This whole thing started out rather innocently, if not stupidly. With his friend Steve visiting for the day, Ian decided to take him on a boat ride in the canal near his house. Problem was, it really wasn’t a boat, but a floating platform for boarding one of the other boats floating in the canal. Still, according to Ian’s way of thinking, if it floats, it must be a boat.
Ian and Steve stepped on the platform and Ian untied the ropes before pushing the platform off with a long broomstick handle he brought from home. Gently the platform drifted along the canal to carry its two passengers on a most soothing ride.
“What do you think, Steve?” Ian asked. “Pretty relaxing, huh?”
“Yes, it is,” Steve sighed contentedly, “so how far are we going?”
“Don’t worry about that,” Ian replied. “We’ve got all day.”
Soon the platform drifted into a vast waterway with swift, choppy waters. Waves were splashing onto the platform to leave Ian and Steve soaking wet. At the same time Ian lost his broomstick handle to the deep water, leaving him with no way to steer.
“We’ve gone far enough, don’t you think?” Steve shouted. “Turn this thing around and let’s go home.”
“I can’t!” Ian shouted back. “I lost my broomstick!”
“WHAT?” Steve screamed as he hung on to the platform for dear life.
Faster the platform drifted across the waterway as it made its way towards the open sea. There it met giant waves that threatened to tear it to shreds. The dark, threatening clouds above didn’t help matters either as a terrible storm ensued. Ian and Steve hung on the platform as best they could before a monster wave rose and punched the platform into splinters to send the two friends flying into the water.
Amid the chaos, Ian closed his eyes and saw no more.
To be continued…
MJBDiver.com 