The silence felt wrong. Too complete. Andrew stood still, scanning the water. “Look carefully,” he said. Jack nodded, stepping to the edge. They searched in opposite directions. Left. Right. Behind them. Nothing. No movement. No debris. No ripple out of place. Just endless blue. Jack frowned. “We should at least see something.”
Andrew didn’t answer. He leaned over the side, staring into the water. Dark. Bottomless. If someone was there— they weren’t visible. Jack exhaled slowly. “…We’re in the exact spot.” Andrew checked the GPS again. Same coordinates. No mistake. Jack’s voice dropped. “…Then where is he?” Andrew straightened, jaw tight. There were only a few possibilities.
And none of them were good. Jack looked back out across the water. The realization crept in slowly. Heavy. Unavoidable. “…We’re too late.” Andrew didn’t respond. He just kept staring— as if the ocean might suddenly give something back.
But it didn’t. It stayed still. Silent. Empty.