Days passed. Too long for Kenneth. "Tyler, when I said take the long way home, I didn't mean go around South America."
"We are headed towards Greenland. I am just going slow in hopes to see him easier."
Kenneth sighed. Again, he couldn't argue. He looked over the ocean again with his binoculars. "You know I'll let you know if I see anything."
"Of course."
Kenneth admired Tyler's persistence and lack of doubt. Tyler was never willing to give up, and Kenneth had to give him a point for that. Kenneth himself would have given up far earlier, however, this was Tyler's best friend and only friend minus himself, and Ken knew he would do the same for a friend. However, this seemed to go on for too long, and from the recent storm, he felt almost guilty that he figured Josh to be long gone if not just lost. Don't get him wrong, he was worried for Josh as well, including his mother, but he felt maybe if they had a search team going out to the ocean, it would make things easier for them.
A few hours had passed and Kenneth heard words come out of Tyler's mouth he never thought would have been said.
"Kenneth, I'm not sure about this."
Kenneth almost dropped his binoculars into the water. "What? What did you just say?"
There was a pause. "I'm not sure if we're making a difference." Tyler's voice was gentle and soft, and Kenneth could sense some regret in it.
Kenneth quickly moved from his lookout spot. "Tyler, turn off your engines."
"Why-"
"Do it."
Tyler obeyed and everything was silent minus the water lapping around them. Kenneth hurried to Tyler's bow, and looked Tyler in the eyes. Tyler looked wary, exhausted, and beat. His hazel eyes weren't as bright anymore. Kenneth knew he must have been thinking about negative thoughts.
"What makes you say those things before?" Kenneth asked gently.
Tyler looked at him and looked down. "I tried not to, but, the thoughts of, dead Josh kept coming into my mind."
Kenneth couldn't believe what he was hearing. A boat who was so focused and hopeful and optimistic before was now regretful, lost, and all at once, seemed to demit.
"Ty, I've never seen you give up in my entire life." Kenneth said. The tugboat didn't look at him.
"I know I've been saying this entire time that we will most likely never find Josh, and each time you always said something to lift my spirits. Each time I said that, I hoped you would help me back. Help me believe that we can, in fact, do this. I need you now, more than ever, Ty. Don't give up on me now. Don't give up on yourself. We'll find him. I promise, we will find him. Whether it be in a few seconds, or in a year. We will find him.
This got Tyler's attention, and he looked to Kenneth with hopeful eyes. "Do you really think so?"
"I know so. Because you helped me believe so."
Tyler looked at him then looked away and sighed. He still wasn't sure, and it was a weird feeling. Tyler rarely ever felt this way.
"Let's just keep heading to Greenland. Like you said, maybe we'll find someone that has seen him." Kenneth patted Tyler gently and went back to his spot. Tyler started his engines up again without a word and began off again.
Half an hour went by, Tyler tried not to think of any bad thoughts anymore. He knew it wasn't healthy for him. "We'll find him, we'll find him." He kept telling himself silently. Kenneth heard him however. He continued to look on through his binoculars.
"I see land, Ty! Let's head over there." Kenneth said, spotting a small bit of land through his binoculars. Tyler agreed and changed course towards the land. Kenneth could feel his speed picking up a a little. He must have been desperate.
Once land became more distinguishable, and the docks were seen, Kenneth looked out over the side. "How are you doing, Ty?"
"Better." Tyler responded. "Although, I've just realized I need more fuel."
"I can get that. Try asking a few tugs or ships here. It shouldn't take me long."
"You got it." Tyler looked around. There were boats everywhere. Small and big. He didn't know where to begin. He backed up from the spot he was at and decided to start small.
"Have you seen a very small yacht go by here?"
"Did you happen to see a small white yacht here with a few stripes along his bow?"
"Is there any chance you would be willing to keep an eye out for one? His name is Josh."
The only problem with asking these questions is that there are so many boats in the area that have Josh's same description. Tyler was beginning to get a little flustered until he saw Kenneth heading back.
Tyler greeted him. "This has not been easy." he said. "There are too many boats here that are similar to Josh!"
"We can always head to Iceland before home." Kenneth reminded him as he refueled. "Don't give up now!"
Tyler didn't say anything. He had been so hopeful that someone would have seen him, but nothing has come up in their travel. It was all too wrong, all too strange. But he still had hope that someone had seen him in Iceland.
No one had seen him in Iceland. Tyler left the docks and as soon as they were out far enough, he went into full panic mode.
"No one has seen him Kenneth!" Tyler cried out. "What am I supposed to do? What will I tell Auntie Krista? She'll be devastated!"
"Tyler, calm down!" Kenneth was quick to move to Tyler's bow. "This is not your fault! None of it is!"
"I told her I would find him though. She trusted me!"
"Tyler, hey." Kenneth said firmly and locked eyes with him. "She knows she can't expect you to find him. You are still very young, and the possibility that Josh is gone is high. She can't expect you to magically find him." He paused for a moment, while Tyler took a breath. "You did your best, okay? You did your very best and there is nothing else we can do."
Kenneth thought he saw tears forming in Tyler's eyes and wished so much that Josh would just come home on his own. That gave him an idea.
"Tyler, let's still have hope. Remember that big ship you talked to first? Maybe when we head home, he'll call us soon and say Josh has been found! Or maybe if we head home, Josh will be there waiting for us. There is still hope."
"I'm-I'm not so sure.."
"Let's head home. Maybe he's already there, waiting for us." Kenneth tried to smile but Tyler's frown was too much. He wasn't used to seeing an unhappy Tyler.