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Hours. Days. Weeks. Months. Years. They all felt the same as she sat against the hard wood of the boat deck. The twilight sky tinged with pinks and grays could've been the morning sky for all she cared. The perfect time that she'd wanted to have was gone. It was all gone. The shards of wood floating aimlessly about in the sea was proof of that. The small patches of oil and gas that painted spots across the water gleamed in the last of the sun. Shuddering against the memory of what happened and a slight breeze that was blowing across the deck she changed her gaze from the sea to the lone figure laying still, too still, a foot from her.
She knew that he wasn't dead yet, but she couldn't help but think that he could be. His dark hair matted to the skin of his scalp, and his beautiful green brown eyes were closed ignoring the changing hues of the sky. Pulling the blanket tighter about herself, she moved to check him. A tear trickled down her cheek as she leaned over him. His breathing so shallow, so soft. There wasn't a mark on him to even tell the story of what he'd just been through, save for a few scrapes and the one small gash on his shoulder. Tugging the pale gray blankets in closer to his body she laid her head on his chest to listen to the slow but mostly steady rise and fall of his chest. With the hollow sound of his breath swirling through his lungs and reverberating through her ears she closed her dark eyes and imagined what a deep sleep would be like.
Boom! She jerked awake as memories swirled through her. The sound of splitting wood assaulted her ears as she stared helplessly out to the darkened sea. She wanted to shut her eyes to the memory, but she couldn't. It was gonna play not matter what she did, no matter how she wanted it to. There had been an explosion and then the boat had just fallen apart. She was already in the water when that happened, and he, Gabriel Patterson, was on his way to join her. Just as he dove in it all happened. Tears welled up in her eyes again at the thought that she'd only just met him and now she was about to loose him. And why? Who in the world would want to blow them up? Was it an accident?
Despite Gabe being lost somewhere in the world of unconsciousness, she knew that she was luckier than her brother. Looking over her shoulder she watched her brother cradle and rock the still form of his date, Mackenzie Previn. She'd liked the woman that Gabe had introduced to them a few hours ago, but now she'd never know how well they really would've gotten along. Silently she was glad that Gabe wasn't awake to see the condition of his friend. Mac's dark brown hair fell wet and stringy over the arms of the man holding her, her blue eyes were closed and not opening anytime soon. Her once pink lips were now tinged blue. The tee shirt and shorts she'd worn for the double date that she and Gabe were going on were now soaked and sticking to her cold skin.
She couldn't watch him cradle and cry over Mac anymore. Turning back to Gabe she thought that she saw his head move. Gently she stroked the hollow of his cheek and waited. He moaned and stirred under her hand. Smiling sadly she whispered in his ear. His teeth chattered as he tried to smile and say something in return. Taking another sad look behind her, she didn't want to tell him that his friend was dead. Looking back at him, she knew that she wouldn't have to. He'd managed to prop himself up on one arm and was staring through the dark to were Mac and her brother were.
With a loud grunt he pulled himself onto his knees and crawled, faster than she ever thought he'd be able to, toward his friend. Reaching her something sounding like a strangled scream rang from his throat. Reaching out with shaking hands he grabbed her from the arms that held her and pulled her into his own. Tears falling freely down his face Gabe brushed dark locks of hair from her face and pulled a blanket tightly around her cold body. She couldn't really be gone, he thought holding her closer to his chest. He held her closer in futile attempt to give her some of his own life. Judson would be crushed when he.....Gabe pushed it from his mind.
Burying his face in Mac hair Gabe allowed his grief to over take him.
Silently she watched from her spot on the wood deck as Gabe held his friend tightly against his chest. She wished that there was something she could do for him.
Turning from the scene of Gabe crying for his lost friend, she watched the coming of the dock and the waiting lights of emergency vehicles.
The End