Hello, and welcome to Drabbletober. This is episode 2, for Wednesday the second of October 2024.

Becalmed

by Elizabeth Guilt

He stared across the turquoise waves. Something wasn't right.

"Braithwaite!"

"Cap'n?" The First Mate came running.

"I don't like it. The seas are too quiet."

Braithwaite gazed for a long minute. Not one of the rolling, foam-topped wave crests moved. At all.

"And not a breath of wind either."

They both looked up to the sails, which bellied round with wind. A wind that did not blow.

Braithwaite ran towards the wheel. Then the rudder. Then the mast, then the side again.

He stared at the waves.

And the ship, in the tiny glass bottle, on the shelf, sailed on.