Diving Into The Wreck

No One Else

After several weeks of training, I was finally allowed to meet the three dolphins that had just arrived at Egmont Zoo. As I drove there early on a Saturday morning, my mind was racing, thinking of how cute it would be to play with them every day. I headed down Ocean Avenue, still imagining what they might be like and hoping that I wouldn't get stuck in traffic again. I didn't want anything to delay my meeting with the dolphins.

I yawned as my GPS directed me, still exhausted from the night before. Aditi and I, along with some freshmen, were up until two in the morning playing D&D. One of the freshmen had agreed to be our DM, so I got a chance to use my extensive knowledge of spells as a druid. It was a blast, and I couldn't wait to play again the next week, but even Dungeons and Dragons couldn't compare to playing with dolphins.

Thankfully, I didn't run into too much traffic, and I made it to the dolphin exhibit on time. When I got there, Claudia was inside, standing next to the pool. I spotted one of the dolphins immediately. The majestic creature was leaping in and out of the water, full of energy even at this time of day. I watched the dolphin in awe.

Claudia waved to me, and I walked over to her, still watching the dolphin. In fact, I crashed right into Claudia. "Sorry!" I exclaimed. "I wasn't paying attention."

Claudia laughed and said, "It's okay, Dani." She gestured toward the dolphin that was jumping around. "That's McCoy. He's been acting like this ever since he arrived. We can't get him to calm down."

"Where are the other two? I thought you said that there were three."

"They're in the other pool right now. You'll meet them soon. Would you like to feed McCoy?"

"I'd love to," I said, barely able to contain my excitement.

"My assistant is getting food for the dolphins right now," Claudia explained. "He should be back soon."

All of a sudden, a man in his twenties with shaggy dark hair emerged from a supply closet, carrying a bucket. I hadn't seen his face in years, but I recognized him immediately. His appearance had barely changed at all. "Tommy?" I said. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here," Tommy said. "What are you doing here, Dani?"

"I always thought that you started managing another band or something after the Love Martyrs broke up," I said.

Tommy laughed. "After those rumors got out?" he said. "It would have been impossible to get another job in the music industry, so I moved to Egmont Beach. Again, why are you here?"

"I go to Egmont College, and I'm working here too. Claudia hired me to help out."

I wanted to say something more. If I had the nerve, I would have told him that they weren't just rumors. I would have told him what I knew - somebody needed to hear the truth after all this time. Instead, I answered his question and kept it all buried, just like I had for the last four years.

"I see that you two already know each other," Claudia said with a slight smile.

"I used to manage her band," Tommy explained in a voice that clearly indicated that he didn't want to discuss it further. Honestly, neither did I.

He then handed me a fish from the bucket. I still wasn't over the shock of seeing Tommy again at the Egmont Zoo, of all places. In fact, it was probably the first time that I had seen him without Blake by his side. The two of them were inseparable in my memory.

I tried to forget about the past for a moment and focus on McCoy. I held out the fish, and McCoy darted toward it. He jumped up into the air to yank the fish out of my hand, and he swallowed it in one huge gulp. "That was so cool!" I said as McCoy swam away.