Thunder in the Summer
Mark sighed deeply as he walked bare footed across the quiet beach. He welcomed the touch of the water against his feet and looked out at the sea.
It’s almost been a year since his friend’s death and Mark still feels the same regret. Since the horrible day Mark felt he should have done something. But
what could he have done? His friend wanted to take his girlfriend out sailing and the weather turned for the worse.
Mark stopped walking as he came to the spot where the dead body floated. Mark breathed in the sea air as the memories of that summer day creped into his mind…
One year ago…
“Come on Mark join us!” said Shane “You like sailing anyway.”
“I know I do but something is telling me it’s not safe.” said Mark concerned.
“Have you looked at the sky? It’s clear blue. What can go wrong?”
“A change in the weather.”
“Please. We’re in Florida.”
“Still mate, anything can happen.”
“You’re just a chicken Feehily. You read to go babe?” Shane asked his girlfriend, Sally.
“If Mark says it’s not safe then maybe we should…” Sally was cut of by Shane saying “Stay on shore? Honestly girl, I thought you were into adventure.”
“I am! But when Mark says it’s not safe, he’s usually right.” said Sally
“OK then,” Shane held up his hands in a mock surrendering gesture “If there is any bad weather, I’ll come straight back. I won’t even go that far.”
Sally glanced at Mark and he nodded in agreement. There was no point in arguing with Shane when he was in a stubborn mood. Mark left Sally and Shane as they began to move away from the shore. Mark stopped at the end of the small dock yard and saw Sally waving at him. He waved back and secretly hoped he was wrong.
Shane drew little circles on Sally’s bare stomach. It’s not often she wore a bikini and Shane drinks in every little detail whenever she does. Sally was on
her back while Shane was on his side in the small room on the boat. Shane did what he promised and only sailed a few 100 yards away from the shore.
“So much for not being safe.” said Shane in a mocking tone.
“You should know better then to mock Mark.” Said Sally “He’s only concerned
about us. And besides he is 9 out of 10 right.”
“Considering what we’ve done, what would you do if we stayed on shore?”
“Same thing but in the hotel room. More comfortable.”
“But a lot more privacy on here.”
Shane covered her mouth with his and Sally smiled against his lips. A small moan escaped Sally’s throat as Shane placed his hand over her breasts. She
pulled away from the kiss when she heard a loud rambling sound.
“What was that?” Asked Sally
“Possibly another boat or a jet.” Said Shane, resting his head into her neck.
“That did not sound like a boat or a jet Shane.”
“Mark’s got your paranoid. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Shane started to kiss her neck and carefully brought his body on top of hers. Sally started to squirm in protest as the rambling sounded again. Her heart rate quickened as Shane’s hand went behind her back. His fingers found the string of her bikini top and slowly, teasing her, undid the string. Another ramble was heard as Shane freed her breasts.
“Shane please,” Sally begged “There’s a changed in the weather.”
“A few rambles of thunder doesn’t concern me.” Shane said quietly.
“Maybe not you but it concerns me.”
“Relax baby girl. Nothing is going to harm you.”
“You promised Mark!”
“And I will keep my promise. Bad weather is rough sea in my mind. There is no rough sea.”
“Maybe not around here but it could be coming our way.”
“I’m not leaving now! Not with the opportunity of doing much more at my hands.”
“Please Shane? Before it’s too late?”
“It is too late.” Shane looked deep into Sally’s eyes and she saw something that scared her. Demising the thought, Sally pulled all her energy towards
enjoying the love making with Shane.
As they slowly dressed, the boat began to rock. At first it was gentle but as the minute went by it became more violent. Sally looked at Shane with scared,
begging eyes. The look in Shane’s eye turned the scared girl into a frightened girl.
He walked past Sally and opened the door. There was a flash of lightening and a scream from Sally as Shane walked out of the room. He stopped and looked back at Sally. Tears were falling down her cheeks and Shane swallowed back the lump in his throat. His eyes travelled to her stomach and he sighed deeply.
“Take care of him.” he said and met her eyes “I love you. Always have, always will.”
Shane shut the door and Sally went after him. When she tried the handle she found he locked it. Banging her fists against the door Sally shouted “Shane!
Shane please come back!”
Shane could hear the banging but ignored her. His mind was going crazy with manic thoughts as he brought the anchor up. He hoped the information he was given was right. He hoped that Sally was going to be safe.
