Sail Away- Nathan Sykes

Steam came off my Chia Latte as I sat in the ghost crowd and put my feet up. It was an eerie feeling being the only one in the theatre early on a misty morning. I was told that I needed to pick them up after their performance and then bring them to the docks and I had maybe 14 or so hours before I needed to meet them. I enjoyed the silence of the empty theatre though, it was calming.

I took another sip of the drink and let it slap me awake, sooner or later I would have to wake up to the busy bustle of modern life though sometimes I just wished that I could escape away and live on one of the small islands with the white cliffs and golden sands that were crushed in the gentle roll of the waves. The smell of salt, I could taste it when I closed my eyes. I could feel the breeze and hear the ripple of the sails as it caught the wind.

Then sure enough the outer world broke in through the bars and chased the silence into the dusk of a breaking dawn.

“Wow,” I heard someone with an English accent say, I think it was from Nottingham or something. Very rarely did I sail or fly to England so I was unsure of the accents. “This is really quaint,” he continued. I didn’t bother to turn around; I’d be spending a few months with them so soon I’d be sick of their faces. If these were the men Captain mentioned.

“A lot smaller than the New York stadium,” came another man’s voice. They sounded close.

I took the last of the drink in one swig and took a deep breath.

“Oh hello,” came a woman’s voice. She sounded flustered and tired. I looked back to where five boys and a woman were walking down the aisle towards the stage and I. I lifted my hand in gesture of welcome and said,

“Hey.”

“Are you the coordinator?” she asked again.

“Oh ah you’re looking for Kimba she’s up the back checking the ropes,” I say pointing to the roof where metal platforms lined the roof. Red velvet curtains and black walls lined the old musty theatre. “I’m early, but I’ll be taking you lot to the Daunting Daughter,” I say smiling.

I watched as a few of them frowned. I threw my feet to the left and stood up, “The sailing ship,” I continue and watched as they came to realise what I was talking about.

*******- Nathan’s POV- ********

She had an olive coloured tan giving away that she had some Spanish or something like that in her blood. She also wore a loose grey singlet that she tucked messily into her short denim shorts the colour of faded blue. Also in her hand she had a coffee cup and jandals on her feet. She was smallish, but looked strong and sure footed where ever she walked. Earth brown hair with melted caramel highlights combed through her hair and tossed down her shoulders in loose ringlets.

“KIMBA!” she shouted out and it echoed down through the dim light theatre. A loud crash came in reply.

“Bloody hell Monita (Pronounced MON-ET-TA)!! I almost bloody slipped and fell! What’d ya’ be doin’ then ha?” Kimba shouted back. Seconds later she dropped down on a harness and rope in her hands. A smaller blonde girl with small hips and a slender body. She put her hands on her hips and looked us all up and down.

“Excuse Kimba’s language, but she’s probably the best with the ropes and she does all the sound checks and light checks,” Monita said and the woman nodded.

“Yeah right Monita ‘ere’s the best with ropes, being a bloody sailors daughter does that to ya’ though,” she continued and smacked Monita hard on the back. The two laughed and Monita said,

“Well boys, and…”

“Jayne,” said Jayne smiling. Jay held onto the flip cam filming everything he could.

“….And Jayne. I’ll be by to pick you all up when need be. But it’d be best for me to take my leave and get some supplies, is there anything in particular that you need or want because we don’t make port for a while and when we do it is mainly small fish markets,” she said and Jay chimed in quickly,

“Skittles please,” she nodded. Everyone else had a little something to say and she took note of it all before turning and leaving.

“Fit,” Tom said and Jay agreed.