I couldn't move ... well, I guess I was treading water, but that was automatic. I had to do something. The boat had already drifted away from me. I had to swim to it or swim to the shore. And I had to decide quick. There was so much screaming going on in the boat I couldn't think.
Then people in the boat began to point behind me. Far out! I knew what that meant. I put my head down and swam flat out toward the boat. I didn't take a breath like I was doing laps; I just went flat out. The screaming coming from the boat made me go at supersonic speed. But it was weird because I thought about stuff ... like how afraid I'd been but now, when I might be living my last moments, I was so calm. I knew what I had to do and I was just doing it.
I lifted my head up when I thought I must've been close to the boat. But I wasn't; I still had a few metres to go. I noticed Charlie leaning over the side at the front of the boat throwing life jackets into the water. Was he stupid? I couldn't reach them. Why wasn't he throwing them to me?
Then, about fifteen metres away, I saw a croc gliding toward the life jackets and I remembered; crocs were attracted to the fluorescent colors. Charlie was trying to distract them so I could get to the boat. Just then, a blinding flash of truth lit up in my head; Charlie really did love me. He might tease me, be sarcastic and make out he didn't care, but really he did.
BANG! I felt something hit the right side of my body; I was flung off to the side. The whole right side of my body felt like a truck had hit it. When I came up for air I saw what had hit me. Oh my God! A croc's tail - it was a monster, and it was heading for the fluorescent jackets. At exactly the same time, both crocs went ballistic. They tore apart the jackets in a huge frenzy. There were bits of life jackets flying everywhere., That could be me!
People from the boat were yelling at me. I ignored the pain, put my head down and swam the last few metres to the boat. I touched the boat and looked across to where the crocs were. But they weren't there any more; they were coming at me. Fast - real fast.
I was DEAD. My life flashed before me - like in a movie. The time I got lost in a shopping center and I thought I'd never see Mom, Dad or Charlie again and how scared I'd been. Riding my first bike up and down the street wearing my Batman cape. Emma Morton, the prettiest girl in the world, coming to my fourth birthday party and me being too shy to talk to her. Charlie and me having berry fights with our next-door neighbors. Thomo's first day of school and how we just knew straight away that we'd be best friends. And all the pranks me, Thomo and Chook played at school. When we won the soccer grand final in the last thirty seconds of the game. Trashing Aunt Evil's car with Lucy at Uncle Dan's wedding. Forcing myself to eat dog food stew. Being chased by a croc. And now ... about to be eaten by two humungous crocs.
"MAX!" yelled a familiar voice.
I looked up to see that a big, strong arm had reached down. I grabbed the guide's hand and he pulled me up. He must've been strong.
Just as my stomach leant over the rail, I looked down and saw both crocs jump out of the water. People screamed so loud there was no point me screaming too. I shut my eyes and waited for the CHOMP. I imagined my legs bitten off at the knees with blood and guts hanging out.
But then I was dragged over the rail. And I could still feel my legs. I opened my eyes and saw Charlie and then I turned to see the crocs below. I realized Charlie had chucked stuff at them to distract them from my legs. There was a backpack and a handbag floating in the water. Wow! He was so smart.
Someone wrapped a towel round me and the crowd moved back and there was just Charlie, Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad were so white they looked like they'd seen a ghost. Charlie was okay.
"Thanks, Charlie," I said in a shaky voice. "I owe you."
"Nah." He sat down beside me.
Mom kneeled down in front of me. She began to cry and couldn't stop.
"I'm okay, Mom," was the only thing I could think of to say. Dad had his head in his hands.
Harry came up and hugged me.
I let out a big breath. Wow! I'd swum with crocs and lived. I couldn't wait to get home to tell Thomo and Chook.
Then the guide came alongside me, rested his hand on my shoulder and said in his deep, wise voice, "You've faced death and lived. You'll never feel fear like that again. You are very brave. From this time on in your life, you have nothing to fear.
I grinned, feeling totally fearless. Nothing to fear!