Mark looked out of the window of the small café. His mind was on Sally and Shane, hoping they would be at the dock yard when the storm was over. But
something was nagging at him, saying something was wrong. Try as he might Mark was unable to push the nagging aside.
He left the café and walked quickly to the dock yard. He scanned the boats but couldn’t find the one he was looking for. His mind wondered on where to go
next and decided to go to the beach. Of course with the storm Mark was unable to go on the sand.
Once Mark was standing on the pavement opposite the dock yard, he looked out at sea. By now he was soaking through and the storm didn’t scare him. It would if his mind wasn’t on his friends.
Sally tried to hold on to the bed as Shane sailed through the waves. She was beginning to think they were safer staying anchored where they were. What scared Sally the most was not the storm, it was Shane’s words. How could he know it was too late? Did he know the storm would happen?
A scream escaped Sally as she felt Shane lose control and the boat tumbled over. Sally hit her back against the wall and battled to stay awake. There was
one flash and a ramble before unconsciousness took over.
*****
The beach was buzzing with activity an hour later the storm had stopped. Mark scanned the horizon and couldn’t see a single boat. A scream from the beach took his attention to a few yards away from the rock pools. He ran over and pushed his way through the gathering crowd. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a lifeless body lying on the sand. The hair and the clothes he recognised and dread filled his heart.
Mark approached the body slowly and knelt down. With shaking hands, he turned the boy onto it’s back and Mark stopped breathing momentarily. He regained his composure and began to check for any signs of life. When all things failed Mark sat on his knees and tried to hide his tears. Shane was dead, there was nothing he could do. He could only hope Sally was somewhere and alive.
Present day
Mark heard a beeping sound from his pocket and took out his mobile phone. He smiled at the text message and sent a reply. A moment later he got another message and Mark laughed at the image. He was looking at his adopted son with his mother. Sally was smiling at Mark while Shane Junior was fast asleep in her arms.
After Mark made the new picture his screensaver he worked over how Shane junior had become his adopted son. All he knew was Shane had stated that he wanted Mark to be known as his child’s father. Mark took the responsibility and never looked back. He only wished Shane was here to see his son.
The end
It’s almost been a year since his friend’s death and Mark still feels the same regret. Since the horrible day Mark felt he should have done something. But
what could he have done? His friend wanted to take his girlfriend out sailing and the weather turned for the worse.
Mark stopped walking as he came to the spot where the dead body floated. Mark breathed in the sea air as the memories of that summer day creped into his mind…
One year ago…
“Come on Mark join us!” said Shane “You like sailing anyway.”
“I know I do but something is telling me it’s not safe.” said Mark concerned.
“Have you looked at the sky? It’s clear blue. What can go wrong?”
“A change in the weather.”
“Please. We’re in Florida.”
“Still mate, anything can happen.”
“You’re just a chicken Feehily. You read to go babe?” Shane asked his girlfriend, Sally.
“If Mark says it’s not safe then maybe we should…” Sally was cut of by Shane saying “Stay on shore? Honestly girl, I thought you were into adventure.”
“I am! But when Mark says it’s not safe, he’s usually right.” said Sally
“OK then,” Shane held up his hands in a mock surrendering gesture “If there is any bad weather, I’ll come straight back. I won’t even go that far.”
Sally glanced at Mark and he nodded in agreement. There was no point in arguing with Shane when he was in a stubborn mood. Mark left Sally and Shane as they began to move away from the shore. Mark stopped at the end of the small dock yard and saw Sally waving at him. He waved back and secretly hoped he was wrong.
Shane drew little circles on Sally’s bare stomach. It’s not often she wore a bikini and Shane drinks in every little detail whenever she does. Sally was on
her back while Shane was on his side in the small room on the boat. Shane did what he promised and only sailed a few 100 yards away from the shore.
“So much for not being safe.” said Shane in a mocking tone.
“You should know better then to mock Mark.” Said Sally “He’s only concerned
about us. And besides he is 9 out of 10 right.”
“Considering what we’ve done, what would you do if we stayed on shore?”
“Same thing but in the hotel room. More comfortable.”
“But a lot more privacy on here.”
