91: Never After – Pt. 1

“Hurry up or we’re going to miss our flight! We still have to pick up Mike and Aria before heading to the airport.” Derrick said, rushing Victoria to the car. They were on their way to a couples’ retreat. Five days of sun, fun and relaxation in a tropical setting courtesy of Derrick. He wanted to do something nice for Victoria and treat her to a lovely vacation. But when she’d mentioned the package to Mike, it piqued his interest as well. And being the nice guy he was, Derrick splurged and purchased an additional getaway for Mike and Aria.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” she sighed, dragging a large suitcase behind her. Derrick grabbed it from her as if it weighed nothing and tossed it into the trunk with the others.

“Got everything?” he asked, taking one last look at the house.

“Hmm almost,” she said, placing her arms around his neck and drawing him in for a sweet, leisurely kiss. His strong hands pulled her in, pressing her breasts hard against his body. Victoria sank her hands into his hair and moaned into his mouth as he kissed her deeper, making her breath hitch. Derrick’s hips rubbed against her center as she gripped the back of his shirt, inching him deeper; desperate for more.

Their kisses grew more urgent as he kissed her with mounting passion, releasing a deep moan against Victoria’s mouth as her fingernails scraped his scalp. Her heart pounded in her ribcage as Derrick’s hand slid under her bra, his fingers trailing across her bare skin. His hand continued caressing her, turning her breathing ragged before finally he pulled back and smiled down at her. “You really are trying to make us late,” he sighed, stealing one more kiss.

“Mmm, but now the day has started off perfectly. Come on, let’s get moving before we hit traffic.”

Getting through airport security was a breeze and the flight to the Maldives was equally as uneventful. Taking a deep breath, Victoria opened her arms to the sky and smiled. “Hello paradise! I can’t believe it. What a great way to spend Christmas. Five days in this amazing place? There is so much to see and do!”

“I know! I’m so excited. It’s my first vacation in…well I don’t remember when,” Aria said, taking a look around. “I don’t know what I want to do first.”

“Oh, we’re definitely getting some drinks and hitting the beach.”

“Yes! I’m with you on that!”

“Look at that,” Mike said, motioning toward the women. “We just got here and they’ve already planned out our day.” Derrick laughed but was enjoying the smile on Victoria’s face to mind much.

“Oh please, Mikey, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Now come on, let’s check-in and change so we can get our feet wet.”

Both couples headed to their private bungalows and slipped into their swimwear. By the time Derrick and Victoria made it down to the beach, Mike and Aria were already there and had snagged one of the free cabanas. “There you are!” Mike smiled, waving them over. “The waiter came around and we took the liberty of ordering drinks. Derrick, your mojito and, Vik, for you, a Mai-Tai.”

“Thanks, Partner, you know me so well. I love Mai-Tais!” Mike winked at Victoria as she picked up her drink and took a sip. Her eyes closed and she sighed. “Five days of paradise.”

“In speaking of, I saw a sign advertising private boat tours,” Aria said, “Sounds like a neat way of seeing the island and all it has to offer for our vacation.”

“Mmm, that does sound great,” Mike replied, nuzzling Aria’s cheek. “What do you guys think?”

“I’m in!” Derrick answered cheerfully, “Victoria?”

“Oh, you think you’re going on a private boat ride and leaving me at the bungalow? Think again! I’m so in!”

“Great! I’ll go sign us up for the one o’clock tour.”

Three hours later, the group were heading toward the dock for their tour. The captain of the boat stopped them on the pier to explain the rules prior to boarding. “Good afternoon and welcome aboard the Serenity! You look like a fun bunch. My name is Manny, and I’ll be your guide for this tour. I hope you are all ready for the best tour the Maldives has to offer.”

“WOO!” Mike cheered, tugging Aria tighter against his chest as they boarded first. “This is gonna be great!” Heading to the upper deck, he grabbed one of the glasses of champagne on the courtesy tray and took a seat near the left with Aria right beside him.

“Look,” Victoria said, nudging Derrick’s arm in the direction of her partner and best friend as she and Derrick moved to starboard. “I think this tropical paradise may be the inspiration Mike needed to finally pull the trigger.”

Derrick smirked at her conspiratorially and sighed, “I see what you’re up to. Is that why we’re doing a double couple’s retreat?”

“What? No,” Victoria adamantly denied. “I just think it would be great if he’d just stop putting it off. The double thing was 100% Mike’s suggestion. Besides, beach weddings are utterly romantic.”

