Fire in the Firehouse 22

After some time had passed the two men made their way to the showers. They both fought back the urges to glare at the other's body, not wanting this, whatever it was to be based in sex or just sexual attraction. Wyatt finished up a few minutes sooner than Cory, made his way out and began getting dressed. 

The other was soon to follow. He reached in, grabbed his clothes and as he did, his cell phone rolled out of his pocket onto the carpeted floor below. He looked at the small window on the outside of the phone, 16 missed calls. As he opened the flip-cover he saw they were all calls from his brother. He immediately called the voicemail. Wyatt was nearly dressed and ready. Cory made it seem like everything was perfectly fine. He forced a fake smile to confirm that to his new friend.

As Cory listened further he heard his brother's plight. There was only one voicemail. The others were all missed calls. "Cory, Mitch and I are stranded about a mile and a half, two miles from the wharf in Santa Cruz. We've been lured out to sea via two Great Whites. We're caught in a game of cat and mouse. We've tried everything we can think of. Yours, for some reason is the only connection I could make. We can't even reach 911. Please, come help us when you get this."

Colby's twin was numb. He mentally replayed the message over and over. Wyatt could now see things were not as Cory wanted him to believe. He stared briefly at his new friend, hoping to get an inkling of what was the matter. Curiosity had gotten the better of him, but he felt it was far too soon to interfere. 

As he stood, his memories of his twin brother raced through his mind. Cory wasn't sure what to do. It was all too confusing. Yet again he was forced to come up with a solution with little time to prepare. He had to inform Wyatt that coffee was not going to happen. He thought, how the hell do you just bring it up, hey there, my brother and his lover are in a life and death struggle with two known man eaters? He wanted to just make a dash for it but that wasn't an option. He felt the comforting air, cooler than the rest of the facility bare down on him. The building offered sanctuary from his problems. Inside he was safe, reality only existed outside and could only effect him when he ventured out those doors. He wished that he could grab another towel, head back into the shower area and forget about all of this. It had gotten to be too much to handle. How did these young men keep finding themselves in such situations?

Finally, Cory addressed his new friend. "Listen, I need to reschedule," he began as he finished dressing. "My brother and his lover were out to sea just trying to unwind. Now they're trapped at sea and at the mercy of two Great White sharks. I know it seems hard to believe. I can replay the message if you wish." Wyatt stood listening, mentally absorbing what he was hearing. It didn't seem possible. Sharks didn't behave as such. Wyatt had minored in marine biology in college, but opted to stick with his major, psychologist. With his background he could sense by the other's actions that this was on the up and up. 

The handsome man replied, "Hey, I get that man. In fact, I'm volunteering to come. I minored in marine biology in college. Who knows? Maybe I can lend a hand." Cory was taken aback by this man's generosity and his knowledge might come in handy to boot. He began firing off ideas. "Let's see, I have a buddy that own his own tourist business. He owns a helicopter. Hell, the guy owes me several favors. I bailed his ass out of a few jams when we were in college. Name's Neil. I'll give him a holler on our way to his place. He can fly us out to them. And, I also have a neighbor that works in a local grocery store. He can get us some blood and beef to chum with. I'll arrange it where he's there soon as we are." In no time Wyatt began making his calls getting things ready.

Back down the California coast the three men waited with bated breath. One sailboat had passed, got close enough to try to help, but took off the other way when it was learned about the two sharks. Those on the small craft wanted to head back to shore, but their pathway was somewhat blocked by the beasts. Not wanting to possibly risk alerting the freed creature and disturb the entrapped one, they head towards Monterey, swearing to send help. But the three men weren't too confident, those on board the other boat were pretty drunk and stoned. 

Bryan and his guests shunned it off. They doubted the others would even remember anything they'd seen. They sat bobbing up and down on the sea. The water had gained full control of the small boat. The motions were soft and gave a gentle lull. They all fought off the pressing urge to pee which was intensified by the waves breaking against the boat. They'd become even too terrified to move the slightest bit. 

Time had come to a virtual stand still. It all seemed so surreal to be prisoners at sea. Colby kept his hand wrapped around his cell phone, every so often he'd try to make call. The window of his cell would say, "Call Failed." The signal was far too weak. Bryan's cell was below deck and Mitch had left his back in their room. 

Mitch sat meditating, wondering if he could use his powers to help them. It seemed logical. But he really didn't have the most active powers. He'd heard stories of those that claimed to be a telekinetic, and how he wished that was amongst his arsenal. As luck would have it, he had lesser powers. Then the thought settled into his mind. A spell. It couldn't hurt, and Lord knew it was far from personal gain. 

He began thinking, he had to make a rhyme. Spell casting from his mind wasn't his forte. He was better using paper and pen. But he really had to concentrate. He muttered to himself, "I've got to come up with something and fast." He began thinking of rhyming words to himself.

A few trials and errors he landed on an idea. He whispered in the lowest breath he could muster. "Beasts of terror and fears run deep, in this prison you two do keep. Let these enchanted words lend us a hand, spirits guide us now back to land." He was pretty impressed. Wasn't bad for a spell on the spot. On TV a spell would play out almost immediately. In reality they needed time to play out.

Up the coast Cory and Wyatt had gotten all they'd needed and were up in the air. They scanned the water below, even though they were only mere moments out of the upper Bay Area. Cory rationalized to himself, as long as I stay focused on the water, then they'll be fine.

