Terror In The Storm (standard:adventure, 2722 words)
Author: Paul	Added: Apr 16 2001	Views/Reads: 3566/2439	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
He didn't realize how bad it was until it was too late.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

Several other boats had made a run for the bank ahead of Jan and Larry,
but they were close to safety, and they were not likely to turn back. 
Al and Butch were in a boat that was close to Point Pleasant. Butch saw 
the two people in trouble and yelled," Al those two people are in 
trouble. Maybe we should go back and see if we can help them." 

"We can't go back into that storm," Al screamed so that he could be
heard over the wind. "We will swamp ourselves. There is no use for all 
of us to drown. Let's get to the point, and we can watch to see if we 
can help them later. 

*** 

Larry turned the tiny boat forty-five degrees to the west and tried to
quarter the waves. As he turned one wave broke over the side of the 
boat, and the boat started to fill with water. Larry grabbed the can 
and started to bail, but it was difficult to bail and steer at the same 
time. Jan, realizing his dilemma, moved toward the back of the boat, 
and started to help bail. Soon most of the water was gone, so Jan moved 
back to the front of the boat. 

Since their speed was so slow the front of the boat started crashing
against the water as they crossed the waves. Jan stared crying from 
fear, but also because of the pain as she bounced hard with every fall 
of the bow. Larry, realizing her plight, threw her a floating seat 
cushion. 

"Put this on the floor and sit on it so the bounce won't be so bad,"
Larry said. 

Jan could no longer hear him because of the wind and thunder, and
motioned that she did not understand. Larry then motioned for her to do 
as he had previously instructed. 

*** 

Camp was on a point almost directly across the lake from Devil's Cove.
Jan's brother Mike, his wife Sharon and Jan's sister Carry and her 
husband Clark were sitting around the picnic table under a tarp 
watching the lake. They knew Jan and Larry were out there somewhere, 
but hoped that they had holed up somewhere to wait out the storm. 
Suddenly Clark caught sight of a small white object at about the middle 
of the lake. 

"I think that is their boat there!" Clark exclaimed while pointing.
"They are in big trouble!" 

"Yes, I see them too," said Mike. " The storm is getting closer! They
are not going to make it!" 

"Our boat is much bigger," said Clark." Maybe I can go get them!" 

"Not a chance!" Sharon exclaimed. "No boat should be out there in this.
You might all drown." 

Carry ran to the car. "Where are you going Carry," Clark screamed. 

"To get the Ranger," Carry answered. "Maybe he can help." Carry started
the car and left without any further acknowledgement. 

*** 

The rain was starting to pelt Jan and Larry now. It was cold, and the
drops hurt as it contacted the skin. They had only light clothing, 
nothing like rain gear or jackets. Larry could not count t two seconds 
between the thunderclap and the lightning strike.  It was really close. 
He would be unable to track it any more because there was so much 
thunder and lightning that it was hard to identify which lightning went 
with which thunder. 

The lightning was cracking all around them. The wind howled so that they
could hardly hear their own thoughts. Waves were now breaking over the 
boat regularly. Jan and Larry prayed. Jan thought how pleasant the day 
had been. She and Larry were so very much in love, and they both held 
precious their time together. They had played and laughed most of the 
afternoon. How could such a perfect day become this nightmare? She 
moved toward the back of the boat to be close to Larry. She needed to 
be held, but that was impossible now. 

"I think we should try to turn now. Perhaps with the wind a little
behind us we can steer for the shore," Larry said uncertainly. 

"It can't be any worse than this," Jan replied. 

Larry tried to turn the boat, but as he started to face away from the
storm, a large wave poured over the transom. Jan grabbed her cushion 
with one hand and resumed bailing with the other. The rain was coming 
down furiously, and the lightning seemed close enough to touch. Another 
wave poured into the boat. It was apparent that bailing was hopeless. 
Jan lost her balance and fell toward the back toward Larry. The bow 
raised out of the water. The boat lurched, and Jan and Larry were 
thrown into the water. 

Jan could not see Larry now, and began to scream his name. The waves
washed over her head, and she struggled to catch her breath. As the 
next wave raised her, she saw Larry thrashing out of control. She swam 
to him. 

"Are you all right," she said. 

Gasping, Larry exclaimed," The strap on my life preserver broke and I
can't stay up!" 

"I have the cushion," Jan said, pushing it to him. 

"Larry grabbed the cushion and pushed his arms through the handles. "
That's better," he said as they bobbed along with the current. 

*** 

"My God," said Clark. "They are in the water, and the boat sank." 

Without answering, Mike ran to the water and started their boat. He left
the inlet, but waves threw his boat around too. He saw the hopelessness 
of this endeavor and returned to the shore. 

" That was a stupid thing to do, Mike," Sharon said. 

"I thought I could get to them, but it is impossible," Mike answered. "
I know it was stupid, but I had to try something." 

" They are floating," Clark said. Maybe they will just float to the
dam." 

"It has rained a lot and I think that the water is flowing over the
dam," Mike said. "They will be swept over." 

