Nightmare images of razor sharp teeth, blood, bone and tattered flesh combine to rob Damon of any attempt at sleep. Every time he'd close his eyes, he would relive the fatal beach attack. Still, he has a job to do and people depend on him so he drags himself out of bed, quickly downs a couple cups of coffee and then heads to the beach for another long day under the scorching sun. On his way, he throws a vendor a penny for a newspaper. The New York Times headline reads, "Dies After Attack by Fish."

Killed by a 'fish' Damon mumbles to himself as he continues to read the article. Vansant was killed by a sea creature of some kind but what? There has never been a documented case of a shark attack on American shores before. Monster shark attacks seem to be the thing of old sea tales. Having heard a lot of people talking about it when he got back to the beach yesterday, he was surprised to hear many of them offering conjecture and seemingly willing to believe the attacker was a giant mackerel or a huge sea turtle rather than a shark.

After finishing the write up, he tosses it in a garbage receptacle and continues along the boardwalk. Stopping in his tracks when he sees her, Damon smiles and steps aside to give her space. "Good Morning, Miss Elena."

He thinks he hears her return the greeting but is a little dismayed at how she's keeping her head down, her pace quickly surpassing his. He has to pick up his own to catch up with her. "Is something wrong?"

She looks up for a moment and shakes her head no. Before he can question her any further, she turns towards the Engleside Hotel without looking back. Damon watches her till she disappears inside the building. He can't help but ponder what's bothering her. Is it something he did? Having no answers, he walks onto the sand and hurries to the lifeguard stand to begin his watch for the day.


Once Elena is inside, she can breathe a little easier. It's not that she doesn't like Damon, she feels embarrassed that he saw her in such a state after Mr. Vansant tragically passed yesterday. A part of her feels grateful that he helped her, holding her hair and getting her a towel but the other part hates that he saw her vomiting, pale and with sweat beaded on her forehead.

She's startled out of her reverie when someone bumps her shoulder. She quickly excuses herself and hurries to the maids quarters to change into her uniform. Once she does, her boss sends her to clean up the door that they laid him on while the man's father tried to save his life. Once she's done, the maintenance man will rehang it. She can't help but wonder why it wasn't done yesterday after the horror.

She's feels her belly begin to churn chaotically when she steps inside that room. Everywhere she looks she sees red. The metallic stench of dried blood fills her nostrils. She can feel her mouth begin to water with hot saliva. It takes everything she has not to run outside again. Unconsciously she starts to backtrack but she's forced to stop when she bumps into the wall behind her. Knowing that she has to conquer this aversion, she walks over to the window, opens it up and breathes in the fresh, salty sea air. After several minutes, her stomach settles and she gets to work cleaning the room.

By the time she finishes, she feels a little better. She takes the dirty rags to the hotel's laundry area to get new ones to start cleaning guest rooms. By the end of the day, Elena is tired, she reaches up to cover her mouth when she starts to yawn. After saying goodbye to her friend and co-worker Alexia, she starts to walk back to her boarding house where she's staying for the summer. Her family lives in Matawan Creek several miles north of Beach Haven.

She walks down the boardwalk but pauses to look at the sea. It's mesmerizing and beautiful, she loves the sound of the waves as they crash into the shore. To the north, she sees the tall stalks of sea grass blowing in a southeasterly direction. Sighing as she breathes in the gusty breeze, she looks to the south. When she does, she sees him climbing down from his lifeguard perch. He talks to another young man who pats his shoulder and then climbs up to take Damon's place. Just as she's about to continue on her way, her eyes join with his. A smile erupts on his face and he starts jogging towards her, waving as he does.

She nods but doesn't wait for him. Her unspoken words do little to dissuade him. "Miss Elena, can I walk you home?" he asks, his voice breathy from running.

Feeling that she has no choice, she nods and starts walking. She doesn't volunteer any conversation. When he asks her a question, her replies are clipped. Before long they reach her boarding house, she says goodbye and hurries inside. She leans against the door, grateful to be home. It will probably take some time before she can overcome her discomfort. She's really very fond of him, he makes her heart spin out of control but with her responsibilities, she knows he's better off without her. Several seconds pass before she moves away from the door and over to the window to peak outside. She pulls the curtain back just as he starts to walk away. Feeling melancholy begin to overwhelm her, she hurries to her room, collapses on the bed with the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes.


