Watercolor / Black stone – 6,10 x 8,66 inch – Unique work

Georges and Claire just got married. What’ could be more romantic than a cruise in Scotland?

The sky is amazingly blue and the sun is blazing. But the water is like ice! The North Sea has no mercy. Luckily, they took their suits to enjoy the pleasure of paddling alone in the middle of nowhere. The coast is fantastic, few tourists. The two lovers do stopovers from time to time to refuel in beers and food. They go for it and blend in with locals in overcrowded and friendly pubs. They enjoy fish and chips with a stout. They don’t wonder whether the paradise exists on earth, they know!

A gin and tonic that she sips into her young husband’s arms watching the sunset ? That’s Claire’s thing ! She is a little tipsy then and of course George takes advantage of it. But Claire quickly takes over and becomes naughty as well.

Over the days, anxiety has replaced tranquility. Discreet noises during several nights until that night when Claire woke up suddenly. She first thought she had a nightmare. But no. In fact, a thud, like someone or something knocking on the door. Except that she is not in a house but on a boat and on the water, not even at the dock. The noise becomes more insistent, louder. She decides to wake up Georges. He gets up and takes a look around once on the deck. Nothing. Just the night, the stars and the rippling of the hull at anchorage. Nothing unusual.

Unexpectedly, a shaking, he loses his balance, falls to the ground, near the bar. Warned by the noise, Claire is kneeling next to her husband who, because of the shock, twisted his ankle. He can’t get up on his own. He leans on his wife’s shoulder and claudicates to the entrance of the center. They don’t have the time to reach it as the boat capsizes at once. The young couple enters the black and icy water. They try to struggle and cling to … A long, slimy tail whips them so strongly that Claire loses consciousness. As for Georges …