Pablo moved away from the shark as quickly and quietly as he could.
He knew he needed to stay calm. He understood that he shouldn't make any sudden movements. No frantic paddling.
He also knew his other option was to maximize his size, that if the shark was passing by, if he stayed vertical and looked as large as possible. But he was not thinking of that just right now.
And he knew he needed to keep watching it, and if the shark turned towards him, he would have to face it.
He needed to keep watching, always watching it.
And if it moved, rotate his body to stay facing it.
But at this time, he was getting away as quickly as he could, sensing the rocks somehow near.
A piece of plastic got in his way. A large plastic bag. It was huge. It was blue.
And he could now not see how close this shark was. This plastic bag almost cost him his life. A shark could see Pablo, but he could not see the shark.
The water was suddenly a mix of cold and then warm currents, with the current below mixing together with the warmth of the top from the surface.
A large piece of seaweed brushed the back of his hair. He shivered and felt an electric pulse through his body. That was adrenaline.
That could normally be followed by fear, but he knew he could not let the fear rise up.
He told himself that he felt like he was about to panic, but he knew he could not panic.
Panic led to bad decisions. These things he knew.
Use the adrenaline, he thought. Use the adrenaline to propel him up, towards the surface.
He knew he could also get to rocks on his left side, but he did not know where they were.
The journey continues next episode.
