“Dad, do you think he was talking about this Harbor?”, I asked.

“No, the signal would have been strong,” my dad replied. A board hanging by one nail read “Entry Fee: 2 cents”.  He jumbled 2 cents out of his sack and left it on the window sill. We parked next to an old dusty Chevy. My dad turned off the engine and it rumbled to a quiet stop. “You get the pole, I’ll get the canoe and bait.” my dad ordered. I went back and found the fishing pole broken. Dad will get mad at me, I thought. My dad was still preparing the bait, his eyes stuck to the bucket. I took my fishing knife that had the handle of a fine cherry wood. It looked brand new, though I bought it years ago. I scraped a hole on the side of the boat taking a chunk of wood off. I skillfully bound the wood to the pole using the leather hide of my handbag. “Yes, good as new!”,  thought.

We lowered the boat down the ramp on the east side of the harbor. The boat gleamed in the morning sun and the red words “Dart Craft” were on either sides. The boat rolled down the ramp and into the water. “Go in, I will start pushing and give us a head start,” and with that my dad started pushing the boat. He jumped in and we started paddling. “Once we are a mile in the water, we’ll start fishing,” my dad explained. We paddled slowly, the boat cutting through waves like cheese. Fish and a forest green algae floated at the bottom of the surface. I felt raindrop on my forehead. I looked at my dad he was looking at the sky. All at once the sky darkened, clouds came together forming a black haze in the sky. Lighting struck through the clouds like an explosion. “Go to the shore! ” my dad shouted, “The water conducts electricity. “

As if on cue, the waves started rolling at the hull. We paddled with all our strength, but the waves kept on pushing us back with each stroke. I could feel the Ocean’s anger and its longing for the Sun. Then with one blow the boat went lopsided. The bait and fishing pole fell into the ocean and was taken away fiercely by the current. I felt the cold freezing water against my chest. It was like the Ocean wanted to drag me down into its deepest depths.  “Dad! Dad!,” I shouted my head above the waves. I could hear nothing but the sky rumbling. The waves knocked me around, pushing me left and right like a ragged doll. Then I saw what was heaven to my eyes. The boat! With all the energy left I heaved my way back onto the boat forcing myself up. I stood scanning the ocean with all I could see. No! No! I thought. I knew it deep down. but I refused to admit it. My dad was gone.

Water! I looked down at my legs. The water filled inside of the boat and was getting higher by the minute. I couldn't move and the only thing I could think about was my dad. Then I decided to do what dad would want me to do. I had to stop worrying and save myself. With that thought, I removed my shirt, determined to find the leak. I noticed the leak spot at that very instant. The water had seeped in at the end of the boat where I had cut the chunk of wood. “How stupid!”, I thought. I plugged the hole with my shirt with the hope that it will hold the water from seeping in. The water still came in but at a slow rate. I took the paddles and started paddling with all my strength. To my surprise, I saw a blood red paddleboard glinting in the waves bobbing up and down like a bungee jumper. The paddleboard was lined with what seemed like a bite. I moved to the side of the boat and pulled the paddleboard up. To my horror it read Jake Russell No. 216.

That was the lifeguard on the intercom, I thought. I examined the bite, with the rain pouring harder on my back.  I remembered different types of bite marks that my Grandpa taught me last summer. I inspected the paddle board, getting scared the more I found out. Curved marks, clean cut, 3 inches wide! This was a bite from a shark and it was really big. I took the paddles and oared with all my might. The once pleasant Ocean was now furious and the wild waves were crashing against the boat leaving me staggering to get a hold on. My grip on the oars became loose and I was teary eyed with the thought of my father.  A hand gripped the side of the boat. “Dad!” I exclaimed hoisting him onto the boat,”I thought you were gone.”

“I told you the Ocean will keep us safe,” my dad said wearily, giving me a hug.”Let’s go to the shore.” His eyes were baggy and his clothes were soaked to the core. “What happened to the boat? Why is water leaking in? We have about half an hour left before the ocean overthrows the boat.” my dad said in a trembling voice, looking at the water leaking in.

“I think there is something you need to know.” I said. I showed the paddleboard with the marks on it and explained my theory.

“No! No!”, my dad said looking at the paddleboard. “The marks are new, the shark must be around.”  We took the paddles and started paddling, with the waves slowing us down. The shirt came out of the hole and water sprung into the boat. The water rose from ankle-height and was reaching my shin. Before we could do anything about the water, something collided as hard as a haul truck. POW! The boat shattered into million pieces each flying in different directions. The last thing I saw before I went into the ocean was a Great White Shark, his mouth wide open, filled with razor sharp teeth.

