I jerked my leg toward my chest and peeled my eyes open, squinting at the sharp light. Another stab of pain pierced my foot, and I gathered the strength to sit up ... and found myself facing a seagull—a huge seagull. With a surge of adrenaline, I lunged forward at the bird with a pathetic kiai and fell onto my stomach. The bird flapped away.I crawled to my knees and stood up slowly, staggering to find my balance. I could only bear to open my eyelids a crack.My temples throbbed. I tried to rub my head against the pain, but it hurt to touch ... and my hand came away wet. I squinted at my fingers.Blood.Okay. I needed to focus. Where were the others? Had only I survived? My body shook. I hurt everywhere.Closing my eyes, I took some careful breaths, and calmed myself. Lifting my hand to shade my eyes from the sun, I glanced around.I was on a beach. The light blue water close to the shore transitioned to the dark blue cast of deep water not far out. Some nasty looking rocks and reefs painted the ocean closer in.
