Short Stories

Ocean Day

Justin Harper, a tall lean man with brown hair, blue eyes and Kymberly Huff, a petite girl with blond hair and green eyes are a twenty three year old couple who had been dating for two years to this day, in order to celebrate the occasion the young couple signed up for a three day two night cruise.

Justin held Kymberly close to him with an arm wrapped around her shoulders while Kymberly had her head resting against her boyfriend's shoulder staring out into the beautiful ocean, watching as the light sprayed out across the water in a glorious light show that would put even the most extravagant fireworks show to shame. Kymberly glances over at Justin with a soft smile gracing her features. “This is great Justin, thanks for taking me, babe.” She says standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and he smiles lightly looking over at her. “Hey, you covered half so what are you thanking me for?” He asks with his smile suddenly changing into a sly grin and Kymberly puts her hands on her hips raising an eyebrow at him already knowing what her mischievous boyfriend was thinking. “You better not bub.” She says simply before getting herself thrown over Justin’s shoulder. Kymberly squeals laughing as she pounds at Justin’s back but to no avail. “No, no, no! You better not asshole, I swear if you do I’ll kick you!” She squeals and Justin just laughs evilly walking to the pool before jumping in with Kymberly in tow laughing as he watches her get herself upright and look in horror at her drenched clothes. Justin was wearing a pair of beach print swimming trunks so this was absolutely no problem to him but Kymberly was wearing her brand new dress.... so to her this was just a jerk move from him. “YOU ASKED!” She yells before trying to kick him in the shin but the water slowed her down so she contented herself by splashing water all over him which quickly turned into a splashing war between the couple laughing and smiling with the soaked dress only put aside temporarily. They spent the last couple of days having all kinds of fun from the pool to the games and even the things they could only do when alone...but what made them really happy was just being together and celebrating their two year anniversary!

Gone unnoticed by the couple a storm was brewing around the ship causing it to rock and turn. This storm was a complete surprise to the crew and captain and ordered an evacuation to the lower decks, many of the passengers obeyed and went below deck but Justin watched and noticed how the crew was underhanded and wouldn't be able to get everything tied down before the storm hit so he grabbed one by the arm. “I’ll help out, there should be a few minutes before the storm gets bad!” He says and the crew member nods. There wasn't anything they could really say on the matter, they really did need the help after all. “Ma’am you’ll need to wait below deck, we’ll keep him safe.” They say simply and Kymberly hesitantly nods but hides to where she could watch him from the corner of her eye. She thought he was so reckless to be doing this and it made her worried sick about her boyfriend. The storm quickly gets worse and worse until it changed into a roaring sheet of freezing cold rain that made it impossible to see more than a few feet in front of you and the violent churning of the waves threw the boat to and fro with Justin trying desperately to keep his balance and ends up having to hold onto the side railings just to keep himself steady. He prayed to god that Kymberly was safe in the boat and knew it was time for him to go so he waited until he thought it was the right moment before taking a step...and that's when everything went wrong. The boat suddenly lurches and Justin's thrown over the edge of the boat by the sudden shift, the fall seemed to go in slow motion for him but the only thought that crossed his mind was that he forgot to tell Kymberly bye before helping the sailors…

Kymberly watches as the love of her life falls over the edge of the ship and into the violent waves. in heart-wrenching horror. She didn't know what to do or think, it felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest but she REFUSED to let him go so easily!
She screams his name rushing out onto the deck only to be grabbed by one of the crewmen who starred at the women in surprise. “Ma’am I know how you feel but there's nothing to be done!” He yells lightly shaking her shoulders and Kymberly turns to glare at the sailor with a wilf fire in her eyes that wouldn't be put out by this rain. “LET ME GO!” She screams and without waiting for a reply she smashes her fist into the sailor's face breaking tje poor guy's nose and grabs an emergency life ring from the pool guards tower before she does something anyone else would think insane...she dives over the edge and safety of the ship and into the freezing ocean water not even thinking about her dress anymore. She searches for a few minutes before finally seeing him nearby m and swims her hardest to reach him. That bastard never even told her bye, so there was no way in hell she was about to let him go without one hell of a fight!

