“Jude! Jude! A big wave is coming!”

He didn’t hear the man. Couldn’t.

The net was heavy. Alive. The biggest catch of his life thrashed at his feet, silver scales flashing under the morning sun. Jude grinned, teeth bright against his salt-cracked lips. His chest swelled. This one would feed Ma and the twins for a week. Maybe they’d finally fix the roof.

He dug his heels into the rotting wood of the boat and pulled. Hard.

The rope burned his palms. The fish fought. The boat creaked.

He never saw the wall of water rising behind him.

The first sign was the shadow. A sudden cold that swallowed the sun. Jude frowned and glanced over his shoulder.

Too late.

The wave was a mountain. Black-green and silent, curling high above the little boat like God’s hand coming down to swat a fly.

His stomach dropped. “No—”

It struck.

The world became water and noise. The boat flipped. The net ripped from his hands. Sky and sea traded places, spinning, roaring. Jude slammed into the hull, ribs cracking. Saltwater forced its way down his throat. He kicked, clawed, reached for air that wasn’t there.

The wave dragged him under.

It tossed the boat like driftwood. Left, right, down. Wood splintered. Water poured through new gaps in the hull. Jude surfaced for half a breath before the next wave buried him again.

He held on. Fingernails splitting against the gunwale. Panic was a living thing in his chest, screaming louder than the storm.

Then the sky broke.

Lightning tore the clouds open. For one heartbeat, the whole sea was white. The bolt hit the water twenty yards out and the sea _screamed_. It rose and spun and tumbled like something had woken up angry.

Like Zeus had thrown a spear to kill Poseidon.

Jude’s head hit something hard. The world went black.

---

Time passed. Maybe minutes. Maybe hours.

The first thing he noticed was the quiet.

No wind. No waves. No gulls.

Jude’s eyes fluttered open. Salt crusted his lashes. His whole body hurt. Every breath was knives.

He lay on his back in three inches of seawater, inside what was left of his boat. The hull was cracked down the middle. Splinters floated around him. The mast was gone. The net was gone. The fish was gone.

He forced himself up, groaning. His head swam.

The sea was glass.

Flat. Still. Blue so deep it looked like the sky had sunk.

No land. Not in any direction. Just water touching sky in a perfect, endless circle.

Jude’s throat closed.

He scrambled to the biggest crack in the hull. Water bubbled up through it, steady and patient. He pressed both hands against the gap, trying to hold the sea back. It pushed through his fingers, warm as blood.

“Stop,” he begged. “Please, stop.”

It didn’t.

The boat sat lower in the water.

Jude stopped pushing. His arms dropped. His heart was a drum going slow.

_So this is it_, he thought. _This is the end._

He said it out loud too. The words were small. They disappeared into the quiet.

He whispered his ma’s name. Then the twins’.

No one answered.

Then he heard it.

Not a wave. Not wind.

A knock.

_Tok. Tok. Tok._

From underneath the boat.

Jude froze. The water in the hull went still.

The knock came again. Slow. Deliberate. Like a finger tapping wood.

_Tok. Tok. Tok._

And then a voice, muffled by water and wood, but clear enough to turn his bones to ice.

“Jude. Let us in

Jude heard the sound

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

It came from under the boat. From the wood of the hull.

He lay still. He did not move. He did not breathe.

The sea made no sound. There were no waves. The water was flat and black. Like glass.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

It was not the boat. The boat did not make that sound. This was new. This was on purpose.

Jude’s skin went cold. Fish did not tap. The sea did not tap.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

“Who is there?” His voice broke. It was not loud. It was small and weak.

No one said a word.

The tapping did not stop.

Then the voice came.

It was soft. It was close. It was in his head and in the boat at the same time.

“Jude. Let us in.”

Jude’s heart beat hard. It hurt his chest. _Boom. Boom. Boom._

_Let us in._

Us. Not one. More than one.

