The cool sea breeze did nothing to stop the beads of perspiration that trickled from my forehead down my neck. I rushed to the yacht’s helm, clutching on it as I tried to turn it. It wouldn’t budge.

The ticking sound made me more panicked. Looking around, all I could spot was sea, sea and sea from all sides. The shore was like a tiny image left behind.

I grabbed the helm again, trying to make a turn. I had never been on such a yacht before nor did I ever land myself in such a position before. What was I supposed to do to make it work?

My hand slipped from the helm as I tripped down, hitting the side. I groaned as something hard fell on my lap. I looked at it with wide eyes.

Oh...my...LUCK! A Marine VHF Radio!

I turned the squelch around, causing it to make a hissing sound. I adjusted it until the annoying sound stopped. Now what should I do?

My eyes darted across the buttons along with my trembling hands. As I fumbled with it, I tried thinking back to what I could remember. What was the emergency channel again? I pushed a random button, hoping for it to be the distress button. I held onto it until the beep sound echo and the channel switched to Channel 16.

“Mayday! Mayd- wait, what was the boat name already?” I asked myself. I didn’t read the name when I was pushed on board. I peered down the yacht to catch a glimpse of the name.

“Hello! Is there anyone? I’m reporting an emergency near Salerno’s port! I’m on the boat Orion!”

“You have now been transferred to the Channel 16. Explain the nature of your emergency along with your location. Your message will be relayed to the Coast Guard vessels in radio range of your boat,” a robotic voice answered.

I almost burst into tears at the message. Then, my inner wise-self called out to me.

Don’t be hysterical. The sooner you give your location, the sooner they’ll send help. Dumbass.

“I’m on a yacht called Orion, located a bit far from Salerno. There is a bomb on me. I’m repeating, a BOMB. And I’m handcuffed! And there is like only fifteen minutes left till it goes off! An-and that’s it I guess. How do I send this now? Oh- and over.”

I released the button and listened for a few seconds.

A beeping sound was heard before I heard the message.

“Your distress call has been received. A response boat will be to your rescue soon. Please, be patient and do not panic. Over.”

I sat down and wiped the single tear that fell from my eye. I glanced at the beeping machine that hid in the jacket.

08:24:12

I gasped at the numbers shown. How could time be passing by so fast? I grabbed the rail beside me, peering beside. The harbour looked like a thin line of nothing from my sight. I saw no approaching boat of coast guards.

I could not slip the jacket off my body because of the handcuffs. I looked at the pocket knife that fell on the boat. What if I cut it out and throw the ticking bomb in the ocean? Pfft, wrong thing to do. I could end up cutting something else by accident and exploding myself. Or the bomb could explode right after I take it off me. I couldn’t bring myself to believe that the reason of my death could possibly be that. Just on me like that.

I peered over again, with a desperate face. I saw a white boat far away. I wondered whether it was the one coming to my rescue or simply another yacht wandering about. The trawler on which Violetta went on had disappeared since a while, completely out of sight.

I hoped rescue would arrive well before my dying time. I glanced down again and my eyes went wide. The numbers were decreasing faster than I could orally count.

02:39:57

The boat that was coming from far away would not reach in time. Even if they arrived in time, how would they handle a girl with a bomb? I leaned against the rail, waving frantically.

“Can you guys be a bit faster?” I yelled, my words falling onto empty air.

I needed to be ready for anything. I was a woman close to death. Nobody could dare to question my intelligence. Grabbing the knife, I tore the sleeves of the jacket and proceeded to rip it off from my shoulders and one side as well.

I blinked furiously and flinched as the beeping sound became louder by a volume. I screeched when I saw the numbers decreasing below a minute. I stood up, with the jacket hanging onto one side. I should rip it off and throw in the sea urgently but I couldn’t do so. A part of me was scared that it’ll go off the moment I took it off.

Thirty seconds left. More tears started to fall.

