Lost at Sea

A couple of hours later the entire stern of Empress Coral was completely submerged. The signal flares had gone up and the waiting continued. Presumably, everyone was off the ship now as the pilots of each raft had radioed to each other informing of headcounts. There had been 6000 souls on board including crew. The ship had been fitted with 30 lifeboats, each having the capacity of 150 and the remaining passengers and crew were onboard the life rafts. The information was to be kept secret but they overheard a few people whispering that 15 people had died from jumping and 10 crew members were missing.

Henry leaned in and whispered, "I'd say that's pretty good considering." A lady nearby behaved as if she had heard, wearing a disgusted look. Henry didn't seem to care. It was at this time that the injured old lady stirred awake again. It was brief and she said nothing before falling back asleep. At least she was alive. As the sun beat down on the lifeboat people started to get hungry not to mention thirsty. The few crew members did their best to control the rations but eventually gave up as they were overwhelmed by the horde. "When is someone coming for us!" a random survivor yelled. The other passengers joined in, spouting questions and concerns. The skipper took over the situation.

"At this point, we are 200 nautical miles off the coast of New Zealand, It could be a couple of days before we are rescued.

Days!" another passenger interjected.

"If you let me finish." He glared at the interrupter. "As I was saying, it may be up to a couple of days but it may be a bit longer as a large storm is forming between us and the coast. Hence why we should have rationed the supplies properly." Worried mummers began to grow amongst the passengers.

"There is no reason to worry these lifeboats are quite secure. Plus the storm shouldn't hit us."

"What about those in the rafts?" another pipped up.

He took a while to answer which did not help the uneasiness. "Those in the rafts will be transferred into the lifeboats that are not full and the remainder will be attached to a lifeboat. Unfortunately, each lifeboat has a strict max capacity of 150 people."

"So, they are just left to die..." the vocal survivor quipped. A ripple of trepidation went through the huddled.

The crew member could feel the fear, "I'm not gonna lie, if the storm hits us there is a good chance those left in the life rafts may not make it. That being said they are still very safe and able to withstand a fair amount of punishment." As he finished talking the remainder of Empress Coral began to disappear into the Pacific. Everyone stopped and watched as it did. An eerie chill overcame them, and suddenly they were alone, floating in the middle of the ocean.

"If everyone just remains calm we will get through this." We are currently full and can not take anyone new, the other lifeboats have already started making their way to gather those on the rafts. Just sit tight." He returned to his station behind the wheel. As night fell, the ocean breeze picked up. People had eventually settled into for the long haul and started to get to know those around them. They two stayed in the corner of the craft with the sleeping lady, keeping to themselves. People snuggled close for comfort and to make human pillows as they tried to cry themselves to sleep.

Weightless, floating through the air high above an uncharted island in the middle of the sea. Suddenly his body, out of his control, dove through the air. His freefall led directly towards the island. His eyes went wide as he saw his own demise, unable to move on his own accord. When at the last minute he diverted into the ocean. The dark water absorbed him, dragging him deeper into her chilly maw. The moonlight barely reaching this depth. He felt his body begin to struggle as the air left his lungs. Panic returned as he thought this must be the end. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth to accept his fate, as the salty liquid filled his body his eyes reopened.

For the second night in a row, he awoke to panic. Falling deeper and deeper into the crushing depths his survival instincts took over. Clawing and kicking his way back towards the surface. His lungs screamed for air as they began to convulse just as his head broke the surface. Spewing and sputtering back to life. Before he could get his barring's a giant wave crashed down on him forcing him back into the sea's cold embrace. Again he swam his way back to the surface. This time he had a second to look around, it was incredibly dark and nearly impossible to make out where the sea touched the sky. The only source of light is random flashes from bolts of lightning. One such lightning light up the night sky followed by a thunderous boom. He could make out a dark object just as it was cresting the next swell; the lifeboat. A third wave crashed down causing him to lose sight of it. After resurfacing, another strike showed him the boat again. It was closer, only fifty meters, his adrenaline spiked. He couldn't help but be grateful for those times at the lake, racing his brother to the buoy and back. Head up, he began to swim, each stroke pulling him closer, attempting to beat the next wave. Unfortunately in his current state, he wasn't quick enough. A mammoth swell pulled the capsized boat up, meters above his head. Thinking fast he dove into the wave to avoid the boat slamming into him. It swirled him around before spitting him out. The lifeboat was back upright and within his grasp. Only a few seconds before the next wave he grabbed the side of the boat and pulled himself in. There was quite a bit of water inside, either way, finally, he could catch his breath. Only one person was remaining inside.

"Henry!" he yelled over the storm, recognizing the solo passenger

"Holy Shit!" Henry's eyes were wide with shock.

