With a mix of excitement and nervousness, I put on a life vest, untie the kayak and lower myself into it. The feel of the paddle in my hands is already familiar, and I set off with confident strokes, heading out of the marina.
I feel a sense of freedom as the water stretches before me, glittering in the afternoon sun. The rhythmic motion of paddling is soothing, and I find myself relaxing into it.
Before long, the lighthouse comes into view. From this angle, it’s even more impressive. The way it rises from the rocky shore, standing tall against the sky – it’s breathtaking. I pause in my paddling to pull out my camera from my waterproof bag, carefully balancing to keep the kayak steady as I snap a few shots.
I’m so engrossed in getting the perfect angle that I don’t immediately notice the sudden change in the atmosphere. I snap out of my photography-induced trance when a rogue wave washes over the kayak, soaking my pants and nearly causing me to drop my camera. I look up, startled, and feel my heart sink as I take in the dramatically altered scene around me.
The brilliant blue sky from mere moments ago has disappeared as dark clouds crowd their way across the sky, swallowing the sun. The once-sparkling water has transformed into something sinister and slate-gray. The air grows heavy, pressing against my skin with an electric charge that makes the hair on my arms stand up. I hurriedly stuff my camera back into the waterproof bag, my hands shaking so badly I nearly drop it. The distant rumble of thunder feels like a warning in my bones.
As I grip the paddle and start to head back to the marina, the first fat drops of rain splatter against my skin. Within seconds,it’s as if the heavens have opened, unleashing a deluge that turns the world into a grey blur. Lightning flashes, momentarily illuminating the tempestuous scene around me. I squint through the curtain of rain, searching desperately for the shore, but it’s vanished – swallowed by the storm’s fury.
The sea has turned savage. The gentle waves have turned into white-capped swells, each swell threatening to capsize me. The choppy water batters my kayak, frothing white and crashing around me. My arms burn with exhaustion as I battle the current, but with every desperate paddle toward the marina I lose more ground to the storm’s relentless pull.
Suddenly, a massive wave rises before me, its crest white with foam and looming impossibly high. I brace myself, tucking my body low in the kayak. The wave crashes over me with stunning force, and the weight of the water threatens to crush me. Saltwater fills my mouth and nose, burning my throat as I’m momentarily submerged completely.
The kayak pitches violently beneath me as I surface, sputtering and gasping for air. I grip the sides desperately as it bucks and rolls in the choppy waves. My waterproof bag, secured only moments ago, tears free from its attachment. Horror grips me as I watch it disappear into the churning sea – my camera and my phone all gone instantly. I lunge for it helplessly, but the sea has already claimed its prize.
Another wave crashes into me, the impact rattling through my bones. The world lurches sideways as my paddle tears free, nearly wrenching my arm from its socket. Before I can recover, something solid – driftwood, maybe – cracks against the side of my head with explosive force.
White light explodes behind my eyes. When my vision clears, everything seems fuzzy and distant, as if I’m watching the storm through a foggy window. My thoughts are sluggish, and I can’t form a clear thought.
A massive wave hoists me up, and time seems to stretch as I balance on its peak, clutching the sides of my kayak desperately. I’m frozen at the top of the wave for a heartbeat, staring down at the dark waters below. My stomach lurches with the sickening realization of what’s coming, but there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Then, the wave breaks. I plummet as gravity claims me, crashing into the raging water below. Despite my white-knuckled grip on the kayak’s edges, the sheer force of impact tears me loose, ripping me away from my only lifeline. The cold is a shock, stealing what little breath I have left from my lungs as I plunge beneath the surface. The world becomes a confusion of bubbles and currents, tumbling me like a rag doll in a washing machine.
For a terrifying moment, I’m completely disoriented, unable to tell which way is up. The murky, turbulent water offers no clues. My lungs burn, screaming for air as panic sets in. Instinct takes over, and I kick wildly, fighting against the weight of my soggy clothes. Just as spots begin to dance at the edge of my vision, I break the surface with a desperate, ragged gasp.
