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I wake to my favourite noise; the sound of waves crashing against rocks.

I take my time getting ready for the day, choosing to have a long bath in the morning. The breeze has picked up, so I plait my hair to stop it from flying in my face outside. 

It's sunny, despite the breeze, so I stick with a pair of shorts and a light top. I eat my lunch on the balcony, soaking up the rays above the water.

When afternoon comes, I decide to go for a walk. I take a different path from the two I used yesterday. It winds through the houses.

Half-way along the walk, I regret my decision.

You tend to get busy-bodies in small towns. Something about a small population makes people think they have a right to be in everyone's business. Cape Mare is no different.

It was like it when I used to live here, and it appears not to have changed, because, as I walk along, I can feel people watching me. I catch locals staring at me from their gardens, peeping around curtains through the windows, blatantly watching me as they drive past.

It's uncomfortable, to say the least.

I tell myself that it's probably because they recognise me. I did live here for four years, after all.

Nonetheless, I feel much better when I reach the main street and leave the cul-de-sacs behind. 

Fancying a smoothie, I stop by Lily's Café. I manage to snag myself a window seat and I order a pineapple and mango smoothie.

Whilst waiting for it to be made, I check my phone for messages. There's barely any, I'm not particularly sociable.

The drink arrives and I sip it as I people-watch. My heart sinks as Billy and Mike walk past the café window.

I didn't think they saw me, but a second later, the bell tinkles as the door opens. 

Their shadows fall over me and I reluctantly look up.

'Have you heard?' Billy asks aggressively.

I flinch at his tone. This is already starting badly and I haven't even said anything.

'Heard what?' I ask, turning back to my smoothie.

'We didn't catch a fucking thing this morning. Do you know why?' Mike answers.

I take a deep breath before replying. 'No.'

'Because something was in the water, scaring the fish away from our nets,' Billy says angrily, his voice getting louder at the end.

A few people in the café turn around to look at the commotion he is making.

'I'm sorry to hear that,' I reply with disinterest.

Mike slams both of his hands down on the table, making me jump.

'I don't want your condolences, your apologies, hell, even your opinion. I want you gone. It's because of you that the Pistris are back!'

I stand up suddenly, my chair scraping back on the floor.

'How can you honestly blame me for sharks being in the water? Do you even hear yourself?' I retort angrily.

I grab my bag and put it over my shoulder, I pick up my smoothie and turn to leave.

Mike catches my wrist, holding it tightly.

'You know as well as I that they're not fucking sharks, Marlie,' he says lowly, glancing around at the nosy patrons who are watching us with unashamed interest.

I pull my wrist free from his grip and hold it to my chest.

'No, Mike, I don't. I don't know anything about what you're talking about. I told you yesterday, leave me alone!'

I storm out of the café and march down the street, wanting to put as much distance between them and me as I can. 

The nerve of them!

They're actually blaming me for them not making any stupid catches this morning. I'll admit, the timing is weird, but still!

What could I have possibly done to make that happen?

I take the path home that goes down past the cove. I'm so angry that I can't find it in myself to be scared today. 

I get to the water and keep my gaze on the path, not letting myself remember that day. 

When I get home, I change into my bikini and lie down on the balcony. I calm myself down with some sunbathing for a few hours.

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By the time evening comes, I'm back to my old self. Screw Mike and Billy, they're not ruining my mini vacation.

I eat my dinner alone in the warm evening air, watching the tide come in again. 

The only traditional thing about Nana's house, is that she doesn't have a TV. I brought my laptop with me, but I'm not sure the weak Wifi connection will support it.

In the mood for another walk, I change into a white summer dress and sandals. I leave my hair plaited and walk back into town. I don't take anything with me, I don't need it.

Billy and Mike should still be out on the water, so I shouldn't bump into them. Hopefully, they'll catch something this time and they'll leave me alone. 

I walk past the ice cream parlour and regret not bringing any money.

Tomorrow, I'll walk down here and treat myself to a cone.

I take the route to the beach. It's still the same as it looked years ago. There are signs everywhere, warning people not to swim in the waters due to the hidden, sharp rocks.

I walk along the beach but give up half-way. The stones are so sharp underfoot, they even dig in through my sandals. I break off and get back onto the path.

Finding a suitable, smooth rock, I sit and watch the water.

It's dark black at this hour, and even the waves don't seem to be crashing onto the shore with as much effort as they do in the day. It's like they're slowing down for bedtime.

I check the time at one of the restaurants, it's almost ten o'clock.

Choosing to return home, I take the cove path again.

I hum quietly to myself as I walk the well-trodden pathway. It curves around the island and dips down to the cove.

It's only as I reach the cove that the hairs rise on the back of my neck. 

At first, I assume it is because of my history here.

