Sisters and Sharks

“Four-hundred-and-fifty-million years,” said Kay, looking out over the sea. “Older than Mount Everest. Survived four mass extinctions.”

Beside her, Meadow hunched over the side of the boat, the sound of her vomiting not quite hidden behind the hum of the engine. The lights of Cape Town glittered behind them like fireflies, but, with morning sweeping over the horizon, Kay looked to the sea. Only a solitary lifeguard’s vessel floated ahead of them.

“And now here we are,” she said, “decimating them.”

“This trip’s decimating my internal organs,” muttered Meadow, sitting back. “You know, I saw Jaws once.”

“Yeah, you mentioned. I promise you won’t get eaten. You’re more likely to be killed by a jellyfish.”

Meadow groaned. “I saw a film about that too.”

“You’re more likely to be killed by a firework then,” said Kay, taking out her binoculars.

Meadow crossed her arms, shuddering as seawater drizzled over them. Kay turned to her younger sister with a small smile, but no one could sulk like Meadow.

“This is the last time I get on a boat in shark-infested waters,” said Meadow.

“Just try to enjoy it,” said Kay, setting her binoculars down.

She carefully took a silver urn from her backpack. Hard to believe so many years ended with just this much ash. Still, she fancied she could hear her father’s laughter over the waves as she hugged it to her chest.

“I hated this place when we first moved here,” said Kay. “You probably don’t remember. You were about five, six.”

“I remember,” said Meadow, frowning. “I still hate this place. Getting off the plane back in London was the happiest day of my life.”

“We had some good times though. That first scuba diving trip?”

Meadow sneered. “You mean the time I cried for hours until Dad gave up trying to convince me. Like diving will ever come in useful.”

Kay laughed, while her sister’s frown deepened. It took Kay a moment to realise what Meadow was looking at.

“Why couldn’t he just ask to be sprinkled over the beach like a normal dead person?” said Meadow. “I say we head back.”

Kay walked to the prow, peering at the boat ahead she’d previously mistaken for a lifeguard’s. As she watched, a net dragged out of the water, something flailing inside. Ugly cheers came from the crew.

“Dad wouldn’t want us to ignore this,” she said.

She gestured for the pilot, Dr. Masondo, to keep going. An old friend of their father, a conservationist from back in the day, he offered little protest. Meadow groaned, drawing her legs up to her chest. Kay stood at the prow, heart pounding as the wind whipped at her.

Why are you getting involved? Call the authorities to deal with this. You’re a marine biologist, fresh from your master’s degree. What can you do – lecture them until they go home?

But Kay’s father had never backed down from poachers. In fact, one of her earliest memories was of him and his colleagues chasing a gang of poachers away from Cape Town on jet skis.

The poachers spotted their approach. Moving frantically, they heaved at the nets. Kay saw a young basking shark thrashing around inside.

“This is insane, Kay!” hissed Meadow.

Dr. Masondo emerged to hand Kay a megaphone. Shakily, she held it to her mouth, and the older man moved back to the cabin, calm and professional as ever.

The poachers had frozen, perhaps expecting her to have a weapon or something. The shark continued to thrash as they stared.

“Let the shark go!” she shouted. “Let it go, and get away from here before the police get involved!”

She turned to see Dr. Masondo already holding his phone up. “No service,” he mouthed, and her heart plummeted.

What have I gotten us into? These men could have guns. I might get us all killed.

“Yes, hello.”

Blinking, Kay turned to find Meadow composed, her own phone to her ear. On the other boat, the poachers exchanged worried glances.

“Hello, we’re in a boat off the coast of Cape Town.” And Meadow rattled off the coordinates as naturally as she did film trivia. “Yes, well, we’ve come across some poachers here. Ah, you’ve got boats already nearby?” She raised her voice, smiling at Kay. “Fantastic!”

The poachers let the net drop as they hurried about, engines growling. The shark, struggling weakly, splashed into the sea again.

Kay ignored them, stepping to the edge of the boat. Meadow stayed with her phone to her ear, and Dr. Masondo began to shout.

Kay dived. The cold water enveloped her, snatching breath from her lungs. Fighting sensation back to her limbs, she kicked her way towards the basking shark. It continued to flap about, the net constraining it, tiring it, dragging it down.

Kay fought through the water, the muted hum of boat engines droning around her. The shark’s struggles grew weaker.

She threw herself at the trapped shark, yanking the net. A tiny black eye rolled toward her, and the shark flapped its fins feebly.

Panic rising, Kay clung to the net. Her lungs started to throb, and her pulse drummed in her skull. With clumsy fingers, she groped in her pockets. A cough sent bubbles pluming from her mouth. She strained not to inhale.

Desperation fuelling her, she pulled out her keys, sawing at the net with the blade of a tiny Swiss army knife on her keyring. One of the threads snapped after a few seconds of frantic cutting. The blue world around her wavering with her heartbeat, she hacked at the next part of the net. The shark began to twist with renewed energy.

Kay took a breath. Water rushed into her lungs and she choked. Her hand clenched around the keys as everything went hazy.

Someone grabbed her. She got a brief vision of someone else heading for the shark, and then the world faded.

A weight on Kay’s chest woke her. Gagging, she leant over and vomited seawater, every muscle quivering. With a sigh, Meadow sat back from her.

“You’re in my diving gear,” mumbled Kay.

“This is the thanks I get,” said Meadow, squeezing water from her hair. “I mean, you didn’t give us much choice.”

Kay blinked around at the coastguards crowding Dr. Masondo’s boat. The doctor himself hovered nearby with a cup of steaming coffee.

“You saved the shark?” she asked him.

“No, that was your sister,” said Masondo.

Kay coughed, salt thick on her tongue. One of the coastguards offered her a water bottle. She looked at Meadow, who shrugged.

“I thought you were scared of sharks.”

“That one wasn’t so bad,” said Meadow. “Basking shark, right? Dad’s favourites. I remember from the time he told me they were the only animals with bigger mouths than me.”

Kay burst out laughing, her shivers subsiding as she pulled a blanket tight around herself. The coastguard chatted with Masondo, who assured them he’d return to the shore right away.

“What about the poachers?” asked Kay.

“A boat’s going after them,” said Masondo. “We scared them off for now.”

“Scared me too,” muttered Meadow.

The sisters sat together as Masondo piloted the boat back towards Cape Town. Kay sipped from Masondo’s coffee, wincing at the strength.

“Suppose this is the best chance we’ll get,” she said. “You want to do the honours?” She pushed their father’s urn to Meadow.

Meadow stared, aghast. “He’d want it to be you, Kay. You know, following his footsteps and all.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Kay punched her arm. “You saved your first shark today. I’d say you can still make a career in marine biology.”

“I prefer computer science,” muttered Meadow. She eyed the urn, melancholy. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there, Kay.”

Kay drew her little sister into a fierce hug. “You’re here now, Med. Go on.”

Meadow took a steadying breath, rising on shaky legs. She took the urn in both hands and walked to the prow. Kay struggled up to her side.

Meadow twisted the top off, sighing, and took a handful of grey ash from the urn. Opening her hand, she let it float out on the wind over the sea their father had loved. Kay took another handful, tears stinging her eyes.

As they emptied the last of the ash out over the waves, Kay reached out and hugged her sister again.

“You’ll be coming back when your course is done, right?” she said.

“We’ll see,” said Meadow.

“Yeah, and I’m sure Dr. Masondo won’t mind us borrowing the boat again. I can teach you proper diving technique.”

Meadow snorted. “Don’t push your luck.”

They both laughed as the boat glided back towards the beach, and the last ashes fluttered out to sea.