After several days of barely making eye contact with Elena, Damon is determined to waylay her and demand to know why she's avoiding him. Logically he knows he did nothing wrong, but he has no clue how a woman's mind works. Because he traded shifts with Will, he has five days off so he hopes that maybe she'll even agree to go out for an ice cream or something with him if they can get past whatever is bothering her. Having laid in bed a little longer than he should have, he dresses quickly to head to the beach.

Before leaving his place, he walks over to the office to pick up his mail. He's a little surprised to see a letter from his brother. The smile he's wearing soon turns to a frown when he sees what's inside. Dropping his chin to his chest, the best laid plans and all, he crumples up the letter and tosses it in the trash. Stefan wants him to come to Spring Lake and fill in for him so he and his fiancé, Caroline can visit her parents in Pennsylvania. Although it's somewhat of a surprise, since Damon is a trained lifeguard himself, his boss gave Stefan the okay.

He shakes his head, this isn't what he wanted to do with his days off, Stefan is going to owe him big. Tomorrow, he'll get on the train to Spring Lake but he's not stepping foot on it unless he has a chance to talk to her. But the more he thinks about it the more he wonders if he isn't good enough for her? The thought is fleeting though because he can't not try, she's incredible, beautiful inside and out, kind, he knows what he wants.

With his mind made up, he stops at the telegraph office on the way to the beach to send Stefan a message, telling him to expect him tomorrow. When that's done, he hurries to the beach, barely making it in time to start his shift on the platform. He's grateful that there have been no more 'fish' incidents since Mr. Vansant's tragic run in with one. He's certain that it was a shark, he saw the dorsal fin breaking the surface just before it tore into the man.

As morning bleeds into afternoon, Damon scans the horizon. He's constantly on alert for any signs of distress. He says thanks when someone hands him a glass of water. Downing it quickly, he turns his gaze back to the beautiful sea before him. The ocean breeze tousles his hair forcing him to push it off of his face. On days like this, it playfully fills the sails of the pleasure boats, it flutters their flags and pushes them to and fro over each wave. He comes here on his days off just to enjoy the splendor of the sea, water stretching far beyond the eyes' reach. Sometimes the wind drives the waves to crash onto the shore, sending white spray high into the air, coating his eyelashes and roaring like the king of beasts protecting its young.

Today he's content to watch the people dip into the ocean and children building sandcastles and others playing fetch with their pets. Then something catches his attention, a head bobbing beneath the waves. Damon leaps from his perch, grabs the life preserver and runs like a rocket towards the water. With super human effort, he fights the waves to reach the girl. He sees her head break the surface again, gulping for air before the undercurrent pulls her beneath yet again. This time he doesn't see her come up. He sucks in a mouthful of air and sinks below the waves, by some stroke of luck he finds an arm, latches on tight, and drags her to shore. Others are waiting, they help him get her to the sand, she's coughing and sputtering now but he breathes a huge sigh of relief, knowing that she will survive.

After a few congratulations from bathers, he walks back to the stand to continue his watch, his chest still heaving from the exertion.


Damon is chomping at the bit for his replacement to arrive. When he finally sees him lumbering towards the perch, he jumps down and after giving Mason a brief overview of the day, he's off to find Elena. He hurries over to the hotel, reaching it at almost the same time she walks out. He stands back so she won't see him. As soon as she sets foot on the boardwalk, he comes up behind her.

"Hello Miss Elena."

"Mr. Salvatore, you are quite persistent."

"Look, can we talk? I'll even spring for an ice cream."

She pauses, looking everywhere but at him till she feels his hand brush against hers.

"Please?"

"If you insist."

"I do." He extends his arm, gesturing for her to go first. They walk in silence till they reach the small café, Damon holds open the door letting her enter first. After ordering them each a bowl of ice cream, he joins her at their table.

"I'll get right to the point, can you tell me why you've been avoiding me?"

"I haven't been avoiding you."

"Forgive me, I don't mean to be contrary but yes, you have, you've barely said two words to me since that day."

"I didn't like that you saw me like that." She pauses for a minute, her mind going back to that horrible afternoon. men shouldn't see a lady vomiting.

"Miss Elena?"

"Weak, I mean."

"That's it? That's why you've been so distant?"

"I'm sorry, it's just who I am. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Thank God, I was so worried," he stops when the waitress places their bowls in front of them. He thanks her and then picks up his spoon, taking a bite of the refreshing treat. "May I be candid with you?"

