Blurb: This story is about a man and a woman who are the only survivor of a shipwreck. Just as it seems like it's the end they were rescued by a couple who may be hiding something from them...
A company went on a small luxurious cruise off the coast of California that took a turn for the worse when in the middle of the night the boat struck a rock half its size. The passengers jolted awake from their sleep. Both Noah and his Co-worker Jen had left their rooms to see what was happening. They saw the captain running down the hall.
“What’s going on?” Jen asked.
The captain yelled, “The boat is sinking, get to the main deck quick and wait for me there, I will get everyone situated into the life rafts!”
Jen and Noah both turned around to go back into their rooms to gather their belongings when the captain slammed the door shut.
“There’s no time!” He shouted.
“You need to go now.”
Noah and Jen glanced at each other before charging up the stairs to the main deck. By now, all the other passengers had fallen back into a deep sleep after the long day. Noah and Jen now noticed the boat was sinking when they were on the main deck, and the water had almost engulfed the stern. Noah knew how to work a life raft from his experience in the military so he started preparing the boat.
“Should I go help wake everyone else up?” Jen asked.
“We need to worry about saving our own lives at the moment,” Noah replied.
By that time, the water was rising rapidly and was flooding down the stairs. Jen was concerned because the captain hadn’t come back yet and neither had any other passengers, but Noah told her to stay where it was safe. Noah had finished preparing the life raft and now they were just waiting for the rest of the passengers and the captain. Jen was worrying too much and walked back to the stairwell to see what was going on. She shrieked when she saw the rushing water pushing the captain's unconscious body against the end of the hall, and all the other passengers pounding on their doors crying for help unable to open them because of the high water. Noah grabbed Jen’s shoulder turning her around to hug her.
“We need to get off the ship, Jen,” He said.
Jen nodded, her eyes filled with tears, unable to get any words out. Noah helped Jen to the little boat. Noah pushed away from the ship, hearing the cries of their co-workers fade into the distance.
“How did this happen,” Jen whispered.
“I’m not sure, but as bad as it is, we have no clue where we are and we have no food or water,” Noah replied.
“What will we do, what will we tell their families?” Jen asked.
“All that matters at the moment is getting to land and back to our own homes,” Noah said.
The two said nothing for the rest of the night and fell asleep in the looking at the bright stars in the silent night. The next morning they woke up to the beating sun glaring down on them. Noah nudged Jen awake.
“Hey Jen, we need to figure out how we will get food and water, I have checked everywhere and there is nothing of use at the moment”
“I don’t know Noah, last night was horrifying and I don’t want to do anything,” she replied.
Noah sighed, “ I know I don’t know what to do.”
The two drifted out on the water for two more days. They needed food and water soon because they were so dehydrated and starving. The hot days and rocky waves have pushed them over the edge of sanity, and they started seeing things. As the sun began to set for the fourth night Noah and Jen both drifted asleep.
“Hello.”
“Are you alright?”
Noah cracked open his eyelids and saw a man and a woman standing above him.
Noah heard a voice say, “Let’s get him inside.”
The couple brought him into an old looking lighthouse and gave him food and water and let him rest in their bed. When he woke up they asked him how he was doing.
“Are you feeling better?” The man asked.
“A little,” Noah replied.
“Who are you guys?’’ Asked Noah.
“I'm Ben, and this is my wife Lucy,” said the man.
“Where am I?” Noah questioned.
“California, we run this lighthouse and take care of it,” said Lucy.
Noah sighed in relief, he was glad to know he was still in California.
Ben looked at Noah, “No one ever comes up here, so it’s nice of you to show up.”
“I’m just grateful you found us!” Noah replied.
But before he could finish his sentence he shot up in his bed,
“Where’s Jen?” Noah shouted.
“Who’s Jen?” Ben replied.
“Jen, she was in the life raft with me. Our boat crashed and we were the only ones who survived, where is she?
“I’m sorry I don’t know what you're talking about,” said Lucy.
“You were the only one in the boat,” Ben said.
“That can’t be, she was there when we fell asleep!” Noah said.
“We already ate while you were resting but why don’t you have dinner and a good night's sleep and we’ll see how you are feeling in the morning,” suggested Lucy.
Ben handed him a plate of food and led him to the couch where he would be sleeping that night. He scarfed down his meal and then laid back to rest. He was having a hard time processing what was going on when he eventually dozed off. In the middle of the night Noah woke up with chills down his spine, he spotted a black silhouette standing in the doorframe.
“Who’s there?’’ He said firmly.
“It’s just me, I didn’t mean to wake you, I just wanted to make sure you were sleeping well,” said Lucy.
“I’m good, thanks,’’ said Noah
“Well then, I will head back to bed, goodnight,” whispered Lucy.
As Noah watched the silhouette disappear from the doorframe he did not hear any footsteps travel down the hall. He stayed up for most of the night after that. When Noah woke up he got out of bed and went to the kitchen where the couple had been waiting for him. They told him that they were going into town for some groceries and they wouldn’t be back for a while because the nearest town was a ways away. Ben told him that they had one request while they were away.
“Noah it is very important to Lucy and I that you don’t go to the third floor while we are away, ok?”
“Ok,’’ Noah mumbled while sipping some coffee.
The couple left the lighthouse and went into town while Noah stayed and put on the news. He had completely forgotten about all the previous events that have just happen to him the last couple of days. After about an hour something sparked his memory, the breaking news came on reporting that there had been a boat crash with debris that had washed up on shore. Suddenly, it all came back to Noah, he had spit coffee everywhere and started to panic. The couple hadn’t come back yet and he needed to leave and find his family so they knew he was alive. He looked for things that could help but found nothing. He was sitting in his chair when he heard rattling upstairs. He was very curious having thought he was the only one home. He slowly walked all the way up the stairs to the third floor. He cracked the door open and peeked his head in and was shocked to see what was in the middle of the room.
“Jen!” He yelled. “You're alive!”
He threw his arms around her and quickly untied her from the chair, but was startled to hear footsteps coming up the stairs behind him. He whipped his head around to see Lucy and Ben standing in the doorway blocking the exit.
“I told you not to come up here Noah,” said Ben.
“You assholes, we need to get to a hospital she’s going to die!”
“We can’t let you leave Noah,” said Lucy.
“Please, just let us go,” cried Noah.
“You know we won’t let you,” replied Lucy.
Ben and Lucy started walking toward Noah.
“Stay away from me!” Shouted Noah.
Ben and Lucy did not listen, they kept on getting closer. Even though Noah was not intimidated by them, he set Jen down and shoved Lucy down the stairs. Ben then pounced on Noah making him stumble back. He then connected a good punch to Noah's face, but Noah recovered quickly and caught the next one and kneed Ben in the stomach breaking one of his ribs. He crumbled into Noah’s arms and Noah threw him head first into the wall, then scrambled to get Jen down the stairs. Just as he was at the bottom of the stairs Lucy peered around the corner. She pulled out a steak knife from behind her back, his heart stopped. Frantic to fight back as Lucy creepily walked down the hallway at them he layed Jen down on the ground. With just moments before Lucy reached him he looked around the room he started throwing anything he could find until he stumbled over a small wooden chair. Lucy lunged at him but Noah kicked her back with his legs. He jumped up, grabbed the chair and cracked it over her head leaving her unconscious.
“C’ mon Jen, lets get you out of here,” said Noah.
Noah took the crazy couples car and drove to the nearest hospital to help Jen. On the way there he called the cops and told him what had happened and to go to the location of the lighthouse to find them there. Jen recovered from the dehydration and starvation and both her and Noah were reunited with their families after being released from the hospital.