A/N: Hey guys so this chapter involves some sign language! For those of you who know sign language or even speak another language you know that things interpret differently from English, sign language is different because we don't use words like the, an, is, was etc. So when I write the parts for sign language, I'm just going to write them how they would be translated! And no I'm not uncultured I actually am fluent in sign language, but it's American Sign Language, but that won't really matter.
Chapter 9 - Briar's POV
Screw it, I'm sure that the lifeguards will be more grateful that they don't have any deaths on their hands than if I don't help and stay out of the way.
"Shit, he's going under," Chappo mumbled to himself as he held his radio to his mouth, it had been less than thirty seconds since he announced over the radio that someone else was drowning. Thirty seconds may not sound like that much time but in situations like this, when the ocean is so unpredictable and they don't know how much experience these people have in the water.
"Chappo," I interrupted him, he was clearly stressed because of the situation, "I may not be a professional lifeguard but I think I have enough experience to help you guys out, I can run down there so you don't have to leave the tower."
Chappo shared a quick glance at me, then he put his eyes back on the water he had to quickly go through his options. Either wait for one of the other lifeguards to be available, go down there himself leaving the tower unmanned along with no eyes on the beach or he can let me go down there and just accept the help. At this point I don't think he really has a choice because time is of the essence, so before he could even answer I was taking my cover off.
"He can't wait any longer so take this walkie, there's a rescue board right in front of him and if you get there quick enough, you might just be able to save him-" after he tossed me the walkie I didn't wait for him to finish his statement, I just bolted our of the tower and down the stairs. Running on sand is very different from that of running on concrete, it weighs you down and you can't run as fast. And at this point it felt like I was running for an eternity!
"Look out!" I yelled as I sprinted down the beach, I could see the rescue board about 15 meters in front of me and with all the people on the beach today, it's making it that much harder to get there. But I was managing. I finally reached the board and effortlessly I grabbed it off the stand, like I've done this a hundred times over I threw the board into the water and started paddling. It's definitely a lot different than a surfboard because of how much the board weighs and because I'm paddling straight into the waves, the conditions today also weren't helping.
I kept my eyes on the drowning victim and where he was because after every wave I didn't know whether or not he was going to be above the surface. With how big the waves were I wasn't getting to him quick enough, so I had to start rolling so that I didn't get thrown back farther. It was working because I finally got to the patient and as soon as he had given up, I grabbed him right below the water's surface. He threw himself over the board and just caught his breath, thankfully he was still breathing but I had no idea if he had any serious injuries, so I needed to get him back to shore as soon as possible so that the lifeguards could deal with it.
"I know you're tired but I need to get you back to shore to make sure that you're not injured," I told him, he didn't respond to what I said which led me to believe he didn't speak any English. I placed my hand on his back to usher him onto the board, he was shocked when he felt my hand and looked to me, he started moving his hand around but he used the other one to hold onto the board with all his strength. Finally it hit me, the man isn't responding not because he doesn't speak English, but because he is deaf! He is try to sign with his free hand letting me know he is deaf, luckily for him I'm fluent in Sign Language because of the courses I took in high school. Although I can't sign right now I tried to mouth words to him, he looked at my mouth as I spoke.
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Beyond the Shore
Romance"Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get" Briar Carroll is a professional surfer that got what she always worked for and she couldn't be happier. That was until her past came to life when she went back to her hometown. Di...
