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Sam could never say no to his little brother, Vincent, so the majority of Sam’s days in Summer were spent at the beach with Vincent. They would play in the sand together, making sand castles and collecting seashells, dipping their feet in the water and other things you would normally do at the beach. However today was one of those days where Vincent wanted to play by himself which wasn’t wrong or out of the ordinary for him. So Sam was reduced to sitting in the sand watching his brother play with his toys near the water. He sighed as he flipped his pen in between his fingers and his eyes darting from Vincent playing to his empty notebook in his other hand. He was trying to write new song lyrics. He already had the instrumental part down with Sebastian and Abigail, all they needed were the lyrics which he always had trouble with.
“Sammy!!!” Vincent yelled out.
Sam immediately got up and ran towards Vincent, “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Tears in his eyes, Vincent responds, “My- my toy… I lost my toy.” Vincent sniffles and points to the ocean, pretty far away from the shore.
Sam frowned as he bent down to be at eye level with his brother. He hesitated, it was tempting to go out there but the waves seemed more aggressive that day than usual. And there was also the fact that Sam never really enjoyed swimming, especially in the ocean.
He had to just rip off the bandaid, “Vinny…”
“Dad gave it to me.” Vincent cried out.
Sam sighed and looked back into the ocean. It wasn’t that far.
He quickly stood up and took off his shirt and flip flops, “Don’t worry. I’ll go grab it. I’ll be back with it before you know it.”
Vincent’s whole demeanor changed to a big smile on his face as his brother made his way towards the water. Thankfully the toy was still visible to Sam as he started to swim out. He was getting closer and closer to it and finally grabbed it.
Easy enough.
Sam smiled, turned around and waved the toy in the air for Vincent to see. Vincent jumped up and down with joy and cheered happily out to Sam. However as Sam began swimming back it became harder and harder to swim, it felt as if the water was pushing Sam away from the beach. The more he tried pushing back, the less progress he had coming back. His feet couldn’t even reach the ground any more, he was being pulled further out. Suddenly a big wave from behind pushed Sam into the water and knocked the wind out of him. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings back and to swim up for air. By the time his head reached above the water another wave hit.
He choked on some water which made his throat and nose burn.
Sam held tight onto the toy in his hand as he swam back up.
When he reached the surface he gasped for air and tried to figure out how far he was from the shore as he tried to catch his breath. Sam was a bit closer to being at the safe part of the water. His feet could at least touch the ground now with his head barely above the water. He quickly unzipped one of his cargo shorts pockets, stuffed the toy in it, and zipped it back up securely.
“Sam!!! Look out!!!” Vincent’s scream rang in his ears as he looked behind him he was met with another big wave.
Sam immediately ducked under the water to avoid the wave. But he was still swept off his feet and felt his head hit the ground.
Everything after that was muffled and dark.
***
Alex happily handed an ice cream cone to the farmer. As they walked away he looked down at the money he was handed. Alex smiled to himself knowing it was just enough to buy Dusty a new ball to play fetch with.
His thoughts were interrupted by Vincent’s yells and cries for help. Alex looked around to see if anyone else was nearby, no one was. He sighed, unsure if he should check out what was happening, maybe it was nothing, but something in him told him to at least make sure. Alex put up his closed sign on his ice cream stand and followed Vincent’s voice out to the beach area.
Vincent was standing ankle deep in the water, sobbing.
“Vincent!” Alex yelled out as he ran over.
Vincent turned around and ran towards Alex completely out of the water now. He gripped Alex’s leg really tight and repeated “Sam” and “Sammy” in between sniffles.
“Hey little man, calm down alright?” Alex looked around and said blond was nowhere to be seen, “Where’s Sam?”
Vincent cried harder and pointed to the ocean.
Alex looked across the water, all he could see were the waves crashing, no Sam.
Alex gently patted Vincent’s head, “It’s gonna be alright. I’ll go find him, you go to the clinic and get Dr. Harvey alright?”
He felt Vincent nod before he ran into town.
Alex frowned and looked out at the water again as he took off his shirt, shoes, and socks. Finally he found Sam, floating lifelessly just a few yards away from the shore. Alex ran into the water then dove in when it was deep enough. He was able to get to Sam quickly, he was unconscious and had a deep cut on the right side of his forehead. Alex quickly made sure Sam’s head was above the water so he could breathe with one arm and used his other arm to start swimming towards the shore again.
He could see how Sam got stuck out there as the current started to push against Alex. But luckily since the waves calmed down he was able to make it back to shore with Sam safely.
Alex laid Sam on the sand and worriedly looked at him up and down. Sam wasn’t breathing.
“C’mon Sam.” Alex grunted out as he started chest compressions.
Just as Alex was about to give up and try mouth to mouth, Sam began to cough.
Sam reflexively gripped onto Alex’s arm as he sat up and coughed up the water. Although Alex was thrown off by the sudden physical contact, he reassured Sam, “That’s it let it out, man.”
