"Catch anything?" Solomon took a seat beside Florian and looked out at the water. The fishing pole was held lightly in Florian's hands, but he seemed more interested in watching the sunlight reflect on the gentle waves.
"Nothing worth keeping." Florian shifted so Solomon could see the old boot and a bit of damaged net on the deck near Florian's feet. It wasn't surprising that he hadn't caught anything, considering that he was too squeamish to use bait.
"Put this on." Ray dropped a hat on Florian's head where it landed slightly askew. He adjusted it to his satisfaction, ignoring Solomon's amusement. "Don't want you getting sunstroke now that you've finally conquered your seasickness."
"Thank you." Florian looked up at his companion. Like Solomon, Ray had taken off his dress shirt and was wearing only a plain white cotton t-shirt and casual pants. Unlike Solomon, he'd taken his shoes off. He was grinning like he always did when he was off on an adventure.
Florian was still fully dressed - years of his mother's training in manners and appropriate behavior were difficult to overcome. But he had unbuttoned the top two buttons and put his tie in his pocket – where it would remain until they returned to port.
"I'm still not sure how you convinced your cousin to lend us his private yacht," Solomon commented. He reached over and took the fishing pole from Florian's hand and propped it up against the side of the boat where it could be tended if needed.
"I was telling him that Florian had never learned to fish. Once he heard that, Michel insisted we use his yacht." Even without the strangled noise that Florian tried to disguise as a cough, Solomon would have recognized this as a "fish tale."
"How generous of him," Solomon said dryly. Florian had dutifully watched and listened while Ray and Solomon taught him to fish, but it was clear that he doing it to humor them. He seemed to be cautious about the whole idea of being on a boat, although the elixir that Laila had given him did spare him from seasickness. Still, one look at the bait they'd brought along and he'd gone green, so Ray had tossed it overboard.
The cook at the house they were renting had prepared a huge picnic basket full of food for them and added some light wine and bottles of water. Ray handed one of the water bottles to Florian and another to Solomon before taking some wine for himself. Solomon would have protested, but the combination of warm sun and soothing waves were likely to make him sleepy without adding wine into the mix, and he preferred to stay alert.
Ray set the basket down between them and took a seat, picking through it until Florian reached over and tugged on his sleeve.
"Allow me." He reached in and withdrew the tablecloth, spreading it over a small table before arranging the food while fending off Ray's attempts to snack. When he was finished, he made a show of handing Solomon the first plate.
"Tell me again why we're in Australia without your usual entourage?" Solomon asked while they lunched. "And why you brought me along instead."
"We're on holiday. Officially and unofficially," Ray added, giving Florian an impudent grin. "I don't want to spend it fighting off kidnappers."
Florian just raised one eyebrow and gave Ray a look that made Solomon almost choke. Florian calmly reached over and patted Solomon's back, never breaking eye contact with Ray. The look wasn't threatening or overly aggressive, but clearly Ray had been on the receiving end of it often enough to understand the full implication. He was the first to look away.
"Dessert?" Florian asked pleasantly, and Solomon noticed that the first and largest piece of cake was given to Ray along with a warm, intimate smile. Solomon looked away politely, too used to such moments between these two to be bothered by them.
A short time later, comfortably well fed and drowsy in the warm mid-day sun, Solomon closed his eyes and pretended to nap, giving his two friends some privacy. He never intended to actually fall asleep.
XXXXX
"Solomon, get over here!" Solomon awoke with a start, frowning up at the darkening sky over head. He felt thick-headed and disoriented but a glance at his watch assured him that he'd only been out for about forty-five minutes.
"Tie this off over there and help me with the anchor." Ray was calmly and quickly preparing the boat against what was surely going to be a fruitless attempt to beat this storm into port. Wind was coming up quickly and waves were rocking the boat, occasionally sloshing over, making the deck slippery and unstable.
"Where's Florian?" Solomon asked, having to raise his voice to he heard over the wind.
"In the cabin. Laila's magic potion won't help him with this kind of weather, and I'd rather he be safe inside than out here, too sick to do anything."
They worked quickly and efficiently, both of them having just enough experience to get the yacht into the best position. All they could do now was hold on and hope for the best.
"Ray! Solomon!" Florian staggered out of the cabin clutching raincoats for the two men. He agreed to Ray's demands that he return to the cabin, but only if they would give him the picnic basket and other small items that hadn't been secured. Arms full, he made his way back into the cabin, asking one last time if they would join him.
Florian barely made it through the door when a huge swell of water rose up, drenching the two men on deck and making them scramble for a firm hold. It was as black as midnight now, with no stars to give them direction – only the howling winds and furious waves beating against them.
"Inside with Florian!" Ray shouted, but Solomon refused, trying to push Ray towards the cabin.
"You go. I've had more practice with boats."
"We'll both go. There's no way either of us are steering in this. Come on."
They staggered towards the doorway, mere steps away but the wind made it seem like miles. Solomon was almost there; he could see Florian reaching for him.
He heard the wave before he saw it.
XXXXX
Florian remembered this - the heavy silkiness of water pressing in on all sides leaving him breathless and almost overwhelmed. He hadn't succumbed to it then, and he wasn't going to give in to it now.
But it was dark, the water was grasping at him, tossing him roughly, and there was no one in his arms this time, depending on him for survival. All he could do was pick a direction and swim, and pray that the water surrendered before his body did.
XXXXX
Solomon clung to the side of the ship, his body alternately pulled and pressed as he and the boat were savaged by the waves. His fingers were going numb from the pressure of his grip, but he held on, determined to ride this out and find his companions.
It was a good plan, he assured himself. Just keep holding on.
It might have worked if he hadn't turned his head, trying to clear the water from his eyes, and caught sight of a body lying limply across a bit of debris.
A body he'd recognize anywhere - even here in the storm tossed ocean.
Damn.
Three deep, measured breaths, a moment to calm himself, and then Solomon let go.
XXXXX
Ray scrambled for a better grip on the rope, wrapping it around his arm twice to try and secure himself. The boat was tossing wildly and he'd lost sight of Florian and Solomon - he feared that one or both of them had been swept away.
Some of the items they'd secured were breaking free from their bindings and being tossed around the deck, making every effort more difficult. If he could just make his way to the cabin and make sure that Florian was safe, then he'd go find Solomon.
Slowly, keeping a tight grip on the rope, he worked his way across the deck, losing his balance and falling twice. He was trying to pick himself up when the heavy box broke loose. He only had seconds to lift his arm before it crashed into him.
He felt a searing pain in his arm and then another one against his back as something hard collided with him. He lost his balance and fell, striking his head. The last thing he saw was a huge swell of water coming at him.