"What the --" Another wave slammed into the boat, sending him flying. Henry barely moved. After a couple of seconds of tumbling, he pulled himself off the floor, head bleeding. 'Here," Henry tossed him the end of a rope. He had secured himself to the boat. As fast as he could, he tied himself beside Henry. Once again, another wave slammed the boat, flipping it over. The two hung from their knots, for a few seconds as the boat tried to right itself. The next wave pulled them to the top before rolling them down into the valley of the swells. The storm raged for another thirty minutes before it began to break. Moonlight began to pierce, thinning the static nimbus. The two survivors, bashed and bruised were alive, barely. "How?" he reached up to touch his wound, it was sensitive but no longer bleeding.

"After you fell asleep I tied myself to the boat. The crew guy had mentioned a storm."

"But how is it just you out of all those people?"

"You don't remember anything?"

He shook his head, "Nope." It throbbed.

"When the storm hit, it blew the canvas doors open and as the boat got bashed it threw people from the boat. Another boat hit ours damaging the hull. Water started to fill the boat and each time it flipped people got sucked out until I was the only one left."

It seemed far-fetched that only one out of 150 people stayed in the lifeboat. He examined the lifeboat. Water still covered the floor, parts of the wall had bent from the impacts but no breaks. Sticking his head outside, the celestial night lights seemed extra bright after an hour of darkness. Scanning the calm horizon for anything that wasn't water. From this angle there was nothing. In order to get a better view, he climbed on top of the boat. From here he had a 360 view. In the distance, a shape stuck out of the sea, the only other thing out there, wherever there was.

"Hey, Henry. Come check this out." Henry climbed out of the boat to join him.

"What do you think that is?" he pointed in the direction of the faint object. Henry followed his gesture.

"We don't have to guess, we could go check it out. The diesel should still work." The two climbed back inside and went into the small cockpit. The small room was a mess, wires were dangling, cabinets had revealed their insides. The keys were still in the ignition. Henry went to turn them over, but nothing happened. He tried again. No power.

"I'm guessing the storm is the cause."

"You think."

"Well, I saw some oars earlier." Back into the main cabin, they found a couple of oars attached to the ceiling. Opening the latch on the opposite side of the boat the pair began to row towards the mysterious object. After twenty minutes of rowing, they reached their goal. What they found was another lifeboat, well a part of one. It looked to have been destroyed in the storm.

"How is that possible when this one is still intact?"

"Maybe another one hit it?"

"Maybe..."

"Look there." A body floated by, followed by another and another. Dozens of bodies littered the area. For a second he thought one of the floaters had perfect brown hair tied back. Could be anyone. Although he couldn't shake the feeling. He took a moment for all the dead. Figuring he would join them soon. Looking up, a flock of seagulls was circling them now. Seagulls, out here.

"Seagulls!" his excitement flowing out of his.

"So what, it's the ocean." Henry's lack of care was apparent.

"No, seagulls, they stay within a certain distance of land."

Henry started to clue in, "Oh shit."

"Exactly!" Clambering back onto the boat he scanned the sea once again. From here he could see the carnage of the storm. Hundreds of bodies coated the ocean surface, they looked like a field of kelp. Other lifeboats were visible now, most of the destroyed, a coupe intact. Two other things caught his eye: The first was a large shape in the distance; land. The second was something moving quickly in the water. He almost missed the moving object. As it got closer he realized it wasn't an object but rather a thing, a shark. The hunter of the ocean disappeared beneath the surface before powering into one of the floating corpses, easy pickings. Razor-sharp teeth tore into the free meal as its powerful body sailed into the air showcasing its entire body. All four meters of it splashed back into the South Pacific. Red began to tarnish the crisp blue. After a couple of seconds, the fin returned, once again on the move. As the monster continued picking off the passengers of the once Empress Coral the frenzy began. Blood rain through the sea drawing other sharks in as if the dinner bell had been rung. The two humans watched as their fated counterparts were torn asunder. He leaned over the boat and emptied whatever was left in his stomach. He hadn't eaten since the night before the sinking, however, the current events did not inspire hunger. No longer able to watch he ventured back into the confines of their inevitable watery tomb. As much as he fought them, tears began to stream down his face. It was all too much. Henry returned and sat across from him.

"Hey, it'll be ok, I think we can make it to that island." He looked up at Henry wiping away the droplets.

"You just need to eat something." Henry stood up and walked over to a storage container along the wall. "With any luck, there should be food in here." He unlatched the door and swung it open. "Oh ya! Here." He tossed a bag over. Unable to summon the will to catch the bag, it hit him in the chest and landed on his lap.

"Eat."

"How can you eat after watching what is happening out there."

"How. Because if I don't I won't have the energy to row to that island and if I can't row we'll die. I also need you to eat so that I don't have to row by myself. I could care less about what's going on out there. If anything we can learn from the sharks. Hunters survive by eating when the food presents itself. Here is food and I'm presenting it to you, so eat." He made a good point. The food wasn't great but it was filing.

"Alright, you good?"

"Ya, I'm good."

"Then let's row."

"What about the sharks."

Henry laughed," Haha. You think they'll bother with us when they have thousands of free morsels, Haha, they are in heaven, or whatever afterlife you desire."

"Whatever let's row."