Below the cresting waves the king and queen of the deep stayed locked on each other. The male was honing in on his mate. He was fully excited and ready to make his stand on the female. Sensing she might be attacked, the female swam backwards a bit, the motion she took allowed the embedded hook to slip free. There was a sudden thrashing at the water's surface. The three men looked over the side to witness nature's fury. The female, sensing she was no longer captured stood her ground and waited for the male. Normally the Queen of the deep wouldn't be so concerned about her own kind, but the male had agitated her into a frenzy. He came in ready to mate, the female, eyes rolled back in her head, the protective membrane taking center stage in her eyes, she lunged forward, jaws opened wide as the fierce teeth that had served to protect and feed her kind since the days of dinosaurs and even her ancient cousin the Megalodon were hyper extended. The male made his final mistake as the enraged and larger female made short work of her lesser adversary. Her crushing jaws bit down on her-would-be mate severing him in half. Warm blood poured throughout a small area as the male took his last breaths before dying in the clutches of the bigger shark. The female swallowed about 200 pounds of the male, not really her main preference for a meal, but having not really eaten her usual diet since the Earthquake, she took what she could find. 

The three men watched nature's wrath unfold right before their eyes. All three felt a little sympathy to the male having lost his fight. But relief washed over them when they saw the aggressor had been made short work of. They hoped the female would flee soon now that she was free. 

The female, due to her over baring hunger stayed around, her senses confused by the smell of blood in the water from her recent kill. She searched the water as the scent washed through her body as she practically bathed in the aroma. A scent that told her senses it would lead to food. For a split second she gave thought to chasing the dead male as his corpse made its way to the sandy bottom below, but she was concentrating on the boat, which to her meant food.

Bryan spoke first. "Crazy bitch. There's a dead meal you're passing up. Why the fuck you stalking our asses? Stupid cunt. Follow the male and leave my boat the hell alone." She circled almost as though she knew what he was saying, as if in defiance. She seemed hell bent on holding her ground.

The helicopter was making its way down to where Cory hoped to find the boat holding his loved ones. It was going to be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Though the odds were tipped slightly in their favor being in the sky as opposed to being on the sea itself.

Wyatt put his arm on Cory's shoulders as a way of offering moral support. Cory felt eased a bit by the attention. He wanted nothing more than to have things be normal. He could've been enjoying getting to know Wyatt over some hot coffee and enjoying the day. Instead he was called into action. But those he was out to save meant more to him than most anyone.

As the helicopter soared safely over head, Cory began looking back to all the adventures he'd had since learning of the existence of his twin brother. His life never meant more than it did presently. Sure, things always seemed one big adventure over the last, but he was comforted in knowing that since the time his adoptive parents were taken from him he had a family. Although it was unique, he'd never felt more at home and more right in his life. 

Lost in his thoughts, Cory almost missed the boat below. Luckily Wyatt managed to see it. "Look, there! I think that's the boat we're looking for!" Neil, Wyatt's friend for so many years took his flying machine down closer. He had a rope ladder on board for such emergencies. Wyatt scurried to the back to lower the ladder down. Cory sat frozen in his seat as he watched the monstrosity below the water. He could see her size and knew she meant business, and it appeared her business was to make those on board her next meal.

As Wyatt lowered the ladder, the massive predator dove down. It seemed to all looking on she was heading away. They all breathed a sigh of relief. Little did they know she had other plans. She'd become convinced that she could find food on board the boat. After all, it was Bryan's error in the first place that gained her attention and as far as she was concerned, what lead to a meal once would certainly do so again.

Being rather far out to sea and in pretty deep water, the creature had plenty of room to maneuver to stage her assault. She went down far, at least equal to two football fields. She was gaining speed, allowing her senses to guide her back to her intended target. Building up such momentum she was practically flying through the sea. Other sea creatures sensed her presence and retreated to safety. The sea was hers and her senses were locked on her target. 

Wyatt lowered the rope ladder as Neil brought the helicopter down low enough for the men to climb up. Bryan was refusing to go as he managed to get his boat going. He refused to abandon ship. He was growing impatient with Mitch and Colby. He wanted them to either sit back and take them to shore or to climb the ladder and no longer be his concern. Anger and rage had taken over him. He began blaming the two lovers for putting him in this situation.

"Will you hurry the fuck up? Geez-us. I wanna get the fuck outta here. If it weren't for you two cock suckers, I'd be safe at home jacking my cock and watching porn and slamming a few beers." Colby reached for the ladder first while Mitch turned to deal with Bryan.

"Look here asshole. Because of us you made a fucking pay day. Now hold your wad and we'll be outta your hair. I thought you were a cool dude, too. But you're nothing but a spineless, alcoholic prick." That did little to calm things. Colby had the first rung and was starting to climb up. He looked back as Bryan went to lunge at his lover. In one fell swoop he jumped free, using his body as a battering ram, laying Bryan flat on his ass.

He spoke, "You're one to call us cock suckers fuck-face. At least Mitch and I know who the fuck we are. You can't decide if you're down for cunt or cock." Bryan got up, fists doubled and lunged at Colby, hell bent on teaching him a lesson. Mitch moved to intercept. 

With the fight going on up on deck, no one was any the wiser they were about to have their lives shaken. The Queen of the seas barreled as hard as she could into the keel. It knocked all three men flat on their asses. The boat was now taking on water quickly. The massive fish moved off, awaiting her prey. She circled at a safe distance waiting for her meal to come.

Cory's face lit up in pure horror. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He cried out, "Wyatt, we've got to save them!" Wyatt had done all he could. It was now up to the men below to get on the rope. Precious moments began sliding away. If the men didn't respond soon, they were sure to become a meal to the ominous creature below.