The day started out as normal I went out and went to catch fish as I’m a fishermen. I got onto my old and rusted boat. Old reliable grace is what I called her. A memoir to my mother. She passed away from cancer and I became buried in debt. I had to work even harder than usual. I was constantly pushing my luck and always taking bare minimum supplies needed for fishing trips. Before I went out, I turned on my radio. Tuned it to the weather channel. Hearing the lady’s voice say “prepare everybody, make sure to put a healthy dose of sunscreen as it’ll be sunny today and for the next few days”. I kept it on for a little bit before it got too distracting while I was fishing. Usually I’m not too far from the shore but I needed a bigger haul and couldn’t get much fish. Because of this I had crept further and further away from the shore. Further I went a little more fish would be in each catching net. Still it wasn’t enough for me so I kept pushing. Before I knew it, it the sun was clocking out. As the moon was clocking in. I grumbled to myself talking about how I caught a little amount of fish.
Before the realization hit me. A storm is brewing, one that shakes the sky and the water bubbles with rage. Threatening to destroy anything and anyone. In its fit of rage. The water starts to rise. Hitting against my small fishing boat. Slowly, the sky was starting to sprinkle. Then before I knew it, the anger and wrath of Zeus was against me. Thunder and rain started to pour violently. Hearing the war cries of Zeus as thunder surrounded me. Hearing its pitter patter against the window and the surrounding area.
Immediately, I tried to send a message to main land about my where about incase of me being swept away in the storm. That’s when it dawned on me. The radio couldn’t because the signal is too weak. Amiss my panic, I cursed myself for not filling the gas tank. In my split second decision I decided to try and make it to main land with little gas I have. As I was fighting through the waves it felt as if someone was playing see saw with my boat. Rocking me back and forth violently threatening to throw me off balance each time. Then, my radio crackled. A voice saying “m-orse c-ode” immediately, I kept my boat crusing forward through this terrible storm. Trying to multi-task as I maneuvered my boat through the crashes of the waves. Finding my morse code booklet. Before I could do anything the boat rocked forward so hard. That I hit my head against a steering wheel and went out cold.
When I awoke, I panicked and checked to see if the storm was still brewing. After a hesitant minute, i looked out my window and saw the storm was gone. Because of this, I went out to inspect the damage that was done to my ship. Luckily, my hull held up pretty well with minimal damage. My deck took the brunt of the force. With pieces of wood scattered around, and nets and all sorts of equipment thrown around. After settling the urgent matters at hand. I quickly went fumbling around cockpit. Finding the morse code booklet, I had dropped previously.
Deciding if I really needed it, if the storm was over. When I tried for the radio nothing but static came. Realizing I was really stuck with no one to talk to, stranded and alone. As I sat in silence thinking my next move. The radio promptly started to make sound. Taps, taps that resemble morse code, following the booklet. It went out 3 short taps. And then followed by 3 longer taps with a following of 3 shorts taps. The message is S.O.S.
This had boosted my morale, thinking I wasn’t the only one who had been swept up into that terrible storm. I had also sent an S.O.S out. Afterwards, nothing came back. I tried for the radio and said “is anyone there”? Which I got promptly back with a morse code message.
I tuned in and counted the taps. Recognizing 1 tap, 2 tap, 3 tap. S. 1 tap, 2 tap. I. 1 tap, 2 long tap, 3 tap, 4 tap. L. 1 tap, E. 1 Long tap, 2 tap. N 1 long tap. T
S.I.L.E.N.T, my heart sank and my mind started to race with thoughts of paranoia. Terrified of what could become of me. If I’m not slient for a moment I thought to myself and maybe thought it was a prank someone was doing to me. The odd thing on my end is that after that message. Only silence was to be found even if I sent a message using morse code. At the end of the day only me and radio static was left.
Soon after, the sun started to set with its golden hue reflecting off the waters. As I sat on my deck with the foldable chair I left in my private quarters. Sat down and grabbed a beer and just sat and broke down. Fearing I may never get home, tears streaming down my face. Then all of a sudden, I had an idea. Using the stars as my last resort. The compass of the past, immediately I try to find the big dipper to find north. The odd thing is that the Big Dipper was no where to be found. Immediately, my anxiety had rose, but instead I tried to find South. I look for the Southern Cross constellation or also known as the Crux.
Strangely, I couldn’t find it either so I tried to find the two brightest stars that are located in that area. But all other attempts where to be failed. Checking my rations for long time term survival was somewhat slim. I didn’t have much supplies in terms to cook food or capture fish. As I already lost most of my fishing equipment to the storm. Having around a few days to feed myself with and about a week of water.
