting to swell beneath him.
The helicopter came charging down the beach, its blades causing sea spray to fly every which way.
"Get in Zander, get in!"
All of my brother's seated on the bleacher's--Brogan and Corbin down to Keegan--and Zander's brother's were all on their feet around me, all eyes on the water.
My heart dropped like I was on the biggest roller coaster in the world, as the water around Zander's board went black.
The wave picked up, carrying the board and Zander lurched to his feet.
"Don't worry about style ya dickhead just-!"
Like watching a trainwreck, I couldn't take my eyes off the water to check who yelled.
"FUCK!"
A scream tore through my lungs as a huge mass burst out of the wave, it's opened jaws lunging toward Zander.
My brother's and Zander's brother's leapt from the bleacher's, all grabbing surf board's as they hit the sand.
A few people tried to protest but none of the boys listened.
In a mass, they charged for the water.
I was paralysed on my spot, staring at the water as a sickly section turned crimson.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
I couldn't register who grabbed me, but somebody helped me to sit back down as my vision went spotty.
A few life guards ran to attempt to stop my brother's and Zander's brother's, but Darwin and Brogan swung punches that knocked them to the ground and the rest of the boys, even Arian and Benjie I now noticed, smashed into the surf, throwing themselves onto boards and paddling as hard as they possibly could.

Keegan

I felt out of body as I paddled my heart out with the rest of my brother's and our non blooded Hunter brother's.
Blood was pumping in my veins, my ear's were ringing and my limbs were working all of their own accord, propelling me across the ocean.
The red section was huge as we got closer.
I saw Zander swing a fist before he fell sideways onto his board, just managing to grab onto it.
Arian and Benjie were closest on scene, moving insanely fast and Benjie threw fist after fist at the shark, while the helicopter swooped in, trying to chase the ocean beast off.
"Stay with us!"
Darwin yelled as he hauled Zander's rag doll like body across not only his and Zander's boards, but onto Elliot's too.
Elliot helped to steady Zander's lower half from the other side and we all started toward shore while the chopper herded the shark out.
The vomit rose in me once my feet were on the sand and I was knee deep in water that was also mixed with my best friend's blood.
Blood coated his leg's and body and there was skin just hanging on.
I turned around and lost my lunch and few can's of Jack Daniels into the ocean, unable to hold it any longer.
Paramedics were now on scene and the chopper was back in, landing on the sand.
They hauled Zander onto a stretcher while Izac and Judd threw their arms around me, keeping me on my feet.
The chopper doors slammed and the machine took off, flying over the sand dunes and I guess heading for hospital.
"C'mon!"
I snapped back into reality as the boys tugged on me.
We ran for the dunes and the car park, knowing we had to get to the hospital as fast as we damn well could.
My best friend cannot die on me!
I didn't know what I'd do in a life without Zander.
He was in quite literally all of my memories, even the earliest ones.
He's my non blood brother.