The Gulfstream

“Emma, you’re not in trouble. Just tell me the name of the boy.”

"Jeremy. Stevie was playing with him."

"Ok, sweetie. Now go to your momma.” Before she turned away, he added, “And Emma, don’t go anywhere by yourself, okay?”

Robert walked out to the boardwalk, whistled sharply and shouted his son’s name. When he spotted him waving, he motioned him to come in.

“Stevie, have you seen Jeremy on the beach today?”

“Right after lunch. He was going to fish off the pier.”

"What’s he look like?”

“Well he’s got blonde hair and he was wearing bright orange swimming trunks. Like the color of a hunting vest.”

“Okay. Go on up to the house and get ready for dinner.”

Robert walked up the beach to the fishing pier. Standing alone near the end of the pier, the boy stood out in his fluorescent orange trunks. Robert walked up behind him and called his name. As the boy turned, he put his arm around his shoulder and pinned him close.

"Jeremy, you’d better shut up and listen. I don’t take kindly to boys who hurt little girls, especially when it’s my little girl.” He pointed out toward the ocean. “Do you know what’s out there Jeremy?”

He only nodded his head.

"A short boat trip would take us out to the Gulfstream. Would be a terrible thing if somebody fell out of a boat out there. You’d float away so fast in that current, you’d never be found. Nothing to drink, a person would be lucky if a shark or a cargo ship didn’t get him first."

Jeremy stood motionless, eyes wide in fear.

"I know what kind of boy you are. This is not a threat. You stay away from my kids or you’re number is up.”


Word count 298
Prompt: number, float, drink