Houseboat On The Ocean
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The sea was so calm, she thought it might be a good time to do some fishing. She’d brought her fishing pole with her and had been practicing on the river back home but never got a chance to go out into the ocean before.
So when she saw a couple of boats going by that were just sitting in the water like houseboats, she decided to follow them and see what they were all about. They weren’t very big; only about four or five feet long with two benches.
It looked like there was an engine on one side and a steering wheel on the other. As they pulled away from the dock, she realized why they seemed familiar: she recognized their owners as the same people who owned the restaurant where she worked!
They were headed for a place called ‘Fisherman’s Wharf’ which is right off the beach. That must have something to do with the fact that the boat had a small motor attached to the stern. She wondered if it would take her far enough away from the docks to find fish.
She followed along behind the boat, trying not to look suspicious as she passed each dock and pier. She kept her eye out for any signs of life on the land but couldn’t spot anyone around.
She could tell this part of the island was more secluded than the main part where the hotel and restaurants are located because the shoreline was mostly rocks and sand, with a few trees and shrubs scattered here and there.
As the sun started setting, the wind picked up slightly, causing the boat to rock a little bit. This made it harder to keep her balance on top of it and she soon found herself falling over sideways onto the floor of the boat. She scrambled quickly back to her seat as the boat continued its course towards Fisherman’s Wharf.
After a while, she felt comfortable enough to lean against the railing at the front of the boat and watch the waves lap at the boat’s hull. She was getting pretty hungry, especially since she hadn’t eaten lunch yet. But then again, maybe she shouldn’t eat too much until she knew whether or not she caught anything.
She really wanted to try fishing though. If nothing else, she figured she could always catch some crabs later on after dark.
After several hours of being stuck inside the boat, watching the sun slowly sink lower and lower below the horizon, she began feeling sleepy. It was probably because she hadn’t slept well last night. Maybe she should just stay up and wait for it to get dark outside.
Then she wouldn’t feel quite so bad if she fell asleep. But then she remembered how she heard stories about sailors who went overboard in rough seas and never came back. What if she falls overboard? Would she wake up somewhere else? Or will she drown? Will I ever be able to return home? These questions filled her mind as she lay down on the deck and closed her eyes.
A short time later, she awoke with a start, startled by something. She sat up quickly, looking around the room. Where am I? Wait…I’m still in the boat! And the sun isn’t even close to setting! She glanced out the window and saw that they were nearing Fisherman’s Wharf now.
A large building was nestled between tall palm trees, and a wooden boardwalk led to the beach. The sun was setting rapidly now, and she watched as the sky turned a deep shade of purple. She could smell the salt air coming from the ocean and hear the sound of waves crashing on the sandy shores.
There wasn’t another person in sight, except for one man sitting alone on a bench near the entrance of the wharf. He had his back on her so he didn’t notice her staring at him. She guessed he must work here somehow since no one else seemed to be around.
She climbed down the ladder from the boat and walked up to the man. “Excuse me,” she said. “Is this Fisherman’s Wharf?”
“Yes,” he replied without turning around.
“What do you mean yes?” she asked. “This is your job, isn’t it?”
He turned around abruptly and stood up. “You’re a tourist, aren’t you?”
“No!” she exclaimed. “I’m actually visiting the island.”
His face softened a little. “Oh. Well, welcome to Fisherman’s Wharf. Can I help you with something?”
“Umm…” she paused for a moment. “Do you know if there’s any place nearby that sells fresh fish?”
He chuckled. “Why don’t we ask Mr. Clam himself? Why don’t you come inside with me?”
***
Once inside, she noticed that there were lots of different types of seafood laid out on display in glass cases, including lobster, crab, shrimp, clams, squid, oysters, mussels, scallops, and many others. They all looked delicious, but none of them looked like they were fresh. She wondered what kind of food would be sold at a restaurant here.
The man motioned for her to follow him to the counter where an old man wearing a fisherman’s cap was sitting. When he spotted her, he stood up and smiled. “Good evening, miss. How can I help you today?”
“Hello, sir. My name is Lela and I’m visiting the island from New York City. Do you have any recommendations for places to go out to eat tonight?”
“Well, let me think….” He scratched his head for a few moments before finally speaking up again. “There are only two restaurants on the island: The Fish Shack and The Crab Shack. You might also want to stop by the General Store for snacks or other supplies.”
“Thank you, sir,” she replied. “But I don’t really care which restaurant we eat at; I was just wondering if you had any recommendations for good dishes.”
“That’s fine. Which dish would you recommend?”
Lela thought about it for a moment. “I love sushi, so maybe some sushi rolls made with local seafood would be nice.”
“Very well, that sounds like a plan.” He grabbed a pen off the counter and wrote down the address of a small building across the street. “Here’s the address. Just look for a sign that says ‘The Crab Shack.’ Oh, and you may want to bring a jacket along because it gets chilly at night.”
