The author warns you all!
This chapter contains mild gore.
River instantly regretted his decision the second he stepped out of his cabin.
The world tilted, and the floor beneath his feet gave away. He slipped on the deck, slick with water,and fell on his back. Pain shot up his spine,completely kicking him out of his muddled state of mind. He flailed his arms around, trying to loop them around something to stop himself from rolling off the deck into oblivion.
A giant wave crashed onto the hull, and the ship heaved and dipped, sending him flying across the deck like a loose leaf caught in the wind. His head hit the metal railing with a loud clatter. River gripped the fixuture for his dear life in this cosmic tug of war between gravity and the surging waves.
Don't go out in a storm. Noted.
Rain and sea spray soaked him, and he squinted his eyes to see through the burning in them. Coldness sank its vicious fangs into his skin, but it was the least of his problems now.
Lightening briefly illuminated the turbulant seascape in front of him, revealing colossal towers of churning waves. His breath left his lungs, and he whimpered. The sight filled him with awe and palpable dread.
Rain thudded on the creaking timbers as it decended into dense sheets,blurring the horizon. Silver streaks ran across the sky like a malevolent cobweb, the dark mirror overhead shattering before heaven's fury.
The roaring of thunder exploded over the howling of the sea. River's heart lurched at the boom, and he curled into himself. The ship's masts strained against the force of the gales. It sounded as if the ship itself had come to life, creaking and groaning under the onslaught.
Sails flapped wildly—a butterfly caught within the fury of the tempest. There was no telling how much more battering it could withstand before tearing apart.
Clementine was a ladybug in a jar of medicine.
And God was shaking it well before use.
The deck had transformed into a treacherous battlefield. The crew of Clementine hustled to weather her through the war against the elements. They were an army of seasoned soldiers, with determination and years of experience etched into their unyielding gazes.
Bones's giant frame loomed over the helm, the very image of a major on the battlefront. His arms manhandled the wooden wheel, his muscles bulging from the exertion. His emerald eyes were narrowed to slits as he swung the helm. Every single degree he turned was a precarious gamble against death.
River heard a yell overhead. He stared up and saw Chipper on the ratlines. Despite his scrawny figure, he gripped the course ropes with an iron fist. The boy crawled up the mast, as agile as a spider on its sticky web.
He signaled something to Louie, and they both started to reef the sails. Their movements were quick and coordinated, as if they were two meshing cogs on a well-oiled gear train. They handled the lines and secured the sail ties with the help of some other crew members. They were a first and second lieutenant, if River may say, guiding manpower to refine the adjustments on the most crucial weapon they had at hand.
Others ran about, clad in oilskins with harnesses attached, to secure loose items from becoming projectiles. They yelled over the vengeful spirit of the howling wind as they strapped down wooden boxes full of supplies. Hands gripped the rig to brace them from waves crashing over the bow.
On this merciless arena of war, Raven Alistair's voice pierced through the tempest—the valiant first general.
"Take down two jibs!" He hollered at Louie. "Bones! Steer to the left!"
The man was somehow stomping all over the hazardous deck,barking orders at everyone. His one eye narrowed as he watched the expanse of the vile ocean, calculating his next move in this grand game of checkers against nature.
Raven Alistair never struck River as a king. His respect for the man had always been somewhat fabricated. His demeanor had never evoked admiration in his heart.
Until now.
In this cruel battle for survival against a force much larger than they were, Raven Alistair stood straight and steadfast. His deep voice rumbled with calm authority as he guided each person on deck, instilling courage in their hearts.
His every decision was deliberate and strategic; each maneuver was executed with precision only years of experience could grant. He was the calmest River has ever seen him,in the face of this peril that could make even the bravest men run like headless chickens.
Raven always exuded an air of confidence, but at this moment, he seemed like this storm was nowhere near enough to stop his Clementine from reaching North. It felt more like a battle between equals than between measly mortals and nature's greatest beast.
At that moment, River knew no other man was more deserving of being called king.
Julie Jagger was helping a soldier roll a large canvas that River assumed to be a cut-down sail. The task was quite the struggle as the wind tugged on it like a bratty child. Raven was standing in the distance, commanding Bones, but when he saw them, he redded in the face.
"Julie fucking Jagger!! Wear your damn harness!" He yelled and turned his attention back to the helm.
River felt his heart swell in admiration. Not only was he skilled and gallant, but he was also attentive and somewhat compassionate to his crewmates.
If he catches you outside, he will throw you into the ocean.
River loved to go back to the safety of his cabin, but moving an inch would send him flying away like a kite. So he decided to cower until the storm subsided, away from Raven's field of vision.
A particularly strong gust of wind blew over the deck with no warning. It billowed and snapped at the canvas that Jullie Jagger was wrestling with.
River didn't quite catch what happened, thanks to how dense the rain and darkness were. Next time the lightening brightened the world,she was tumbling across the deck like a kicked ball.
