Sick of the Sea

In the Beginning

"Hello there girly. Do you need help?"

"I can't find my room."

"Of course. What's your bunk number?"

"111B."

"My my. That's quite a ways from here. Don't worry, we'll get you back."

"Thank you mister. It's just all very new."

"I know little lady. You'll get used to it. We all will."

"Yes sir."

"You know your manners, girly."

"My mama taught me. She said that it shows character."

"Your mama was a smart woman girly."

"Yes sir, she was."

"Was it just you and your mama?"

"And my little brother, Alex."

"Is your brother on board? Do you share a room?"

"He had a heart condition. They wouldn't... um... they wouldn't let him on."

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that girly."

"What about you? Your family?"

"I've got a lovely wife and a beautiful little girl, just like you. She's nine."

"You got them on board?"

"Yes. You get to call a few favors when they expect you to run the floating city."

"Are you the captain?"

"Aye, girly."

"Pleasure to meet you sir. Sorry to bother you."

"Ah, it's no bother. Let's get you back to your bunk."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

The handsome young captain offered the little girl his arm. The pair made their way through the crowded ship. People were scattered about. The captain stuck out like a sore thumb. He was tall, clean, muscular, handsome. Most of the scrappy young people were underweight and had filthy hair growing out of their heads. Some of them had rotting teeth. Some had no teeth at all. They looked like refugees, which is exactly what they were. It was a sad sight to see.

The little girl was not so different from them. She looked sad. She had seen things. That would never go away. The deep pain hidden in her eyes would never, ever fade. Captain watched her as they walked through the ship. She would smile at the scared little boy hiding under the stairs, or hug the girl crying in the hall. She had an extra smile for each and every kid on that boat. Her heart was big enough to see past her own suffering and empathize with the suffering of a thousand others. Captain was shaken. He felt terrible for these kids, but there was nothing he could do. Where that little girl went, a trail of hope followed.

Her name was Emma. She spoke to him along the way. She told him about her life on the land. Her mother had worked three full time jobs to keep food on the table for the two young kids. Emma was nine. Her little brother Alex was only five. She spoke of him in the past tense. She knew that he was gone. She had spent most of her childhood in an abandoned morgue, hiding from falling bombs. Captain spoke gently when he spoke to her. He told her about his life. He told her stories about how he met his wife and his daughters first steps. His life sounded like a fairytale. Emma told him so.

Her bunkmate practically tackled her when she walked through the door. The other girl had been terribly worried. She began spouting out a million words at once. She stopped when she saw Captain. She gave him a sloppy salute, hugged little Emma again, and dashed from the room.