Fiction...just stretching my short story muscles...;)
Without Warning…
From the north it came without warning from the far away latitudes. Growling all the way, huffing and puffing and shaking up the sea. A ghostly fog did accompany it, blanketing the surface with a soup thicker than cream. From the deck of the Rene’ Lyn it put one in mind of the end of the world. Radar could not it penetrate, nor could the binocular view all of it. A fearful power from Nature did approach, better to be inside, but two hundred nautical outside was where we did at that time reside.
The sky as dark as pitch, whereas this morn it was a blue sapphire begging us to go on and follow its magnificence further out to sea. Could that blue sky have known of the terrible black creature that was forming just over the horizon? Now our small boat is in the clutches of this creature of amazing proportions. Wide by fifty miles and long by one hundred miles, we will be hard pressed to find a way to avoid its wrath. No satellite GPS able to slice through the cloud cover, only the compass and dead-reckoning of the captain to maintain headway.
Are we to find death to the east or should we hightail it to the west, our tails between our legs in fear of the ocean & Natures coming ire. This started out as a calm and peaceful Sunday trip. To the canyons to fish a bit then home to cook our catch. Have we by fishing put ourselves in Natures path of destruction or are we about to face that which we cannot out race?
A following sea hard to negotiate, waves pouring over the stern, pumps over working, occupants in life preservers awaiting what might be inevitable. Are we to face this power bobbing up and down in the sea or will we be allowed to make land prior to its arrival. All power to the engines, 12 knots our best headway; will it though be enough to out run Natures attack. Coast Guard notified, our position on their radar, pouring on the power trying to avoid what may be our destiny. Prayer reverberating throughout the cabin, the captain reciting his own prayer to the god of the seas. Let us make it in one more time and never will I allow this to happen again. How many times has that same prayer been spoken, how many sailors have begged forgiveness in this same manner? How many has it worked for, how many have lived on to again fight another storms fury…
Learn to sniff the atmosphere LOLOL. oh this is so reminiscent.
I hope they make it back to shore, even with their tails tween their legs, thanking God for safe deliverance....I know we did many a time, caught in squalls..oh but the rush of adrenaline, whoa, scared silly but glad to be saved. You know your alive. Loved this,....Waiting for sequel :)
Ed, this is great, I mean GREAT! Never gravitated much to stories about seafaring but you know, somehow this story is one of a collection of shorts I can see coming just like the power of the metaphor. . .not about seas and vessels, but about life and trials and errors and how to fight another mental/emotional fury. Saving this, glad I took time out to stop by and say "hello" again, and seeing this made the visit back to the Den an extra special pleasure!
blessin's
cynth'ya
This is a wonderful write. Great stuff. Regards Joyce
Reviewed by Robert Harrison
10/8/2006
You know Ed. somehow I am greatful that I only have a two and a half metre "Tinny" with a 2hp motor. I enjoed the story but as for me, I will stick to the river mouth. At 76 I am far to young to die.
Yeah, you should develop this into a Melville or Jules Verne-type sea saga....beginning with a quote from a faded, old dairy (year 1812) found on a deserted beach.... This passage starts with great promise. I want to read more!
Ed
A salutory warning about the Cruel Sea !
Never underestimate the power and ferocity of Mother Nature..
And in the final analysis, prayer is all we are left with...:)
Peter
She was quite capable of taking care of herself...She appreciated everything he was doing for her and the Grandmothers Four, but she needed his help, not for him to take over.
The Confliction - Dragoneer Saga III, is the thrilling conclusion to the "Full Confliction"
cycle of Dragoneer Saga books. In this episode, The Dragoneers face the Sarax that were loosed
in Book II - Cold Hearted Son of a Witch, as well as
