She of the Sea

39 of 53 - An Unappreciated Miracle

Eduardo Maldonado in a state of stunned disbelief couldn't tear his gaze from the apparition in the waves. She floated ahead of the yacht on her back, long braids trailing down the front of her slender, naked form, beautiful in appearance, except something seemed wrong with her eyes. Her song as well as her body commanded his full attention.

Several men passengers crammed in alongside. A few grabbed their phones and began videoing. One of them asked, "Is she real?"

The sea creature waved her arm in a repeated slow flourish, beckoning, all the while continuing to infect their collective psyches with her haunting melody. Someone mumbled trancelike, "She wants us to follow."

With his mouth agape, Maldonado realized he was witnessing what only a few men on ships ever had the good fortune to see, a rarity, a blessing, a miracle. "The old legends are true. Sweet Jesus, they're true."

He turned to the windscreen. Seeing Captain Watson on the bridge at the helm, he shouted, "To port. To port. She's warning us to change our heading."

"Belay that," Senator Farley's guard shouted. To Maldonado, he said, "We don't know what that thing is. It could be leading us into the rocks."

"Her intention is benevolent. I'm sure of it."

"I've read Homer. Odysseus believed otherwise. I'm responsible for the life of a United States Senator. For all I know this could be an assassination plot."

Maldonado balled his fists. "Don't be a fool."

The guard's eyes grew large. "What am I saying? That thing can't be alive. It must be some sort of cleverly disguised watercraft. It's a sonic weapon. It's a threat."

To Maldonado's horror, the guard pulled his service weapon from inside his jacket and opened fire on the creature.

Every man aboard screamed and collapsed onto the deck at the shrill, panicked cry of the sea creature. The sensation felt like an ice pick being jammed into their brains.

The song stopped.

Maldonado recovered his wits and stood. He shined his beam into the Gulf. She was no longer there.

He dashed to the bridge, unlocked the door, and burst inside.

Senator Farley, now awake, stood pale, and wide-eyed.

His junior guard held a handgun, but had it pointed at the deck. "I heard shots, where is my colleague? Is he okay?"

Captain Watson wore a serious expression. "Mister Maldonado, what is happening aboard my ship?"

"You didn't hear her warning? You didn't see her?"

"Who? Snap out of it, man. What the devil are you talking about?"

The captain had been unaffected by the song. "I don't have time to explain." He bumped her out of the way and spun the wheel to port.

Incensed, Captain Watson, shouted, "Mister Maldonado, you will return control of the helm to me at once and stand down."

"Sorry, I can't do that."

Suddenly, the cabin became illuminated. Spotlights shown through the starboard side windows and a voice boomed over a loudspeaker. "This is the United States Coast Guard. Bring your vessel to a full stop and prepare to be boarded."

An hour later, after Captain Watson had been fully debriefed. She explained how they lost electronics and were unable to respond to the Coast Guard radio warnings.

As first mate, Maldonado had corroborated her testimony.

"You're damn fortunate," the interrogating officer pointed out. "We monitored your heading on radar. If you hadn't veered to port when you did, a few seconds later you would've plowed into the breakwater at the northern tip of Anclote Key."