VACATION TERROR

Miguel and his family were on vacation in the Bahamas, soaking up the sun with their loyal dog by their side. While his parents grabbed hot dogs from a nearby stand, Miguel and his older sister dashed into the sparkling turquoise water. Their dog splashed alongside them for a few minutes before trotting back to shore.

“Miguel, come eat!” his mother called from the beach. “And bring your sister with you!”

“Okay!” Miguel shouted back. He turned around, expecting to see his sister swimming nearby.

She was gone.

A cold knot twisted in his stomach. The water stretched out endlessly, calm and empty. “Sofia!” he yelled, his voice cracking. No answer. Only the gentle lap of waves.

He swam farther from shore, heart hammering in his chest.

The sun beat down, but the water suddenly felt ice-cold. It was almost lunchtime—where could she be?

Then he saw it.

Something pale floated just beneath the surface, drifting slowly with the current. Miguel hesitated, then paddled closer. When he reached out and lifted it, horror slammed into him.

Blood clouded the water around it, dark and swirling. Miguel screamed, a raw, piercing cry that tore across the beach. In shock, he dropped the severed limb and began thrashing back toward shore.

That’s when he felt it.

Something brushed against his leg.

Panic exploded through his body. Miguel kicked wildly, trying to reach the safety of the beach. “Mom! Dad!” he screamed, but his voice was lost in the waves. The shore looked so far away now. Every stroke forward seemed to pull him two strokes back.

The fin vanished beneath the surface.

For one horrible second, there was silence.

Then something massive slammed into him from below. Jaws clamped around his leg with crushing force, dragging him downward. Miguel thrashed and screamed underwater, bubbles exploding around him as blood bloomed in a dark red cloud.

On the surface, the water churned violently for a moment… then grew still.

All that remained, floating gently among the waves, were Miguel’s goggles.