His breath quickened. He imagined what the crew must believe, watching shadows from above. To them, it looked like he was trapped inside an indifferent leviathan. In truth, he was caught in a fragile alliance—one that might dissolve the instant human intervention clashed with the whale’s own mysterious intent.
The coastguard deployed baited nets, dragging them across the current to lure the shark away. Schools of fish scattered in flashing silver storms. Yet the predator lingered, undeterred, circling like a patient executioner. Its persistence was chilling. The whale tightened its hold, muscles flexing in silent defiance against the hunter.