"Let's race back to the room!" Michael suggested.
"Michael I'm tired, let's just walk." I said.
"Okay," Michael replied, sounding defeated.
As we steadily made our way towards the stairs, we observed that the deck had become even more constricted. Michael and I were practically pushing people, in order to squeeze through and actually make headway. However, it seemed pointless.
This was my biggest pet peeve; it had been for as long as I could remember. I hated being stuck behind someone and needing to wait for them to clear the way. Especially whenever I was at the mall. People were always blocking the pathways and I'd be stuck behind them. What made it worse was that these slow-walking people would travel in large packs, so it was almost impossible to push past them. The fact that I was impatient compounded my angst.
After a short period of time, we finally managed to get to the staircase. As we started to walk down, and ultimately head to our bedroom...god, the unthinkable happened. It was unmistakable. Something had collided with the ship. Or disastrously, that our ship had crashed into something massive. The ship lurched violently towards the side.
Michael let out an ear-popping scream as the ship swayed to port side. I grabbed Michael's wrist and with the other, took a hold of the railing. As I held on tightly, I discovered that unprecedented tidal waves had caused the ship to sway to and fro.
"Alice!" Michael cried. "What's going on!"
"I don't know Michael! Just hold onto the railing and don't let go!" I ordered.
The ship was being tossed and rocked about like the intense rocking motion of an endless colossal amusement park ride. I could hear everyone on the deck screaming and yelling, they were panicking and crying. The sound seemed to block my ears and similarly it fogged up my mind, successfully hindering my ability to think clearly. I needed to try and find Mom and Dad...and fast. I had to make sure that they were okay. Scanning the deck, trying to locate my parents proved useless.
Michael and I were left to clutch onto the highly polished galvanised metal railing, hoping the ship would cease swaying. That somehow the uproarious turmoil would stop and things would go back to normal. That the large waves would dissipate and everyone would naturally disperse...resuming their conversations and laughter. The spontaneous event made me feel extremely anxious...and in a very short period of time. I really hated worrying...and I didn't want Michael to feel the same. For the briefest moment, I had the most dreadful notion that things weren't going to get better to return to normality.
"Alice! What are we going to do!" Michael bellowed, trying to make himself heard through the howling wind and the alarming cries of the crowd.
"I don't know!" I screeched back.
"We have to do something! Where's Mom and Dad?"
"I'm sure they're safe!" I lied. "Just hold on and do what I tell you!"
The truth of the matter was that I actually didn't know if Mom and Dad were safe. I didn't know where they were and I didn't know if they'd been injured or hurt. I hated lying to Michael by telling him that they (more than likely), weren't harmed. I suspect it was better than telling him something to the contrary. Had I disclosed my true inner feelings, it would surely spook and frighten Michael. He'd start to panic and things for him would be uncontrollable.
By now my sweaty hands had grown weak. I was losing my grip on the railing. Try as I might, I was compelled (out of sheer fatigue) to ultimately let go. Once my grip was lost, I was sent flying backwards...I started to scream and felt my heart plummet into the abyss.
As soon as my hold had been lost, I was flung across the decking and collided into the railing...and rather harshly. An immediate throb developed and my head simultaneously started to sting; an augmentation of pins and needles. My vision went blurry, so I shut my eyes before opening them again. Luckily, my vision corrected itself and went back to normal.
"Michael!" I shrieked.
I rubbed my temples with the pads of my fingers in a circular motion, attempting to ease the furiously pulsating pain. When I stopped and pulled back my hands, I observed smudged blood on my fingers. Great.
I needed to make an effort and get to the other side of the ship. I had to locate Michael and fast. I have to protect him and make sure that he's safe. If I wasn't aware where Mom and Dad were, well there'd be no way Michael would know. I was the only family he had and was ready to stand by his side. However, trying to find him seemed impossible as each attempt was being hindered by sustained squalls and the highly intense gusts. I manoeuvred myself around but still found myself gawking into the distance, pondering Michael's whereabouts.