I was knocked into the ocean. The shadow of the shark still circling under the boat remains. I gasped for air. My father was floating next to me semi-consciously. He had smashed into the wooden wall of the boat and drops of blood were floating on the water. I fastened my wet leather pack to his waist and churned my legs in the water propelling us forward. I pushed my father onto the wooden residue of the boat and I climbed onto it looking for the shark. I opened the sack searching for the knife. I drew my fishing knife steadily, ready to attack the shark. To my shock, I could see the shark’s silhouette. It swam closer, it’s shadow getting bigger and bigger. My heart was pounding fast! BAM! The wood hull went spinning, almost throwing me off. The shark turned around going farther away from the boat. Is it leaving? Are we safe? No, I thought, the shark must be going back so he can get enough power to knock me and my dad off. The hull had cracked from the shark’ s force and the wood started to split. Sure enough, the shark’s shadow came back, zooming toward the broken hull like a torpedo. My heart started to ache, realizing that this is my last moment. My dad depended on me, there was no turning back. So I stood ready to face the shark in order to save my dad. The water diverged and the Great White flew out. Its mouth was aimed at me, its teeth, sharp as  thousand needles were ready to feast on me!

Its eyes were as black as a puma’s, and its hide was shining like a metal. I jumped clasping my hands on its fin stabbing the knife into the hide. The knife barely penetrated it, the shark splashed back into the water with me on its back. The water rushed to my face I dug my nails into its fin and the shark shaked violently in an effort to throw me off. The shark dragged me under the water trying to deprive me of air.  It was at that time I remembered what my Dad had told me. The sharks greatest weakness was its underside and that was where Naula, the great harpooner struck the first shark. The shark wheeled around and shot straight to the hull where my dad lay unconscious. I can’t strike his underside from here. I needed a distraction. Then I realized the only thing that would work, it was risky but I was willing to do it. I held the knife and jabbed the shark in its evil eyes!

I could feel the shark’s anger and evil excitement. I left hold off the fin and swam towards the hull. The cold water freezed my chest. I manage to grab the hull and stood on top. My dad was weak lying on the hull. His shirt was torn and his eyes were staring into the sky. My dad will manage I thought and he is the strongest person I knew! The shark’s phenomenal sense of smell would compensate for the lack of it’s sight. I jumped into the water the knife in my hand in an attempt to lure the shark. I held my breath, squirming in the water knowing that the shark might come at me any second. I was right and a huge shadow was cast on me.  The shark will sense any movement, I thought. I must wait for it to come close to me and pounce at the right moment, I realized. The shark circled and swam a foot in front of me, its eyes filled with blood. I drew my knife aiming for the shark and at the right moment I jabbed. The shark moved at supernatural speed propelling itself away. NO! NO! NO! The shark knows where I am. It will get me then go for my father I thought losing hope. I used up the last of my air and swam to the surface. The shark’s shadow became larger by the second. I took the fishing knife still embraced in my hand and aimed for the shark. I must do it for my mom and my little brother for everybody at home. SPOOF! The shark surged out of the water, its hide scarred with scratches of my knife. I took my knife with lighting speed and with all my might, I jabbed the shark in its heart!

I looked at my grandpa with elation. His face was pale with wrinkles and his hair was white. He had tears in the corner of his eyes, but none of my siblings seemed to realize. “Grandpa! Grandpa! Did you kill the shark? How did you escape? What happened to Great Grandpa Henry?”  My little brother Harry asked a volley of questions filled with excitement.

“Slow down there, sailor. Yes I did kill the shark,” my grandpa said with a sigh,” But with a terrible price.” He pulled up his right pant and a nub of right leg showed. Everybody gasped  looking at his leg. “The shark had injured of my leg when he breathed his last. But dad…,” Grandpa sniffled a cry. “He couldn’t make it to the shore. The lifeguards found me a day later. I was dehydrated and my leg was swollen. They took me to the hospital and they had to amputate my leg. It meant no fishing, no playing football with my brother…” a tear rolled down his face.

“It's ok Grandpa,” I spoke up. Everyone stared at me. “ You have us that's all that matters, we are a family now.”

“Yes,” my Grandpa said wiping away his tears,” I have you, Jacob, Harry and Amanda.” He sniffled a smile. “There’s one more thing I must do.” He reached into his pocket and pulled a Shark tooth braided delicately with a necklace. He looked at me and said, ”This is for you the eldest of the Riddle family. Tom Marvolo Riddle.” I walked up to my Grandpa.

“Thank you Grandpa. I love you.” I embraced him with my arms.

“From now on the Riddles’ will pass this on to the eldest child of our family.” my grandpa said gallantly.

“But I want one!” Harry moaned.

“I have an idea, I’ll cut the tooth so we all can have one.” I said smiling.

“Ok Tom, but after dinner,” my Grandpa said with a laugh. With that, the entire Riddle family went to gorge on the delicious dinner waiting for them.