THE BOAT TRIP: Stampy And Squid

Destination

--STAMPYS POV--
We motored out of Cork in our tiny dingy heading South East down towards England. I couldn't wait to get home, I couldn't wait to finally set foot on England after almost two years away from it.
After using the engine for about three hours it finally ran out of diesel.
"Well, that's the last of our old motorbike." I said, bringing out the oars again. I gave one to David who had his lips pursed and was breathing in and out.
"You alright mate?" I asked him, smiling, I put my arm around his neck.
"Yeah, that's the thing! I'm really alright!" He responded. It was so good to finally see him happy after everything that he had been through.
"So Stamps, what was your highlight of the trip?" He asked me.
"Hmm... I dunno.." I admitted, thinking of the funny events in chronological order. Well, there was Spain at the disco, that was pretty hilarious at the time. And then.. Well.. Nothing really funny happened until Madagascar where the snake got on board, but that was pretty terrifying. I loved the time where I was dragged in a rubber ring behind the boat in the Indian Ocean.
"New York." I concluded. "Jumping off those skyscrapers is something I'd never do while sober."
"It was pretty spectacular though." David added, "I was terrified, I must have been the most sober."
"Dave, I don't think either of us were sober, have you seen the interviews on YouTube?" I asked him, remembering me completely forgetting Squid's character name.
"Yeah. Nicole showed them to me- they're so funny though." He laughed, then he pointed at me, "you kept calling me Chicken Nugget!"
"Well I knew it was something nugget!" I argued,
"I am ze Squid Nugget." Squid stated in a French accent. The sky was beginning to get dark. David and I curled up at the back of the boat together, putting a blanket on top of us to keep us warm.
"This is gonna be our last night together." He said, smiling as we paddled through the beautiful water.
The sky was illuminated by vibrant galaxies and billions of glittering stars which, along with a great white full moon, reflected down on the roaring sea. It was such a beautiful bright night. And if this was to be our last night on the sea forever, I wouldn't mind at all.

***

"Stampy! Oh Stampy cat!"
I opened my eyes, I must have fallen asleep.
"Sorry Dave I didn't mean to drift off." I apologised, waking up to see a bright blue sky.
"It's alright mate, " he replied, "look, England is in sight!"
He pointed way in the distance where we saw the faint outline of England.
"Oh my God- here let me take over- this is amazing!" I exclaimed, taking the oars from his hands and rowing backwards towards the land.
"So what are you going to do when you get home?" David asked me, lying back against the front of the boat, facing me.
"I am going to sleep for a good fifteen hours." I said, "and y'know, say hello to some people. What about you?" I asked him,
"Well.. I've still got a five hour drive home after this." He reminded me,
"Oh God yeah- do you wanna stay in my place for a day or so?" I offered,
"Ehh.. Sure alright. Might not get your fifteen hours sleep though with a baby." He laughed.
"Ack it's alright." I said, looking back. It was the mid afternoon. We made our way closer and closer to Southampton.
I had a butterfly sensation in my stomach. After travelling for so long, feeling like this trip just wouldn't end, that we'd lost England for good.
Here we were, as the sun started to fall. Arriving back.
Back where we belonged.
Home.

Then the beach came into sight.
Hundreds of people crowded around, children were jumping in the sea which was red from the setting sun.
We were so close! I could almost touch it! Home!
"David?" I said, trying to contain my happiness and in fact, my tears.
"Yes mate?" He asked.
"We've just sailed around the world. We've just gone and bloody done it. " I laughed,
"-and we ain't even dead yet!" David added.
"At this rate, we're never gonna die. Never." I said, "we're just friends after all."
David took my hand, "just friends." He replied.
We broke into a hug as the crowd started cheering and chanting out our names.
We knew, we knew that we were much more than just friends.
So much more.
But this is how it was, and how it always will be.

And then, at last, we arrived.
Our feet touching the soft saturated sand of England.
The crowds surrounded us, people we knew, people we didn't.
We were back home.
Back where it started.
Back where it all began.

The End

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