When It Comes For You

Seven: The Attack

Aimee sat off to one side as she watched Chad repair a small tear in the mainsail by using a roll of duct tape from Darcy's backpack.

"Okay, go!" He yelled as he moved toward Darcy who stood by a lever sticking out from the base of the boat.

That lever, Aimee learned, was called a tiller used to steer the boat.

It wasn't long before they were cruising at a fast clip heading out to the middle of the huge body of water.

The sun glared from the cloudless sky radiating with scorching intensity.

Aimee's face felt like it was on fire.

Thankfully, there was a steady northern breeze that helped fan away some of the excessive heat.

Chad sat beside her and pointed to something.

"We're not alone!"

Aimee looked and sure enough, several types of watercrafts peppered the lake, all with people in them.

Darcy shifted the tiller.

"We're going to meet up with them!" She shouted.

The first boat they approached was a small cabin cruiser that held four adults as they drifted parallel to one another.

Aimee watched as Darcy and Chad talked to the cruiser's crew, but with the wind whipping through her hair, she couldn't hear their conversation.

Chad broke away and knelt by her.

"They're heading for the highest point where there's a FEMA camp which is Bluff Point." Chad pointed northward.

She could see an angular shaped of land way in the distance and gave him a thumbs up.

Relief flooded her.

They will soon be safe, and on dry ground.

A piercing scream suddenly rang out.

Aimee glanced in the direction it came.

All she saw was the glint from the hull of a fishing boat rising in midair before slamming on the surface of the water.

"Down!" Chad shoved her under a nearby tiny enclosure.

"Stay put!" He ordered before disappearing.

Aimee huddled against the wall of the sailboat and listened as the screams and chaos ensued close by.

There were explosions of ships being wrenched apart as large waves rocked the sailboat.

She desperately wanted to peek, but the fear of what she might see kept her frozen in place.

"Watch out!" Darcy screamed.

There was a loud creaking of wood and then...

Snap!

Something solid smashed down as the entire boat shuddered.

A pair of feet pounded on the flooring.

Darcy yelled. "Fout tonère!"

What she heard next sounded like heavy wet noodles slapping against a solid object.

Aimee yelped when Darcy came crashing through the enclosure. The woman's body collided with hers like a barrel of bricks.

Dazed, Aimee looked to see if Darcy was okay, and froze.

Darcy, on her back just inches away, had blood oozing from her nose, mouth, and ears.

Aimee's gaze drifted down her body and rested on something wrapped around the torso area.

At first it didn't register in Aimee's mind as to what she was seeing. It gradually sunk in that a tentacle had a grip on Darcy.

A tentacle?

Darcy's eyes fluttered, blood bubbling from her mouth. "H-help him!"

In the next instance, Darcy slid out of sight.

A sickening thud and a splash.

Then everything went silent.

Aimee moved to her hands and knees. Her breathing, rapid and shallow.

No, not now!

Closing her eyes, she held her breath every few seconds and fought against the encroaching darkness.

She grew aware of various sounds and smells around her.

The strong scent of salt water permeated her nostrils with sea gulls crying somewhere overhead.

Focusing on these, her breathing slowed.

Still on her hands and knees, she crept forward and peered out to one side.

The mast had been torn in half with the heavy sail nearly filling the entire boat's interior.

Her gaze fell on a hand that was left uncovered by the canvas.

"Ch-Chad?" Her voice came out as a croak.

No response.

"Chad?" She spoke louder.

A groan from beneath the destroyed mast.

Aimee inched closer until she reached the edge of the sail and lifted a corner of it.

Chad lied in a heap with the heavy pole squarely across his legs.

There was a bloody gash in his forehead.

His eyes opened part way.

"Life...jacket...now." He moaned.

Aimee glanced around and spotted the red vests attached to the side of the boat near the tiller.

Swallowing hard, she got to her feet and half ran and half crawled to them.

She pulled two vests off and turned to run back to Chad when she stole a quick glimpse out on the water.

Pieces of watercrafts interspersed with dead aquatic species spread as far as she could see.

There were a few still intact but heavily damaged.

Wait...

There was something in the water.

A sandy brown rippling mass bobbed up to and from the surface at an incredible speed – in a bee line for the sailboat.

"Oh, crap!"

Clutching the vests, she dashed to the collapsed mainsail and threw the canvas from Chad's body.

She forced his arms through each opening of the vest, cringing whenever Chad groaned.

"S-sorry!"

"Save...yourself." He mumbled.

"Sure." She fumbled with the straps.

No sooner she had them secured, she watched in horror as long appendages flung through the air and across the entire width of the vessel.

They visibly tightened.

Thunderous groans and snaps of boards filled her ears, and the vessel leaned sharply to one side.

Aimee couldn't stop from slipping, her hands reached for anything to grab as leverage to keep from tumbling.

It was a futile effort as the entire sailboat rolled, plunging her into the lake.