When I was thirteen, I decided to swim in the waters.

My Nana was having a nap on her beach towel and I wanted to go deeper than my usual. I waded out and then began swimming, until I couldn't feel the sand under my toes.

I was enjoying myself for a few minutes. The water wasn't too cold and there was barely a current. 

Then, the first fin came.

A grey triangle, slicing through the water towards me. 

I remember the fear that bolted through me, and the piercing scream I let out.

My Nana woke instantly and saw me out in the water. By the time she was wading out to me, other fins had joined.

Five large fins are circling me in the water. I could feel the gentle nudge of scales on my legs as I treaded water, trying to keep myself afloat.

I tried to swim to Nana, but the sharks kept nudging me deeper. 

The second Nana got to me, they swam away. She shooed and shouted at them, splashing her hands in the water to scare them.

She gripped my arm and swam us both back to shore. The moment her feet touched the sea bed, she stood up and yanked from the water.

She carried me the rest of the way to shore and dumped me on the towel, scolding me for being so foolish.

We both looked out at the water, where I had been. The five fins still lingered, before eventually disappearing.

What struck me as odd, was that those sharks had plenty of time to attack me. They could have bitten me, dragged me off, drowned me, anything. But the only physical damage I left with, was the pink fingerprints on my arms from my Nana's grip.

'They wanted to eat me, Nana!' I remember crying after the experience, terrified to enter the water again.

Nana was furious with me.

She rubbed me down with the towel, so vigorously I felt like she was trying to exfoliate my skin. 

'They wanted to do nothing of the sort. They were interested in you.'

'What did they want with me, then?' 

The look Nana got in her eyes worried me. She looked scared for some reason.

'They wanted to take you away with them. I told you, Marlie, don't go in the water.'

I never went in again.

The experience put me off sea water for life. I never watched Jaws, and I hate seeing sharks in aquariums. 

I snap out of my memories and realise that, the reason the hairs are standing on end on the back of my neck, is because I can hear footsteps behind me.

I look over my shoulder and my heart rate increases at the sight of Billy and Mike, following me.

'Marlie!' Billy shouts my name and I increase my pace, hoping they'll just let me go.

Their footsteps get faster as they run towards me. I break into a run myself, treading the uneven path with hurried steps.

The men catch me quickly, both of them grabbing my upper arms from behind. I try to pull free of their grips, but they hold me tightly.

I scream, but there's no one around. With the cliff face on our left, the sea on our right and metres of trodden path in front and behind, there's nowhere to go.

'Do you know what happened this evening?' Billy asks rhetorically. 'We went out of the boat. And something, some big-fucking-thing, bit a chunk out of Dad's boat.'

My eyes widen as the two of them drag me off the path and over the rocks, towards the water.

'You drew them to the island, and now they're here, waiting for you,' Billy spits. 'So, we're going to give you to them.'

'No! Let me go! Are you crazy?' I shout and try to squirm out of their holds.

'It's the only way,' Mike adds. 'They're here for you.'

Without further ado, the two men drag me to the edge of the rocks. It's about a five metre drop to the water from here. Jagged points of the volcanic, black rock protrude from the surface.

'You'll kill me! Don't do it!' I cry, but they ignore me.

They hold me over the edge and my nails dig into their arms, trying to grip onto them. They let go in unison, but I keep my grip on Mike.

His trainers slip on the rock's edge, no doubt wet with sea spray. 

We both fall together.

The water isn't too cold. It's the shock from hitting it that gets me.

I must submerge about 2 metres, before I realise what has happened and frantically kick my legs.

This close to the rocks, the waves are rougher. They push me against the sharp rocks and then drag me back out with every wave.

I cough up some water and push stray strands of hair back from my face. Blinking the water from my eyes, I look around, trying to get my bearings.

Mike surfaces close to me and coughs harshly. 

'Are you fucking mad?' I shout at him, trying to be heard over the waves.

We both sway back and forth with the tide, treading water to stay above the surface. 

'Mike! Swim to the rocks! They're coming!' Billy calls over the edge, down to Mike.

A chill runs down my spine.

They're coming?

With a horrible feeling of trepidation, I twist my neck and look over my shoulder. Anthracite-grey fins are cutting through the water quickly, heading straight for us.

My heart starts beating frantically. I kick my legs and swim forwards.

Mike is looking at the approaching sharks too, fear written all over his face.

The two of us front crawl towards the rock side, but the sharks are much faster. 

They circle the both of us, not letting us move from where we are. The smooth scales are so familiar against my legs, nudging me back into place every time I move.

I watch, stunned, as the sharks only circle Mike a few times before coming towards me. He swims to the rocks and drags himself from the water, leaving me surrounded.

What the fuck?

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