A cough ripped at my head and throat. I felt like I had razors for dinner. All was wet and dark. A grey reddish blur was all I could make out. My left hand stretched out to grab at the world. My head hurt and swam, and I shut my eyes. Fingers crossed my brows and came away sticky and warm.
The hardness in my back reminded me of a wooden floor. My right coiled around ropes. It smelled salty and fishy, like the sea. The world moved like a boat. I thought hard.
I was on a ship, but couldn’t remember why. How did I get here?
Rain turned from gentle to urgent. It thrummed on the deck, the cabin. The boat rocked slightly.
A weight lay on my chest and waist. Its heaviness made it hard to breathe, hard to move. My arms and legs were numb. I opened my eyes and stared into the darkness around. It must be the boom and the main on top of me.
I heard sloshing and banging on the hull. Again and again, in threes, like someone knocking on a door.
… to be continued, pic by author
THE STORY HIVE 