佚名

Anonymous

ExcetforthesealsbobbingtheirblackbeadsinandoutofthegreenPacifcwaters,brothersEricandNickLarsenseemedtohavetheoceantothemselves.

Dressedinwetsuits,glovesontheirhands,theystraddledtheirrockingsurfboardsunderabrilliantbluesky.TherewasasoutherlyfowtotheoceanthiscoolMondaymorning,July1，1991.Four-footwavesweresweeingintoanarrow,desertedbeach,oneofthemanycovesonthecoastlinenorthofCaliforniasMontereyBay.

Sometimeafter8a.m.，50-year-oldNickointedhisboardtowardtheshoreabout150yardsaway.“Imgoingtothetrucktowarmu.”hesaid.

“Illstayalittlelonger.”Ericcalledafterhim.

Untiltenweeksearlier,ErichadbeenasoftwareengineerforaSiliconValleycomanywritingrogramsforafiber-oticdatanetworkfortheroosedNASAsacestation.Buthefoundtheacetooslowandwantedtobeoutdoors.

Sowhenthecomanybeganlayingoffemloyee,the32-year-oldtoldmanagementhedtakealeaveofabsence.

Atsix-foot-oneand175ounds,Ericwasalwaysinshae.Nowhebroughthimselftoeakfitness,running,swimming,bicycling,surfngandcanoeing.

Awaitingthebreakofagoodwave,Ericgazedseaward.Thenhenoticedaswirlingturbulencecloseby.Theressomethingreallybigdownthere,hethought.

Inthatinstant,hefeltaowerfulclamonhisleftleg.Gainginhorror,hesawtwowiderowsofwhite,triangularteeth,baredtothegums,bitingthroughfesh.Thightoshin,hislegwascaughtinthejawsofagreatwhitesharkatleast15feetlong.

Prythemloose！Inlightning-fastrefex,Ericshothisglovedlefthandtothetoofthemonsterssnout,hisrighttothebottom.Heushedmightilyagainstthejaws,whilethesharktugged.

Atthatmoment,thejawsoened,andEricjerkedhislegfree.Hekickedawayfromthehulkingattacker,armsstilloutstretched.Toolate,hetriedtoullthemin.

Lunging,tailthrashing,thesharksankitsteethdeeintoEricsleftarmfromelbowtowristandcruncheddownontheboneoftherightforearm.Hishands,untouched,groedinsidethehugecavityofthemouth.

Ericwasafraid,butnotterrifed.Hisengineer‘smindfocusedonthejaw.Pullingandtuggingdeserately,hefelthisrightarmmoveagainsttheteeth.Afierceull,andhetoreitout.Attack！Hithim！Bunchinghisrightfst,hesmashedtheshark’sgray-whitebellyinahammerblow.Thehidefeltfat,muscular,buttheressurecameoffhisleftarmandheyankeditclear.

Hewasundertheshark,awayfromitsjaws.Thenhisbodywasjerkedviolently.Thesharkhadsnaggedthesix-footnylonleashattachingEric‘srightankletothesurfboard.I’mallchewedu,hethoughtwildly,andnowthis.

Forseveralseconds,hewastowedthroughthewaterfeetfirstatdizzyingseed.Then,abrutly,hewasfoundering.Theleashwasbroken,thesharknowhereinsight.

Hekickedtothesurfaceandguledair.Hissurfboardwasfloatingonlyafewfeetaway,andheswunghimselfaboard,bellydown.

OverthewavecrestsEriccaughtaglimseoftheshorelineandaddledforit.Relax,hecoachedhimself.Itsnotoveryet.Conserveyourenergy.

Hesettledintoarhythmicace,buteachstrokeofhisarmsleftascarlettrail.Anxiously,hescannedtheoceanforadorsalfn.Thesharkwasouttheresomewhere.Tofndhim,ithadonlytofollowtheblood.

Ericwantedtogofaster,butdarednot.Theharderheaddled,thefasterhisheartoundedandthemorehisbloodlost.Halfwaytoshore,helookedbehind,andhiseyesfxedonawaverushingathim.Headu,handsguiding,hecaughtitscrestandrodeittoshore.Atleasthecantgetmehere.

