The final skiff boxed the sailboat in, slamming hard against the side hull with a sickening, splintering crunch. Realizing they were completely out of tricks and that the intruders were seconds away from boarding, Leo, Maya, and Sam stood tight together on the steering deck. They had no weapons and no way to run, but they refused to abandon each other.
“Stay close,” Leo muttered under his breath, stepping slightly in front of his friends as three aggressive men leaped over the metal lifelines. Their heavy boots slammed hard onto the fiberglass deck, instantly surrounding the small vacation group. The pirate leader stepped forward, his eyes burning with anger as he shouted hostile orders over the roaring wind, demanding that the friends freeze and raise their hands. The sheer reality of their helpless situation settled heavily over the cockpit. Surrounded on the open water, the three friends had no choice but to comply, completely at the mercy of the invaders.