Chapter Two


Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, another boat calmly cruised along in the sea, a large yacht of white and blue. On its front sides were etched in bold the name Ticket to Ride. Within this yacht mainly lived two families, the Driscolls and the Nocedas. Piloting the Ticket to Ride was John Bruce Driscoll, a man of sixty-one years wearing a light-brown shirt unbuttoned at the top, matching black boots and trousers, and a matching dark-blue overcoat and military beret. Next to him was Diego Noceda, a dark-brown-haired and bearded man of forty-nine years wearing a teal shirt, khaki shorts, and brown loafers.

Standing next to Diego was his wife, Vera Noceda, a brown-eyed women of forty-three years with hair tied back into a bun, wearing a cyan v-neck shirt, red-framed glasses, dark-green overshirt, blue capri-style jeans, and crimson sneakers. She wiped at one of the windows as she looked outside, only to see more of the veil of darkness surrounding the boat, with just a small number of faint stars barely seen in the upper distance.

"Guys, you still sure it's very safe for the kids to come along in this little holiday trip with us?" Vera asked hesitantly. "Far out in the middle of the ocean I might add".

"As long as they follow the rules of the ship, I think they'll be fine enough," Bruce assured. "Besides, I believe my son, Adrien is taking just as good care of both your daughter and mine. I've good faith in him, and you two should too".

"I know I do," Diego said to Bruce before turning to Vera and laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You and I have raised Nadya quite well. Haven't we, Vera?"

"Well indeed enough," Vera nodded. "Though it seems really late at night, don't you think they should be in bed by now already?"

"Part of me doubts they would even if they wanted to," Diego lightly joked. "Plus, it's not like we're planning on getting some actual shuteye either".

"Not completely wrong there, mate," Bruce noted. "After all, at least one of us still has to be in charge and keep watch over the bridge, the steering and everything here".

"Is there even an autopilot in this thing?" Vera questioned Bruce.

"Not on this old boy," Bruce patted the helm. "That all said, I could turn off the engines to save a bit of juice and energy as well as to keep the ride a little less bumpy, assuming the sea will be just as calm tonight".

"At least then, our sleep won't be disturbed by constant rocking to the point of one of us falling over from bed and even throwing up," Diego joked some more.

"Oh don't you get me started back on that again," Vera rolled her eyes with a groan and a grim and gross reminder.

"Look, I told you, I'm really sorry about what happened the other morning. I thought you were already up by then," Bruce quickly apologised over.

"Well I wasn't until your high speed woke me up and made me sick," Vera spoke back. "Otherwise, I would've got out and greeted you anyway..." She awkwardly paused for a few more seconds. "And I accept your apology anyway".

"Goody-goody," Bruce gave a thumbs up. "Won't happen again".

"Anyways, Diego and I are gonna go back out to check on the kids," Vera said before heading out with Diego following closely behind her.

"You do that, chaps," Bruce nodded. "And be sure to remind Jackie that if she's finished with my harmonica, she should store it away for safety".

"Got it," Diego took in before going out.

Once the two had left the bridge, Bruce soon switched off the motors and engines and nearly everything else before continuing to look out into the dark horizon. In the past, he had heard tales of strange creatures hiding deep in the shadows of the ocean, islands where no man had ever set foot upon and survived, and forces beyond the comprehensibility of mankind. And a small part of him wanted to believe in such, he wanted them to be real, to be true.

"Who knows what, or who, may be lurking out here as well..." Bruce pondered before remembering an old and obscure quote he heard quite a few times. "Whatever hides from the light... comes out in the dark..."


To be continued...