The tapping got loud. _TOK. TOK. TOK._ Now it was a hand. A fist. The boat shook with each hit. Water in the bottom of the boat moved. It touched his feet.

Jude could not breathe. His chest was tight. His throat was closed.

Then he felt heat on his leg.

He had peed his pants.

He felt sick. He felt shame. He was seventeen. He had worked on boats since he was nine. He had helped his uncle in a storm. He did not pee his pants.

But he did now. Because something was under the boat. And it knew his name.

_TOK. TOK. TOK._

The wood by his knee made a sharp sound. A crack. A small line ran out from the hole in the boat.

That sound woke him up.

He thought of Ma. He thought of the twins. He saw them. Ma by the stove. The twins in bed. If he died here, no one would help them. No one would bring in food. No one would pay for the house.

He could not die like this.

He moved fast. His hands shook. He picked up the harpoon. It was old. It was his grandpa’s. The wood was smooth. The end was sharp.

He took a rope. He tied it to the harpoon. His hands would not work right. The knot was bad. But it would have to do.

He had to look. He had to know what was there.

The sea was calm. Too calm. He had never seen it like this. No wind. No waves. It was like a lake at night. Black and still.

But the sea was not the problem.

The problem was under the boat.

Jude went to the hole. His wrist hurt. He had broken it when the big wave hit. He did not care. He put the harpoon down through the hole. The sharp end went into the black water.

He waited.

For a long time, nothing happened.

He thought, _Am I mad? Did I hit my head? Is this a dream?_

Then the rope pulled tight.

It did not just pull. It jerked. Hard.

Jude flew off the floor. His chest hit the side of the boat. All the air went out of him. He heard a crack in his wrist. He felt a sharp pain in his back. Wood had cut him.

He fell to the floor. His face hit the wood. He tasted blood. His own blood.

The harpoon was gone. The rope was gone. It slid through the hole fast.

Then he heard a new sound.

It was a wet sound. A sliding sound. Like hands pulling a body up the bottom of the boat.

Jude did not think. He moved. He pulled his body across the floor. His wrist hurt bad. He went under his old fishing net. It smelled like fish and salt. He hid under it. He made his body small.

Something came up through the hole.

Water came in fast. But that was not the worst sound.

The worst sound was its breath.

It was wet. It was loud. It did not sound like a man. It did not sound like any thing that should breathe air.

Jude looked through the net. He used one eye.

He saw teeth first.

So many teeth. They were sharp like glass. They were in rows. The mouth opened wide. Like a shark. It shut. It opened. It shut.

Fins were on its arms. The fins moved in and out. Slow. Its body had scales. They were black and green. They were wet. It stood on two legs. But the legs were wrong. They had too many bends.

It was as tall as a man. But it was not a man.

Its hands had long claws. The claws were black. They were curved. They made a click sound on the wood.

The thing put its head up. It had slits for a nose. The slits opened wide.

It was smelling.

It smelled his blood. The blood from his back. The blood on his shirt.

It took a step. The boat went down on one side. It took one more step. The claws cut the wood.

It came to the net.

Jude closed his eyes. He could not look. He thought of Ma. He thought of the twins. _I am sorry_, he thought. _I am sorry._

A claw touched the net. It was close to his face.

He waited for it to cut him. He waited for the teeth.

But then the boat shook.

A new thing came up through the hole. Fast. It hit the first thing. The hit was hard. Jude flew back. His head hit the side of the boat. He saw bright spots.

He made his eye open.

The new thing looked more like a man. That made it worse.

It had arms. It had legs. It had a head. But its skin was blue. Like a man who had been in the water too long. Its hair moved around its head. But there was no water. The hair moved like it was still in the sea.

And its teeth.

Its teeth were long and thin. Like needles. Its mouth was full of them. When it opened its mouth, the mouth went from one side of its face to the other.

It made no sound. Not one that Jude could hear. But his head hurt. A high sound was in his brain. It made his nose bleed.

The first thing with the fins made a sound too. It was not a sound. It was a deep hum. It made the water in the boat jump.