Along with every single passenger on the ship, I guess I knew too that the ship's demise was inevitable. It was on a path to sink, it was obvious. There was nothing anyone could do to stop it. We were both still young...especially Michael. We had our whole lives ahead of us. I wasn't going to let anything take that away from us; in particular a few incredulously dumb captains who couldn't manage to keep this oversized cruise liner a float.
Then...out of the blue, I saw it. There was an island. It was right there...within reach. I looked down to the side of the ship, to see if I could spot a raft, a life-craft or a small boat. However, there was nothing there. I was sceptical to whether or not I was looking in the right place. I actually didn't have time to look for any type of lifeboat.
Michael and I had to get off this ship, and as fast as possible. We couldn't stay here and scavenge around for a lifeboat. We were just going to have to swim. The idea was risky and ludicrous but it seemed to be the only thing coming to mind. At this particular point in time, I couldn't think of any more alternative rational ideas.
"Michael! Can you come over to this side?" I called out, at the top of my lungs.
"I'll try!" Michael shouted back.
"Be careful!"
Whilst looking around, I observed numerous passengers screaming out for assistance, yelling to be saved...crying, sobbing and uncomprehendingly some were even jumping off, straight into the open ocean. Others were just lying on the deck, they looked unconscious...could they have been dead?
It felt wrong and surreal, as if my surroundings were spinning uncontrollably. It was as though we were all being sucked into some galactic sized vortex. In fact, the spinning was getting faster and faster. I became nauseous. I was well beyond terrified, not knowing what was going to happen next. What fate awaited me? I wasn't even sure if Michael and I were going to make it off this cruise.
Neither Michael or I were ready to die. In fact, we didn't want to die...at all. I was too scared to think of what death was going to be. I tried to push any thoughts associated with death out of my head. I wasn't going to be distracted. My main priority at the moment was to get off the massive ship and undertake a hectic swim to the island. It was the only thing Michael and I could do.
Unexpectedly, Michael came sliding across the extremely slippery deck, coincidentally bumping into me.
"There's an island over there!" I yelled to Michael, pointing into the distance.
"How do we get there?"
"We have to swim!"
"What!"
"I don't know where the lifeboats are!"
"I'm not swimming!"
"Michael!"
"It's not safe though!"
"Michael just do what I say!" I rolled my eyes.
"Fine!"
We helped each other to stand up while using the railing to aid us. I glanced at Michael before instructing:
"Ready...on the count of three, we'll jump off the boat and start swimming towards the island, okay?"
"Okay!"
"One!" I yelled out whilst closing my eyes; trying to remain calm; readying myself to jump.
"Two!" I opened my eyes before looking at Michael.
The wailing squalls and apocalyptic gusts did nothing to settle us down. It was sheer horror. We were terror stricken. My entire life flashed before my eyes; from my earliest childhood memories up to this crazy situation.
The wind gusts were hellish and messing with Michael's hair. I'd always wondered where he got his ginger coloured hair from, considering that no one else in our family had the same colour. His steely blue eyes, once an indication of optimism and exhilaration were now void...of anything, in fact they were unrecognisable. It made him appear to be different...akin to a stranger.
"Three!"
Then I jumped.
Within a few seconds, I felt the severity of the gelid ocean around me as well as large volumes of sea spray. The icy coldness was like a highly sharpened knife slicing through my soaked clothes and skin. Michael and I had become like miniature ice bergs. I did my best to quickly swim to the surface. I rubbed and cleared my eyes, then tried to look for Michael.
"Michael! Where are you?"
I started to panic as I couldn't find him. I couldn't see him...anywhere. I felt my heart start to hurt. I had to find him; he was the only family I had left. I couldn't lose him.
"Michael!" I screamed.
With that, I heard the sound of sea water accumulating...so when I turned, I saw a monumental wave coming in my direction. Towards me. Michael was in this tidal wave.
"Alice!" Michael screeched before being engulfed by the wave.
"Mic-!"
I couldn't finish calling his name because the wave hit me.