Watching the numbers fall, I grabbed the edge of the jacket. It would be difficult to throw it away with both hands tied together. Heat rose from inside my shirt, making me feel weaker and sweaty.

Ten seconds left.

Let’s do it!

Letting out a shaky breath, I swung the jacket out of me and threw it over the rail. At this point, the yacht was still moving forward at a moderate pace. I closed my eyes with a frown, waiting.

The next thing I knew, a jet of water hit the behind of the boat, pushing me off it and into the sea.

My head hit the surface first, making me take a gulp of the salty water. I gasped above the water but the sudden currents pushed my head underneath away. I flapped my legs, trying to reach the surface without my useless hands.

My lungs and every cell in my body cried for oxygen as my head started to pound. The sea water burned my eyes and I felt my body sinking deeper instead of rising.

I felt the first rush of water entering my nose, burning its way through. The lack of oxygen increased my headache and the black blotches that filled my vision brought a heavy feeling through my body. I couldn’t realise whether my eyes were still open or close.

And as my body swayed in the vagueness around, I realised how silent and calm drowning was.

☆☆☆

I felt myself regain consciousness with something pressing through my mouth. Was it the pressure of the water or was I already dead?

I felt something else suddenly hit my chest hard enough for me to sit straight up, spitting water out of my mouth and gasping.

I squinted my eyes open a bit as my eyes were burning. I felt a hand rubbing my back as I coughed repeatedly through my burning throat. It was a human! I was saved!

“Oh God, I’m alive!” I croaked with a laugh, hugging my saviour, whoever was supporting me from behind.

“Yes, thanks to me,” a familiar voice reverberated through me and the person chuckled and  patted my back.

“Ughh, who asked you to come?” I groaned as I let go slowly and coughed out a bit more water.

Castiel patted my back again, a bit more harshly this time.

“Is that a way to thank someone who dived so deep into the sea to save you? Imagine all the unconscious weight I had to pull up,” he said and I looked at his wet black hair pushed back and dripping clothes. My eyes went around the boat, from the man who was controlling the helm to the other stranger talking on a radio.

“What’s new?” I muttered to myself and sighed.

“Get up. We’ve arrived,” Castiel said, getting up and stretching out his hand. I looked up at him and felt too weak to lift up my hand.

“Can you drag me up yourself? I haven’t eaten anything since three days. I have no energy left in me- oh, wait, wait, what are you doing?” I ended as he lifted me up in his arms.

“Shut up. You owe me a lot as it is,” he grumbled as he walked out of the boat and onto the dock. I fell limp back in his arms with a tired, grumpy face.

“Haelyn!” I heard someone yelling.

I weakly looked up at my father running along the dock towards us.

“Let me down, quick!” I whispered to Castiel, who shrugged before letting me on my feet. My legs started acting all weird and wobbly. I grabbed his arm for support.

Dad arrived in front of me, his eyes darting up and down, searching. I straightened myself as best as I could and put on a smile, clearing my throat.

“I’m fi- omph!”

Dad’s arms wrapped around me, squeezing the breath out of me. My frail arms made their way around him, reassuring him that I was fine.

“I was so worried when I didn’t find you back there,” he whispered, with a shaky breath as he released me.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, avoiding his tired eyes that were looking at me.

“You should be. Giving me such stress and tension at this old age of mine,” he chuckled, jokingly slapping my shoulders. I let out a weak chuckle as well.

Dad looked over my shoulder at the awkward audience.

“Thanks for saving her, son. I knew I could always count on you.”

“Anytime, sir,” was the immediate reply that made me roll my eyes though the smile stayed on my face. He’d save me any time and add each time on the list of my debt. No, thanks.

“Haelyn! My girl! How I missed you!” an exaggerated cry grabbed my attention as well as everyone around who turned to look for the culprit.

I laughed in embarrassment at the weird friend that was waving at me frantically as he ran.

“Why is his tie around his head though?” I questioned his look.

“Is there any logic in that brain of his anyway? Let’s just go away,” Dad said, shaking his head amusedly at the clown.