The two things fought.

Claws hit claws. Teeth bit down. The new thing was fast. It got past the fins. It bit the first thing in the neck.

Black blood shot out. The blood was thick. It hit the boat. It hit the net. It hit Jude’s face. The blood was cold. So cold it burned his skin.

The first thing moved wild. It had a tail. The tail hit the side of the boat. It made a new hole. The hole was big. Water came in fast.

The new thing did not stop. It tore and bit. The sounds were wet. They were loud. Like someone stepping on crabs.

Jude turned his head. He threw up. He tasted sick and salt.

The fight was over fast.

Then it was quiet.

Jude heard only his own heart. He heard his own breath. He heard water coming in.

He lay still. He counted to ten. Then to twenty. Then to eighty.

Then he moved.

He pushed the net off. The net was wet and heavy. It had blood on it.

What he saw was bad.

There was meat all over. Bits of scales. Bits of skin. A fin was on the floor. It still moved. The head of the first thing was by his foot. The jaw opened and closed. Then it stopped. The eyes were white.

The new thing was gone. Most of the first thing was gone too. Eaten. All that was left was parts. And blood. So much blood. It was black. It sat on top of the water in the boat. It shined like oil.

Jude could not think. It was too much.

He threw up again. But nothing came out. His throat hurt.

He fell back against the boat. He shook. His wrist was on fire. His back felt cut open.

“I am so lucky,” he said. His voice was not his own. “I am so lucky this time.”

_This time._

The words hit him.

What if they came back? What if there were more?

He cried. It was a loud, hard cry. He put his face in his hands. His hands smelled like blood and salt and deep water.

“How did I get here?” he said. “Is this a dream? Please let this be a dream.”

He was alone. He was hurt. He thought he would die here.

Then light hit his face.

It was bright. It was white.

Jude put up his arm. The light hurt his eyes.

It was a beam. It moved slow.

A lighthouse.

He thought the word. Then he felt hope.

_A lighthouse._

He was saved.

He had to be saved.

He pulled his body to the side of the boat. It hurt to move. He looked out at the black sea.

The light moved again.

Jude’s boat moved closer to the light.

His eyes filled with tears. He was not sad. He was glad. So glad it hurt.

He looked up at the beam. It went round and round. White and strong.

“God has not left me to die after all,” he said. His voice was weak. But he said it.

His body hurt. His wrist was broken. His back was cut. Blood ran down and made his shirt wet. But he did not care.

He put his feet under him. He stood up. His legs shook. The boat moved. He almost fell.

He lifted his good hand. The one that was not broken. He waved it at the lighthouse.

“Help!” he shouted. His voice was rough. “Help! Help!”

He used all his strength. His chest hurt. His head felt light.

He saw a man. The man stood in front of the lighthouse. He was tall. He was still.

Jude waved again. “Help me!”

But the man did not wave back. The man lifted his arm. He pointed. Not at Jude. Past him. At the sea.

Jude did not understand.

Then he heard it.

_Hooink. Hooonk._

A horn. Loud and deep.

Jude turned.

A boat was coming. A big boat. It was white. It was clean. It was fast. Too fast.

It did not stop. It did not slow down.

It hit Jude’s boat.

The sound was loud. Wood broke. Water came up.

Jude jumped. He went into the cold sea.

He came up. He saw bits of wood. He saw his boat going down. Going under.

He tried to swim. His arms hurt. His back hurt. Water went in his mouth.

He kicked. He moved his good arm. He got to the top. Then he went down again.

He was hurt bad. Too bad.

He sank.

His eyes closed.

In his head, one thought.

_Someone please help me. I can’t die here. Someone save me. Help me._

Then all was dark.

Got it. Here’s *Part 2* with simple words, using your ideas. ∼285 words.

At the same time, at the lighthouse, Joseph was at the shore. Everyone called him Joe.

He held an old telescope to his eye. He looked out at the sea.

“Hey! Hey!” he shouted. “Paul! Over here! A boat is coming!”

