If We Didn't Go

1

"Look, a dolphin!" Clara exclaimed. Her body leaned over the railing precariously as she peered into the water, looking for the silvery back of the creature. Her dark hair whipped around in the wind. Suddenly, the dolphin leaped out of the water, landing with a splash that made her lean back in a futile attempt to avoid getting wet. She laughed.

Her friends, alerted by her shout, ran up to the railing.

"Where is it?" asked Philomene. Her blue eyes searched the water eagerly.

"You just missed it," Clara replied. The dolphin seemed to have left after its display.

Philomene let out a disappointed groan. 

Ben and David, standing at the railing beside them, were silent, looking up at the sky. "Those are some dark clouds rolling in," David commented, "Do you think it will rain?"

Clara looked up. The sky, which had just been bright, sunny, and blue, was indeed beginning to cloud over. Thick, dark clouds filled the sky.

"I just felt a raindrop," Philomene said. She held out her arm as proof.

"Maybe we should go inside?" Ben said. The others nodded. They turned to leave.

"Heavy storm's comin'," a gruff voice said. They jumped. The captain of the ship was standing behind them, looking up at the sky as they had just been. When he looked down, Ben noticed the usually boisterous man had an odd look in his eye. "You kids better get inside before it hits."

Thanking the captain, the four hurried inside, making it just inside the door before the first clap of thunder.

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-Philomene's POV -

Rain poured down the porthole window, a stark contrast to the black night outside. The ship could be heard creaking, complaining about the heavy waves that were hitting its sides. I shuddered. I hated the thought that I was in the middle of the ocean during a storm. What if we sank? There would be no one around to help! I didn't know how to swim!!! But my friends wanted to go, so I obliged.

I looked around at them. They were playing some sort of card game. Clara was on the top bunk of the room we were sharing, hanging off the edge upside down. Her long dark hair hung straight down as she peered intensely at her cards with her hazel eyes. Ben and David sat on the floor between the bunks, dark brown eyes locked in an intense contest of wills.

I small smile came to my face as I remembered how we came to be here, on this ship together. Over the past year, we had worked on a project together, perfecting it to prepare for a local high school science fair. They had won the fair by a landslide, and been invited to a national science fair. After adding some improvements to their invention, they nervously travelled to Los Angeles for the final judging. Despite some crazy events (including losing Ben, missing a meeting due to time zone change, and being unable to find a hotel room), they won the science fair. Along with a scholarship, the group had won a cruise to Hawaii. I had adamantly told them that there was no way I would ever go, but here I was.

"I'm BORED," Clara exclaimed suddenly, dropping her cards on the floor dramatically.

"Hey!" Ben cried, sitting below her.

"We should do something fun," Clara continued.

"Playing cards was fun," tried David.

Clara looked at him pointedly. "It was fun for, like, ten minutes."

"You're just jealous 'cause I'm winning," David mumbled with a grin.

"Am not!"

He chuckled.

Ben looked out the window. I could tell he was contemplating another wicked idea. He looked at us with a mischievous smile. "What if we went outside to check out the deck?" he said.

Alarm bells sounded off in my mind. "What?! No way!" I said hurriedly. Knowing my friends, they would definitely go if I didn't shut this down right away. "The captain told us to stay inside!"

"Now you're talking,"Clara told Ben, rolling so that she was once again right side up. She rested her chin on her hand.

"But it's too dangerous!" I exclaimed. I knew I had already lost.

"Just for a minute!" Ben tried to convince me, standing up. David got up too. I was disappointed. He usually had my back when it came to Ben's antics.

"Well, I just won't come then," I said.

"We know you're afraid of the ocean," David said, "you don't have to come."

With that, they walked out, donning their raingear as they went.

I debated. Either I could stay here, safe, or I could go out and face my fears. And not miss out, I reminded myself. Sighing, I hopped off the bed and went to the hooks next to the door, grabbing my black rainjacket.

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- David's POV -

We walked up the stairs to the deck, chattering quietly as we tried not to attract attention. We weren't exactly supposed to go up during the storm. I shook my head, wondering to myself why I had agreed to come. The idea's stupidity was only now catching up to me. Breaking the rules and putting myself in danger to see a storm? At least one of us is safe downstairs.

With that last thought, I heard quiet footsteps run up behind me. I turned to find the light-haired 17 year old girl that I had supposedly left downstairs. Her blue eyes met mine and she nodded at me to keep going. I should have known she would come. Every time we went off to do something she disagreed with, she felt it was her obligation to be there.

We reached the doors that led outside. Ben began to push against one. It moved slowly and looked heavy.

Stepping outside, the full force of the storm hit us at once. The wind howled, the waves crashed, and the ship rolled and turned. Shock immediately reached my heart, and I turned to leave.

Standing in the doorway was the captain. Something silver glinted in his hand. My eyes widened as I realized what it was.

"Guys, look out!!!" Philomene yelled. I turned just in time to see the huge wave crashing on board. Everything went black.

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