Chapter 1: Lost at sea

“Double D!” a harsh, ear-piercing voice sounded. Double D looked up from his sitting spot and replied: “Yes?”
“Wake up! Help me continue to set up the scam!” Eddy shouted as loud as possible.
This day seemed the same as usual. Eddy plotted what he called: Ed’s Sailing Lessons. Using a couple boats and a canoe they had from their houses, they planned to set a sailing lesson course. Double D was busy now towing all the boats over to creek-side. There was a total of 3 boats. A canoe, a sailboat, and a motor boat, accommodating 3 each (the three eds and the six other kids). All the Eds wore the same hats they had during their creek cruise venture. Double D this time had a back pack, a large one, containing his petal steel guitar (to his disappointment) and some sailing equipment.
“Lumpy, get the pigeons, this will be the score of the year!” Eddy shouted.
Ed gave a simple gesture and ran off. Double D had a map and writing a course for the sailing to go through. Eddy gave him an annoyed look.
“Double D, what do ya think you’re doing?” Eddy shouted.
“Simply plotting a course.” Double D said. “I desire to make sure that this time, this little scam of yours won’t fail.”
“Right, you do that.” Eddy said, uninterested.
“Right, now we follow the main creek, take a right at the fork, then follow the creek through the woods and circle back to this spot.” Double D explained their route. Eddy didn’t listen to a word of it.
A few minutes passed by and Ed returned in the scene with all six of the kids.
“Okay, what is this?” Kevin asked, both uninterested and angry.
“Why, sailing lessons. Care to join us?” Double D asked politely.
“Well, It sounds nice-” Sarah started, though Eddy cut them off.
“I’m the one who’s doing the campaign, I’ll speak. Just shut it, Double D!” Eddy scolded at him. Double D sighed.
He took out a loudspeaker, which gave about 2 seconds of feedback before he announced his message.
“HEY AND WELCOME TO ED’S SAILING COURSE! WE WILL TAKE YA ON A GREAT JOURNEY AND SAIL THE CREEK! COME AND BE THE NEXT SAILORS! JOIN US ON AN EPIC JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME!” Eddy shouted. Everyone covered their ears. He was about to shout more, but for some reason it shut off on him. Everyone sighed in relief. (Though everyone failed to notice Double D holding a battery in his hands.)
“Okay, well if you put it that way, we’ll blow the joint. Come on, Jimmy!” Sarah said snobbishly. She held Jimmy by the hand and began to walk off, but Double D ran ahead.
“Wait, please!” Double D asked. “The first sailing lesson shall be free.”
“FREE!?” Eddy shouted.
“Yes. People, my concern isn’t about the money, it’s about educating the public with knowledge that you may find useful.” Double D said.
“Oh, corny.” Kevin said, looking away.
“Aw come on, Kev. I’m going.” Nazz said enthusiastically. “It could be fun.”
“Fine, I’ll go with her.” Kevin sighed. “I’m not leaving her alone with the 3 dorks.”
“One must keep an eye of Kevin, yes? I shall accompany you.” Rolf said.
“A sailing adventure. Count me and Plank in!” Jonny sounded enthusiastic as well.
“I want to be there when you mess up. Then I can tell mom.” Sarah said sinisterly.
“And I’m going with her.” Jimmy finished the chain.
“Okay then, let’s hop aboard!” Double D exclaimed, leading them to the three boats.

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Pretty soon, they all where on the creek and dressed in lifejackets. Eddy took Johnny and Rolf in the motor boat in the lead, followed by Ed, Sarah and Jimmy in the canoe. Double D was in the rear with Nazz and Kevin in the sailboat.
“Okay, hey, is this thing on?” Eddy asked.
Double D had placed three walkie-talkies on all three vessels. Double D jumped from his seat and grabbed hold of the mast, and picked up the radio. “Roger Eddy, the communications are operational. Over.”
“Right, okay hey all! Okay, I’ll drive us down the creek. Try to keep up.” Eddy said.
He turned his motor on slow speed, so as not to loose his customers.
“Toast!” Ed shouted from his canoe.
“Ed, you have to say ‘row.’ Over.” Double D said over the radio.
“Gravy!” he shouted back.
“Can I?” Jimmy asked over the radio.
“Sure. It’s part of the lesson. Over.” Double D reassured.
“Row!” Jimmy said. Everyone in the canoe stroked their oars against the water.
“Row!” they repeated. The canoe picked up speed.
“Right, over and out for now.” Double D said, shutting off the communications to save battery power. He turned to his two occupants, Nazz and Kevin.
“Well then, I’ll just readjust the sails to the winds. You two do as you please, as I do this.” Double D said.
“Hey this is fun.” Nazz said. She leaned over the side of her seat and looked on the side of the ship. She saw a word imprinted on the side of the boat.
“The Intelligence?” she asked.
“It’s the name of my sail boat.” Double D smiled.
“Figures.” Kevin said. He clearly looked unconcerned.
“Hey guys, did you hear the news recently?” Nazz asked.
“Which was?” Kevin how ever was interested in what Nazz had to say.