Paul ran out from inside the lighthouse. He was out of breath.

“Joe, what? What did you say?” Paul said.

Joe looked through the telescope again. “No, no, no. Two boats. They’re going to hit each other!”

He put the telescope down. He raised his hand. He waved at the sea.

“Hey! Hey! Behind you!” he shouted. “Hey! Turn around! Behind you!”

Then he turned to Paul. “Tell Rayan. Tell him we will need some help here.”

Paul’s eyes got big. “You’re not planning to go in there, are you?” he said. “Joe, you know how bad it is in that water. What if we die?”

“Just do it,” Joe said. “We have no choice. We should at least try to save whoever is in there. Before those things eat them.”

Paul did not move.

“Ok, fine,” Joe said. “I am going alone.”

Before he could say more, they heard it.

_BANG._

A loud sound from the sea. The boats had hit.

Joe did not wait. He ran to a small canoe. It was on the beach. Somehow, it had a fast engine on the back.

He jumped in. He started the engine. It roared.

He did not look back at Paul.

He drove the canoe fast. Straight for the two boats that had crashed.

Paul stood still for a long time. Then he ran.

He ran past the lighthouse. Past the tall tower, he kept going.

Behind the lighthouse was a small village. The houses were old. The windows were broken. No one lived there now.

Paul ran toward the village.

At the same time, Joe drove his canoe fast. He went deep into the sea. His heart beat hard. _Boom. Boom. Boom._

He knew this was bad. He knew he could die. But he went anyway.

He got to the place where the boats had crashed.

It looked awful.

Jude’s boat was gone. It was just broken wood on the water. The big white boat was half sunk. Parts of it were still on fire. Smoke went up into the sky.

Joe shouted. “Anyone here? Hello? Hello? Can anyone hear me?”

At first, no one said a word.

Then a woman’s voice came. She was crying. “Help me. Please help me.”

“Where are you?” Joe asked.

“I’m here. Please help me,” the woman said again.

Joe looked around. He followed the voice.

He saw her. She was a young woman. Maybe 25. She had long hair. She wore a bikini. She was holding onto a piece of wood.

“My husband,” she said. She was crying hard. “And my friends. Where are they?”

Joe looked at the water. “Where are they?” he asked.

The woman pointed.

Joe saw a man in the water. He was hurt bad. His arm was bent wrong. His leg was bent wrong. He was not moving. He looked dead.

“Get in,” Joe told the woman. “Now.”

She pulled herself into the canoe.

Then Joe heard a shout.

A man was in the water too. He was holding a lady in his arms. The lady was not moving.

The man called out, “Help us! Please!”

Joe stood in the canoe. He did not know what to do.

The canoe was small. It could hold three people. Joe, the woman, and one more.

But there were four people.

Joe looked at the hurt man. He looked at the man with the lady. He looked at the woman in the canoe.

His hands shook.

Joe looked at the people in the water. He did not know what to do.

He was about to leave. He had to pick who to save.

Then he heard a sound.

An engine. Loud.

Joe looked up.

It was Paul.

Paul had a boat. A big boat. And he was not alone. He had some men with him.

The boat was big enough for all of them.

For a second, Joe felt good. He felt hope.

He raised his hand high. He waved. “Over here! Over here!” he shouted.

Paul saw him. Paul turned the boat. He drove toward Joe. He went slow. He moved around the broken wood in the water.

The men with Paul moved fast. They pulled the hurt man into the boat first. Then the man with the lady. Then the lady. Then the young woman in the bikini.

All four people were safe.

The hurt man opened his eyes. He was alive. It was a miracle.

“Let’s go, men. Move it. Move it,” Paul said. “Joe, let’s get out of here. Before those things come to hunt us.”

Paul drove his boat away first. It was fast.

Joe got in his canoe. He followed behind Paul.

As they left, Joe looked back at the place where the boats crashed.

Then he saw it.

A hand.

