“Tentacles”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Prompt: “Squid.”

The floorboards creaked as the ship rocked back and forth. There hadn’t been such a terrible storm since the crew had first set out on the ocean. Water formed fists and bashed the wooden sideboards with such force that each blow caused the contents of the ship to jostle inside. Every member of the crew had fallen over at least three times, some not getting up again. Those who were more fortunate had managed to claw their way inside and lock the door behind them; those who were less fortunate had been swept up into the water long before.

But the real battle wasn’t on board the ship. That was just child’s play. It was below the water that the real war raged.

Tentacles snaked out of the darkness, moving effortlessly through the turbulent water toward the ship. Each one was adorned with a multitude of suckers, each reaching eagerly toward the battered wood. Once attached, it would be impossible to get off.

The tentacles continued on their path, moving with more purpose than most would have experienced in their entire lives. Once they touched the ship, they latched on. The warm embrace of the tentacles stilled the ship in the water, giving the passengers inside a false sense of security.

Then, they began to squeeze.

Final Comments: I think that my third person descriptive passages need quite a few revisions before being at a level of polished that I’m happy with. Not to say that my other passages don’t need editing; it’s just that I’m still not as comfortable writing in third person! Still, I had fun imagining this one!

Overall Rating: 🤔