“Look over here.”
They both turned.
Maya grinned.
Liam raised a thumb.
I took the photo just as the boat began pulling away from the dock.
The inflatable bounced across the golden water while Maya laughed and waved once more.
Daniel put an arm around my shoulders.
“You did good.”
“I almost didn’t.”
“But you did.”
We returned to our chairs.
“They’ll be back before you know it.”
Fifteen minutes passed.
Another banana boat returned.
Families climbed off laughing.
Maya and Liam weren’t among them.
I frowned.
“Maybe they took a longer route.”
Daniel nodded.
“I’m sure that’s all it is.”
I tried to believe him.
Thirty minutes passed.
The sky turned from gold to orange.
Still nothing.
I sat upright.
“Aren’t they taking a while?”
Daniel looked toward the water.
“A little.”
Another boat returned.
Different riders.
Different faces.
The beach slowly emptied as families headed inside for dinner.
I stood.
“I’m going to ask someone.”
The rental attendant looked up as I approached.
“My daughter was on the last banana boat with a boy named Liam. They haven’t come back yet.”
He frowned and checked his clipboard.
“They should have.”
My stomach tightened.
“What do you mean?”
“The ride normally takes 20 minutes.”
He grabbed a radio.
“This is Dock One. Checking on the sunset run.”
Static.
He tried again.
Nothing.
I looked toward the bay.
The horizon was nearly empty.
Daniel hurried over.
“What did they say?”
Before I answered, the attendant lowered the radio.
A worried crease appeared on his forehead.
“I can’t raise them.”
Suddenly, every sound around me seemed to disappear.
CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE.
Daniel stared at him.
“What do you mean you can’t raise them?”
The attendant glanced at the radio.
“They should have checked in by now.”
He pressed the button again.
“Sunset run, this is Dock One. Come in.”
Nothing.
Only static.
Daniel’s voice hardened.
“Call someone else.”
“I’m trying, sir.”
Another employee rushed over.
They exchanged worried looks before one disappeared toward the main office.
I walked toward the shoreline.
The ocean had changed completely.
The golden water from my photo less than an hour earlier had turned deep blue.
Small waves rolled onto the sand.
The horizon was empty.
No banana boat.
No speedboat.
No orange life jackets.
Nothing.
“They have to be out there.”
I wasn’t sure if I was talking to Daniel or myself.
He wrapped his arm around me.
“We’ll find them.”
“They’re probably stranded.”
I nodded.
I wanted desperately to believe that.
Ten more minutes passed.
Still nothing.
CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE.
