Page 3 of Break Line

Nathan was riding an A-frame, hitting the peak just before it curled. He maneuvered his board down the slope, ready to shoot the tube. Then suddenly, the wave backwashed, and he wiped out. He caught air as his board launched upward, and he came down face first in the white water.

Bubbles surrounded him as he pushed off the bottom to break the surface. Millions of bubbles. Red bubbles. Sharks darted toward him. Dozens of sharks swam by, taking a bite out of his leg. He tried to hit them on the nose, but they were too fast.

Another shark hit him from behind, biting the back of his thigh. The sea was red with his blood. He could feel the riptide pulling him further out as he fought against the current.

Another hit by a larger shark, this one clamping down and shaking him violently.

Nathan’s eyes shot open. There was a bright light, white walls, and tubes. He fought to get the thing off his face. His monitors began beeping.

An unfamiliar face rushed toward him.

“Mr. Fletcher. Mr. Fletcher, calm down. Don’t pull on your lines. Calm down. We’re here to help you.”

He fought the lady for several minutes until he had no strength. He furrowed his brow as he tried to focus. She had a nametag on her clothing. Nathan squinted to make it out. Louisa.

He blinked several times as her face came more into focus, and he could see two men standing on either side of his bed. He was in a hospital bed. Nathan eased his head back into the pillow behind him and glanced around the room. Kai sat on the edge of his chair, leaning toward Nathan slightly.

Dawn patrol ride, he was catching a wave when he’d been hit by a shark. His leg! He remembered now. A shark had bit his leg and he was swimming to shore.

He nodded to Kai as he settled down in the bed.

Nurse Louisa adjusted the tubing for the mask over his face and injected something into his IV line. A deep burning sensation began in his vein, traveling up his arm for a few seconds before a woozy feeling swept over him.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’ll let Dr. Kelley know that you’re awake.”

“Brah, you had me worried,” Kai admitted and moved the few steps across the room to his cousin. “You’re lucky I like to be prompt, or I may not have gotten to you in time. You lost a lot of blood.”

Nathan moved the mask from his face. The nurse could put it back on later if she needed.

“Thanks, man. I owe you my life, cuz.” Nathan scooted up in the bed a bit, reaching for the controls to raise the bed up at an angle.

“You been out for three days, brah. You woke up a few times but drifted back into unconsciousness. Doctor said it’s normal with trauma.”

“How bad is it?” Nathan was almost scared to look. All he could feel in his leg was a deep burning.

“It’s not good. You were in surgery for a long time and they had to work to reattach a lot of muscle tissue and nerves. You have two steel pins holding your bones together brah.”

Nathan rested his chin on his chest. He turned his legs in and out. The slightest movement in his left hurt causing him to wince. He slowly pulled back the covers, holding his breath for a few seconds before seeing his leg bandaged from the top of his thigh down over his shin. He let it sink in as a small bit of relief flooded his mind.

Nate turned to his right side, feeling the effects of the IV push the nurse had administered. His eyelids began to droop.

“I need to get back to work, cuz. Been here for most of the last three days, and things are piling up. Leilani has been holding down the fort, and she needs a break.” He dug Nate’s phone out of his jacket pocket.

“Here’s your phone. I didn’t want to leave it here with you unconscious.”

“Give Leilani a kiss from me for taking up your time. And thanks again.”

“No prob. We’re ohana. That’s what we do.” Kai shook his hand and walked out the door.

A few minutes later, Nurse Louisa came in to check his monitors. She saw that he had removed his mask again and began to reach for it.

“How about some food first. I’m starving here.” Nate opened his eyes, still groggy but his stomach backed him up with a loud growl.

She stood upright, arms crossed over her chest. “I suppose we can do that. It has been a few days since you’ve eaten anything.” She pulled a paper out of the drawer of his tray. “Here are your choices, circle one from each group and I’ll be back in just a minute to pick it up. Would you like something to drink?”

“Juice would be nice.”

Nathan pored over the menu offerings. His stomach growled as he read the choices, feeling like he could eat one of everything. He opted for the pulled pork sandwich, side salad, tropical fruit bowl, and a slice of pineapple crème cake. His mouth watered just reading them, and he felt as if he could chew the paper itself.

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