“I heard that there was strange activity in the ocean. Ships where said to vanish for no reason out there. The call it the danger zone, and they closed the whole thing off to more boats. I was just reminded because we are on the boat.” Nazz said.
“Actually, I have indeed heard of it. It does seem like a rather intriguing phenomenon.” Double D said. “But I’m certain there’s a logical explanation behind that.” He had a strong disbelief on anything that could not be explained.
“Hey!” Jimmy shouted from their boat.
“Is something wrong?” Double D asked.
“What?” Jimmy shouted back.
Double D turned the communications back on. “Something wrong, Jimmy? Over.”
“I wanted to challenge you guys to a race.” he said.
“Now we’re talking.” Kevin said with his usual competitive tone.
“Accepted Jimmy. Oh and from now on, because Ed… well, because you are a student in training, I appoint you caption of your crew. Over.” Double D said.
“What about me?” Sarah asked.
“Um… you may be first mate, or something. Over.” Double D thought off the top of his head.
“Can was start now?” Kevin asked.
“Go!” Eddy shouted. Just then, the sound of a roaring engine was heard, and his boat sped off into the creek ahead of them.
“See ya!” Jonny shouted over the communications.
“Pursue them, crew!” Jimmy stood up dramatically. “Row, row, row, row!” Jimmy said, as the crew rowed faster. Even they where starting to get out of view now.
“Yes, and now we shall sail forth.” Double D said. He pulled tight on the line, and the sail caught a wind making the boat go faster and faster. Kevin stood up to embrace the air and laughed as they sped up gaining on the rowing crew ahead of them.
“Woo, hoo!” Nazz shouted gleefully as she enjoyed the adrenaline of the race.
Double D’s boat turned a corner. The creek now was leading into the woods. He Quickly watched Eddy take a left on a fork in the distance and escape view again.
“Uh oh.” he said in sudden worry. “Kevin, take the line.” Kevin grabbed control the sailboat. Double D held onto the mast and pushed a button on the radio.
“Eddy, you took a wrong turn, that’s not how we charted it. Over.” Double D said.
“What, ya scared that we’ll beat ya?” Eddy laughed.
“You don’t understand. Eddy, that’s an uncharted area, I have no idea where it goes! Over.” Double D said. But his voice of reason went unheard, as a click sound established Eddy shut off his radio.
“This is the Intelligence to the Torpedo, come in.” Double D said. The torpedo was the name of the canoe.
“Yeah?” Jimmy asked.
“Change of course, take the left. Over.” Double D said.
“But that’s uncharted.” Jimmy said.
“I don’t like this.” Nazz said.
“We have no choice, we can’t leave Eddy, Jonny and Rolf alone to get disoriented. We got to follow them. Over.” Double D said.
“Understood.” Jimmy said. “Crew, stroke only with your left sides, and row! Um… over and out. Was that right? Did I say it right?”
“Yes, over and out.” Double D got off the communications and back into his seat.

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An hour passed. Finally, the canoe and the sailboat caught up to the motor boat. They set up alongside each other to be in earshot.
“Eddy, did you burn all the gas in that race?” Double D asked, astounded.
“Yes he, did.” Jonny said angrily at Eddy, who was sweating.
“What! We won, didn’t we?” Eddy asked proudly.
“Eddy, we’re lost.” Double D said.
Thunder sounded off in the distance.
“Oh man.” Kevin said, a bit worried. “Now look what you did, dork?” Kevin shouted at Eddy. Eddy returned his shout with a very angry face.
“We require to dock ashore now.” Double D said.
“Where is shore?” Sarah asked. They all looked around. They where in a large body of water now, and surrounded by fog.
“Uh, great!” Jimmy complained.
Double D got on the radio and switched his frequency on the radio. “This is the Intelligence, the Torpedo, and the Fisher. Can anyone hear me? Over.” Double D asked.
“Yeah, we can!” a familiar voice asked.
“Please don’t be who I think you are!” Eddy groaned, with a hand on his forehead. Out of the fog came another boat, no much bigger then theirs.
“Kankers.” Eddy said.
Fear struck in the hearts off all three of the other boats.
“D-d-d-d-did you follow us this whole time?” Double D shivered.
“We just wanted to spend some time with our boyfriends, is that so much to ask?” Lee asked. All of the others bedsides the Eds laughed.
“People, this is serious, we’re lost.” Double D said.
“Great.” Marie said sarcastically. Thunder sounded again, this time closer. “I told you this was a stupid idea!” she yelled at Lee, who gave her a hard slap as response.
“Complain won’t help no one!” Lee shook her sister.
“We got to get out of this.” Nazz said.
“Okay, Eddy. Secure a line and we can tow you. Stay together everyone, and let’s get sailing.” Double D said.
“Relax.” May said. “We brought a GPS.” She took it out and gasped.
“What is it?” Rolf asked.
“We’re at the ocean!” May gasped.
“No way, you got to be reading that gizmo wrong.” Lee said.
“No, it’s right. We’re not on the mainland anymore.” Double D said. He could smell salt water all around them.
It started to rain about there.
