Shadows of the sea

The seas were rough. Yet the crew of the Abel was fairing the treacherous waves with sheer will. 

Captain Reed Hoyt did not like what he saw. His crew of four was barely able to stand onto the front deck without jetting and sliding across the wood as water crashed all around them. Rain pounded down on them to boot, so Hoyt was more than worried. As much as the captain needed to fish for crab, and the men sure did need money to bring home to worried and waiting families, something about this weather was just......off.

Reed was a man who was fairly unassuming. He looked like the average asshole walking down the street, no more macho than the average fisherman, yet one protruding scar that started at the left of his forehead and went down to the left corner of his lip betrayed the look. Reed's eyes were practically like silver dollars, a light gray. His hair was brown and trimmed, combed nicely. He sported dimples and pearly whites. Reed was thirty-three.

He sat in the control room relatively safe from the weather. The captain braced a wave, gripping onto the control board as the heavy ship rumbled with life. With haste, he grabbed onto his radio, clicking and talking into the hunk of metal with a booming voice that rattled through large com radio speakers on the deck, yet were covered from the rain all the same. "Alright everybody, get your asses in here! We're bracing this, crab can wait. This isn't fucking deadliest catch." Reed mustered.

Reed heard light chuckles though they were barely audible. His four men, Timothy Rivera, Kennedy Parker, Blake Casey and Milton Nash headed inside eagerly. From the former to the latter was from youngest to oldest. Hired deckhands. Though, in the four months he hired them, Reed has found Timothy the most useful. A spry twenty-two year old who's hardworking and does what he's told.

Kennedy was a few years older but not by much. He didn't say much. Maybe had a disorder or something, Milton always had some smartass comments about him. Reed didn't get it, the old giving a hard time to rookies he understands, he's been there, but there had been a few times where he had to break up fights between the two.

Blake...Blake was a strange man. Between singing songs shamelessly early in the dawn, and wasting time jerking off in the bathroom and gorging himself with rations, Blake was a terrible roommate but goddammit if he wasn't a good deckhand.

Milton was an outright asshole, but a good deck boss. However, he answered to Reed of course. Out of all the three, Reed and Milton have history. You see, before getting his own ship, Reed had worked with him under his command. There was an unspoken soreness between the two because of the role reversal, given Milton's propensity to be a dick, the latter now has someone to answer to. Granted, they both had the same boss at this point, but Reed didn't get along with him so he set up shop. Years wasted.

Giving Milton a job was solid Reed was regretting.

Finally, the crew came in. Reed heard steps behind him on the small stairs leading up to the control room. Reed's attention was focused on a laptop-like screen above him, a naval radar was booted up, predicting good fishing spots, but it also updated the weather. A storm was coming. The boat was still rocking back and forth much to the brunette's dismay. The crew piled in, all wearing heavy rain coats and hats and thick gloves that were barely protecting them anymore.

"Hoyt, this storm isn't letting up! The waves aren't letting up either. Damn near pitch black out if it weren't for the lights!" Blake exclaimed in a huff, his raspy voice mixed with amusement and something Reed couldn't quite put his finger on. Fear? Something else entirely? The captain couldn't help but agree. This was the roughest night he's had on the waters in awhile. He was actively clutching onto anything to keep him from flying out of the chair.

"Captain, maybe we should just work through it? I get it's dangerous, and I'm new to this kind of thing but we all came here for one reason and one reason alone...to make money. " Timothy said quietly, leaning back into the wall, Kennedy was silently grabbing onto his arm. Blake and Milton were grabbing onto anything too.

"Are you fucking kidding me? No! Hoyt asked us to come in. We're probably going into the port, and waiting it out right? We're only a few hours from land aren't we?" Milton argued, the leather skimmed ginger croon had a point. It was way too dangerous to continue working, hell, everyone is actively trying not to get launched to death, but Timothy was probably just trying to make himself seem better. Abit of a kiss-ass at the wrong time. While it soured Reed's view, he was more concerned on not sinking below to a watery grave.

"let's just get to sleep. Or try atleast." Kennedy said, his voice was deep, almost freakishly deep. Though it wasn't a reason why he didn't talk much. He never says. Heh. The blonde was already filing out to the living quarters as Milton followed.

Left with Blake, Reed looks over, cocking his head, finding some relief as the waves seemed to calm suddenly. Yet the rain and thunder persist. The boat still rocked back and forth but it wasn't as hard, manageable atleast.

"Captain, bullshit aside, it is quit beautiful." Blake said.

Reed raised a brow. "What?"

"You know, nature. Mother nature can be a bitch, a vicious one, just like my ex wife...that fucki-"

"Blake. Just get to bed." Reed said.

Blake shrugged and walked out.