Because of this, I decided to stop looking such a bleak outlook and just hope I’ll soldier through it. Keeping that mentality up, I decided to start up my boat. Prepare to move but then I forgot. My boat ran out of gas. It was merely putting up sputters. Incredibly loud sputters, which unfortunately made my situation even worse. My boat started rock a little thinking the waves were starting to pick up. Before, I knew it a massive crash threw me forward. Throwing me to the floor, leaving me panicked and disoriented. Trying to pick myself up quickly. But kept falling because of the constant strong crashes to my boat.
Being throw off balance to the point, I decided to wait it out. Even if I was panicked and worried. I remembered one word. Silent, from that point on. I waited and made almost no noise including keeping my breathing as quiet as possible. Then my radio crackled with sound and all it said is “hello, hello is anyone there”. The person talked sounded a bit unnatural. Like if someone was forcing their selves to sound something they aren’t. And as they kept talking the facade they kept up was fading slowly but surely. With each word getting deeper and each word harder to make intelligible.
Eventually all communications seemed to cease and the constant crashing into my boat stopped. I just laid on the floor and rolled over to my side and slept. When I woke up, I realized how hopeless my situation really was. Keeping it optimistic was the last of my worries. Which led me to my last ditch effort. Sending out one more S.O.S message to those that sent me the silent message. Then, all I hear and see was a huge silhouette of a sea monster. Something bigger than a whale. Bigger than a warship. Enough to see it from an incredibly far distance. The sound alone of it rising was enough for me cover my ears. Unfortunately the boat I was trying to contact was destroyed. With such force that bits of pieces of wood and metal started to rain down onto my ship. Hitting it with such force it began to leaves holes in my deck. The roof of my cockpit was hit with metal and wood alike and left a huge dent. Enough force to kill a man, and so I sat.
For the last time, I was tired. I was tired trying to make it through this hell scape. During this time its been a few days. My food supply at the time was dwindling fast and almost nothing to last me. I decided to take the leap of faith as the giant creature silhouette began its descent into the dark abyss known as the sea. I grabbed a paddle and with little hope. For to change my fate just a little. To move forward to get as far as I can. I took fate into my hands slowly but surely. As I moved my boat with little to no avail. I accepted reality as it is. I’m stuck, no hope and if I’m too loud, I’ll be killed. Then it happened, I heard its cry. It’s loud cry from the sea. Forcing me to cover my ears and when it was finished. I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t hear if I wanted to, my ears were bleeding.
This time, I had nothing left for me to lean on. I can’t even hear the monster anymore. I only have my sight, touch, smell left. Quickly as time went by, I sat and dwelled on the idea of ending it quickly by the monster. But the though of kneeling over and to die by its hands. Was as if I admitted defeat to that monstrosity but with the hope of no survival. Then once again the radio sent me a message but I couldn’t hear it. (Update: I was able to record the message and ill play it now)
“Attention lost ships, we are willing to give rescue to those who honk their horns so we may know where you are located”. Suddenly, I feel these different vibrations and the sight that was to befall. Was the shilliout of the monster and dozens of ships surrounding that specific area. To just see dozens of people killed in just a second and once again silence, once again I’m left to just myself. As I starved and became dehydrated. The end of the nightmare was close. Knowing my death was close. But because of how weak I had became. I went unconscious.
When I awoke, I screamed “come for me, do it! I’m waiting for it!”. As I felt my hoarse and dry throat burn as I screamed. Eventually until I felt my voice go dry. I couldn’t scream if I wanted to anymore. I was out of gas, and once again I was left alone. By myself, its as if the monster decided I wasn’t enough for it anymore. As I lost my chance to die to be given mercy. Slowly, I felt the life of me drain out. By the seconds, I saw a man. Dressed in a nice suit. Or from what I could make out. With whatever little strength I had, he wrote these words “silence = home”.I nodded yes with instinct. Then I went out cold. When I awoke, bright lights were in my eyes. I was being rushed somewhere. Went out cold again and awoke to them explaning I no longer had a functioning vocal cords nor did I have my hearing.
I’m not sure who or what took me home. But I’m assuming I’ve made a deal with it. To be silent, to go home. Thus, I lived by the rule since to not make loud noises to the best of my abilities. To whatever took my vocal cords, and sent me home. I’m not sure if the deal was worth it. Since then, the sea, I can hear it calling for me. Its sings ever louder, everyday.