The sun had vanished behind a sudden wall of dark clouds, the once tranquil ocean morphing into a swirling, angry abyss. Moments ago, the sky had been vast and clear, its endless blue reflected in the shimmering sea. Dolphins had danced in the distance, their sleek bodies cutting through the water in joyful arcs. But now, that peaceful world seemed like a distant memory as the wind howled and the first raindrops splattered against their skin.
Azad tightened his grip on the boat's edge, his knuckles white as the waves began to rise, the boat rocking violently beneath them. "What the hell is happening?!" he shouted over the roar of the storm.
Ellie squinted against the rain, her hair whipping around her face as she tried to steady herself. "It's a storm! A damn big one!" Her voice was strained, a mixture of fear and anger. "We have to hold on!"
The waves rose higher, each crashing against the small boat with terrifying force. Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dark clouds briefly before they were swallowed again by the nightmarish gloom.
"We should've never left the shore!" Azad yelled, his voice raw with panic.
"Stop whining and focus!" Ellie snapped, trying to maintain her balance as the boat lurched again. "Just—hold—on!"
The wind howled louder as if nature itself was bent on swallowing them whole. Each wave grew larger, more ferocious, towering over them like watery beasts ready to devour. The boat, once sturdy, was now nothing more than a fragile speck tossed around in the chaos.
Another wave slammed into them, and Ellie screamed as she lost her footing. Her body slipped toward the edge of the boat.
"Ellie!" Azad reached out, his heart pounding as his hand caught hers just in time. His muscles strained as he tried to pull her back up, but the power of the waves was relentless. The boat tilted dangerously, water splashing over the sides.
Ellie gripped his hand tightly, her eyes wide with fear. "Don't let go!"
"I won't! I've got you!" Azad's voice was desperate, his entire body shaking with the effort of holding on as the storm raged around them. But the waves were too strong. Another massive surge hit the boat, and this time, the force was too much.
"No!" Azad screamed as his grip faltered. In one horrible, heart-stopping moment, both he and Ellie were thrown from the boat, plunging into the icy depths of the ocean.
The cold hit him like a wall of knives, sharp and unforgiving. The current dragged him under, swirling him around like a ragdoll. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe—only feel the weight of the ocean pressing in on him from all sides.
Ellie's scream cut through the water, but it was distant, muffled. Azad kicked desperately, fighting to resurface, his lungs burning for air. When his head finally broke the surface, he gasped, sucking in a ragged breath before another wave crashed over him.
"Ellie!" he called, his voice hoarse and drowned by the storm.
"I'm—here!" Ellie's voice came from nearby, but the darkness and the towering waves made it impossible to see her. Lightning flashed, and for a split second, he saw her struggling against the current, her arms flailing as she fought to stay afloat.
Azad swam toward her, his limbs heavy with exhaustion. "We have to stick together!" he shouted, spitting out salty water. The rain battered them like bullets, each wave threatening to pull them apart again.
"I can't—hold on!" Ellie's voice was strained, her strength waning as the storm raged around them.
"You can do it!" Azad yelled back, gritting his teeth against the pain in his arms and legs. Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, but he forced himself to keep going. "Just—keep—swimming!"
The wind howled louder, and another wave crashed over them, dragging them under once more. The world became a chaotic blur of water and darkness, the storm thrashing them around as if they were nothing.
Azad's lungs screamed for air as he fought his way back to the surface again. When he broke through, he heard Ellie's voice—barely audible but alive.
"I'm... trying!" she gasped, her breaths shallow and ragged.
"We're almost out of this!" Azad lied, though he had no idea if they would survive. He could barely see through the sheets of rain and foam, the sea a black, endless expanse beneath them.
The storm continued to pummel them, but then, as suddenly as it had begun, the waves seemed to lessen. The violent churning of the ocean calmed ever so slightly, the thunder rolling into the distance.
Gasping for breath, Azad searched for Ellie. Finally, another flash of lightning illuminated her figure just a few feet away, her face pale but determined.
"We made it... past the worst," Azad panted, though exhaustion made his voice weak.
Ellie coughed, spitting out water. "Barely..."
They floated there, exhausted, the storm slowly moving away. Though still turbulent the sea was no longer a vicious force trying to pull them under. The boat, however, was gone—lost to the ocean depths.
Azad swam to Ellie, reaching out to grab her arm, relief flooding him as he felt her solid presence beside him. "We survived that... somehow."
"Yeah," Ellie replied, her voice rough but grateful.