The captain was content being by himself. Granted it was hard to see much given how dark it was with the pounding rain and thunder to boot, but he decided a night of being alone and braving the seas to port was easier than directing his crew.

Reed had a family to think of. Little Tag, and his wife Mara. Just thinking about them made him smile. He missed them. A picture of the trio was on the control board staring back at him. Reed was standing behind Mara, Mara herself a beautiful woman with dark skin, long hair, hazel eyes and the biggest smile he'd ever seen.

The baby, Tag, he was of light skin, mixed, and frankly adorable. Some people say all babies are ugly. Reed didn't believe that. Tag was different. Why the name Tag? Abit old fashioned in the modern times sure, but that was his father's name whom passed years ago. It was in honor of him.

It had been four weeks since he's seen them, well, in person atleast, of course he FaceTimed when he could but it wasn't a lot. The video quality wasn't very good either.

Reed was tempted to give a call, but to be honest, they were probably asleep.

Suddenly and surely, his attention from the picture was drawn away with a loud THUD!

Reed's head snapped foward, looking below at the deck, though it was hard to make out. The lightning crackling gave some brief glimpses, even the actual lights on the deck gave some view, but the very front of the deck was harder to see.

"Someone out there? Get your ass back inside, we're heading to port for a day or two. We can make up our pots." The captain said into his comm.

No response.

The lights right below the outside of the control room and looking ahead at the deck had suddenly flickered, only to die complete seconds later leaving nothing but the darkness of the seas and the rage of lighting.

Reed sighed in irritation. Something was up. Maybe a deckhand fucking around? He didn't have time for it. He stood up, scratching his cheek gently before striding out. He walked down the narrow ship halls, making his way to small and claustrophobic rooms. The men were in bed, well, at least three.

Blake looked to be asleep.

Milton was on his phone.

Kennedy was reading. Reed noticed it was a Stephen King novel. Pet sementary. Reed had never read many books, but Kennedy brought quit a few during the trip. Not that he minded the quiet hobby, Kennedy barely made a sound most of the time. Peaceful really. Though, Reed was curious about him. Kennedy didn't talk much about his home life.

Milton's blocky face turned it's attention towards Reed. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah. The lights are out. Where's Timothy?"

A look of confusion shot on Kennedy's face.

Milton was in the same boat, scratching the back of his head. "Thought he came back to you. After we left he said that he had to do something for you."

"What?" Reed mused baffled. "I told everyone to stay inside dammit. Kennedy, get up, help me find the kid."

Kennedy closed his novel and got up, the blonde following his captain, searching the ship, the inside, much to they're worry Timothy was nowhere to be found.

A cold unexplained feeling ran through Reed, cramming into his body like volts.

He grabbed Milton on the way outside, heading into the deck.

On the deck, there was the large metal cages, cranks and rope used to catch pots of crab, the three could make their shape out in the darkness. The ship swayed back and forth steadily, the rain getting harsher. It felt like hail. It hurt Reed's skin just seconds out. The captain in his hurry to find the kid forgot to put his jacket and gloves on. He was braving the weather in dark blue jeans and a black long sleeve shirt.

"Check the sides of the deck!" Reed commanded.

Kennedy jetted towards the right with reckless abandon, every step felt heavier than the last.

A maddening sense of fear had crept through Reed. What if the kid had fallen overboard? Crushed himself with equipment? He's seen those deaths. Seen them happen in the blink of an eye for the unprepared.

"Cap, there's someone in the water!" Milton said. It was hard to make out, a shadow in the sea. A part of Milton just felt....off with it. If it was Timothy, surely he'd be flailing, calling for them. But this dark figure was just there. It's head and shoulders above water. "Timothy? Timothy?!" Milton howled out in confusion. The person seemed to be looking up at him.

Kennedy, Reed and Blake hauled ass over to him. They all looked, seeing nothing. Surely Milton wasn't going crazy! There was someone there. It had to be Timothy! He took his eyes off of him for one second and the shadow was gone.

"What the hell are you going on about?" Reed asked, his voice quiet, teeth chattering. The rain was battering down on his flesh, stabbing into him like daggers.

"There was someone there, I think it was Milton, but I'm not sure." Milton exclaimed.

"Hold on." Kennedy darted off, grabbing a life preserver on a rope, tossing it into the dark raging seas. Everyone gripped onto the rope.

A unexplainable drowsy fear had overtaken them all.

Reed's grip was lighter than he would've liked. Growing weak. He regretted not getting his jacket. Though, everyone held onto each other to keep them stable. Another man thrown aboard wouldn't help anyone.

The rope was thick and long. It swayed with the preserver lightly in the waters, nothing seemed eager to grab it.

