This past week while Jay was on shut down we decided to take a boat ride on the water. Though the day started out rainy, by the afternoon it had cleared up and it promised to be nice weather for being out.

We weren’t the only ones on the boat. It was a bit of a water cruise thing, so we had company. That was fine, though. All that mattered was we were going to enjoy the ride together.

As we started out along the coast the weather started to get hazy. We were a little worried, but figured that the captain knew what he was doing. We got farther and father out so that the shore became a little spot in the distance. Jay and I hadn’t realized that the ride went out so far. It was okay, though, after all this was a professional business so they knew what they were doing. We settled in for what we hoped would be an enjoyable ride.

The boat stopped. It was getting close to sunset, despite the fact that you couldn’t see it, so we figured that was why the engine had shut off.

Little groups of people conversed about this and that… chatting away and not really thinking that anything was amiss. After all, the captain didn’t seem too bothered. He kept taking big gulps from his water bottle and happily telling ‘fishing’ stories.

The captain said that we were going to get going. I was happy about that because we hadn’t been able to see land for quite a while. I’m not really fond of boats, and especially not those that are too far out for me to feel secure in knowing we are within arms’ reach of land.

The captain turned the key… nothing. He tried again… nothing. I was starting to get concerned. I didn’t want to be stuck out in the middle of the water! I kept looking over the side of the boat, into the deep darkness below us, knowing that what swam far below us would absolutely terrify me if I had to get into that water with it.

People started to panic. One woman clung to her friend, and another woman refused to sit in her seat any longer. She instead chose to stand in the middle of the boat, clutching the post near her for support. I clung to Jay, trying to keep warm as what remained of the sun completely dimmed, and I tried to ignore the panicking of the other women. The boat began to rock violently! The captain drunkenly stumbled to the back of the boat where we sat, he paced around, and then went back to the wheelhouse. I could hear something thumping against the bottom of the boat… I tried not to panic… The boat rocked harder… At last it pitched so violently that I was ripped out of Jay’s arms and thrown into the cold water!! As I sank the light grew dimmer and I was kicking with all of my might… reaching for the surface, but it was getting farther away! Jay! Jay!!!!

“Shhh…. it’s okay! I’m right here!” he said as he wrapped me in his arms, safe in the comfort of our own bed. I gulped for air, clung to him even tighter, and tried to stop shaking. What a horrible dream!