"Yes, of course, I want you to be," she replies, putting a spoonful in her mouth. Damon is mesmerized by the face she makes, it does wicked things to his body, things beyond his control. He shifts and smiles at her.

"I like you, I like you a lot. I would like to take you out."

"Um, I... I like you too."

"It's settled then. I have to go to Spring Lake tomorrow to help out my brother but when I come back, would you go out with me?" He smiles when he sees her cheeks begin to bloom red. When their eyes meet again, she nods yes, her smile matching his own. They sit and chat about other things and after paying the bill, he suggests a walk along the beach before it gets too late. Although he wants nothing more than to hold her hand, he doesn't want to do anything improper so they walk side by side till they find a big boulder to sit on. Elena is so beautiful, the light play of the setting sun illuminates her very being, it's ethereal almost. Beyond the majestic waves in the western sky is something almost as breathtaking as she is, the sunset. Beautiful smudges of coral, lavender, turquoise and fiery oranges blend together creating an astounding site.

As much as he'd like to sit by her side and watch the sun sink into the horizon, they both reluctantly get up to go home. He walks her to her boarding house and after she says goodnight and gifts him with a beautiful smile, his heart somersaults in his chest and he's practically weightless as he makes his way back to his own place.


"There you are Damon," Stefan greets him as he steps off the train. As soon as he sees his brother, he hurries over and pulls him into a hug. He takes off his hat and bows slightly to Caroline.

"It's good to see you," she offers, blushing when he kisses her hand.

"You too. So when are you leaving?"

"We're going to take you over to my place and then down to the beach. Caroline and I have our own train to catch this afternoon. Her parents are expecting us for a late holiday weekend."

"Let's go then," Damon suggests, picking up his bag and following Stefan and Caroline out of the depot. Once he's settled in Stefan's place, the two men head down to the beach where he introduces Damon to his boss and a couple of his friends. Stefan is in college, working as a lifeguard for the summer. It's decent pay for what is often a pretty docile job, Stefan's words not Damon's. He didn't witness Mr. Vansant being chewed on by a monster 'fish'. Damon is told to report to work tomorrow, July 6th in the morning, he'll work a ten hour shift. He shakes the man's hand then leaves with Stefan to get some lunch, promising to be at the beach the next day.


July 6, 1916

Beams of sunlight stream through the window awakening Damon just before his alarm goes off. Once he's up, he stretches his limbs and rubs the knots out of his lower back. His brother's spare bed isn't very comfortable. He quickly dresses and goes to the kitchen. Since he's alone, he quickly makes himself a pot of coffee and a bite to eat then he pockets the key Stefan gave him, pulls the door shut and heads down the block towards the beach. It's another hot, balmy day.

As soon as Damon reaches the lifeguard area, he's given a canteen full of water and a good luck salutation before he takes his place on the platform. He watches with rapt attention, the people going in and coming out of the water. It's much the same here as it is in Beach Haven. The time goes by slowly, he finds himself yawning under the direct heat of the sun. He stands up, raising his hand to shield his eyes from its bright glare.

When the famous Essex and Sussex hotel comes into view, he stops for a moment to peruse it. The posh building is the destination for wealthy shore visitors of all ages. It sits directly across the street from the ocean and the boardwalk. Damon remembers walking inside once with his parents but when he touched one of the vases, his mom slapped his fingers. That was his first and last visit to the famed hotel. Damon turns back to look at the ocean. He sees a youngish looking man jogging towards the water line. He wades out till he's waist deep and then starts swimming straight out to sea.

He continues scanning the shore line, he smiles at one family as the kids bury who he supposes is their father in the sand. He looks out again, by now the man is at least a thousand feet out. Suddenly Damon stands up, his heart is pounding inside of his chest. He sees a huge spray of water erupt from the surface of the sea. A woman starts yelling, "The man in the red canoe is upset!" There is no canoe, the red is the man's blood spreading out across the water.

Damon leaps off the stand, he and another fellow push their rescue boat into the water and together they row as fast as they can. As they get closer to the unfortunate young man, Damon sees a black shape under the water, striking at the man over and over again. Damon grabs under his arms and struggles to pull him into the boat, surprised at how amazingly light he is - until he sees that both of his legs have been bitten off. The guy lays at the bottom of the boat bleeding while Damon and the other man in their Herculean effort to get him to help quickly, row so fast it's as if the devil himself is chasing them. The man briefly describes his ordeal, the two men bearing witness to his words.

