Flash Fiction Contest Winner #6 – “Distress”

Please note: Flash fiction stories are submitted by members of our Discord server. Many contain adult themes and may be objectionable to some readers.

Distress

“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! Can anybody hear me?”
     The cry from the radio echoed within the quiet Bridge as her eyes searched the distance.
     “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! I d-,” the message was garbled and faint, and there was static for a moment longer, “-f you can hear this, coordinates are, 23 south and 115 West. Please! Help u-”
&tablThe connection cut out and static replaced the pleading. Her hands gripped the wheel tight as she replayed the message in her mind. Where were they?
     Jen had heard the message just over an hour ago but still she had hurried toward what she thought would be a heroic moment for herself and her boyfriend. This was the kind of story they enjoyed reading about on their news feeds, that people adored and absorbed. It would have made them heroes.
     She sighed and released her grip from the wheel before stepping out onto the deck. Jeff looked at her from behind the binoculars.
     “I can’t see anything. You sure these are the right coordinates?” She nods at him and shrugs. “Huh, nothing out here. Think maybe their GPS is broken?”
     “I’d hate to think that,” She watched the sun hanging low above the blue horizon, “We should probably call it in though. I don’t think anyone else was close enough to hear that.” They could have been heroes. “I just hope we weren’t too late.”
     Jeff set the binoculars down and moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. He sighed and rubbed her back, “The oceans unpredictable, babe. This sort of thing happens.” Jen nodded in agreement. She didn’t know the woman on the radio, but she had felt her fear. She could have been saved. They could have been her hero.
     She gently pulled away. “I’ll get us ready to head back in. Waters amazingly calm. Like, really calm. Should be perfect.” She smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Now if you wouldn’t mind making dinner?”
     Jeff smiled and nodded, “Of course, babe.” He handed the binoculars back to her and headed below deck. She took one last look out toward the water but there was nothing but ocean meeting the sky in every direction.
     The hair on the back of her neck stood as she noticed a fog rolling in. She brought the binoculars up to look at what she thought was a silhouette but the fog gave away no secrets. There was nothing there.
     She reentered the bridge and picked up her comm before dialing it to the right channel. She wasn’t sure what coordinates to give but she knew the ones they’d been given were going to be the closest option. It was a good enough place to start, anyway.
     “This is the SV Daliah, can anybody hear me, over?”
     The radio responded with static. Jen sighed and tapped on it.
     “Come on, seriously. Work you dumb, stupid, useless thing.” She tried again. “Radio check, Radio check, Radio check, this is the SV Daliah. Can anybody hear me, over?”
     “Jen! Help!”
     Jen dropped the comm and ran out to the deck, expecting to see Jeff, but there was nothing. The fog had surrounded the boat entirely, too thick to see through. It felt like walls enclosing in.
     “Jeff! Where are you?” She looked around in a panic before rushing down below. She slipped on the last step and landed on her back with a loud thud. Groaning, she pushed herself back up and screamed when she took notice of the blood soaked floor. “Jeff! Jeff!” She checked the bathroom and their bedroom before rushing back up top and into the Bridge.
     “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! Can anybody hear me?” She cried out, hoping someone was listening. “My boyfriend’s hurt, I think he may have gone overboard! I don’t know what to do. There’s a fog unlike any I’ve seen before. Please help us, Over!” She fought to catch her breath as the only response was the static. She checked her coordinates again just to be sure.
     “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! I don’t know if anyone’s out there but we need help! If you can hear this, coordinates are, 23 south and 115 West. Please! Help us!” The connection cut and not even the static came through. The fog began to overtake the boat just as she noticed the light in the distance. Then she heard someone answer.
     “This is the SV Daliah, can anybody hear me, over?”