Far Set Wave
So there I was; looking out the port side hole. The glass was fogged up from my moist, warm breath as I sighed on the glass. The residue had built up by now to the extent that it had created a pool of water in the semi-rusted crack beneath the window frame; I had been sitting there for hours looking just out side, not that there was must to see considering the heavy fog.
You would think that with the heavy fog and all I wouldn't be able to hear my captains calls for me, but I was proven wrong. His voice was just as penetrating as ever, it would run though you like a wave till your spine shook in horror at the sound. This time it was no different, my spine shook and my ears rang as it echoed with in them, though my mind was still on the sea but I mustered the will to reply “ Yes captain” I hastily replied “ what do you need of me?”. To my shock horror there was a deafening silence, one that was not of the captains ways. The normal response I would of received back was that of “ Come up here and clean the deck” or “scamper up the crows nest and watch for boats” all of which were common place in the fog of a long voyage. But there was nothing.
I knew something was wrong or at very least my voice was not powerful enough to penetrate the fog, I was hoping for the later of the two. But some times curiosity gets the better of you and you must explore the unknown, so that is what I did. There was no stealth or cunning silent manoeuvring on the small tug boat, I called home for most of my life so far. Each step was like stepping on a creaky old floor board but instead of it silencing after you moved your pressure else where, this floor board would creak and groan though out the ship. There was no escape from it, so you just lived with it. It made it easy for the crew as you never had to knock instead the door would be open for you seconds before you even arrived at the door. But for me this was hell, I “had” wonderful hearing as a young boy till the creaks and groans of the ship drowned them into a apis of no return.
With all my thoughts behind me I headed down the mono tone green walkway, I could never figure it out whether it was customary to paint every tug boat green or was it just to annoy me. But I pushed forward keep it in the back of my mind, I knew I had to keep my wits about me or I could end up in some trouble especially with the steam lines powering the ship line the walkway. One false step and the only piece of red in the hole walkway which happen to be the outlet valves could come flying out followed by a rush of boiling hot steam- what a lovely way to die and yet I did this walk of death everyday. I had never thought of accidently tripping over a out let valve till now, I was truly on nerves. As I rounded the corner to climb the flight of stair I heard the single most horrific sound one could hear in his entire life. It shook the ship echoing through out the cabins; I ran up the stairs to find the door locked from the other side- damn I wish there wasn't the steam safety lock. My thoughts were stopped by the roar of the same sound this time not echoing though out the ship but instead it was blocked out by the sudden pop as the out let valves ripped open. I banged on the door as hard as I could, I could feel my hands bruising as I pounded on the door to no avail.
The heat was rising but was still bearable; but the angle I was on as the ship tilled to the right was not so bearable. I was resting up against a poorly cut metal frame, as jagged and green as the rest of the frames on the ship. It was like a knife was being trust into my arm as the till of the ship grew ever more noticeable.
I pressed my ear to the door in the hope of hearing someone coming to my rescue; but they were not English. Their voices hinted of Japanese decent. Im thoughts were only to be confirmed when the door suddenly and violently was pried open, I was meet with what I though to be Japanese commandos. It was the war and I knew they were not friendly, I had one of two options: either fight back or run into the steam which was become intolerable even at this distance from the valves. To my less that surprised mine I had the option to pick neither of these options, I was yanked out of the door way to a await black sack which I knew was to be placed over my head. I had neither the strength or will to fight back- that's when I saw them the hole crew was crouched into a small inflatable dingy, I did have the time to see much more than there bodies nor did I have the time to see if they were alive. The bag was trust over my head and my world went dark...
So there I was; looking out the port side hole. The glass was fogged up from my moist, warm breath as I sighed on the glass. The residue had built up by now to the extent that it had created a pool of water in the semi-rusted crack beneath the window frame; I had been sitting there for hours looking just out side, not that there was must to see considering the heavy fog.
You would think that with the heavy fog and all I wouldn't be able to hear my captains calls for me, but I was proven wrong. His voice was just as penetrating as ever, it would run though you like a wave till your spine shook in horror at the sound. This time it was no different, my spine shook and my ears rang as it echoed with in them, though my mind was still on the sea but I mustered the will to reply “ Yes captain” I hastily replied “ what do you need of me?”. To my shock horror there was a deafening silence, one that was not of the captains ways. The normal response I would of received back was that of “ Come up here and clean the deck” or “scamper up the crows nest and watch for boats” all of which were common place in the fog of a long voyage. But there was nothing.
I knew something was wrong or at very least my voice was not powerful enough to penetrate the fog, I was hoping for the later of the two. But some times curiosity gets the better of you and you must explore the unknown, so that is what I did. There was no stealth or cunning silent manoeuvring on the small tug boat, I called home for most of my life so far. Each step was like stepping on a creaky old floor board but instead of it silencing after you moved your pressure else where, this floor board would creak and groan though out the ship. There was no escape from it, so you just lived with it. It made it easy for the crew as you never had to knock instead the door would be open for you seconds before you even arrived at the door. But for me this was hell, I “had” wonderful hearing as a young boy till the creaks and groans of the ship drowned them into a apis of no return.
With all my thoughts behind me I headed down the mono tone green walkway, I could never figure it out whether it was customary to paint every tug boat green or was it just to annoy me. But I pushed forward keep it in the back of my mind, I knew I had to keep my wits about me or I could end up in some trouble especially with the steam lines powering the ship line the walkway. One false step and the only piece of red in the hole walkway which happen to be the outlet valves could come flying out followed by a rush of boiling hot steam- what a lovely way to die and yet I did this walk of death everyday. I had never thought of accidently tripping over a out let valve till now, I was truly on nerves. As I rounded the corner to climb the flight of stair I heard the single most horrific sound one could hear in his entire life. It shook the ship echoing through out the cabins; I ran up the stairs to find the door locked from the other side- damn I wish there wasn't the steam safety lock. My thoughts were stopped by the roar of the same sound this time not echoing though out the ship but instead it was blocked out by the sudden pop as the out let valves ripped open. I banged on the door as hard as I could, I could feel my hands bruising as I pounded on the door to no avail.
The heat was rising but was still bearable; but the angle I was on as the ship tilled to the right was not so bearable. I was resting up against a poorly cut metal frame, as jagged and green as the rest of the frames on the ship. It was like a knife was being trust into my arm as the till of the ship grew ever more noticeable.
I pressed my ear to the door in the hope of hearing someone coming to my rescue; but they were not English. Their voices hinted of Japanese decent. Im thoughts were only to be confirmed when the door suddenly and violently was pried open, I was meet with what I though to be Japanese commandos. It was the war and I knew they were not friendly, I had one of two options: either fight back or run into the steam which was become intolerable even at this distance from the valves. To my less that surprised mine I had the option to pick neither of these options, I was yanked out of the door way to a await black sack which I knew was to be placed over my head. I had neither the strength or will to fight back- that's when I saw them the hole crew was crouched into a small inflatable dingy, I did have the time to see much more than there bodies nor did I have the time to see if they were alive. The bag was trust over my head and my world went dark...