Just a hand, coming up out of the water. It moved. It was trying to swim. Trying to get to the top.

The body was under the water. Joe could not see it. The sea had swallowed it.

But the hand did not stop. It reached up. It fought hard.

Then it was gone.

The water was black and still again.

The sea went quiet.

It turned dark. Cold. Still.

Joe saw it and knew. He knew what it meant.

Danger.

Those things were coming. The things in the water.

Paul saw it too. “Joe! Get out of there!” he shouted from his boat.

Joe shouted back. “Go on! I’ll be right behind you!”

But he did not move.

He looked down into the dark water.

Then he saw it again. A hand. It was trying to swim up. It was weak. It had no strength left.

It was Jude.

Jude’s body was giving up.

Joe did not think. He jumped in. The water was cold. It hurt.

He grabbed the hand. He pulled. He kicked with his legs. It was hard. Jude was heavy.

Paul saw what Joe did. His face got red. He was mad.

“What is he thinking?” Paul said to the men. “How can he be so reckless?”

Paul stopped his boat. He looked at the water. He waited.

Then a hand came up. It grabbed the side of Joe’s canoe.

It was Joe.

He had Jude with him.

Joe pushed. He pulled. He struggled to get Jude into the canoe. Jude was not awake. His body was like a dead weight.

Finally, Joe got him in.

Joe climbed into the canoe too. He was out of breath. His arms shook.

Before he could rest, he heard it.

A voice.

“Joe. Joe, help me,” the voice said. It was crying. “Joe, please help me.”

It was his wife’s voice.

Joe closed his eyes. “No. No, no, no. Go away,” he said. “Please stop. You’re not her.”

But the voice did not stop. “Joe, help. Help.”

Joe fell to his knees in the canoe. His eyes filled with tears. His chest hurt. He felt bad. He felt sad.

He froze.

He could not move.

The voice kept calling. “Joe… help me…”

Joe could not move. He just stood in the canoe. Like a stone. His eyes were empty.

Then—_POW!_

A loud sound ripped the air. A gun.

Joe heard a scream. Not human. Wet. Sharp. It made his blood run cold.

One of the creatures was on his canoe. It was black. It was wet. It had too many teeth. Its eyes were white. No color.

_POW!_ Paul fired again from his boat.

The thing jerked. Black blood shot out. It fell back. _SPLASH._ It went under.

“Joe! Get your ass out of there!” Paul shouted.

Joe’s mind woke up. Paul just saved his life.

He jumped up. He grabbed the engine rope. He pulled.

Nothing.

The engine was dead. It was fine one minute ago. Now it was dead.

Then the water started to move. It bubbled. Like it was boiling.

Shadows rose under the surface. Not one. Not two. Many.

The creatures were coming.

“Joe, hurry up!” Paul screamed.

Joe pulled the rope. Again. Again. Again.

“Come on! Come on!” he said. His hands were bleeding.

One of the things jumped out of the water. It went straight for Joe’s face.

Joe kicked it. Hard. His foot hit cold, slimy skin. The thing screamed and fell back in.

He pulled the rope again. And again.

_VROOM!_

The engine screamed to life.

Joe did not smile. He did not breathe. He twisted the handle. The canoe shot forward.

Wood from the wreck was all over the water. Sharp. Deadly. Joe turned left. Right. Left. The canoe almost hit a big piece. He missed it by an inch.

Behind him, the water broke open. The things were chasing him. He could hear them. Clicking. Breathing. Fast.

He drove faster. His hands hurt. His eyes burned from the salt.

The shore was close.

The canoe hit sand. Joe fell out. He pulled Jude with him. They hit the beach hard.

Joe looked back.

The creatures were in the shallow water now. Ten of them. Maybe more.

Then they stopped.

All of them. At once.

They looked at the shore. At the land. At the lighthouse.

And they turned back. Fast. Like they were scared.

Like something on the island was worse than them.

The men saw it. But no one spoke.

Because they knew.

The water was not safe.

But the island was not safe either.