Hidden Depths

Team Commence

For weeks we have been planning this. Circumnavigating every issue that could come up, our escape routes, the plan if one of us was to cause a bunch of noise and how to counter act that, we went through several different scenarios, acting them both out in our heads, and in person, trying to be as quiet as we possibly could, until we got it down to an absolute science and know that no matter what, we could do it.

It was all leading up to the night. To this specific night.

The plan was that I would walk down to the pier, dressed all in black, and bring a bag with me containing a black ski mask. This was both to protect my identity but also to make myself less visible, should anything go wrong.

Once I was at the pier, I'd text Sloane, who would then bring the boat around to the end of the pier, where she would dock the boat for just a short amount of time, long enough for me to jump from the railing and into the boat, but not enough time for someone to be suspicious. It had to be perfect.

From there, we would duck down as low as we could, making sure to take the path that was most covered by shadows, putting the trawling motor to use, because it's much quieter than the normal motor. That would however mean that we'd have to get across the path ridden with seaweed and twigs about the size of my head, and at night, that was going to be quite tricky.

Leaving very little time to back out, I got the text. "Alright, stationed at the boat. Commence second steps."

Taking a deep breath, I knew that it was now or never. Reaching my shaking hands up towards the door knob, turning it ever so slightly, I knew that once I was past the door that was it. I was committed then.

Letting the breath out, with one more wavering second, I put one foot out, and set it on the cold, wet ground.

And then I headed out for the pier.

It was a very brisk walk, almost December weather even though, it was still a couple of months away from that. Shaking it out of my head, I stopped to check one more time if I had everything that I needed.

My bag, check. Walkey talkeys, check. Ski mask, check. Black clothes, check.

I started off again, this time not stopping until I got to the street with the pier at the very end of it.

When I looked out, I couldn't see a boat anywhere. Sometimes if you looked hard enough, you could see faint shadows of the boats on the water, but just barely.

Taking one more deep breath, I walked to the beginning of the pier.

"This is it. Don't get scared now." I texted Sloane.

Not five minutes later, I heard the trawler. Looking to my right, it came into focus. It was a much smaller boat than I remembered. Basically just the size of a small fishing boat. But it would have to do.

Sloane came to the edge of the pier, just like we had practiced, and looking around to see if my coast was clear, I very gently and slowly hoisted myself up onto the top of the pier railing, barely enough space for my feet.

I looked down, and all I could see was black. I couldn't make out where the boat was, and where the water was. I knew it was under me, but being as high up as I was, it was a lot more eery than I ever could have thought.