"Maybe Carry was able to get some help," Sharon said. "She did the
intelligent thing. 

" Will we just stop at the dam if we go that far?" Jan asked. 

"I think water is flowing over the dam," said Larry. " We have to figure
a way out of this." 

"I guess we will just have to swim for shore," answered Jan. 

"We will never make it," Larry said in a dejected tone. "The wind is too
high, and it is too hard to swim in these preservers. If I remember 
correctly, the next point extends far out into the lake. Maybe we could 
angle for that. 

Lightning was still crashing around them, the wind was strong, and the
waves were high. It will be a miracle if we get out of this Jan 
thought. They clung to each other for a few minutes before striking out 
toward the point. She looked toward the shore and saw her family 
waving. Jan started to cry. She thought this would be the end, but she 
was not going to give up without a fight. 

Larry was just as scared as Jan was. He felt very guilty that he had
gotten them in this position. Jan relied on him for strength. He hoped 
he had enough to get them through this ordeal. 

*** 

Carry ran into the ranger station. "My sister and her husband are
floundering in a small boat on the lake. Can you help them, please?" 
she asked. 

"Exactly where are they?" the ranger asked. 

"They were just off the Jefferson point campground about in the middle
of the lake," She answered. 

"Is the boat still afloat? Did they have life preservers?" the ranger
asked. 

"The boat was afloat, but it looked like they were taking on water. That
was about ten minutes ago," Carry answered. "They do have life jackets 
though." 

"Let me call the game warden. He is near the dam, and may have a boat
large enough to rescue them, " the ranger told her. He went to his 
radio. "Ranger station to Edgar Hardy," he called. 

"This is Hardy," was the answer. 

"Listen Ed, there are two people on the lake in a small boat. Their
sister is here and says that they look like they are floundering," the 
ranger stated. 

"What is their location, and on which side of the lake are they," Hardy
answered. 

"Around Jefferson Point. Which side lady?" the ranger asked. 

"They were headed for this side," Carry said. Thank God, they are going
to help she thought. 

"Did you hear that Ed?" the ranger asked. 

"Yes, I'm on this side. I will go out and watch for them. I think the
best thing to do would be to pluck them out of the water just before 
they get to the dam. That way we don't have to hunt them in this 
weather, and the storm might slacken by then," Hardy answered. 

*** 

"Let's go with a little side stroke, "Larry said. " I can't see the
point yet, but I know it's there. Just try to swim toward the shore and 
we will let the wind and the current push us toward the point." 

"I am trying," Jan said. "You can go faster then I, go ahead and save
yourself." 

" I won't leave you Jan. You know that," Larry said. "Just keep pushing
toward shore." 

Progress toward shore was slow, but the push down stream was fast. 
Larry thought that this was a tall order, but it was their only chance 
before the dam. "There it is Jan. There is the point. We are close. 
Swim as hard as you can! We have to make it!" Larry exclaimed. 

He reached for her arm. They were only about twenty feet from land.  As
he grabbed her he tried to put his feet on the bottom, but it was too 
deep. ___ They had missed the point. 

Point Pleasant was next, but it was too far away. Jan started crying
hysterically, but Larry tried to encourage her. "Maybe we can grab on 
to something before going over the dam," he said. "Let's keep swimming 
toward shore and see what happens." 

Jan thought to herself, straighten yourself girl, something good may
come along. " Let's go," she said to Larry. "The closer we are to shore 
the better." 

*** 

"Hey Al," Butch said. "Is that two people floating this way." 

"Sure is," said Al, " probably the ones that we couldn't help before.
They're are not going to make it to the point, and I don't think there 
is anything to stop then before they reach the dam. Butch I think we 
can get them now! Let's go." 

Al was a mountain of a man, strong but kind. "They are only about forty
feet out Butch. We can make that."  Al said. "You drive and I will pull 
them in. Let's go man." 

Butch ran to the boat and started the engine. Al turned the boat, pushed
them out, and jumped in. They edged out into the lake and headed toward 
Larry and Jan. The water was splashing over the transom, and the wind 
was hard to buck, but they got to them before they passed the point. 

"I will grab them by the arms" said Al. "There isn't time to pull them
into the boat. Just head for shore when I have them, and we will drag 
them in." This would be a tall order for most people, but Al was so 
strong that he could hang on to them plus two more. When Butch had 
eased the boat close enough, and Al grabbed Larry and Jan by the arm. 

"Head for shore Butch," Al said.  As they approached the beach Al jumped
out of the boat, picked both of them up, and took them to the safety of 
their lean to. 

*** 

"Hardy to the ranger station," the radio crackled. 

"Any news?" the ranger replied. 

"Yah; two guys on Point Pleasant rescued those two. Those guys deserve a
meddle," Hardy exclaimed. 

"Thank god," Carry whispered with salty tears rolling down her cheeks. 

*** 

Jan and Larry had tears in their eyes too as the huddled around the
small fire that Butch had started. They looked up at the two men that 
had saved them and tried to speak, but no words could express their 
feelings. Al and Butch understood. 

Copyright  April 2001. All rights reserved 


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