Something in the Water

Some days I find myself drifting along the waves in my mind, missing the excitement and serenity of conquering the ocean. My whole life was spent on the salty waters honing my skills as a fisherman. My grandpa and father used to take me out on their long trips to bring the seasons' haul of fresh fish. On these early trips they taught me everything from net repair to how to navigate using the stars. The latter was more for posterity than practicality but an interesting party trick nonetheless. That time with them cemented my future on the water.
In what felt like the blink of an eye I found myself operating my own ship with a hardy crew of lost souls and drifters. I had two members of my crew though that were like barnacles to a hull. I just couldn?t shake those two no matter how many fish guts I tossed at them or burnt meals I fed them while singing sea shanties in a gruff voice. Nadia was a strong set of hands I was happy to have at sea with me and a great sense of humor. She grew up in the system and was looking for a place to belong when she stumbled onto my dock some years ago.
?Paper says you're looking for an extra set of hands? she bellowed out to me.
?Have you ever worked on a ship before?? I hollered back.
?Nah, but I?m a fast learner plus I don?t get sea sick, so that?s gotta count for something? she replied.
I hired her that day and she had been with me ever since.
Ashley was a stout firecracker of a woman and the latest addition to the long haulers as we called ourselves. Like me her family was one of the sea bound souls. She was a sharp mind to have around and could smell a storm coming from a mile away. She walked up to me one day at the supermarket.
?Hey, my uncle told me you finally started making some money with that dingy you call a ship? she jested.
?I sure have? I responded proudly.
?Y'know, I have been looking for a new crew to join, I?m getting a little claustrophobic being around my family at home and work? she replied.
I knew an experienced mind like hers was well worth the pay so I told her to meet me down at the dock the next morning to get to work.
The last time I felt the salty air whip my hair in its tendrils we had been out testing new fishing grounds to increase our haul. One of the greenhorns noticed something in with the fish when we brought up our net. Picking it up to inspect it he called out to Nadia in confusion. ?What on earth is this thing?!"
She inspected it closely, declaring ?It looks like an octopus of some kind?
?Do they normally have sharp teeth and spines lining the tentacles like that?? the greenhorn asked.
Having overheard the conversation Ashley chimed in ?None that I've seen before have ever looked like that?
As she finished her phrase the slimy creature seemed to spring to attention, scaring the crew half to death before letting out a hissing sound and clamping itself tightly around Nadia's forearm. She bellowed in pain as a river of crimson blood flowed down her arm. I rushed over to her and ripped it from her arm freeing her of the teeth. Quickly I tossed the little beast overboard shouting in fear the whole time.
She definitely had a good bite in her arm after but it looked worse than it was. A few wrapped bandages took care of the wound and we moved on from that moment all a little confused. The rest of the evening went as they usually do. The waves rocked us like babies into sleep in our respective cabins.
I woke suddenly deep in the night to the sound of scuttling on the deck above me. I was almost always the first person up in the morning so I didn?t think it was a crew member. I threw on my clothes to go see what it had been, fully anticipating having to pick up equipment that had tumbled over from the waves. When I got to the deck I could hear the sound of scuttling still. I saw Nadia leaning over something in the moonlight. As I approached, I saw the most terrifying scene of my life.
Nadia was crouched over Ashley. Nadia had a pale look to her like she had been left in the cold for far too long and protruding from her eyes were two spiked tentacles. Her mouth was a sharp maw of teeth covered in what I could only assume was Ashley?s blood. I looked around me quickly noticing the other crew members scattered around the deck in pools of their own blood.
Nadia let out a hissing screech as she noticed me turning to run. I bound my way to the life boat and dropped into the water. Nadia, or what had once been Nadia, hissed and shook violently watching me drift away.
The coast guard found me two days later drifting in the life boat. They never actually located my ship. I refuse to step foot near the sea anymore. I know those things are out there and I know what they can do.
Please, if you see a strange creature in the water, leave it alone!


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