Night was falling, and the air had grown chilly, a cool oceanic
wind blowing, sending waves tossing about.
The night sky was dark, and the cloudiness made it even more so, hiding the
moon and the stars that would normally provide light for them. This night, however, they had to resort to
flashlights, lanterns, and candles.
While Nick manned the boat, the others sat around the dimly lit
boat deck, bundled in windbreakers, the only warm garments they had brought for
the weekend trip. Blankets were strewn
across their laps to keep their bare legs warm. They were chilly, but they didn’t want to go
down to the small, enclosed cabins below the deck, where they would be
sleeping.
“Looks like a storm’s coming,” Kevin noted, gazing up at the
cloudy sky.
The other three exchanged glances. “Good observation, Professor,” Brian said,
rolling his eyes good naturedly. “We’ve
only been noticing that for the last three hours.”
Kevin just shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “You think it could be dangerous?” he
asked, his expression growing serious again.
They shrugged, having not even considered that possibility.
“Probably not,” AJ said confidently. “Just a little thunderstorm.”
“Hey Nick!” Brian called.
“Yeah?” Nick called back.
“Is this storm gonna be a problem for us?” Brian asked.
Nick glanced at the dark sky and shrugged. “Probably not. It’s probably just a little thunderstorm.”
“My words exactly,” AJ gloated.
Clapping Kevin on the back, he said, “See, old man? Just chill out and relax. Nothin’s gonna happen.”
Famous last words.
***