Shark

The dim outline of the big fish is just barely visible as Pepper strains his eyes to be certain of what he is seeing. The water at 100 feet is dark even at mid-day and the shadowy figures of coral and other bottom things can make you think that you are being eyed by some big predator even if you're not. As he moves toward the surface the shadow turns and moves toward him at a casual pace. Pepper stops to analyze the direction that the shark is moving in and then descends to the sunken ship where he had been playing earlier.

Moving inside one of the hatch openings he turns down into a once dry passageway that is now encrusted in barnacles and anemone attached to the various surfaces. Once on the lower deck he moves out through the now algae and sponge covered hole that had caused the sinking of the old ship. The ship is now simply fish habitat and a playground for SCUBA divers. It also makes a good sanctuary for the small fish that are trying to stay out of the food chain.

Outside now he swims easily to the lower side of the derelict and then, stopping, he watches for the shadow that has been stalking him for the past ten minutes. Several small fish and a lone crab crawling sideways across the sandy bottom near the bow of the ship are the only movements that he can detect. With a kick of his fins he moves rapidly toward the forward end of the ship and then stops once again. There is still no sign of his nemesis.

Swimming around to the side of the ship that is near the shore side he tries to use it as a shield to escape the vigilant predator. Moving around the bow of the ship and toward the bottom to avoid being detected he skims along the sandy bottom moving a few sea snails, a lone starfish and some sea pens out of the way with his wake. Reaching the stern he slows a little and looks again for the shadow. With no sign of the shark in sight he moves toward the surface, and safety.

When he reaches sixty feet the shadow re-appears. The Shark must have been waiting for him to come out into the open again. Pepper continues to move toward the surface but the shark continues to move toward him. He can feel its intent; even with its mouth closed he can visualize it licking its chops. Chops are a pretty good description for the Blue shark's mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Teeth that can rip an appendage right off, teeth that are prepared to rip into Peppers young body.

Pepper knows that a shark is not a vicious fish; its only interest is food. So there is no malice in it as it slowly stalks Pepper, stalks a meal. Pepper stops in the water and hangs there for a moment, trying to decide whether to go back to his sanctuary at the bottom, or to make a run for the surface. Air supply being a factor he chooses the surface.

As the shark gets within sight it veers away slightly perhaps trying to make Pepper think that it is not really interested in him. But Pepper knows that he is the shark’s only target. Then ten yards out it turns back it is looking out of the side of its hideous non-head toward Pepper, he is sizing him up for the kill.

As the shark turns Pepper turns also, but away from the shark, perhaps he can stay far enough ahead so it will tire of chasing him and give up. He knows that a shark will not persist in the pursuit of a healthy target for long. Terror enters Peppers mind for the first time as he turns in time to see the first attack begin. With lightning speed the fish aims for Peppers mid section but as quickly Pepper gives a kick of his fins and arches his body moving it out of the way. And the rows of extended teeth miss their mark. With a little time gained due to the shark’s wide turn Pepper moves toward the surface a little more and prepares to make a rapid ascent in hopes of finding some of his absent family. The family that he should never have left in the first place, but the young will often opt for play without thinking of the danger. The shark finishes its turn and propels itself toward the fleeing Pepper, who is now wishing that he was older and stronger or at least that his father were here to rescue him. The shark brushes Peppers belly with his dorsal fin as he passes under him and then makes another turn.

With all of the speed that Pepper can muster he moves toward the surface in an attempt to escape the same fate that many a tuna fish had experienced by his own jaws. At thirty feet now he needs a little more speed.

The shark is now very close and Pepper can feel his presence even though he cannot see him. Just then another shadow appears. It is above him and between him and the surface. Then another appears to his right. And then another in front and above him. They are moving toward him at high speed. He is caught between the shadow behind him and the ones moving toward him from the surface.

There is now no place to hide and no more chance to run. One of the shadows passes him at high speed to his right, another to his left. Neither is after him, they are heading for the shark.

The first bottle nosed Dolphin hits the shark full force just aft of his gills and the shark is slowed to a near stand still. The second dolphin hits it on the other side as the big fish tries to turn out of the way. Pepper turns to watch the battle just as a third and then a fourth dolphin pass him on their way to join the fray.

Whump, the impact is audible and the shark begins to bleed. He tries to flee but he is no match for the speed of the fish like mammals.

The first animal is back now plowing into the sharks gills very near the place where he had hit it before. Then the second hits it again, and then the third.

Each dolphin takes its turn hitting the shark where it is the most vulnerable, in its gills. Over and over again they hit it until it is helpless and nearly motionless in the water.

The once blue green atmosphere is now starting to turn crimson from the bleeding shark. The predator has become the victim.

