1) The narrator and his friend Vickram swim too far from shore at the beach and get caught in a tidal wave. They struggle to stay above water and call for help. 2) Their friend Alan, who had been reading on the beach, wakes up and alerts the lifeguard when he sees them drowning. 3) The lifeguard rescues the narrator and Vickram, who coughs up water on the shore. Alan jokes with them, glad they are safe after he helped call for help.

1. TOTAL DEFENCE DAY– WILL YOU STAND WITH ME (A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed)
I could remember that incident like it was yesterday. It was the day where my friend
stood with me, helping me with the big trouble that I was facing. I could still remember the
cool morning breeze that kissed my face softly that day, and the crimson-red sunrise that
brought the tragedy but I am glad that that happened…
“It‟s a beautiful day at the beach, isn‟t it?” I cried with joy. My friends and I ,Vickram
and Alan, are looking for a dry sandy spot that best fits our liking. We chose a spot with very
few people around us, and then spread out a mat. Vickram and I changed into our swimming
trunks and were like a bullet going straight towards the salty water when Alan commanded
us to stop in our tracks with his booming loud voice. “What is the problem now Alan?” I
asked regrettably.
“Wash yourself at the shower before you go into the cold sea water.”
“Cold sea water?”Vickram asked.
Alan began explaining his sciencefacts again while we walked past him ignoring his
speech. Alan then put on his cowboy hat and resumed reading his „Sherlock Holmes‟ book.
“Typical Alan,” I muttered under my breath.
When Vickram and I were finally in the sea, we swam laps which were more like
circles to me. We were having so much fun but little did we know what was coming up.
When we swam, we drifted further and further away from the shore without noticing.
By the time Vickram and I felt that we were too far away from the shore it was too
late. A medium sized tidal wave came down on us like a voracious lion pouncing on its prey.
We struggled to get to the surface of the water.
We looked back at shore and saw Alan‟s head tilting to a side, his eyes closed. I
thought I heard Alan‟s snores from here and chuckled even though I knew my life was in
jeopardy. Vickram and I combined our voices as one and shouted for help. Our loud shouts
for help reverberated through the air. As we kicked and struggled furiously in the water trying
to keep at the surface as well as get back to shore, we saw Alan waking up grudgingly back
at the shore.
Alan took one good look at Vickram and me in the midst of drowning and let out an
involuntary gasp. He ran for his life looking for a life guard. We were already coughing and
spluttering in the water when the life guard arrived. I think I swallowed a whole gallon of salty
sea water.
I almost fell into a black abyss when a meaty and muscular hand gripped me tight on
the shoulder. I was dragged through the water at lightning speed and reached the shore in
seconds. I lifted my body from the sand and looked around me. Blurry pictures formed the
shape of the lifeguard and Alan. When I received my clear sight back, I saw Vickram still
lying down on the sand.
I looked at him as tears formed at my eyes. Alan patted me on the shoulder and said
softly, “His soul has not left his body yet. In other words, he‟s still in this world.” I nodded.
Suddenly, water spurt out from Vickram‟s mouth, spraying onto my face like a mini volcano
and I grimaced. Alan was laughing like a maniac as Vickram coughed nastily.
Vickram took one look at us, pure shock etched on his face and said, “Why
are you in heaven with me? Have you also left the Earth?”
Alan and I shouted replying, “I don't think so!”

2. “Oh. Sorry.”
We exploded into euphoric jubilation, this time with the lifeguard joining us. “Thanks
Alan, for saving our lives and standing together with us.” I finally said.
“I was about to say that.” Vickram said with a repugnant expression on his face.
“Am not.” Alan replied.
“Are too.”
Alan, Vickram and I then decided that it was time to go and take a look at the
underwater world. “I‟ve got money. It‟s no problem!” Vickram said in exhilaration.
A radiant smile stretched across our faces like a brilliant painter‟s stroke across his
countenance.