Secrets Of The Sea

Two men search for a young lady and her friends.

                                                     Secrets Of The Sea

The dark cruel sea everywhere you looked.  The moon was hidden by storm clouds, and the odd faint star could be observed from afar.  

They could tell a storm was brewing.  Lightening flashed and thunder rumbled only a few miles from them.  The sea was becoming more erratic and a harsh chill blew in from the east.  

They were now into their fourth day of being on the boat.  The first three days the sun had shone and the sky on the most part had been cloud free.  But today things had changed dramatically.

Mr Johnston joined his good friend on the deck.

“How long before it hits, sir?” asked he.

John Harris turned round to face him, and said in a less than confident manner, “I’m not sure, Jack.  But when it hits, it’s going to be a hard one.”

Already the waves rolled higher causing the vessel to rock.

“Let’s get in, Jack.  Before it gets any worse,” said he, with a wary look on his face.

Both made their way to the bridge.  

Once inside, John took hold of the wheel.  Then peered straight ahead at the vast empty ocean.

“She’s out there somewhere, mate.  Don’t give up hope quite yet,” said Jack, placing a hand softly on his mate’s shoulder.

“I know she is,” John replied half heartedly.

“We will find her, sir.  If I have my bearings correct, we are only a few miles away from where she lost radio transmission,” he said.  “So, we are close.”

John knew this was a suicide mission.  

He gritted his teeth.  

She’d been missing for six days.  Why did she come out so far?  Five of her friends were missing also.

They had been foolish, he thought to himself.

Through the window the dark menacing clouds were gathering.  All of a sudden rain pelted onto the deck.

“Do you think they’re still alive?” John asked, an anxious sound in his voice.

Jack came closer, and answered truthfully, “I don’t know.”

Her face appeared to him in a memory.  John loved the way she smiled.  Such a lovely smile.  He missed her with all his heart.  Maybe she was dead.  If that was the case, he would be absolutely devastated.

See my light through the darkness, and with all your strength come towards it.  As I will be waiting for you in the many hours which separate us.  My darling daughter.

The slight light from the moon shone down onto the ocean, but as quickly a huge black cloud had covered it.

Jack stood beside his friend.  He knew that very soon the storm which had been promised for sometime, would be upon them.

“I hope this boat is solid enough to withstand the menace that is approaching fast,” Jack muttered nervously.

“I’ve been sailing this vessel for countless years.  And to this point my darling has not let me down once,” replied John, while he patted the helm with a proud look on his face.

Jack was growing more fearful as the wind outside gradually got stronger, and the rain still came down with all its fury.  Sheet lightening filled the sky and the thunder all of a sudden became louder, almost deafening.

“How long will it last?” shouted John, while he tried steering the boat through the rising waves.

Jack answered, “I’m not sure, old friend.”

The boat creaked terribly as it crashed in and out of the water.

Both men looked on in horror.  

This was not an ideal situation to be stuck in, miles from land.  There was no help nearby.  

They needed a miracle.

The harsh conditions seemed endless.  John the best he could kept the vessel afloat, but it was truly difficult even by a man of his experience.

“Keep up the good work, sir,” Jack yelled.

Then in a flash the rain stopped.  

“What just happened?” asked John.

In all his years he had never known rain to stop just like that.

Way above, the clouds began to move in a very strange sort of way, while they swirled.  

“What’s going on, mate?” Jack asked, peering at the sight with fear felt in his heart.

“Looks like a tornado is forming,” John said.

They were s**t out of luck.

A tunnel had now formed.

John waited for the inevitable, but nothing seemed to happen.

He turned to his friend, and said, “I don’t understand what is going on here.  If it was a tornado, why isn’t it sucking us up while I speak?”

Jack didn’t have an answer.

Then something happened which was unforeseen.

From the dark gaping hole a small light appeared.  Followed by another and another.

John then remembered something which made him feel on edge.

“What’s wrong, old friend?” Jack asked.

John tried to speak, but the words would not leave his mouth.  

