We-Write Week #2 "By the Sea"
Thanks to @zeldacroft for running the weekly we-write contest. The first part of the story is provided for us, and all the participants finish the story however they want to, preferably in 5 minutes.
“They say a ship’s run aground over near Harper’s Cove,” said an old man in overalls, hanging up the corded phone. There was a sense of permanence about the Coast Rescue shack, between the scratched furniture and fading paint it looked as though it had sat there near the sea for ages. The midday salty air wisped through the open windows, gently rustling the loose papers on the man’s desk. “John says it’s a real doozy.”
“That's too bad, I was hoping to spend some time in town today,” Becky rolled her eyes, but smiled as she threw on her reflective red jacket. “Do you think we’ll need help from the mainland?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. Probably nothing you can’t handle,” he smiled back, with equal measures of pride and sadness. His own safety jacket was slowly collecting dust on the back of his chair.
“Thanks, Dad,” Becky said as she grabbed the keys off the wall. Stepping past the creaky screen door and off the porch, she could feel the August sun burning down. It was almost the off-season, when things would quiet down. The rolling crashes of the cobalt waves grew louder as she descended the wooden steps down to the rocky beach. It’d be a great day to go swimming, she thought, but duty calls. The tugboat by the dock rose and fell, and with the ease of expertise she climbed on and started the engine.
The sea was rougher than it had looked from the shack, but Becky steered the tugboat with confidence. Her dad had taught her all that he knew about boat rescues and about boats in general, beginning when she was just a little girl, so she seldom felt any fear while on the ocean. It was a short ride to Harper's Cove, and Becky enjoyed the wind in her face, whipping her hair around her head, ruffling every thing on the boat that wasn't solid.
Rounding the bend along the coastline, she spotted the ship run up against the shore. It was listing badly, and obviously taking on water. She could hear the frantic cries of the tourists on board, and the shouts of the crew as they struggled to keep the ship from completely tipping over.
Grabbing the radio, she called her dad. "This is going to require more help than I can provide. You better call for backup. I'll do the best I can until they get here." And she eased her tugboat closer to the distressed ship.
You painted such a dramatic scene, it’s a good thing Becky was there! Kudos on writing it in five minutes 👍
Thanks! This was one of those times when I was glad I set the timer. LOL
Thanks! This was one of
Those times when I was glad I
Set the timer. LOL
- scribblingramma
I'm a bot. I detect haiku.
Becky to the rescue
I can almost see her confident and brave
Keeping the calm while her hair tosses in the wind :D
I think she should have put it in a braid at least. Hee hee.
@scribblingramma good story
Thanks. Unlike you, I don't know much about boats or the sea, so I figured I better quit while I was ahead.
Next, she will take women and children off the sinking boat and bring them to the shore. Then go back to the boat as many times as needed until all the people would be on the solid land. Then, before the help from the mainland would come, her dad would bring them dry rations and a large canister of freshwater. )))
Excellent!
Confident Becky has got his covered. I can picture her staying calm, saving many lives until more help arrived. Great addition to the story. : )
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lol I spent hours on mine trying to get past the first two paragraphs! I don't think it's a five minute limit, is it?
Definitely not a limit, just a general guideline 😉 The contest is inspired by the 5-minute freewrites hosted by @mariannewest, so I use the five minutes as a guide for the length and time of my prompts. Of course there's always a little bit of editing afterwards. As an entrant you can spend whatever time you want, but since the prize is randomly awarded I wouldn't stress too much about it.
Probably not. But it's convenient sometimes to say it is!