161 Meters Down

Damn It!

Kristina could not help herself but look back upon hearing the muffled cries of help from Bernardo, the only one among the four mafia rodents who treated her right ever since she got captured by Lucas.

Tears streamed from Kristina's face as both of her hands covered her mouth from the scene she was now seeing. No amount of dizziness could make her deny it anymore. The truth was glaring at Kristina; the truth was that they were indeed being hunted by a twelve-foot great white shark.Gaze transfixed to the horrid scene a few meters away from her, Kristina's surroundings seem to freeze as if the time had stood still.

'Are we going to die? Am I going to watch someone I know die again in front of me once more?' Kristina's horrid questions screamed at her from the back of her mind.

'No! I won't let death take away anything from me once again. Not now, not ever.'

Lucas's warm hands attached to her waist let go of her as Kristina pushed him away from her.

"What is wrong with you, woman?" Brows knotted together, he tugged his hair to stop himself from doing something that would be disadvantageous for him.

Instead of answering Lucas, Kristina swim away from him, leaving the Russian godfather dumbfounded for a fraction of a minute. Lucas snapped from his trance when Kristina stopped in her tracks and looked back at him.

"What are you waiting for? That great white is halfway done with Bernardo." Kristina's voice broke upon the mention of Bernardo. 

Though she did not particularly share anything special with the latter, Kristina experienced his kindness even when she was abducted by them. She knew that Bernardo did not deserve his fate, but he was dead and they were alive. Kristina could still save Lucas and his potty mouth from the jaws of the apex predators.

On cue, Lucas swam to where Kristina's direction was. Though she was swimming farther and farther to the pile of crates that he intended to go to, Lucas followed her. As she said before, she knew this place like the back of her palm – the very reason why he endured Kristina by not killing her or leaving her for good.

The crease between Lucas's forehead deepened upon seeing where Kristina was heading with rapid strokes paired with strong kicks. It was as if, she was racing with death. In a way, they were racing from death, no, more like they were racing from the twelve-foot great white shark.

Lucas reached for Kristina's left shoulder. "Are you seriously mad? You are going to the source of the water surge?"

Kristina swatted Lucas's hand. She did not stop nor did she look back at him. Kristina continued with her frenzied strokes and forceful kicks as she answered. "I am perfectly sane, thank you very much. Just follow me, will you? I don't need you to trust my intention, trust my capabilities, and my ethics. I am an employee here. It is my job to bring the Poseidon Hotel's customers to safety."

"Ethics. Let's see then," said Lucas. He followed Kristina after he risked a glance at his back. Profanities spewed as his eyes widened upon seeing the shark's dorsal fin coming straight in their direction. "Damn it."

On cue, Lucas began swimming. "Kick your legs harder, damn it! There's a shark in our trail!" A trail of swirls and bubbles in his wake as Lucas yelled towards Kristina who was on the verge of getting swept off by the continued surge of water.

For a fraction of a minute, Kristina took the courage to look behind Lucas. A gasp escaped from her chapped lips upon seeing how mere five to six meters separated them from the great white shark.