Awoozyfeelingcameoverhimashesatthereandinsectedtherawuloftissueundertheshredsofhiswetsuit.Downhisleftlegandalonghisarmswerewoundsthatgaedtothebone.Fromthedeelacerationabovetheknee,hejudgedthatthesharkhadmangledthemuscle.Bloodsurtedfromacutinthecrookofhisleftarm.Thesharkhadseveredanartery.Hehadescaeditsjaws,butnowhecouldbleedtodeathinminutes.

Heclamedthegashfirmlywithhisrighthand,andthrustthearmabovehishead.Bloodmusthavebeensoutingoutofthearmsincetheattack.Alreadythelosswasmakinghimfaint.

Ifheassedoutwithhishandnolongersealingthewound,lifewouldbleedoutofhim.Ericsmindraced,lsthistheend?

Hehadbeenintightsotsmanytimes.Alwayshehadulledthrough.Thekeywasemotionalcontrol,nevertobesofrightenedthathecouldnotthinkandact.Life‘stoogood.l’mtooyoungtodieonthisdeath.

Hehadtogetaroundtheheadlandwherehecouldbeenseen.Clamberingtohisfeet,armstillclenched,hestaggereduthebeach.“Suckitu,Eric，”hetoldhimselfaloud.“Hike！”

Ericunderstoodwhatwashaeningtohisbody.WhileingraduateschoolinMontanahehadsenttwoyearsasaski-atrolvolunteerandhadearnedacertificateinadvancedfrstaid.Theskillhadservedhimthroughnearlyadozenrescues.

After50yards,heslumedonhisbackside.Heneededtouthislegsu,getmorebloodtohisvitalorgans,buttherewasnotime.Herested30secondsandstumbledon.

Twicemorehedroedtothesandinahalf-faint,Hefeltthebloodulsingunderhishand,readytosout.“Gettough！”hecommanded,tighteninghisgri.

Ahead，300feetaway,wasaclusteroffourbeachhouses.Hestumbledtowardthem.Thenhecouldgonofurtherhehadtositdown.Bloodooledinthesandaroundhim.“Helme！”hecried.

Inasmallcottageattheedgeofthebeach，16-year-oldBenBurdetteheardsomeoneyelling.Steingoutside,hesawamanlyingonthesand.“Hel！”cameashout.“Ivebeenattackedbyashark.Call911.”

Bensawthemansuraisedarmswerecoveredinblood.Turningonhisheeds,hesrintedforthehouse.

Inside,Bensmother,Michele,heardhersonatthehone.“onthebeach,bittenbyashark,looksrettybad……”

Sherantothebeach.Thefguresrawledtherewasstillcryingout.Shegasedatthegoreofhislegsandarms.Kneelingathisside,shesawhislisweregray.“Imloosingit，”hesaid.“Youhavetostothebleeding.Myleftarm.Theresaressureointunderneath,unearthearmit.Holdontight.”

Michelesankherfngersintothemainbrachialarteryofthearm.

Secondslater,Benwasonthescenewithtowels.FollowingEric‘sinstruction,heusedthemtoelevatethewoundedman’sfeet.Thenheracedofftoflagdowntherescueunits.MicheleavoidedlookingatEricswoundsandketaskinghimquestionstokeehimawake.

Intenminutesorso,theywerejoinedbyaregisterednurse,whowasalsocatainofthevolunteerrescuesquadinnearbyDavenort,arescueteamfromtheCaliforniaDeartmentofForestryandNickLarsen.Hehadbeenleaningagainstthetruck,justafewhundredyardsaway,susectingnothing.

“Itsgoodtohaveyouhere.”saidEricasNickgriedhishand.

Therescuers,soonreinforcedbyanambulancecrew,laboredoverEricfornearlyanhour.Theygavehimureoxygenandbeganrunningfuidintohisveins.Cuttingawayhiswetsuit,theybandagedhiswoundsandulledrubberized,inflatabletrousersonhislegstoforcebloodtohisuerbody.

Rescuerswereastonishedhewasstilllucidaftersuchmassivebloodloss.Thefirstreadingofhissystolicbloodressurewasaerilouslylow50.Butbythetimeanevacuationhelicotergottothebeachforthesix-minuteflighttoDominicanSantaCruzHosital,Ericsbloodressurewasclosetonormal.