Before River processed what the hell happened, he was already on his feet. His body seemed to be controlled by an other-wordly entity as he lurched forward.
Julie Jagger crashed on to the railing exactly the way River did mere minutes ago. Instead of breaking her decent to the swirling sea below, the movement of the ship propelled her into the air and over the fixure!
River had no clue as to where he found the courage or the inhuman strength to do what he did. He caught Julie from her hand, interrupting her free fall to demise.
Miss! How come you look so lean but is heavier than a grown man?
Julie Jagger's widened brown eyes flashed at him as she dangled over the edge of the ship. Her face was twisted in terror and confusion.
"Grab the railing!" River growled over the wind. "Hurry!"
She took a good few seconds to recover her mind, but soon cooperated. She extended her free hand and struggled, but the rail was still out of her reach.
"A little bit higher!" She yelled.
River was pretty sure that he rolled his eyes. His arms were on the verge of ripping off their sockets. One more wave, and they will both be hauled into the ocean.
He looked over his shoulder and called for help. It was dark, and his voice got drowned in the chaos around him. Nobody seemed to hear or see him.
Oh, the delight!
The railing rattled under their collective weight. River felt as if it were tilting unnaturally to one side. The crease between his eyes deepened in unease. His brain was screaming something at him, but he couldn't hear what.
He found no friction on the wet floorboards. Using the rail as leverage, he pulled the woman up with all his might, grinding his teeth to splinters.
Pushing back the railing with one hand, he hoisted Julie with the other a few inches so she could grab the rail and climb up.
He thought he heard Raven screaming his name over the wind.
The fixure moaned loudly and heaved some more under the force.
The rail is old.
The beam snapped from a rusted joint with an ear-splitting clamor. Under the strain, the cross beam came loose. River moved an ardorous inch just in time to avoid getting poked by its sharp, rusted edge.
The ship chose this exact moment to teeter to the side, and River was pushed forward as if God himself had kicked him on his rear. He tumbled as the fixture came off its screws.
River, even in this predicament,refused to let go of Julie's hand. The world seemed slow down. He screwed his eyes shut and waited for the cold ocean to envelop him in a hug of death.
Except it never came.
In his disorientation,River might have momentarily lost his mind. When he came out of his limbo-like state, he was being carried by a strong pair of arms.
He looked up and saw that it was Lazy Eye Louie. The man was sprinting, judging by the way he jolted in his arms. They were somewhere away from the deck and the storm.
River felt a sharp pain in his shoulder when he tried to move. He glanced around and saw that it was below the deck cabin areas. The muffled sound of chaos went on over their heads.
"Julie ..?" He croaked, panic settling in the pit of his stomach.
"She is okay. You are not."
It was not Louie who answered, but Raven Alistair. River turned his head to see him at his side, drenched and pale. He was struggling to keep up with how fast Louie was running.
The front of his white shirt was splotched with crimson. River felt his heart heaving with worry. He scrutinized the older man for injury. Did Raven get wounded?
"What the fuck were you doing out there?" He yelled, his voice choking.
"What the fuck,River ?"
If he can yell that loudly, he must be okay.
There was some banging and crashing, like a door being kicked open. River turned his head to see Aithan Alistair kneeling on the floor with his palms on his chest,praying.
He was startled, and when he saw them, all the colors drained from his face.
River frowned and eyed Raven. Was he wounded after all? That was quite a lot of blood.
"I knew something like this would happen." Aithan pinched his nose bridge, vexed.
He was carefully laid on a soft mattress that sank under him. The bed was warm and cozy, but he was soaked. He was ruining someone's perfectly good bed.
"I gotta go back up there," Raven panted, gasping for air. He clung to his brother's forearms like he was the only lifeline Raven had.
"Don't worry," Aithan patted him firmly on the back,reassuringly.
"Please take care of him." Raven's knuckles whitened from how hard his fingers were digging into flesh. "I really didn't see him. I felt something was wrong but - but- I didn't know-"
"You go," Aithan gave his brother a small smile. "I'm here."
Raven gave River a wide-eyed glance. He looked like he might throw up or faint. He came to River's side and took his hand in his. Both their palms were wet and ice cold, but his was a little warmer.
"When I come back, you better not be dead," he whispered.
He is going to throw you into the ocean!
Then he was gone, taking the warmth with him. Aithan's worried face hovered over him in his place, and River tried to smile.
"I saved her," he said proudly. There was no need for everyone to be so worried. The girl was safe.
"You did a good job," Aithan praised, but it sounded somewhat insincere.
The sharp pain in his shoulder was getting unbearable, and River winced. "I hit my hand?"
Aithan shook his head solemnly.
River's forehead puckered, and he glanced over.
There was a metal beam poking out of his shoulder.
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The author is a huge fan of the Final Destination franchise, if you can tell.
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