Shane covered her mouth with his and Sally smiled against his lips. A small moan escaped Sally’s throat as Shane placed his hand over her breasts. She
pulled away from the kiss when she heard a loud rambling sound.
“What was that?” Asked Sally
“Possibly another boat or a jet.” Said Shane, resting his head into her neck.
“That did not sound like a boat or a jet Shane.”
“Mark’s got your paranoid. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Shane started to kiss her neck and carefully brought his body on top of hers. Sally started to squirm in protest as the rambling sounded again. Her heart rate quickened as Shane’s hand went behind her back. His fingers found the string of her bikini top and slowly, teasing her, undid the string. Another ramble was heard as Shane freed her breasts.
“Shane please,” Sally begged “There’s a changed in the weather.”
“A few rambles of thunder doesn’t concern me.” Shane said quietly.
“Maybe not you but it concerns me.”
“Relax baby girl. Nothing is going to harm you.”
“You promised Mark!”
“And I will keep my promise. Bad weather is rough sea in my mind. There is no rough sea.”
“Maybe not around here but it could be coming our way.”
“I’m not leaving now! Not with the opportunity of doing much more at my hands.”
“Please Shane? Before it’s too late?”
“It is too late.” Shane looked deep into Sally’s eyes and she saw something that scared her. Demising the thought, Sally pulled all her energy towards
enjoying the love making with Shane.
As they slowly dressed, the boat began to rock. At first it was gentle but as the minute went by it became more violent. Sally looked at Shane with scared,
begging eyes. The look in Shane’s eye turned the scared girl into a frightened girl.
He walked past Sally and opened the door. There was a flash of lightening and a scream from Sally as Shane walked out of the room. He stopped and looked back at Sally. Tears were falling down her cheeks and Shane swallowed back the lump in his throat. His eyes travelled to her stomach and he sighed deeply.
“Take care of him.” he said and met her eyes “I love you. Always have, always will.”
Shane shut the door and Sally went after him. When she tried the handle she found he locked it. Banging her fists against the door Sally shouted “Shane!
Shane please come back!”
Shane could hear the banging but ignored her. His mind was going crazy with manic thoughts as he brought the anchor up. He hoped the information he was given was right. He hoped that Sally was going to be safe.
Mark looked out of the window of the small café. His mind was on Sally and Shane, hoping they would be at the dock yard when the storm was over. But
something was nagging at him, saying something was wrong. Try as he might Mark was unable to push the nagging aside.
He left the café and walked quickly to the dock yard. He scanned the boats but couldn’t find the one he was looking for. His mind wondered on where to go
next and decided to go to the beach. Of course with the storm Mark was unable to go on the sand.
Once Mark was standing on the pavement opposite the dock yard, he looked out at sea. By now he was soaking through and the storm didn’t scare him. It would if his mind wasn’t on his friends.
Sally tried to hold on to the bed as Shane sailed through the waves. She was beginning to think they were safer staying anchored where they were. What scared Sally the most was not the storm, it was Shane’s words. How could he know it was too late? Did he know the storm would happen?
A scream escaped Sally as she felt Shane lose control and the boat tumbled over. Sally hit her back against the wall and battled to stay awake. There was
one flash and a ramble before unconsciousness took over.
*****
The beach was buzzing with activity an hour later the storm had stopped. Mark scanned the horizon and couldn’t see a single boat. A scream from the beach took his attention to a few yards away from the rock pools. He ran over and pushed his way through the gathering crowd. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a lifeless body lying on the sand. The hair and the clothes he recognised and dread filled his heart.
Mark approached the body slowly and knelt down. With shaking hands, he turned the boy onto it’s back and Mark stopped breathing momentarily. He regained his composure and began to check for any signs of life. When all things failed Mark sat on his knees and tried to hide his tears. Shane was dead, there was nothing he could do. He could only hope Sally was somewhere and alive.
Present day
Mark heard a beeping sound from his pocket and took out his mobile phone. He smiled at the text message and sent a reply. A moment later he got another message and Mark laughed at the image. He was looking at his adopted son with his mother. Sally was smiling at Mark while Shane Junior was fast asleep in her arms.
After Mark made the new picture his screensaver he worked over how Shane junior had become his adopted son. All he knew was Shane had stated that he wanted Mark to be known as his child’s father. Mark took the responsibility and never looked back. He only wished Shane was here to see his son.
The end