DEADLOCKED: A Trial Beginning

 * First 3 Chapter sample*   Votes and comments welcomed!

                                                      Chapter One

The ferry was less than a hundred yards away down a slight slope, but looked very dangerous as the rain splashed against the wooden dock extension.  Better suck it up and get down to the end of the dock.  My only reservation was breaking my new black Prada high heel dress boots that cost me three hundred dollars on sale and tumbling down on my butt.  At least I knew if I hurried I could make it to the ferry terminal and have enough time to grab a cup of coffee from Old Merl’s diner inside the terminal before the ferry arrived.

Started down the dock and noticed the rain was not letting up and the air seemed to be cooler as I could see what looked like fog rolling in from the water's edge.  Nothing more eerie than traveling across the waterway with little to no visibility and I was not the one driving. Out of nowhere a lighting bolt shattered the skyline and made the hair on my arms stand up and I stopped.  Grabbed my wits, tried to shelter my head with my purse and started to walk faster towards the terminal entrance.

My only concern now was to get out of the rain and put an end to today’s hustle and bustle. My only problem was I had rushed off and left my luggage at the spot I stopped at and didn't realize it until I heard someone behind me shouting and whistling at me. 

“Hey, you left your bag. Whistling sound rang out...hey you forgot your bag ma'am.” 

I turned around to see what the shouting and whistling was about and looked down and noticed I had not even thought about my luggage.  I am so stupid at times it scares me.

Holding my purse up above my eyes now, I managed to brush enough of my drenched hair away and out of my eyes to see this fellow walking towards me with my bag.  I could not make out what he looked like, but he did look like a younger man.  As he approached me I can see he was not so thrilled to be bringing me my bag, as he looked a little miffed.

Could be that he too isn't thrilled about the down pouring of the rain.

“Thank you so much for bringing me my bag, I am so sorry.” 

“It is all right, just hate the rain.” My feelings exactly I thought as he offered the handle of my bag towards my hand. 

In fact this young man was rather good looking and I figured if I gave him a sweet smile and thank you that would make up for him having to bring me my bag.

“Thank you again,” is what I wanted to say, but I smiled at him, took my bag and turned around and started to walk again.

I did not get but a few steps forward before I felt awkward for not even acknowledging my thanks again and decided to turn around to thank him, but to my disbelief he was gone.  It was as if he had vanished and was never there.  I realize I am standing in heavy down pouring rain, half blinded from my hair in my face, but I swear I am not imagining this.  How could this be?  Well, I am certainly not going to stew over it, I am cold and wet and need coffee, besides my arm is killing me from holding my purse up so long.  Not going to make for a productive evening looking over the papers when I am sore.

OK Alex I mumbled out loud turned around and was shattered by a horn blown from a fishing boat leaving the dock to the left of me.  I did not even see this boat that is how freaking heavy the rain is coming down. Talk about being scared shitless, I almost crapped my pants in utter fear.  Not that it matters even if I had seen it, I still would have been shaken from it.  This night is going to get the best of me and my nerves are shot.

I managed to get out of the rain as I entered the terminal entrance under the metal awning. The fog was so thick now it seemed right out of an old Hollywood movie.  Strange as I have never seen it so thick on my previous trips, but that is because I have never taken the last ferry across at night.  Typically during the day all you can hear is the sounds of boats coming and going, seagulls crying out as the dive to the dock in hopes to snatch up some morsel of food dropped by passing travelers or from the old geezers tossing scraps of unwanted leftover bait before casting their lines over the side of the dock.