True Love Waits

Chapter 433 Thank You For Being Alive

Carlos only gave her a long look. When the killer whale swam towards them, Debbie was so frightened she clutched Carlos tightly. "Run! Run!" she screamed, scrunching her eyes closed, too spooked to open them.

She heard water thrashing behind her, but soon it was quiet.

"Open your eyes," Carlos coaxed her.

When everything was quiet, Debbie's fear fled. She opened her eyes slowly. Her jaw dropped when she caught sight of what was right in front of her.

Carlos was stroking the killer whale's head!

"Are... are you crazy? I-l-it's going to eat you!" Fear filled her. She clung to his arm even tighter.

Since they boarded the boat, they'd been through a lot. Her day was filled with moments of terror and danger. She wondered if she would die from a heart attack soon.

For example, right now, her heart was pounding like it would burst through her chest, and she couldn't feel her legs.

Carlos, however, didn't seem scared at all.

Noticing the incredulity on her face, he explained, "About the only people these guys attack are their keepers. They like people."

As if to prove what he had said, the killer whale moved its huge body towards Debbie and butted its head against her playfully.

"Ugh! Help!" she cried. Suddenly, she wanted to be home. She really missed a bunch of people: Piggy, Curtis, Colleen, Kasie, Decker, even her mom. "Boo...hoo..."

Carlos smiled. He gave her a pat on the back and said, "It likes you."

'What?' Debbie stared at Carlos in shock. Cautiously, she looked back. The killer whale seemed to be smiling at her.

the water and slapping its tail against the surface. Just when Debbie thought it was leaving, it

Her heartbeat steadied. "The dolphins in

it," Carlos said

she couldn't see the whale anymore, Debbie waved her right arm excitedly and called out,

killer whale came swimming back. It finally surfaced only

chest, feeling embarrassed that she

the killer whale's. Then he asked Debbie to do it too. 'Seriously?' she

whale's big head. She didn't press her cheek against its until she was certain that it

Smiling, she gave the big

whale suddenly opened its enormous mouth, baring its two lines of sharp teeth. Debbie let it go in a hurry, screaming and retreating into Carlos' arms. Carlos was amused. "It was playing a practical joke on

which had closed its mouth. "That

too jumpy.

in denial. And that was when the

doing?" she

Carlos shook his head.

came back, the killer whale rubbed its head against Carlos' shin, and

"I'm sorry I forgot you were hurt. We were in the water a long time. Why didn't you say something? The sea is salty. That must hurt

at the deserted island and said, "It's

"How did it happen?"

happened so fast I didn't have any warning. It looked

disinfectant, no bandages. I guess you'll have

"That's okay," Carlos said.

in the water longer than she ever had. In fact, she wondered if she'd spent more time in the water than her entire life combined. When she jumped over the side, it was more terrifying than when she had fallen into the river three years

the depth of emotion in Debbie's soul. He took her into his arms and kissed her on

alive. Thank

than tinder,