Leo didn’t waste another second frozen in fear. He violently turned the steering wheel away from the oncoming boats and fired up the sailboat’s auxiliary diesel engine, pushing the metal throttle handle completely forward. The engine roared to life beneath their feet, vibrating through the fiberglass hull. Just as the motor engaged, a sudden, powerful gust of wind whipped across the water and caught their loose sails perfectly.
The sailboat lunged forward, cutting through the waves. Knowing they were dragging an immense weight, Maya sprinted to the bow to activate the electric windlass winch, trying desperately to raise the fouled anchor. If they could free themselves from the log, they could outrun the skiffs. The winch motor hummed angrily, and the heavy chain began to click agonizingly slow into the locker, fighting the brutal resistance of the waterlogged trunk beneath them. The distance between the vessels stabilized for a brief moment, giving the friends a desperate glimmer of hope that they might escape.