佚名/Anonymous
ExceptforthesealsbobbingtheirblackbeadsinandoutofthegreenPacifcwaters, brothersEricandNickLarsenseemedtohavetheoceantothemselves.
Dressedinwetsuits, glovesontheirhands, , July1，-footwavesweresweepingintoanarrow, desertedbeach, oneofthemanycovesonthecoastlinenorthofCaliforniasMontereyBay.
Sometimeafter8a.m.，50-year-oldNickpointedhisboardtowardtheshoreabout150yardsaway.“Imgoingtothetrucktowarmup.”hesaid.
“Illstayalittlelonger.”Ericcalledafterhim.
Untiltenweeksearlier, .
Sowhenthecompanybeganlayingoffemployee, the32-year-oldtoldmanagementhedtakealeaveofabsence.
Atsix-foot-oneand175pounds, , running, swimming, bicycling, surfngandcanoeing.
Awaitingthebreakofagoodwave, , hethought.
Inthatinstant, , hesawtwowiderowsofwhite, triangularteeth, baredtothegums, , hislegwascaughtinthejawsofagreatwhitesharkatleast15feetlong.
Prythemloose！Inlightning-fastrefex, Ericshothisglovedlefthandtothetopofthemonsterssnout, , whilethesharktugged.
Atthatmoment, thejawsopened, , , hetriedtopullthemin.
Lunging, tailthrashing, , untouched, gropedinsidethehugecavityofthemouth.
Ericwasafraid, ‘, , ！Hithim！Bunchinghisrightfst, hesmashedtheshark’, muscular, butthepressurecameoffhisleftarmandheyankeditclear.
Hewasundertheshark, -footnylonleashattachingEric‘srightankletothesurfboard.I’mallchewedup, hethoughtwildly, andnowthis.
Forseveralseconds, , abruptly, , thesharknowhereinsight.
, andheswunghimselfaboard, bellydown.
, .
Hesettledintoarhythmicpace, , , ithadonlytofollowtheblood.
