“Nothing,” he replies, looking over at me. But, despite his words, I notice he moves back a little so I’m suddenly in the middle of the four of them, moving in the center as if I’m to be protected. I’m surrounded by them, our bodies disappearing into the dark water, each moving slowly, efficiently, desperately.

“Jiro. . .”

“Just keep going,” he says, oh, so calmly.

The first shark fin appears on our left, a quick movement of the creature darting away with whatever it sensed, whether another shark or scared away by our gentle movements. It’s a smaller one, the fin smaller than my open palm, but it still freaks me out.

We all freeze for a few seconds before Achilles growls, “Keep going. Slow movements. We don’t stop.”

The moonlight dances on top of the water, creating a reflection in the darkness that is almost more terrifying than before it was so high in the sky. It makes it so all you can see is the reflection rather than the water. It also highlights when the next fin appears, this time larger. It sends the white reflection scattering around us as the shark disappears again.

“Don’t panic,” Creed rasps, but even I can hear the panic in his voice. When the Navy Seal is worried, we should all be worried. I know that, but still I gently kick my feet. Despite the panic we’re all feeling, even when my foot hits more sandpaper and I lose my breath, I keep going.

We’re only halfway there, a quarter of a mile to go. We can do this. We’ve got this. Ignore the sharks probably swimming around you. They’re just curious, that’s all. They’re not going to eat you. They’re friendly. Haven’t you heard the Baby Shark song?

And then because it’s either entertain myself or start hyperventilating, I start singing the song under my breath.

Achilles scowls over at me. “Seriously?”

“Leave me alone,” I rasp. “It makes me feel better.”

“How could it possibly make you feel better when—”

“Shh,” Jiro commands. “Less talking. They sense the vibrations.”

That makes me clamp my lips shut real quick. It takes considerable effort to keep my movements slow and unhurried. It takes true willpower to kick gently despite the thump I feel every now and then when one of the sharks get too close. They’re not rushing us, not biting. I take that as a good sign. Curiosity is better than hunger. I’ll take curious fish any day.