“Aside from the heavy winds and mounds of sand piled in places no one wants.”

“Pfft please. Try all you want to refute it, but we both know on the inside, you are all about the romance, ya big softie.”

“Only for you, Victoria.” Again, she was met with his signature smirk, but this time, Derrick leaned down and nuzzled her nose before stealing a gentle kiss. She sighed and reveled in the feeling of warmth and security as his arms wrapped around her. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she sighed and for a moment drifted into a future where she and Derrick had it all. “A beach wedding huh?” she heard Derrick whisper just above her ear. “I guess I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

“Alrighty, it looks like no other groups are joining us this leg, so you folks get the full reign of the ship. Basic rules, please don’t hang over the railings, don’t litter in the ocean, and if you’re sitting on one of the white bins, that is where we store the life vests. You’ll be asked to move in case of an emergency. Usually, we would stop at one of two diving holes but, since it’s such a small group, I’ll gladly show you both. Again, my name is Manny and I’ll be your tour guide.”

The boat pushed off from the port and Victoria buzzed with excitement. Grabbing Derrick’s hand, she led him to the bow of the ship and watched as the waves broke around them as they headed deeper into open water. Mike and Aria stayed up top, enjoying the view from above. Captain Manny’s voice came over the loud speaker as they emerged into the center of the Indian Ocean. “Suvadiva is the third largest atoll in the world. It consists of hundreds of small, uninhabited islands.”

“The Maldives offer many wonderful excursions for divers and snorkelers where they can admire all the many species the ocean houses. Fishing enthusiast will find a heaping of tuna, barracuda, grouper, sailfish, marlin and many more.”

“Last, but definitely not least are the many beaches and whitest of white sandbars. If you’re into shell collecting, you’ll find an array of exotic and colorful specimen to select from on the shores of the island. Coming up on our left is the first of two popular diving spots,” he announced as the boat began to slow near a colorful reef. “If you’re interested, I’ll let you get out and dip your feet in the warm waves before pushing on to the next place.”

“Oh, that sounds great!” Victoria said and pulled her shoes off as she started down the ladder toward the swim platform. “Last one in is a rotten egg!”

For the next twenty minutes, the group enjoyed the perfect waters of the diving site with Captain Manny acting as dive instructor and watched as many colorful fish swam by. Soon after, Captain Manny announced it was time to move to the next location and, reluctantly, the group boarded the boat and took their seats on the top deck.

As the ship veered into the clear, blue waters rounding the next tiny island, a distant rumble could be heard and everyone looked up anxiously. “That’s odd,” Mike said, “I thought the weather report called for clear skies today.”

“That’s nothing to worry about, Folks,” Manny said as he steered the boat away from the approaching downpour. “We get these tiny bursts of rain every now and again here in the tropics. It’ll be over in a flash.”

A light drizzle could be seen a few yards in the distance and Captain Manny expertly steered the boat away from the encroaching winds. “We’ll give it a moment and then head off to our next destination.”

But a moment turned into two, then three without movement. Captain Manny seemed to see something that the others could not. Having navigated these waters for close to a decade, he had a sense of when the weather was turning. Finally, Captain Manny announced he would be ending the tour early but promised they could reschedule another day at no cost. For now, all the group could do was wait and hope they made it back before the impending shower.

As the sky grew darker, a bright happy sun and white clouds were nearly instantly replaced by a large, black mass that smothered the light from every corner of the sky. The earlier rumbling grew louder and more distinct and in a matter of moments, the peaceful illumination and fun was destroyed by the murky gloom. “Whoa! That was fast,” Aria replied, gazing up at the heavy clouds.

The wind began howling. Victoria held onto the railing as her hair whipped viciously about her face. No longer calm and still, the water seemed to embody all of Mother Nature’s wrath as one wicked wave after another lashed and whipped against the hull. The boat dipped as each strike rocked the tiny vessel back and forth. Captain Manny took shaky steps toward the bow of the ship, fiddling with something just out of view before reclaiming his position behind the wheel.

Another large wave clapped against the underside of their ship and this one made Aria gasp in panic. “It’s all going to be ok,” Mike said, taking her hand and trying to reassure her. Captain Manny had taken them several miles into the middle of the Indian Ocean. By Victoria’s estimation, it would take another 10-15 minutes before they reached the shore again. Anything could happen in that time.