The lights kept appearing, as they flew high above.

Finally, he faced his mate, clutching his shoulders.  Then said with a little difficulty, “Before losing radio transmission my daughter spoke of strange lights in the sky.”

“So you think these lights have something to do with your daughter’s disappearance?”

“I’m sure of it.”

They left the safety of the bridge and made their way out onto the deck.

Both watched the spectacle for several minutes.  There was a deathly silence as the storm had now left. 

The lights seemed to get nearer to the boat.

Jack then said, “What do they want from us?”

John didn’t have an answer, but he was sure that this was not good.

Suddenly a siren was heard from way above while it echoed.

The boat then began to shake terribly.

The vessel shook so much that both found it extremely hard to keep their balance.  

It was Jack who fell in first.

John saw this, and jumped in to save his friend.

John struggled as the water pulled him further down.  He needed oxygen badly.  He tried moving his arms and legs but the current was too strong.  Around him everything became darker.  He couldn’t see Jack at all.  Then he realised his time was up.  He began to panic.  He lost all consciousness.

On his skin warmth could be felt.  Where was he?  He opened his eyes.  All about him was water.  

But he felt safe.  How was this possible?  

Then from some distance away they appeared to him.  He watched them utterly mesmerised.  They were like blue angels that swam through the water with no effort.  One looked his way with a kind smile on its face.

He smiled back, and said, “Who are you that come to me in my hour of need?”

John felt his eyes growing tired.  The warmth could still be felt, and it was comforting.  Within seconds he had drifted off.

………………………………................................................................................................

He felt sand on his face.  He tried to open his eyes but the glare was too bright.  He coughed up some water.  Then he heard a familiar voice.

“My god, John.  We are safe, but how is this possible?”

John turned his head carefully.  He didn’t feel too good if the truth be told.  His muscles ached and he had a headache.

“Is that you, Jack?” he asked, hoping it was.

Someone got hold of his hand, then said, “You’ll be all right, good friend.”

John tried to open his eyes again.  This time the light didn’t seen so bright.  He could make out a figure standing over him.  Within a short while he realised it was Jack, and felt relieved that his friend was safe.

“Thank god you are okay,” said he softly.

Then Jack said, “Did you see them, John?”

John stayed quiet.

“It was like a miracle from heaven.  Who ever they were.  They saved us,” shouted Jack excitedly.

John slowly got up from the ground, and the first thing he noticed sent alarm bells in his mind.

His friend came closer, confusion on his face.  “What is wrong, old friend?”

John peered over at Jack, and said in a very grave way, “Don’t you see it?”

“See what?”

John looked up into the blue sky, “Follow where I am pointing to, and then you will witness it for yourself.”

Jack scratched his head, and sheltering his eyes, glanced up.  This is when he saw what was worrying John so much.

“What is going on, John?  I’m scared,” he yelled.

Then some distance away John saw what looked like six bodies.  

“Follow me, dear friend.  I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach,” he said.

Both ran up the beach.

John then realised what he had expected had now become a reality.

He started to cry.

At his feet was his daughter and her friends.  Her eyes lifeless, and worse than this, half her face was gone.  The other corpses had limbs missing also.

John fell to the sand.

Then he heard Jack screaming, “What are those things, John?”

John looked, and twenty metres away black creatures were seen coming out of the forest.  

Their sharp teeth smacking together, their red eyes staring intensely at the two of them.

John knew there was nothing he could do to save them.  

“I’m sorry, dear friend.  This will soon be over with, so be brave,” was all he said.

He looked back up into the heavens, and the four moons and one sun looked beautiful in the clear blue sky.

He closed his eyes, and under his breath said a short prayer hoping that someone, somewhere, would be listening.

              The End

Reviews

[Marie]

Oh my. This held my interest all the way through. First the terrible storm...they I thought they'd truely been rescued by a miracle.
The terrible ending was a surprise.

[steve]

Thanks. A nice sadistic story which I enjoyed writing immensely. Cheers for reading it.