The Living

Hours later, Shy wakes to find that his lifeboat is sinking: The already damaged hull is being rammed by half a dozen sharks circling the boat. Shy beats them back with an oar, but they continue circling. He turns his attention to the hull, repairing it as best he can and bailing out the water once more. The sharks continue circling until he takes up the oar again, hitting one of them hard enough to force it to retreat into the water.

More time passes, and Shy grows increasingly weak with hunger and thirst. After some hours go by, he sees another raft in the distance. He fires a flare and rows toward the other raft, which is also being attacked by sharks and will soon sink. He tries to pull close enough for the passengers of the sinking raft to get across, but the sharks grow more aggressive, and several passengers are dragged into the water, including Toni. Once again, Shy is racked with the guilt of watching someone die in front of him without being able to help: “Shy’s body was shaking uncontrollably. He’d done nothing to help” (161). William Henry and