Haze (11 page)
The Coast Guard found the guys in the boat. Last I heard, the police were still looking for Nate and his father.
I didn't find this all out at once. It happened bit by bit, over days and weeks. But something else happened before I left.
Mom came in. She was smiling, but her eyes were damp. “Jeremy wants to see you,” she said. “If you're ready.”
They took me in a wheelchair up to the seventh floor. I could have walked with crutches (my ankle was sprained, not broken), but the nurses said it was hospital policy. I wasn't very good with the crutches anyhow.
Jeremy's room had peach-colored curtains, just like mine. Abby was already there, along with her dad. Her dad ducked out of the room when I appeared. He squeezed my shoulder as he passed.
Abby had ditched her wheelchair and was standing beside Jeremy's bed. “He's doing a lot better,” she said, almost defensively. When I got close, I saw why.
He looked terrible. His face was swollen and discolored. He wore a cast on one arm and both legs, and he breathed shallowly, like it hurt. But he was awake.
“Just a few minutes,” the nurse said.
I nodded. I stared at Jeremy. My tongue dried up.
“Thank you,” Jeremy said, hardly moving his jaw.
I nodded. “I wish I'd figured it out sooner,” I said. “I wishâ”
But Jeremy shook his head, then winced. “Did good.”
Abby came around beside me and took my hand. Jeremy's eyes widened. “Again?” he asked.
Abby shrugged. “Get out of bed first. Then worry about who I'm dating.”
Jeremy groaned. Abby and I decided to let him get some rest.
We had some catching up to do.
It's March. I'm on the starting block for statewide junior varsity finals, men's freestyle.
Abby and Jeremy are in the stands with my parents. Jeremy isn't walking well yet, so they're in the wheelchair-accessible seating at the top of the stands. Abby waves. Jeremy's wearing his Strathmore uniform and his varsity swimming jacket.
Droid is with our new coach and the rest of the team. He's wearing his Sharks swim cap.
My lane is in front of me, blue water rippling. This is my world. I lean forward and let my fingers skim the starting block. I'm focused. Ready.
I'm on the team. I'm a Shark, but I'll never call myself that, not after everything that happened.
I'm not a shark. I'm something better, stronger, faster.
Me.
In this, as in all writing projects, huge thanks must go to my wonderful writing group, Critical Ms. When
Haze
was being edited, CM included Anne Louise Currie, Kimberly Gerson (the Americanisms expert), Kathy Himbeault, Jason Pyper, Gwynn Scheltema, Jocelyne Stone, Bill Swan, Gavy Swan and Ruth Walker, but I've learned from all CMers along the way. Thanks also to those in the Mabel's Fables workshop led by Peter Carver for helping with some tricky scenes. Especially, thank you to Karen Rankin for the rescue read.
Thank you to Susan and Henry BlakeneyâSue for invaluable feedback and encouragement and cookies, and Henry for being a one-man Wikipedia when I needed it.
Cathy Gerroir, private swim teacher and coach with the Whitby Dolphins swim team, thank you for being so generous with your time and knowledge. I love your passion for swimming. This book only scratches the surface of the world you showed me.
Thank you also to Karen Hansen-Cowper of Trafalgar Castle School, and Gary Godkin of St. Andrew's College, for being so gracious and open and for taking the time to introduce me to the workings of private-school life. I came away with an even greater respect for your schools and for the people who work there.
Thank you, Alix (Dr. Alix Carter if we're being formal, but why start now?), for letting me pick your brain for the details around Jeremy's accident. It worries me how much fun you seemed to have with that.
And Mike Thomas, thanks for helping me get the weight room scenes right, and for being a great brother. But don't tell anyone I said that. Thanks also to Mike's friend Bram Peters for allowing me to borrow your name. It's a cool name. I hope you approve of the character I gave it to.
Thank you to my agent, Monica Pacheco of Anne McDermid & Associates Literary Agency, and especially to wonderful editor (and fearless rescuer of wasps), Christi Howes, and to all the team at Orca.
And finally, thank you to my family, Aaron and Sarah. For everything.
Erin Thomas is the author of several books for children and teens. She loves to read, especially stories with lots of adventure. She enjoyed learning more about swimming for
Haze
, although her own swimming career never went past a lopsided crawl. Part of the inspiration for
Haze
came from Erin's own experiences with hazing at university.
She lives in her hometown of Whitby, Ontario, with her husband, their daughter, a small gray cat and a large black dog. Both the cat and the dog hate to swim.
To learn more about Erin and her books, please visit
www.erinthomas.ca
.
SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD RYAN IS DETERMINED
to be a professional snowboarder, but he's learned from what happened to his father that doing the right thing can get you in trouble. So when his board is stolen, and he discovers that his cousin knows more than he should about recent criminal activity at the ski resort, Ryan has to choose between career and family, and hope that, for him, doing the right thing will pay off.
Titles in the Series
o
rca sp
o
rts
Absolute Pressure
Sigmund Brouwer
All-Star Pride
Sigmund Brouwer
Blazer Drive
Sigmund Brouwer
Boarder Patrol
Erin Thomas
Chief Honor
Sigmund Brouwer
Cobra Strike
Sigmund Brouwer
Crossover
Jeff Rud
Dawn Patrol
Jeff Ross
Dead in the Water
Robin Stevenson
The Drop
Jeff Ross
Fly Away
Nora Rock
Flying Feet
James McCann
Gravity Check
Alex Van Tol
Haze
Erin Thomas
Hitmen Triumph
Sigmund Brouwer
Hurricane Power
Sigmund Brouwer
Jumper
Michele Martin Bossley
Kicker
Michele Martin Bossley
Maverick Mania
Sigmund Brouwer
Oil King Courage
Sigmund Brouwer
Paralyzed
Jeff Rud
Powerslide
Jeff Ross
Razor's Edge
Nikki Tate
Rebel Glory
Sigmund Brouwer
Scarlet Thunder
Sigmund Brouwer
Slam Dunk
Kate Jaimet
Squeeze
Rachel Dunstan Muller
Thunderbird Spirit
Sigmund Brouwer
Tiger Threat
Sigmund Brouwer
Titan Clash
Sigmund Brouwer
Two Foot Punch
Anita Daher
Venom
Nikki Tate
Winter Hawk Star
Sigmund Brouwer
o
rca sp
o
rts
For more information on all the books
in the Orca Sports series, please visit
www.orcabook.com
.