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"Crimson Tide: The Day the Ocean Took Kyle"

A family beach day turns into a nightmare when the waves reveal a terrifying truth no parent is prepared to face.

By Saeed Ullah Published 6 months ago 3 min read

beef jerky, maple bourbon flavored, and offered it to his son. Kyle snuffed the gesture and moaned in annoyance. He hated jerky, all flavors, and his father knew that. He had no choice. He was going to have to wait to eat.

“Can I at least go in the water?” Kyle said.

“As long as you stay in sight. With waves like those, the current will be strong.”

“I’ll stay close.”

Chase noticed his son brush off the warning. “I mean it Kyle. No wandering. And don’t go out too far.”

As he watched the sunburnt spine of his son jog towards the water, a familiar voice rang in his ear.

“Great spot babe,” Erica said.

Surprised to see his wife so soon, Chase stumbled up out of his chair to greet her. “Kyle picked it out. He had to fight off a couple of angry seagulls to get it though. Tough kid.”

Looking behind his wife, expecting to see his daughter, he saw other children that did not belong to him. As he was about to ask his wife where Zoey was, he heard a young girl scream from the water’s edge. Instinctively knowing the tone of his only daughter’s voice, Chase frantically scanned the area until he located her position and what she, and now others, were all horrifically screaming at.

Thrashing beyond the cresting waves, chaos ensued. The incoming currents stained the golden sand a deep burgundy, and lifeguard whistles echoed across the entire beach. His eyes studied the faces of all of the retreating swimmers, yet none of them were of Kyle. Fighting through the frenzy, Erica ran to retrieve Zoey.

Frozen in fear, an elderly man, with his hand pointing towards the ocean, spoke gently to Chase.

“I think that’s your boybeef jerky, maple bourbon flavored, and offered it to his son. Kyle snuffed the gesture and moaned in annoyance. He hated jerky, all flavors, and his father knew that. He had no choice. He was going to have to wait to eat.

“Can I at least go in the water?” Kyle said.

“As long as you stay in sight. With waves like those, the current will be strong.”

“I’ll stay close.”

Chase noticed his son brush off the warning. “I mean it Kyle. No wandering. And don’t go out too far.”

As he watched the sunburnt spine of his son jog towards the water, a familiar voice rang in his ear.

“Great spot babe,” Erica said.

Surprised to see his wife so soon, Chase stumbled up out of his chair to greet her. “Kyle picked it out. He had to fight off a couple of angry seagulls to get it though. Tough kid.”

Looking behind his wife, expecting to see his daughter, he saw other children that did not belong to him. As he was about to ask his wife where Zoey was, he heard a young girl scream from the water’s edge. Instinctively knowing the tone of his only daughter’s voice, Chase frantically scanned the area until he located her position and what she, and now others, were all horrifically screaming at.

Thrashing beyond the cresting waves, chaos ensued. The incoming currents stained the golden sand a deep burgundy, and lifeguard whistles echoed across the entire beach. His eyes studied the faces of all of the retreating swimmers, yet none of them were of Kyle. Fighting through the frenzy, Erica ran to retrieve Zoey.

Frozen in fear, an elderly man, with his hand pointing towards the ocean, spoke gently to Chase.

“I think that’s your boyThrashing beyond the cresting waves, chaos ensued. The incoming currents stained the golden sand a deep burgundy, and lifeguard whistles echoed across the entire beach. His eyes studied the faces of all of the retreating swimmers, yet none of them were of Kyle. Fighting through the frenzy, Erica ran to retrieve Zoey.

familyFantasyHistoricalHumorClassical

About the Creator

Saeed Ullah

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