Mark Hill

Down Island: a Novel of the Caribbean Mark Hill

The boat moved a little. Was it simply the current? He grabbed a handhold inside the cabin while shifting his weight back and forth. It might be wishful thinking, but maybe he'd help rock the yacht loose from any sea bottom suction. Nate noticed what he was doing then joined in. Doug heard a scraping sound from the grounded side of the hull. The bow rose and the forward cabin's bags puffed and grew noticeably. Then the stern came up, inflating the bags more and more with the decreasing depth. The boat was rising!There was an abrupt jolt as if Payback had been grabbed from behind by a giant hand and yanked backwards. The bow continued to rise until the vessel was pointed nearly vertical, straining to reach the shimmering surface of the sea. Furniture and equipment broke loose and violently slid to the stern. The crew grabbed for something to hold onto while sliding objects tore past or fell on them. The two brothers each reached to snag hatch handles above. Then, in spite of sounds being muffled by the water, Doug heard a high-pitched scream.