"Timothy! Grab the rope!" Reed commanded, his voice coming out slow and slurred. His lips felt like they were freezing over.

Something grabbed the orange preserver, lulling it in breakneck speed underwater. What followed was a harsh yank, that earned howls of pain from all men as the rope burned and jetted across their palms. It was so hard. Fast. Too hard. Timothy must've been stronger than he looked. The mere force of it nearly tipped Milton over, but Kennedy caught him.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Kennedy screeched out, sounding more fearful than Reed would expect.

Timothy was struggling clearly.

Another yank, this one even more harder than the last. Milton, for the briefest of moments could make out dark writhing hands reaching for the rope, and suddenly he found his muscle useless, pulled hard into the seas with cold and darkness meeting him. He panicked, cold water filling his lungs as he forced his eyes open but barely, shimmering black figures with wide fingers and dark rough skin like scales awaited him. Their eyes were white like stars. Staring at him.

He wanted to scream, water filling his body, and terror, utter and pure terror filling his very soul. The fingers reached, dragging him down further into the unknown as his last moments crept forward. Milton knew very little or no more than anyone dying, but he knew what he saw last was a nightmare.

A dream he'd never wake from. Milton knew no more.

Kennedy's eyes widened like saucers, faintly making some struggle out, the bubbles rising from Milton's sounds, and faint white gimmers looking up at him. The blonde let go of the rope. The weather suddenly seemed to grow worst, hearing his Captain's cries of pain. Blake was all too eager to let go, grabbing Reed, hustling across the broad deck, whom, the two would race inside to safety, Reed needed to get warm or he'd die most likely.

Kennedy didn't feel all too betrayed they left. He stood, holding onto the rails and fear. His blue orbs stared back at the white small beady glimmers that seemed to glow in the dark inky waves, a host of them following, multiple staring back at him. Watching.

With sanity gone in one swift stroke, Kennedy's muscles failed to produce any substantial movement.

THUNK.

Something had landed on the deck with force. Dragging it's feet. It sounded horrible. Wet, as if a rain soaked dog was dragging himself on the carpet.

Kennedy wished he could've turned around. He closed his eyes, the brilliant white eyes staring back at him was still embedded into his raging mind.

A figure, a disgusting and wet shadow lumbered slowly over, nimble and deadly like a predator stalking it's prey. It made no noise besides it's own steps.

Kennedy, finding sudden but surely foolhardy courage buried inside of him turned around, only to be met with white beady eyes like stars. A scream erupted from his lips, any power in his lungs left was null and void. In a swift moment Kennedy could taste his own blood. It tasted horrid. Like copper. The shadow had sliced his neck so quickly, so precise, that as it oozed from his open wound and burrowed up his throat like bile Kennedy was sure he died before he even opened in his eyes.

Kennedy's body collapsed with a sickening thud.

The shadow had looked down, then behind itself as other long hands grabbed onto the rails, coming as well.

Reed was chattering. His face red and pained with lips dry, chapped and nearly turning blue. A large wool cover was strewn over him. Blake was helping him in the kitchen. "W-Wh-Where's Kennedy?" He chatted out.

Blake felt a pang of guilt. In his hurry to save Reed, he had forgotten all about Kennedy. "I'll go check on him. I'll call for help too. Just stay here." Blake walked off, the ship was oddly quiet. However, that silence was ruined by a large thud he faintly heard. It sounded as if it came from the deck.

Blake rushed out never to be seen again.

Minutes, agonizing minutes passed. No sounds, nothing, besides that thud Reed heard. Maybe Kennedy got Timothy on board finally. Blake must've been calling for help. His room was a little ways away so it's not like he could hear everything. Though, something about all of this feels...odd.

As time passes, and ten minutes followed, Reed found himself feeling slightly better. He forced himself up, creeping down the halls, the ship swaying in toe with a chaotic rhythm.

Reed calls for his men but no one answered. The captain made it down to his control center, the steering greeted him as he sat down, immediately looking ahead. There was no one. Noone on deck. His blood ran cold, and the darkest feeling he's ever felt coursed through him. Something primal, raw, fear. A fear he couldn't fathom ever feeling until now. The captain grabbed for his radio, his voice quiet and uncertain as it boomed through the deck comm. "Hello? Guys, guys?" He mused.

It was hard to make out much given the lights were off, but, he could tell none of his men were there. A frustrated sigh left his lips, Reed looked down into his lap, and as he did, more harsh THUDS met his ears.

Snapping his head up, Reed's eyes widened and his face froze, contorted into sick fear.

Multiple figures with faint white glowing beads staring back at him were there. Shadows of the sea, and slowly they moved forward.

The captain was a goner. The crew of the Abel was never found again. Nor the ship.

The End.