"He was a big gray fellow, and as rough as sandpaper," says the man as he lay dying. "He cut me here in the side, and his belly was so rough it bruised my face and arms. That was when I yelled the first time. I thought he had gone on, but he only turned and shot back at me and snipped my left leg off." He loses consciousness and never wakes again, he's dead by the time they reach the shore.

Damon is sick to his stomach but finds a blanket laying on the sand to cover the man's remains. A short time later, Dr. William G. Schauffler, the governor's staff physician and a surgeon in the National Guard, examines Bruder's body on the beach.

Schauffler is a fisherman himself and sure as to the cause of the bellhop's death: "There is not the slightest doubt that a man-eating shark inflicted the injuries," he reports, convinced the creature, a confirmed man-eater, would not stop at one victim. As soon as he is done with examining the body he plans to organize a patrol of armed men and a fleet of boats to put an end to the killer shark.

Once his shift is done for the afternoon, Damon picks up his canteen and heads back to Stefan's place, losing his meager stomach contents in the bushes along the way.


Damon arrives home two days later, exhausted both physically and mentally, images of the man bleeding out at the bottom of the boat right before his very eyes play on repeat in his mind. He's grateful beyond comprehension when he's met with a fiery welcome from one very beautiful young lady. Elena doesn't think or know what she's doing, she just feels such an incredible sense of relief that he returned home safely.

When the first news of the attack arrived and it dawned on her that Spring Lake was where he told her he would be, Elena was so worried that she couldn't even sleep. Again and again, dreams of the unfortunate young man interrupted her sleep, many times the face she saw drowning in blood was Damon's. The next day she found out that no one else died at Spring Lake but what if the monster would return to claim his life?

Seeing him drawing near, his bare feet sinking in the sand, she just runs. He looks up just in time to see her wild and breathtaking self make the last few steps, his eyes widen but he manages to spread his arms, catching her at the right moment. He's concerned when he feels how shaky she is, her tremors so strong they're resonating in his own body.

"What's the matter?" he asks in wonder, not that he's complaining.

"I... I was so scared the fish would take you and I was so indifferent around you these last several days..." She steps away, realizing only now that she literally threw herself at him. Although, she's still close, Damon liked it better with her arms around him but if he has any say in the matter, this was only the first time.

"Promise me, please Damon, that you'll never ever go anywhere near the shark again. Promise me..."

"Elena." He can't help himself and reaches up to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd rather not go in the water anymore either. I'm planning to tell my boss first thing in the morning," he says in a lighter tone, not only to charm the enchanting giggles out of her but also to distract himself from what her close proximity is doing to his own body.

Later, he will tell her about the second victim, how close he actually got to the shark. Maybe this nightmare is over and they'll never have to think about it again.


The second victim, Charles Bruder was a twenty-five year old Swiss bellhop at the swanky Essex and Sussex Hotel. He was a well-known figure in Spring Lake and his form could be seen swimming in the ocean every summer day during his late afternoon break. He often boasted that while living in California he had swum many times with large sharks and was unafraid of them.

*Mr. Bruder's last words taken from eye witness accounts.

Patrol boats were put into the water, but the next deadly incident of during that hot summer of 1916 did not occur at Spring Lake. Nor did it occur anywhere along the Atlantic beaches of New Jersey. Indeed, it occurred at the most unlikely place that anyone might think of...


Thanks so much to all of you for the wonderful reviews and interest in the prologue. We're so happy to see so many of you jump on board with us. As a history buff, I love dropping Damon and Elena into different eras, different times. "Tomorrow" is my favorite set in WW2 but we've also sent them to San Francisco for the 1906 earthquake, Chicago for the great fire, Mt. St Helens for the 1980 eruption, The days after Pearl Harbor, leading up to the Battle of Midway in 1942 and an adventure aboard an Edwardian era luxury ocean liner ;) I have ideas for other historical DE adventures. It's just a question of finding a plot to drop them into the history books.

Thank you Eva for all of your help and devotion to this and all of our stories. I love you lots.

Chapter Title: Spring Lake

I am Delena till the end of time but if any of you are interested, Eva's friend, Eos Blaze 0402 has an Elejah and Dalaric story, "Only You". Damon and Elena aren't together romantically in it but the bond she's built between them is just stunning.

Thank you all again, you're the best of the DE universe. Have a safe and wonderful day. Hopefully we'll see you tomorrow with WTTJ, if not it'll be Thursday.