The clamor on the dock covered the sound of her clumsy swimming. Kali wasn't scared of open waters, but it was not her element. She'd never had the chance, nor the will, to learn how to properly move without solid ground under her feet. So, despite all her effort to keep her head above sea level and the rest of her body under it, her feet and hands flailed, creating waves that engulfed her mouth and nose. She almost had drowned thrice and coughed out gallons of water by the time she reached the wooden ladder on the ship's unattended flank.
Hand grasping the lower rung, she took her time, gathering her strength before hauling herself out of the sea. The black silk of her garment, once flimsy, almost diaphanous, was now glued to her skin, dripping salty water. Out of breath and covered in sweat despite the shivers running through her bones, Kali felt like a useless starfish clinging to the hull.
A sudden panic replaced self-contempt. She patted the small of her back, looking for an absent grip. She cast a glance at the water, pondering her chances to recover her precious blade from the unfathomable depth. Out of despair, she punched the ship. Something kicked back, right in her upper left thigh. Relieved, Kali sighed and carefully hauled back her katar dangling from her untied belt.
She was still trying to secure her knife at its usual place, when a sudden whiff of wind sent a shudder down her spine. She heard the sails flap, the crew roar, and the officers shout orders. Slowly, imperceptibly, the ship glided away.
Confident that she wouldn't be noticed while every soul on board was busy, Kali climbed the ladder until the hatches level. She knocked on the closest one to her right like it was the ship's front door. She waited a few moments and tried again. The fourth time, the hatch opened and a squinting face popped out. Before the man's eyes could adjust to the change of light, Kali threw her legs, grabbed his neck between her calves and sent him flying into the sea. He didn't make a sound until his body hit the water with a splash.
A sound that almost covered the slam of the hatch closing on Kali.
Last update on December 19th, 2019