The Mighty Unicorn

He just floated there, helpless, and waited for the huge, cold shadow that loomed ahead to engulf him. That great, white crested form reared up in slow motion like another mighty stamping unicorn, thrusting its chest forward until its mass would crash down on the beaten body in its path.

He didn't know how many more of these monsters he could endure. He was exhausted from scrambling to the surface after each wave dumped six feet of cold, Atlantic water on top of his head.

It was some minutes now since he got into this desperate situation, flung from the insignificant survival aid that was his windsurf board and rig. He'd never thought of his kit in this way before but now it hit him; the equipment that he had used regularly for the past however many years to have so much fun in the blue waves of South West England was, in fact, his only ticket out of this sorry situation. And he'd lost it, carried away by the mighty Unicorn - Hector.

He'd named the wave that had carried his board away after a most powerful Greek God. It had seemed the right thing to do at the time, but looking back now, it seemed absurd.

Hector toyed with him at first allowing the board and sail to loll about in the lee of his mighty mane of white hair, then as the man stretched to grab the tail of the board, Hector would tug the plastic composite form from his grasp and send it scurrying forward out of reach.

That was about 10 waves ago and now he hadn't seen his life raft for quite some time, gone who knows where, but he didn't care anymore. His thoughts had moved from survival to his wife, waiting in a delivery ward to deliver their first child, a child he now realised he'd never see.

"Why am I here and she there, both of us on our own with separate battles to overcome", he thought, just as number 11 smashed down and shocked his senses yet again.

This time, the rise to the surface was even further than before. He wasn't going to make it this time. Through the deep, dark water ahead, he saw his wife cradling their newborn child in her arms and he saw the Unicorn rearing its beautiful head in defiance, commanding the man's respect. The man dropped his head and made a vow to the great, Greek God - If I survive this torment, my respect for you will be symbolised by the name of my first son.

A sudden welcome hand grabbed the man's arm and he was dragged away by a kited angel.