This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

nineteen

Cassie lingered by the ladder, looking up every so often and listening to the chatter above them. "Hurry it up!" A deckhand yelled to another, as she started to hear the sounds of doors squeaking from upstairs.

"We need to go." Cassie whispered.

Rafe was focused, set on some goal he didn't seem keen on clueing her in on. "Hold on." He spoke, his eyes slowly scanning the room.

There was a long squeak of metal, and a loud slam of a door that made her jump. Then it was yells of protest, grunts and screams, as whoever it was upstairs fought to shut all of those people behind a door.

"Close it! Close it!" They yelled amongst the chaos.

Cassie had quickly backed up away from the ladder, instinct telling her to stay away from whatever it was happening upstairs.

She followed after Rafe, who made the executive decision to go and hide behind one of the many wooden crates, among the chains and pipes that hid in the darkness.

"Check the other door!" She heard a deckhand yell, from behind the now-shut door upstairs.

Her heart was pounding, and she held her breath, afraid of whoever was upstairs finding them next. Thieves, criminals, whoever it was, they were likely here for the cross they were only a few feet away from.

"There's another door! There's another door!" They yelled, their heavy footsteps loud against the metal flooring above her head.

Rafe stood from behind the crate, and Cassie looked up at him frantically, confused as to what he was doing. He sent her a subtle wave, one that said 'hold on' as he walked around the crate, and back over to the ladder.

He climbed up a few of the rungs, and Cassie put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from yelling at him for whatever it was he was planning on doing. Rafe peaked his head through to the main deck, then came back down.

Cassie rose slightly from behind the crate, the fighting still loud above them, as Rafe just stood there silently and thought for a second, then turned and focused his thoughts on her.

"What is it?" She whispered in a shaky voice, the look on his face not bringing much comfort.

"We'll go this way." He spoke after a second, and urged her to follow after him.

Cassie moved quickly to keep up with him, and to stay out of sight of whoever was above them, the continuous glances behind her slowing them down. She held a hand to her heart, like that would slow it's rapid beating as she half-ran down the maze of boiler-room corridors.

Rafe scanned the hallways, his head whipping around quickly to find something suitable. "In here." He spoke eventually, swinging a door labeled 'crew cabin' open.

Cassie ducked under his arm and into the room, before turning back around to face him.

"I'll come back, alright?" He spoke, stern and focused.

And it was then Cassie realized what he was doing.

She rushed back towards the door, already shouting as he slammed it against her. She reached for the door handle quickly, but it wouldn't budge as she heard clanging sounds from outside, as Rafe found ways to keep her in.