A torrent of thick rain fell, blanketing the area and lowering visibility to just a few yards. Flashes of lightning ignited the darkness followed by deafening cracks of thunder, leaving everyone onboard fearfully staring into the empty abyss of the pitch-black depths. Captain Manny navigated the increasingly rough waters as he piloted the boat toward shore as quickly and cautiously as possible.

Noticing her silent contemplation, Derrick wrapped an arm around Victoria’s waist and squeezed her against him. “Mike’s right. There’s nothing to worry about. The captain’s got everything under control.”

She nodded but remained silent. She didn’t want to panic Aria any more than she already was. Secretly, however, Victoria was in just as much dread over their situation. This storm didn’t seem normal. It came out of nowhere and seemed to go on for miles. The prickly sensation she felt had only happened to her when there was magic brewing in the air. If she wasn’t mistaken, this was not a naturally occurring storm. This was something very different.

With every bolt of fiery electricity that darted across the granite sky the land and sea shuddered, revealing something far on the horizon. “Land ho!” Manny shouted as he fiercely commanded the motion of the embattled ferry. The powerful storm had swung the helpless boat closer toward the shore; possibly two miles away, maybe a little more. The group took a simultaneous sigh of relief as feelings of hope overcame them.

And just when it seemed the worst was behind them, a loud alarm sounded in the cockpit. Everyone’s eyes turned toward the siren in distress. “Dammit!” Captain Manny bellowed as he checked his gauges. “We’re taking on too much water.”

They were still too far from the nearest land to even attempt a bail out and from the sound of things, they wouldn’t get back before the boat sank or capsized. Hopping up from his seat, Derrick rushed to the captain’s side. “What can I do?”

Manny motioned toward the bilge and nearby buckets. “Clear the water as fast as you can.” Mike rushed up to join him and Victoria moved to sit beside Aria, her anxiety growing by the minute.

Aria hummed as every roar of thunder made her jump. “Take my hand,” Victoria said, doing her best to calm her friend. “We are almost to the shore. We’re getting out of this.”

Manny continued his tireless attempts of maneuvering the defenseless boat back to shore. Yet, despite his determined efforts, his actions were rendered useless as the angry sea shifted its course and forceful winds veered them toward a swirling pool of devastation. “Oh my God!” Aria shouted. Everyone saw it then. There was no way out. The storm had set them toward a path that would inevitably be their end.

The horizon thinned and melted from view as the sea clawed and tugged at the boat, pitching them ever closer to the churning trench. Victoria closed her eyes. Summoning every ounce of energy she could, she conjured up a reply to whomever had placed them in this tempest. Sheathing the boat and all of its inhabitants into a protective bubble, Victoria challenged the incoming enchantment, and felt the hostile sorcery answer back.

The ocean seemed to fold in on itself as a massive wave pushed up and over the group. Now, it was darker than it had ever been as the formidable swell of inky sea hovered, waiting to come crashing down. Aria closed her eyes and held her breath. This was it. And it was a fate she didn’t want to see coming.

Clear blue skies lined the horizon as Victoria rolled to her back. Using her hand as a shade, she looked around the shore for her friends, confused at their destination. Derrick was climbing to his feet beside her. Nearer the water, she could see Captain Manny sitting with his knees against his chest. Mike and Aria were a few feet to her right. Mike was helping Aria up and they were slowly making their way forward.

Pieces of the Serenity littered the shore as far as the eye could see but worrying about getting home was secondary. First, they needed to know where they were and assess the possible danger. Pulling to her feet, Victoria sighed as Mike and Aria joined her and Derrick. “What the hell was that?” Mike asked, staring at the clutter and shaking his head.

“That all happened so fast. It wasn’t right.” They heard Manny say as he rocked himself back and forth. “I’ve never seen a storm do that.”

“He’s right,” Victoria said, looking at Mike and then locking eyes with Derrick. “I felt something out there. This was not a normal storm.”

“Victoria…” Derrick started, understanding her meaning.

“Where are we?” Aria interrupted, noticing the large mountains in the background. “This isn’t the Maldives.”

“No,” Victoria answered. “We were sucked into the whirlpool. I’m pretty sure we aren’t in the same realm anymore.”

“Realm? What? What does that mean?” Aria asked, dazed and confused. Mike sighed, realizing a hard conversation was in his immediate future.

“Simply put, Toto,” Victoria said, brushing sand from her thighs as she stood more erect. “I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”