He slipped into the water. Before he started swimming, he patted the arm pouch strapped to his left arm. Yes, it was there. The bulge told him the contents were safely inside.
The masts lit up the boats. The harbor was awash with light. But he needed to avoid being seen and recognized.
Silently he breaststroked towards the boat, the water barely rippling behind him. He focused on the goal. The light from the mast stays shone on the water. Each time he came near a finger of light, he dove under and swam a distance. No one must see him.
The closer he drew to the boats, the more light he had to avoid on the surface of the water. Over and over he dove and swam. Each time he surfaced to breath he would reorient his direction so that he was headed for the Euridyce.
Finally there, he heaved himself up over the side, trying to time his efforts with other waves hitting the boat. It would less likely be noticed that way.
Silently, he unzipped the pouch and pulled out the square box. She would recognize it, he knew. She had been hinting for months.
He kissed the blue velvet cover and whispered, “This will knock your socks off.”
And more, he thought.
Down in the cabin, he left the box on the shelf beside her. He had no doubt that she would see and open it.
God, she looked lovely sleeping there.
Next to him.
This is this week’s Unicorn Challenge response.
The Unicorn Challenge is simple: 250 words and base it on the photo.
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
I realized after posting that I hadn’t changed my working title “Reflections” to anything more appropriate.
When I first studied the picture, all I saw were the reflections and thought about writing some undersea adventure. Nothing was coming together for it, though.
Then I realized that by focusing on the reflections, I was missing the black water. Is that life? We see one thing and totally miss 16 others?
So this is a story of revenge. What’s in the box? I’m not 100% sure. I DO know that it’s not the diamond ring she wanted. It’s something NOT nice — appropriate for a two-timer, right?
Whoa. Love betrayed can push a person to actions that they would have never considered. Amazing that he was able to drop off the little ring box “surprise” without waking either of them…
Bluff and double bluff, Sally – I love it.
You took me from slowly building menace to a sigh of relief at the square box with its blue velevt lid – and the kiss.
And then the sucker punch last line.
Beautifully done.
(I’m thinking maybe a black widow spider in the box?)
Ooh — I like that idea. Thanks for the kind words.
Well played! This is great 🙂
~David
Brilliant double play, Sally! We never saw that coming …. and neither did he. Excellent write!
Ooooh! Double twist, a hard left in that final sentence. And still open enough to both satisfy and keep us thinking about the many ways things might go next!
I thought she was sleeping next to HIM, the guy who just swam to deliver the surprise. Was he dead, I wondered? Then reading the after comments, I realize that I completely mis-read it!
I had such a hard time writing it! 250 words doesn’t give much room for clarity. I knew it could be misread
Love the double switch, Sally, cleverly done.
And maybe a wee Boom! to literally blow off the socks?
That’s kind of what I was thinking, although I love Jenne’s suggestion of a black-widow spider.
I thought I could see where this was going, but no. Then I saw it again, and was wrong again. Very clever. Atmospheric and suspenseful throughout.
From suspense to awwwwww, to knocking my socks off…well done, Sally! 💞
Very cryptic.