As she headed over to the wharf, she couldn’t believe how lucky she’d been. This trip was already turning out better than she’d imagined! She was going to meet new friends, find out more information about her parents, and hopefully, make a connection that would lead her to their whereabouts.
All this excitement gave her a warm fuzzy feeling inside, and she decided to take a shortcut through the park. As she entered, she stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted someone familiar lying unconscious on the grass. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized it was her father.
She ran toward him immediately, stopping only long enough to grab the first aid kit that she saw hanging off a nearby tree branch. After applying pressure to his wound with a piece of gauze, she began running back toward the wharf.
By the time she returned to the fishing dock, the man who’d helped her earlier had disappeared.
“Dad!” she cried, kneeling next to him. “Dad, wake up! Dad!” She shook him gently, but he remained unresponsive.
“Sir?” she heard someone say behind her. “Are you alright? What happened to your father?”
She spun around and gasped. It was the same man who’d taken her to the wharf. “Whoa, sorry!” she blurted out. “I didn’t realize anyone else was here.”
“It’s okay, miss. Please tell me what happened. Is he injured badly?”
“Not badly, no…just a cut above his eye,” she answered. “He was hit with a rock while I was walking through the park.”
“Didn’t anyone call an ambulance?”
She shook her head. “N-no, sir. We weren’t able to get to a phone fast enough. I’ve applied a bandage, but I need to get him to a hospital ASAP.”
He nodded slowly. “Follow me.”
They walked toward the entrance of the wharf together. At first, she felt uncomfortable being alone with him, but after watching him carefully for several minutes, she relaxed. If anything, he seemed too calm.
His movements were precise, yet smooth; he carried himself confidently and always kept his eyes moving in every direction. And although his face was clean-shaven, she could see stubble forming under his chin, and she liked the way it contrasted with his brown skin. She couldn’t figure out why, though. Maybe it was because his voice was deep and soothing.
“So, how did you end up here?” she asked once they reached the parking lot. “And please, call me Lela. Everyone does.”
His expression turned serious. “You’ll understand one day, miss. But for now, just keep your guard up.”
Her stomach knotted uncomfortably. “Okay,” she responded quietly, looking away.
***
After leaving the wharf, they drove north toward town, passing several houses, a post office, and a school on the left side of the road. The scenery gradually changed, becoming less urbanized and more rural. They passed several large farms, complete with cows, sheep, horses, and chickens roaming freely in their pastures.
Soon, they arrived at the edge of town, where a single gas station sat on the right. A sign out front read, “Pump Your Own Gas.” On the opposite side of the highway, they saw a sign reading “Welcome To Bayside!” It looked like a quaint little village from the outside—but she knew there would be plenty of danger waiting within.
After pulling into the gas station, he got out and opened her door for her. She smiled gratefully, thanking him as she stepped onto the asphalt. When she turned around, she noticed he had removed the keys from the ignition without touching them, which meant he must have been able to unlock the doors remotely. Interesting.
A middle-aged woman came out of the convenience store, wearing a pink smock and a smile. “Hiya! Howdy! Welcome to Bayside! My name is Missy. Can I help y’all find something?”
Lela smiled politely. “Yes, ma’am, we’re trying to reach the hospital. Do you know how far it is?”
Missy chuckled. “Oh, my! Well, it’s not much farther down that road. You can’t miss it—it’s right across from the bank, on the left. Have fun shopping!”
The man motioned toward the car. “Thank you for the directions. I think we should go ahead and check in with the police before we visit the hospital. That way, we can report the assault and make sure everything goes smoothly.”
She nodded, following him inside the store. As soon as they entered the air conditioning, she took off her hat and held it over her chest.
“Do you mind if I take this?” he asked, holding her hat up to his lips.
“Um, no, go ahead. Thanks.”
Once he placed it on top of the rack by the register, Missy spoke again. “Y’all want some ice cream or soda while you wait? We don’t usually do much business in the evenings, so I’m gonna close up early today.”
Lela glanced back at the man, wondering what he thought about the idea of buying her a treat. He looked amused.
“Soda sounds great, thank you,” she said.
“Me, too,” he replied.
“Okay then, I’ll go grab us two sodas. Y’all pick your flavors while I get the drinks ready.”
Lela turned to him. “What flavor would you prefer, sir?”
He paused for a moment, thinking about it. “Vanilla.”
She grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
She picked out two small cups of vanilla soda and handed one to each of them. Once she’d paid, they headed toward the exit. As they passed through the glass door, she spotted a young boy sitting in a wheelchair next to a woman who appeared to be his mother. She immediately recognized him from earlier: the same kid who had been shot during the bank robbery.
As they walked past, the mother turned her attention to the man. “I hope you’re taking better care of our son than you are of yourself. You look like crap.”
Lela stared at the woman with wide eyes. What was wrong with everyone?
They exited the gas station and headed down the street. After a few minutes, they passed another convenience store with a big sign hanging above its doorway.
Bayside Grocery Store.
The End