THE SHIP ON THE HORIZON

On board the yacht, Harry’s Pride…

“It’s still out there!” Kaila shouted, as she focused the binoculars out on the horizon. “Surely they would have seen us by now.”

“I wish you spent your time using those binoculars to look out for sandbanks, than trying to see what other ships might be up to,” Harry retorted, as he looked overboard to see the yacht’s bow wedged deeply into the sand.

The distant ship disappeared behind a rolling wave, but then came into view again. To Kaila it seemed that it was stuck on the horizon, as it had not seemed to move for the whole two hours since she had first sighted it. “I don’t get it. The ship’s not coming closer, but it’s not disappearing either. Do you think they can see us?”

Harry sighed with frustration. “I don’t know what they’re doing! I don’t even know what we’re going to do! We’re stuck fast in the sand and the waves don’t seem to be helping us move out! In fact…”

“Harry, there’s more bad news, I’m afraid,” Mya reported, as she made her way from the bridge of the yacht. “The radio is down and I can’t get anything but static.”

“That’s not the only bad news!” Harry decided to confess, “The yacht’s wedged in so hard that every wave crashing into it is contorting it in ways a boat shouldn’t bend. If this continues, the yacht will break apart eventually.”

Mya bit her bottom lip. “How long do you think we have?”

Harry shrugged. “I’m not an expert on these things. I can just hear the yacht screeching every time we’re hit.” And, as if on cue, the vessel lurched and groaned, as a wave collided with it’s stern.

Kaila grabbed Mya by the wrist and handed her the binoculars, before turning her in the direction of the ship on the starboard side. “Take a look and tell me what you see on the horizon.”

Mya put the binoculars up to her eyes and took a few seconds adjusting them to see the horizon more clearly. “Well… It’s still too far to see too clearly, but it’s definitely a ship.” She gasped. “Did you see that flash of light? Like the sun glinted off something over there. Maybe they can see us?” She suggested.

“That’s exactly what I was telling Harry, but he didn’t believe me!” Kaila exclaimed, casting a glare at the exasperated man sitting on the deck.

“So we might be saved!” Mya cheered hopefully. She waved her arms and called out to the ship; even though she knew whoever was on the ship would be unable to hear her.

“They can’t hear you, you know,” Harry said dejectedly.

Mya rolled her eyes at him. “I know, but at least they might see that we need help.” She continued her jumping around, trying to get the attention of the other ship.

On board the ship, The Old Walrus…

“I think they can see us, Captain!” Eli, the first mate, informed. “There are two of them jumping around and waving at us.”

“Probably drunk,” the Captain snorted derisively. “On a yacht like that, they’re probably some sort of party boat.”

“But, Captain, they’re probably our best chance,” Eli stated. “Our engines are down and we are run aground on this sandbar, it’s not like we have much of a choice.”

“Um… our radio is out too, Captain,” Carla, the radio operator, notified. “I’m not sure what the problem is, but we’re just picking up static.” She then handed the captain a portable phone. “Even the satellite phone is out of order. It’s like we’re in some sort of black spot.”

The captain sighed. “And Evans and his crew haven’t had any luck with the engines?”

“No, sir,” Eli replied with a shake of his head. “He said he didn’t see anything wrong with the engines, but they just don’t work.”

“Alright, Eli,” the captain submitted, “I want you to take four of the crew on the life boat and see if you can get to that party yacht before they decide to disappear.”

“Yes, sir,” The first mate saluted with relief, before rushing off to do as he was bid.

On board the yacht, Harry’s Pride…

“I told you they’ve seen us!” Kaila called out, while still focusing the binoculars on the life boat that bobbed its way towards them. “We have to grab whatever we can. They’re coming to get us!”

Harry squinted in the direction of the boat. Without the use of the binoculars, it was difficult to see what was happening, other than the blurred form of a dark sea vessel making its way through the sea. “I don’t like it.” He said, “What if they’re pirates?”

“Pirates?” Mya scoffed, as she threw her backpack over her shoulders. “Even if they are… which they’re not… but, even if they are, at least we’ll be off this damned boat before it breaks apart.”

“Wait!” Kaila shrieked with horror, “Where are they?”

Harry and Mya did their best to scour the ocean without the aid of the binoculars.

“What do you mean, where are they?” Harry questioned.

“They were just there… then a wave came across and now there’s nothing…”

On board the ship, The Old Walrus…

“What do you mean, they’ve vanished?” the captain asked. “Has the boat capsized? Tell me what’s happened?”

“There was a wave and then… then, nothing, sir,” A crew member explained.

The captain grabbed his binoculars and strode out of the bridge and onto the deck with several crew members following. “Where were they last seen?” the captain queried.

“Uh… out that way… headed straight towards the yacht,” the crew member who had been observing them pointed out.

The captain looked out in that direction, but saw nothing. “That’s impossible! There’s nobody in the water and the boat has gone!” He used the binoculars to search the surrounding ocean, but again there was nothing.

On board the yacht, Harry’s Pride…

“Here, give me that!” Harry ordered, as he grabbed the binoculars from Kaila. “There has to be something! I mean, even if the boat capsized, there should be people in the water… the boat would at least stay afloat… it’s what they do!”

Kaila and Mya began to weep, as they felt their hopes of a rescue begin to diminish.

Harry explored the seas with his binoculars, but saw nothing… nothing but the ship on the horizon.