“Vin- where’s Vincent?” Sam asked out in between coughs.
“Don’t worry he’s safe, he’s getting Harvey right now.”
Sam closed his eyes and nodded, his breathing seemed to be stable. Alex felt Sam’s grip on his arm loosen and suddenly Sam collapsed onto Alex. His head resting on Alex’s shoulder and the rest of his body leaning against Alex.
Alex looked at Sam, he didn’t realize how much blood he’s lost from the cut on his forehead.
“Shit, Sam. Wake up!” Alex tried shaking him awake, no luck.
“What happened?!” Harvey appeared next to Alex, scanning over Sam.
“Sam- The waves- Help him!” Alex panicked out.
***
Alex’s leg bounced up and down as he sat in the clinic waiting room chair. After helping Harvey bring Sam to the clinic, going home to shower, change clothes and tell his grandparents what happened he found himself back at the clinic. He didn’t know why he wanted to stay so bad, he wasn’t necessarily close friends with Sam. Maybe it’s because he felt a certain responsibility to make sure Sam was okay. Or maybe it was simply because he didn’t have anything better to do right now. Alex didn’t know the reason but he knew he had to stay for Sam.
Sam hadn’t woken up yet but from what Harvey was telling Alex, Sam was going to be fine. Alex couldn’t bring himself to go back there and wait for Sam to wake up with his family; he felt out of place.
Alex started to nod off when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Jodi sitting next to him now. “Hey Alex, I need to go home with Vincent real quick. We need to go back home to wash up and pick up some things. Do you mind sitting in with Sam while we go?”
Alex sat up in his chair, “Has he?”
“Not yet.” Jodi smiled sadly.
“Yeah- yeah I can.”
“Thank you.” Jodi squeezed Alex’s shoulder before standing up to get Vincent.
***
Sam was tucked into the bed, he had a bandage on his forehead where the cut was and his eyes were peacefully closed. Alex sighed as he sat down in the chair next to the bed.
Now that Alex thought of it he didn’t know much about Sam. Only the basic things like his dad is away fighting in the war, he mostly hangs out with Sebastian and Abigail, and he likes skateboarding and music. He doesn’t know him, know him. If Sam would’ve died today he would’ve only known the basic, simple facts about him. Alex couldn’t shake the thought, he’s in such a small town but barely opens up to anyone.
And it’s no one’s fault but himself, because Sam always tries to include him.
Every Friday without fail Sam invites him to join in on a pool game at the saloon.
Or invites him to gigs he has with his band in Zuzu city,
Or just simple stuff like always saying hi when they pass by each other or attempting to make conversation about sports even though Alex knew Sam didn’t know anything about gridball.
The small things like that really showed what kind of person Sam is to Alex, but Alex never reciprocated.
“Alex?” Sam’s weak voice helped Alex escape from his thoughts. He looked up to see Sam finally awake but he was obviously disoriented and confused.
Alex nodded, “Yup that’s me.”
Sam slowly sat up in the bed and touched the bandage on his head. Alex could tell Sam was slowly piecing everything together in his head.
“Let me go grab Harvey.” Alex said, standing up from the chair.
“No, wait!” Sam called out.
Alex stayed where he was and looked over at Sam. He seemed to be thinking about what he wanted to say, his eyebrows furrowed and a slight frown on his face.
“You saved me?” Sam questioned, tilting his head at Alex.
“Uh… yeah.” Alex answered, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.
Sam seemed to have relaxed and nodded, “Thank you, Alex.”
Alex smiled, “No worries, man. Just don’t do that again, you scared the shit outta me.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on it.” Sam chuckled.
“Why were you even swimming out there? The waves were obviously not safe.” Alex asked, almost parent-like.
Sam shuffled in the bed, reached down and unzipped his cargo shorts pocket. He smiled as he pulled Vincent’s toy out.
“For this.” Sam said, showing the toy.
The two laughed as the door to the room opened, Jodi and Vincent were back.
“Sammy!” Vincent cried out, tears already streaming down his face.
Vincent jumped on the bed and gave Sam a tight hug.
“It’s alright Vin, I’m here.” Sam reassured, rubbing Vincent’s back.
“And look!” Sam let go of Vincent and showed him the toy in his hand.
Vincent lightly pushed Sam and continued to hug him again, “I don’t care about the toy, I care about Sammy.”
Sam chuckled as he hugged Vincent back. Jodi walked over to her sons, hugged both of them, tears in her eyes.
Alex smiled and turned to leave as he felt a little tug at his shirt.
He looked down at what was tugging his shirt to see Vincent.
“Thank you for saving Sam.” He sniffed out.
Alex kneeled down to Vincent’s height, “You’re welcome, bud. And make sure you take good care of your brother so I can beat him at pool on Friday.”
“You’re on!” Sam exclaimed from the bed, a big smile on his face.