ItlummetedagainwiththeremovaloftheressureantsintheemergencyroomatDominican,thenbegantoriseafterinfusionsofredbloodandmorefuids.Doctorsjudgedthathehadlostnearlyhalfthebloodinhisbody.

Intheoeratingroom,onesurgeonworkedonEricsleg,anotheronhisarms.Thequadriceslegmusclewassevered,aieceofanarmmusclebittenoutaltogether.Botharmswerelaidoentothebone.Theboneitselfwasscratchedbythesharksserratedteeth.“Itslikethebonewassawedwithabreadknife，”commentedonedoctor.

Aweeklater,hewashomewithslintonhislegandcastsonbotharms.Threeweeksafterthathewaslimingalongthebeachandrelivinghisadventure.“Ithinkthesharkwastastingme,hoingIwasaseal.”hesaid.“Maybehedidn‘tlikethetasteoftherubberywetsuitandthat’swhyheletmego.”

此刻，除了海豹的黑脑袋在绿色的太平洋上跃动，整个海域似乎就剩下埃瑞克·拉森和尼克·拉森两兄弟了。

1991年7月1日，一个星期一的早晨，他们穿着潜水紧身衣，戴着手套，在湛蓝的天空下踏着冲浪板冲浪。有一股来自南方的洋流来到此地，4英尺高的海浪冲击着加利福尼亚蒙特雷海湾众多海湾中一个狭窄、荒凉的小海滩。

早晨8点后，50岁的尼克将冲浪板指向150码以外的海滩，说道：“我要到卡车里暖和暖和。”

“我想再待一会儿。”埃瑞克在他的身后喊着。

10个星期以前，埃瑞克还在硅谷一家公司担任软件工程师，为美国国家航空航天局太空站的光纤数据网络编写程序。但他讨厌那种慢条斯理的工作环境，所以决定出去走走。

于是，当公司准备裁员时，32岁的埃瑞克便向人事管理部门提出了休假请求。

埃瑞克身高6英尺1英寸，体重175磅，有着一副匀称的身材。他经常做一些适当的健身活动，比如跑步、游泳、骑车、冲浪、划船，拥有非常健康的体魄。

埃瑞克凝视着前方，等待着下一拨大浪的到来。此时，他注意到附近有一个带有旋涡的浪，他想，一定有什么大东西在下面。

就在这一刻，他感到有一股强大的力量拽住了他的左腿。他惊恐地看到，两排露出牙床的三角形白色牙齿穿透了他从大腿到小腿的皮肤，刺进了肉里。一条至少长达15英尺的大白鲨咬住了他！

埃瑞克的本能反应是把大白鲨的嘴撬开逃生。于是，他挥动着戴着手套的左手猛击那只恶魔的鼻子顶端，同时，右手伸向底部，去顶住鲨鱼猛力推拽的下颌。

此时，大白鲨的下颌突然张开，于是埃瑞克迅速把自己的腿从它嘴里抽出来。但是，他伸展的双臂却没有及时收回，晚了一步。

大白鲨摇动着尾巴猛扑过来，牙齿深深地咬住了埃瑞克的左臂从手肘到手腕的那段部位，然后又啃着右前臂的骨骼，并发出嘎吱嘎吱的牙齿摩擦的声音。不过，埃瑞克的手并没有被咬到，此时，他的手正在大白鲨巨大的嘴里摸索着。

埃瑞克虽然很害怕，但并未惊慌失措。作为一名工程师，冷静的逻辑思维使他注意到大白鲨的下颌。于是，他拼命地挣脱，感觉自己的右臂已经挣脱了牙齿。他猛地一用力，把右臂从大白鲨的嘴里拽了出来。他当时所有的念头就是：反击，打它。他抡起拳头，用力击打着大白鲨灰白色的下腹。大白鲨的皮摸着很平坦，肌肉发达。他感到左臂上的压力消失了，于是又猛地一用力，将手拔了出来。

此时，埃瑞克处在大白鲨的下腹，脱离了大白鲨的血口，但他的身体突然被猛烈地拽了一下。原来大白鲨咬住了一条6英尺长的尼龙绳，而那条尼龙绳子正好是埃瑞克用来把脚踝固定在冲浪板上的。埃瑞克心想：“我就要被彻底吃掉了。”