“Why won’t anyone just look?” he muttered. His voice cracked slightly. Then he spotted a teenage boy leaning against a dune, scrolling through his phone while his family unpacked behind him. Arthur walked over, holding out his binoculars. “Hey. Here. Just take a quick look out to sea.”
The kid blinked, reluctant. “Why?” he asked. “There’s something weird out there. Just humor me,” Arthur said. With a theatrical sigh, the boy took the binoculars and adjusted them. He stared into the distance for a few moments, unmoving. Arthur waited, hands fidgeting, heart thudding in his chest.