“I repeat, this is the Intelligence calling out for assistance!” Double D pleaded, practically begging over the radio. The waves and winds started to pick up. Everyone held on tighter.
“I’m frightened.” Jimmy shivered.
“Plank is too.” Jonny said, holding up his wooden friend.
“The worst thing we can do as of now is panic.” Double D said in a futile attempt to calm them down. But within himself he was already a wreck.
“As caption of this voyage, I will save us all and be a hero!” Eddy said, standing up. As quick wave tilted the boat and forced him back down on his seat.
BOOM! This time, the lighting was visible. It was growing darker and darker. All of the boats started to shake violently.
“Sarah!” Jimmy grabbed hold of Sarah in the boat. She hugged him in order to comfort him. Everyone else starred into the skies.
“I don’t understand!” Double D shouted. He was at a monitor on his vessel. Before setting sail, he had rigged his boat with a lot of technology and equipment, among it a barometer system. He was so thankful that he had done it. The machines was beeping rapidly, like a rhythm to the winds and rain. The sail was whipping in the harsh winds, causing the boom to swing rapidly across the boat so badly he had to un-rig the boat. “I should have picked this up before hand!”
“DUDE!” Kevin shouted. They all looked and saw a big wave. They all braced themselves, then held on as the wave crashed directly over them. Double D coughed after it passed over.
“Help!” Sarah shouted suddenly. Double D’s boat, the Kanker’s boat, and Eddy’s where fine, but the canoe had capsized. Ed and Jimmy held onto it’s overturned hull, but Sarah was screaming for help.
“Sarah!” Jimmy and Ed shouted simultaneously. They each took a breath, they jumped into the raging seas to save her.
“Guys!” Nazz shouted.
They all looked and saw another wave pass over their heads. They all gasped and braced for impact.
There was a quick sudden flash, though it wasn’t lightning. “What was that?” Double D asked.
When the wave crashed over again, Double D was very surprised to see their sailboat still holding up. However, this time Eddy’s boat and all of it’s passengers where gone. The Kankers where now struggling to keep their sinking boat floating, though each of the Kankers where yelling at each other, more then trying to save their boat. There was no sign of the Canoe or it’s passengers.
Boom! Lighting hit again, but this time in a very unfortunate place. It hit Double D’s mast head on. The force threw Kevin off the decks and into the unforgiving waters.
“Kevin!” Nazz shouted in despair.
“NAZZ!” Kevin coughed back.
But then another wave hit. There was another flash again as the waver struck the boats again. When it vanished, Kevin was gone was well as the sinking Kanker’s boat.
“That lighting short-circuited the boat’s electronics.” Double D said, scared to death. He now spoke to the only other person there, Nazz who was clinging to the rails of their boat.
Just then, a wave sent a piece of debris over the rail, and struck Nazz head on. She collapsed right there in her seat. Double D let go of the controls and quickly raced to her side. He was usually very nervous about being near her, but this time, he only cared about her safety. He didn’t even care the boat was without a driver. A wave was about to hit the boat again.
“You’re not taking another one of my friends!” Double D said. He jumped in the way and deflected the hit.
But just when it looked like they where home free, lighting struck the boat again. Double D was forced against a railing, where he instantly was knocked out. Then, there was more one flash…

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First, he could hear sound, the sound of gentle waves against the ship. Then he got his other senses, like smell, touch, and sight. He eventually felt the sense of taste returning to him, and he received the taste of salt water. He spit out the water in his mouth in disgust.
“Where am I?” he asked himself. He stood on his sailboat. The electronics where charred and his sail ripped, but it survived the raging storm.
“Nazz!” He shouted. He looked and saw her, asleep in her seat. “Thank goodness!” he shouted. He shook her gently. “Nazz wake up, please!”
Nazz’s eyes slowly opened. He held her in his rams as she looked up at him. He smiled, relieved to see her safe.
“Double D?” she asked. “What happened, where are we?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Double D said. The sun was visible now, and was in a position to show it was sunrise, and that they had been out of it all night. They where surrounded by water everywhere.
“Where’s everyone else?” Nazz asked, worried.
“Gone. All gone. The dreaded seas took them away from us.” Double D said solemnly.
“No way. I’ll bet we where all just separated. That’s it for sure. Everyone’s alive.” Nazz said.
“I doubt it.” Double D mourned.
“Never loose hope, Double D. Call it a feeling, I know their alive.” Nazz said.
“Even of they where alive, the would be a good as gone. Our communications are down.” Double D groaned. He hated to see all of his expensive and beloved technology ruined.
“Hey, what’s that?” Nazz asked. They both looked into the distance and saw a town nearby. It was a harbor for sure. Double D was so relief to find sanctuary.
“Double D, can we sail this boat over there and try to get assistance there?” Nazz asked.
“Yeah.” Double D said. The boat moved much slower now considering it’s ripped sail, but their boat cruised until it reached a dock. As they sailed near it, they noticed a sign on the dockside.
“I can’t read it, my eyesight’s still flooded with water. What’s it say?” Nazz asked, wiping her eyes.
“The sign states: Welcome to Rougeport.”