With their job completed they turn and head toward Pepper. He watches intently as they close the gap between the battle ground and his vantage point. The first dolphin moves up beside him and then moves off toward the surface. The second follows the same pattern and then the third. Each appears to check Pepper out before going on. The fourth comes up to him and nuzzles his side, shaking her head as if scolding him. She then moves off toward the others.

And then, as he should have done in the first place, Pepper follows his mother and the other members of his pod toward the surface and the continued search for food.

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[1] Copyright (C) 1990 Everett Ede

Fastball.

The sun is covering half of the field as Ron O’Halloran walks back to the pitchers mound. The infielders can see pretty well from their position but if they have to take a high pop up they could lose the ball in the sun. The outfielders are standing in full sunlight so they have to strain their eyes to see the hitters.

It’s the bottom of the ninth inning, the score’s tied and John ‘Home Run’ Fowler is the lead off hitter. Fowler is the last batter that Ron wants to face in this situation. He is currently hitting .390 with 47 R.B.I’s and twenty six home runs.

Ron Picks up the rosin bag and dries his throwing hand while he thinks about the three times today that he has faced Fowler. He struck Him out in the first inning. Walked him in the fourth and then watched him score on a double. Ron fouled him out to the third baseman in the sixth, each time Ron was able to avoid the use of his favorite pitch, and Fowler’s, the fastball.

Ron knows that using a fastball against Fowler is like playing Russian Roulette, if you get it past him your OK but if he gets hold of it... Every fastball that Fowler has hit this year has gone out of the park.

Finishing his warm up pitches Ron Hears the umpire holler, “Batter up.” Fowler steps into the batters box and takes a few practice swings. Ron watches his opponent as he does this and marvels at his size. His arms are so big that they seem to be trying to escape from his jersey by tearing it every time he swings that big bat he uses. Ron eyes his catcher intently waiting for a sign. The catcher calls for a fastball but Ron shakes it off. He knows that he doesn’t have the strength left to get a fastball past Fowler and it would certainly go out of the ball park. The next sign calls for a slider. He takes this one and with all of the intensity that he can muster, winds up trying to look like he is going to throw the fastball but slides his fingers down the side of the seam causing it to spin downward taking the ball out of the strike zone.

Fowler watches as the ball comes off of Ron’s fingers hoping that the pitcher will try to run a fastball past him on the first pitch. He tightens his grip on the bat and begins to swing at the expected point of arrival.

“Strike One!” The umpire hollers, as John’s bat catches only empty air.

Ron’s feeling of relief is brief as he receives the ball from the catcher and starts thinking of his next pitch. If he tries the fastball now Fowler may not be expecting it, but the catcher calls for a curve. Ron accepts the change in thinking and puts both fingers on the right seam. Winding up he raises his left leg high in the air to gain momentum and to shield the ball from the hitter.

Fowler is concentrating on the delivery and waits to see the ball as it passes Ron’s shoulder. Anticipating the curve he watches as it spins to the outside of the plate. He is still watching as it passes.

“Ball one!”

To throw the batter off of his thinking Ron now chooses to repeat the curve. This time he puts emphasis on his delivery to feign the fastball.

Fowler watches this one pass also.

“Ball two!” the umpire hollers.

This is the first time in two months that Ron has pitched an entire game and the task is starting to tire him. He steps off the rubber and walks to the back of the mound again picking up the rosin bag. Perhaps he should call a conference and give the ball up to a relief pitcher. No, he decides, he can beat this guy. Just don’t throw him anything that he can put out of the ball park. Like.. a fastball. A sinker thrown like a fastball will make him swing again he thinks. Getting the right sign from his catcher he winds up and delivers.

“Ball three!” Comes the answer from the umpire as the ball gets away and drops out of the strike zone.

Well now Ron has his team in a big hole. Being behind the best hitter in the league is bad enough but now he’s worried about putting the winning run on base with a walk. The next hitter is too good to ignore, because he scored Fowler in the forth after a walk. Ron has to get Fowler out.

Ron watches the sign from the third base coach to Fowler out of the corner of his eye. With three balls and one strike they may want him to let a pitch go by. Believing that He may do this makes this a good time to catch up with another strike. Now seems the time for the one pitch that he didn’t want to use. The pitch that Fowler is waiting for, the fastball.

Ron is desperate and he knows that Fowler will be waiting for him to try to blow his favorite pitch past him. He can see Fowler tensing up, digging his right foot deeper into the sand at the back of the batters box, his big arms stretching his sleeves to their breaking point. He pulls his power hand to the very bottom of the bat as he gets ready for what is to come.

Ron pulls all the power that he can muster from his tired body. With his fingers tight together and throwing his leg high in the air to get every ounce of energy left in him, he expels the ball from his hand. With a loud....Umph! The fastball is on its way.

CRACK!