Have a Little Faith

Levi's POV

I grabbed the portable floodlight and started walking, my toes curling around the soft sand as my feet sunk into the damp ground. The sun had set and the moon was starting to climb in the dark night sky. I let out a long sigh as I passed the rocky cliffs and made my way to the sand dunes. The small grass blades that grew on the dunes were swaying rhythmically in the wind, which started picking up. My duty as a lifeguard had officially ended an hour ago, but not only did I wait for everyone to leave the beach, I also walked down to the very end of the beach and back before packing my things and leaving. It was what I had done for two and half years now, same routine each day. I tugged on my faded yellow sweatshirt and climbed up the first dune. When I reached the top I stopped and turned to face the ocean. It's sheer size and power never seized to amaze me. The ocean was like a creature, a massive animal that moved majestically. I breathed in the salty air and closed my eyes. Since I could remember I had felt a pull towards the ocean. I only felt truly peaceful when my feet were covered with white sand and the strong wind blew around my body as if it were trying to take me away. A small smile tugged at my lips as I slipped down the side of the dune, continuing my walk. It was completely dark now and the white beam of the floodlight seemed almost too bright for such peaceful scenery. The crashing of the wave got stronger as the winds picked up. My red shorts fluttered around my legs as I approached the end the beach. I walked up to the tall cliff wall and carefully ran my fingers over the black shells that hung tightly onto the wall, waiting for the next high tide to come. After looking between all the cliffs and boulders I turned and began my way back to my towel. I was halfway back when another floodlight shown down the deserted beach. I turned mine off and watched as a person walked down from the parking lot and made their way towards the growing waves. I stopped walking and peered through the darkness as the figure sat down, too close to the waves for my liking and turned off their light as well. The moonlight was making the rapid waves glister almost magically, and the white sand glowed dimly. I slowly made my way towards the person sitting in the sand. The waves had grown since I started my walk, like they did every night. The person didn't seem to notice the rapid speed, and increasing strength in which the waves crashed onto the beach. I was only a hundred meters away when I watched the figure rest his or her head on their knees, no longer watching the water. I increased my pace, seriously worried about the wellbeing of whoever was sitting so close to the ocean. Before I could reach figure or call out a warning a large wave travelled up the beach and forced the person onto their back. I heard a small yell as I started running through the sand. The figure jumped up, stumbling slightly before the next wave came crashing around them. I was fifty meters away when I could make out long hair and a slim body; the girl was struggling to stand up with new waves coming. Before I could reach her, a massive wave crashed around her and tugged her into the clutches of the ocean. The adrenaline kicked in as the seriousness of the situation gripped me like a cold hand. I was whirling up sand as I dropped the floodlight and my radio and sprinted across the beach and jumped into the waves. The water was well below fifteen degrees, the aggressive waves now hacking away at the white beach, each time flattening more and more of the bumps and dents left by the beach goers of the day. I ducked under the next wave and swam closer to the girl who was thrashing wildly, twenty meters away from me. Getting to her was difficult because of the oncoming tide and strong waves. In between waves I saw her grow slower and coming back to the surface less and less. I pushed through another three large waves, the cold water slamming into my face before I reached her. She was being dragged underneath a wave, and didn't come back up. I dove under and secured my arm around her chest, her arms hanging over my own before bringing her back up to the surface. I began kicking the water, swimming back, trying to ride to the waves back onto the beach. When I had finally made it through the surf I dragged the limp girl onto the beach. I grabbed my radio and called for immediate medical attention from the lifeguard base in the village just above the beach. I dropped to my knees placing my ear close to her mouth, to check if she was breathing. When I couldn't feel her breath, I tugged off her sweatshirt and began pumping in the middle of her chest just above the junction of her ribs. '2 inches, 30 times, 100 beats per minute' I kept chanting under my breath as I waiting for a response from the girl. When the 30 pumps were done I bent down and tilted her chin up, pinching her nose closed and covered her mouth with my own. 2 breaths each lasting one second. I watched her chest rise with my breath, before I began pumping again. '2 inches, 30 times, 100 beats per minute, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon wake up'