Rain lashes at my face as I look wildly around, blinking water from my eyes. My heart pounds a frantic rhythm in my chest. Through the gloom and spray, I spot my overturned kayak a few feet away, bobbing like a toy in the massive swells. My vision swims and I blink hard to keep the kayak in focus.
I swim to it with desperate strokes, clinging to its slippery surface like a shipwrecked sailor. Wave after wave crashes over me, each one threatening to tear me away from my only source of safety. My whole body shakes violently in the cold, teeth chattering as my head throbs and nausea swirls in my gut. I’m so thankful that I put on a life vest.
The storm rages on, each minute feeling like an eternity. Lightning splits the sky, followed by deafening cracks of thunder that seem to shake the very ocean. I squeeze my eyes shut,certain that each moment will be my last. The pain in my head intensifies with each thunderclap, and I struggle to maintain my grip on the kayak.
And then, as suddenly as it began, the storm stops.
The transition from raging storm to calm is so abrupt that, at first, I think I must have passed out. But as I cautiously open my eyes, I’m met with an eerily calm sea and a bright, cloudless sky. The sun beats down, already beginning to warm my chilled skin. My head still pounds, and the world seems to tilt and spin around me.
Shock and caution keep me clinging to the overturned kayak for several minutes before I finally gather the courage to move. With trembling arms, I attempt to flip the kayak right-side up. My muscles scream in protest, weakness seeping into every fiber of my being. The damn kayak barely budges.
Gritting my teeth, I try again, putting every ounce of strength I can muster into the effort. The kayak shifts and starts to roll over, but then my grip slips. For a heart-stopping moment, I nearly lose hold of it entirely. Panic surges through me as I scramble to grasp the slick surface, my lifeline in this vast expanse of water.
Gasping and shaking, I cling to the kayak, my attempts at righting it abandoned. As my racing heart begins to slow, I force myself to take stock of my situation. What I see sends a fresh wave of fear through me, cutting through the fog in my mind.
I look around, searching desperately for any sign of the shore, a boat, or anything. But there’s nothing – just endless blue in every direction. The realization hits me like a physical blow – the storm must have carried me far from where I started. Worse, I have no way to orient myself with the sun now directly overhead.
I’m alone, adrift in the ocean, too weak to even right my kayak. I have no paddle, no supplies, no way to contact anyonefor help, and no idea which way will lead me back to safety. And now, with my head injury, I’m not even sure I can trust my senses. The situation seems hopeless, and for the first time, I consider the very real possibility that I might not make it out of this alive.
CHAPTER 11
Levi
Itell myself I’m just heading into town for the hardware store – the houseboat’s stern light needs replacing, and my backup anchor line is showing wear. And maybe while in town, I’ll grab some lunch and do some grocery shopping. I repeat these justifications as I drive, trying to ignore the real reason my heart beats a little faster with each mile. Rose mentioned she’d be shopping in town today, and despite my best efforts to pretend otherwise, I know that’s the real source of my sudden eagerness to run errands.
My eyes scan Main Street’s sidewalks as I cruise past the shops. Rose’s rental car isn’t parked outside Koko’s bakery, but I pull into a spot anyway. A love goddess might be precisely what I need right now – someone who can see through all my excuses and help me make sense of these feelings I can’t seem to shake. I sit for a moment, engine cooling, gathering my courage.
The cheerful bell above the door announces my entrance to Koko’s bakery, only to be drowned out by raised voices. I freeze in the doorway – a large man with silver hair stands with hisback to me, his imposing figure radiating tension as he faces Koko behind the counter. The warm, inviting atmosphere has vanished, replaced by something that sets my nerves on edge.
“I don’t forgive you, Perun!” Koko’s voice cracks with fury, her usually gentle face transformed. “My son was raised in the underworld because of your stupid feud with Veles. I will not be dragged into this cycle again!”
“Mokosh, please—” Perun takes a step forward, his massive frame crackling with barely contained electricity. The air grows thick with static, making the hairs on my arms rise.
