Page 101 of Cuts like a Knife
“Yeah, unfortunately. Thanks, mate,” Danny says as we hop off the little boat. “I owe you one.”
“You owe me more than one, brother. See you in a bit.”
JP turns the outboard motor and is soon zipping away across the expanse of blue toward the dark green line of trees in the distance.
At the end of the dock we find ourselves on a white sand beach that looks deserted.
I pull off my sandals and wade into the shallows. The crystal clear water laps at my ankles, and then, I gasp. There’s something in the water. Something big. It’s half-buried in the sand, just a few inches from my feet! And it’s moving! I take a big involuntary step back, immediately lose my balance, and fall on my a— into the water.
Drew s laughing, offering me a hand.
“Klutz,” he says, pulling me to my feet.
“There’s something in the water!” As I watch, the thing shakes itself free of the small white grains of sand and through the flurry, I see it’s dark gray back.
“Aw, wicked. Rays! Look, there are a bunch of them!” Drew sounds as eager as a boy. There are at least five sting rays, each a good two feet across, gliding around in front of us.
“They’re looking for food,” Maylee explains. At the look on my face, she tries to reassure me. “Don’t worry, they’re not dangerous. There’s a restaurant on this island. Just that way.” She points. You’ll see it in a minute. It’s a major tourist spot. They do a Sunday pig roast, volleyball, and conch salad. And the tourists feed these rays. They’re used to people and very friendly.”
“But the stinger,” I say. “Didn’t that guy — what was his name?” I turn to Drew who just looks puzzled. “That Australian animal guy? Wasn’t he killed by a sting ray?” My voice betrays my trepidation.
“Steve Irwin?” Danny offers. “Yeah, he was, but that was a freak thing. These little guys aren’t gonna harm ya, promise. Just avoid the stinger.”
I’m doubtful, but Drew pulls me forward.
“Come on, Lex. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”
I take a few tentative steps into the water and stifle a scream as I feel one of the rays brush over my bare feet.
Drew’s let me go and has both hands down under the surface. He’s petting them!
“This is so cool They feel sort of … leathery? But softer.”
“Yeah,” Danny confirms. “Like a shark. Velvety leather. It’s neat, right?”
“Super cool. Come on, Lex. Touch one.”
I reach down and let my fingers graze the back of a passing ray.
He’s right. Their skin is strangely soft. Not what I expected. All the same, I’m relieved when Maylee says we better get going and we troop out of the water and back onto the beach.
“Where are we going, by the way?” I finally ask.
“To my favorite beach. It’s on the Atlantic side of the island and it’s just a little hike. You’ll see. It’s worth it,” Maylee says. “And best of all, there is zero chance anyone from the show will be over there. We’ll be totally free. Follow me.”
She walks off along the sand and we follow like a row of ducklings.
“Stocking Island is basically a big sandbar,” explains Danny as we walk. “That’s why the beaches on Great Exuma, where we are, are fairly calm. The big surf hits here, and doesn’t make it past, which is why you get those amazingly clear, sheltered spots like the beach at the hotel. But I prefer surf, and this beach has plenty.”
We pass a funky wooden sign, with about a hundred criss-crossing markers, hand-lettered and pointing in every direction. They’re directional markers. Each one says a place name and how many miles or kilometers away it is.
“That looks familiar,” I say as we go by.
“You’ve probably seen it in a magazine or something. It’s also super popular as a wedding photo backdrop,” Maylee explains.
“We had it in our wedding photos,” Danny says, casually308.
My entire body goes tense, but no one else seems to react. Did I mishear?
