I stared ahead at the ocean where the mysterious island lingered. By sight alone it didn't seem far, though I was no fool. Swimming across from this island to the next wouldn't be an easy task. It was doable - possibly; but easy wouldn't be in our vocabulary today if we took the plunge.

"How far?" Esme asked. She stood at my far left next to Carlisle.

"Three quarters of a mile," he guessed with a shrug.

"Looks more like a full mile to me," Esme told him, "Maybe a little more."

"Edward?" Carlisle wanted my opinion, but I honestly had no idea. Esme or Carlisle could have been right.

"I was going to guess a mile," Bella chimed in. "Approximately."

"Can we swim a mile?" I asked, though I suspected no one would be able to give me an accurate answer - a thoughtful or fearful one, yes, but not accurate.

"It's possible," Esme said. Her voice was always reassuring. I felt confident in her answers, but I knew she was right; it wasn't a certainty - just possible.

"Possible." I twisted my mouth and stared straight ahead. Would I let just a mile separate me from this adventure? It could be life-altering. "If it's too far we'll drown." I cocked my head to the side just slightly. "But if we don't try we'll never know... right?" I looked over my shoulder at Bella.

"Right," she said with a smile.

I felt a rush of adrenaline rise inside of me and didn't hesitate. "So let's go!" I took a few steps and dove into the ocean under a small wave that I could tell was going to break up by the shore. The water felt calm, warm and I knew if I opened my eyes I would be able to see the white sand through the crystal clear blue aura.

I pushed through the water with my arms and kicked my legs, holding my breath as far as my lungs would take me before resurfacing with a deep breath that left me reconnected with the world above. I looked back and saw Bella just a few feet behind me. Carlisle and Esme had dove in to my left and I knew right then that there was no turning back.

My excitement pulled at me and I was more optimistic than ever. I feared nothing at that moment and knew that the four of us were going to make it. We wouldn't let anything happen to one another. I pulled the water back with each stride, thanking myself for remembering to bring a pair of waterproof bags back when I was planning out the vacation a week ago. Most of our belongings were safe from the water and tucked away in the bag. The bigger things we couldn't take with us were strategically place on the island we'd left. There weren't crowds there or many visitors at all, so we assumed when we returned those items would be easily retrievable. I didn't really care. All we'd really left were extra clothes and a few other replaceable items.

"This is exciting," Bella huffed next to me, keeping my swimming pace as she paddled along.

"I know." I smiled feeling a small mouthful of salt water enter my mouth. Bella smiled back and then we continued to swim, carrying out strokes as fast as we could within reason. That was the last of our conversation for awhile. Soon the exercise became tougher. My arms and legs began to feel Jell-O and my midsection was telling me to stop. My heavy breaths were echoed by everyone else's around me and I finally stopped swimming to float on my back for a moment.

"I think we're about half way," Carlisle choked out. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"Yeah..." Bella let out a breath of her own. "Yeah, I'd say maybe a little more than half."

"Thank God," Esme added.

The swim was harder than I'd anticipated. Knowing that we had to go as far as we'd already come was simultaneously encouraging and overwhelming. My arms hadn't had this much exercise... ever. I wasn't a lazy person by any means but swimming wasn't one of my regular activities. I was wiped out, but equally ready to continue.

"Let's go," I urged, looking at Carlisle. I saw his eyes light up and I couldn't help but ask. "What?"

"I saw something," he said.

"Saw something?"

"Yeah... yeah I saw something... over there." He pointed over my shoulder and the three of us looked.

"Well, what was it?" Panic rose in my chest.

Carlisle's eyes met mine. "A fin. I saw a fin."

"A fin?" Bella shouted.

"A fin? What kind of fin?" I asked, my voice raising.

"I don't know," he shouted back, "Just a fin!"

I really felt it now - the panic. I asked myself if I really thought we would make it this far without trouble. I was a fool to think so.

Wouldn't you stop to think that there might be sharks in the Gulf of Thailand? I scolded myself but I knew it was too late.

"Was it big?" I bellowed.

Carlisle hesitated and caught his breath. "Yes."

I cursed and smacked my hands down on the water, which I immediately regretted doing. I wasn't a shark expert by any means but I'd watched Shark Week enough times to know that sharks are attracted to noise and splashing about.

"Why did you tell me?" I shouted.

"I just thought you should know," Carlisle told me.

"I'd rather you hadn't of told me!" I yelled back at him.

"I'm sorry!" he called back. "I just..." he looked around, "Where's Esme?"

I spun around in a complete circle and Bella looked to all sides. My stomach dropped.

"Esme!" Carlisle called and then looked at me, "She's gone!" He swam a few feet to his right and grabbed something. "Her bag!"

My heart stopped. "Oh my God." I put my hands on my head and stuck my head beneath the water and opened my eyes. No Esme. No shark. I tucked my legs as close to my chest as closely as I could and encouraged Bella to do the same.

"Esme!" Carlisle's frantic voice rang through the air and suddenly my world was turned upside down. There was a shark roaming around and our friend was gone; vanished. I dunked my head again and then resurfaced a moment later as Carlisle went on his frantic search for Esme.

"Esme!" Bella echoed his calls.

I was beginning to feel hope was lost; that we needed to go back and call in the accident - not that it would help Esme if she'd been taken under by a shark. When I felt something bump my leg I froze. I felt a tug next and then I knew it - my life was about to end.