Justin struggled to keep himself at the surface of the water, the waves were throwing him everywhere and multiple times he lost his sense of direction forgetting which direction was up. His lungs were being forced to their breaking point begging for a fresh breath before finally forcing the man to open his mouth only to receive a mouthful of water that made his lungs feel as if they were on fire. He was finding it extremely difficult to keep his mind straight, everything kept fading in and out but he could’ve sworn he saw somebody dive into the water...but what kind of crazed lunatic would willingly dive into this hell?

Kymberly fights against the ocean currents desperately pushing her way towards Justin who, to her horror had just gone under and it took him a worrying amount of time to find the surface again. “Quit flailing Justin, everything’ll be okay!” She shouts praying he could hear her over the roaring rain and churning ocean waters. It seemed to her that he had listened but as she finally reached him she discovered his obedience was caused by him passing out. “J-Justin...baby...no, no you can’t be dead!” She cries out shaking him and then slaps his back hard causing water to spurt out of his mouth and his eyes to flutter. “Thank god! You should've come down with me you moron!” She yells sobbing in relief but now she faced a different challenge...she had to find her way to safely and the ship wasn’t going to be much help, it was already leaving and it was hard enough getting to Justin and she was exhausted from the amount of effort it took her to get this far but she wasn't about to give in, for now, she just had to stay afloat. Good thing she brought the ring with her because she didn't think she was strong enough to keep them both afloat with the power in her petite body.

Justin comes to shortly after and opens his eyes to find his girlfriend soaked and clinging to a life ring that was around him. He looks at her incredulously. “What were you thinking diving into this mess!” He shouts at her earning himself a slap in the face. “I wouldn't Have HAD to jump in if you had just come down with me or took better care of yourself on the deck. We’ve been together for two freaking years and I’m not about to let you throw your life away in this godforsaken ocean! Not without me by your side at least…” She shouts back and Justin holds his stinging cheek Sighing softly. “Okay you win babe, but we ain’t dying out here. Just hold on and I’m sure help will come Kymberly!” He says smiling reassuringly at her and Kymberly nods smiling softly. She loved Justin's constant enthusiasm but this situation seemed so hopeless she wasn't positive that Justin was correct. The boat was long gone now and the ocean was still throwing them all over the ocean, she wasn't certain they could hold out long enough for the coast guard to find them either...but if this was how she was gonna go she was happy that she was with the love of he life and Justin felt the same way even though he hid it behind his smile. To him Kymberly was more than a girl, she was beautiful, strong, brave and her actions now only served to prove what he had known all along. Of course, he thought she was insane to do any of this but a part of him couldn't help but be eternally grateful for the angel he had in his life.

The couple was thrown around the ocean for so long they had no idea whether it had been just minutes hours or days but finally, the clouds started to break and the ocean calmed letting the warm summer sunshine through and the couple laughs in joy at seeing the sun. “Now that the sun's out, the coast guard can start their search!” Justin says smiling widely at his girlfriend and she nods her head in agreement. “Yeah...how do you feel Justin?” She asks putting her hand on his cheek caringly. “I feel fine babe, I’m just a bit cold and my lungs ache a little.” He says smiling lovingly at her. “That's good, don't scare me like that ever again okay,” Kymberly says and Justin nods his head chuckling before the couple started watching their surroundings closely for approximately ten minutes before Justin spots a ship in the distance. “Hey, Kym look!” He says pointing at it and Kymberly cheers kissing Justin deeply before the couple starts swimming and yelling with all the strength they had left in their beaten and freezing bodies.

The coast guard spots them and drives their ship near them and helps the couple onto the boat where they were checked up and asked about what all happened. Kymberly tells them her half of the story and Justin tells them his. “Well, sounds like you two had one hell of a cruise. Let's get you two back home.” The guard captain says and the couple takes one look at each other and laughs before curling up in a blanket together and watches the oceans beautiful yet terrific water. “Hey, Kym?” Justin asks glancing at his girlfriend and she looks at him curiously nodding her head to signal for him to continue. “Next year...how about we NOT go on a cruise?” He says and Kymberly smiles nodding her head. “Yeah...it’s beautiful but I’ve had enough of the ocean to last me a lifetime.” She says simply and the couple kiss in the sparkling light of the gorgeous yet dangerous ocean.