The Cruise

Something happened to me six months ago that I need to get off my chest. You see I used to be a fisherman of sorts. I didn't do it for a living. It was more for recreation than anything else. After what else I saw, however, I won't go back out to sea for as long as possible.

It began like all my other trips. I got in my boat and rode it towards my usual spot. There, I could fish uninterrupted without hearing the obnoxious sound of teenagers on boats. Not to mention, other fishermen or those yuppie assholes on their yachts. Anyway, it wasn't long into my trip when the weather started changing.

It looked as though a storm was brewing up. Obviously, this worried me. I always made sure to check the weather before heading out. It said absolutely nothing about a storm in the area. Realizing this, I proceeded to head back to shore. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

"God damn it," I said to myself while attempting to steer the boat towards the shore.

As I did a huge wave kicked up. The next thing I knew, my boat got overturned and I found myself underwater. I tried staying above water. With the waves being so rough, though it didn't seem like I'd be able to for very long. What I thought was my saving grace appeared over the waves.

Through the flashes of lighting, I saw it. A massive ship came over the roaring waves. It looked to be some kind of cruise ship. I yelled as loud as I could for them to notice me. They threw me a life preserve which I eagerly grabbed hold of.

"He seems delirious. Get him a towel."

It's difficult to describe the voice I heard. It definitely sounded English. However, it didn't sound organic. It was like hearing someone American do a really good imitation of that accent. I brushed off this abnormality and thanked my saviors.

"Oh, man. I thought I was a goner," I said, rubbing the water from my eyes. "Thanks for the help."

The blurriness went away, allowing me to see who I presumed to be the captain, judging by his outfit colored a bright gold. Standing beside him were two of his crewmates. I had been led inside the ship to a guest room. Only the captain talked with me while they remained silent.

"It's not a problem," he smiled. "But to whom do I owe this pleasure?"

He was a tall man. I'd say, he stood at about 7". He had perfectly combed blonde hair and bright golden eyes that lit up when he smiled.

"Cody. What should I call you?"

"Most just call me captain but you may refer to me as Rupin. Now, would you mind explaining why you were out here in the midst of such harsh weather?"

I leaned back against the wall and briefly summarized my reason for being out there.

"I see. That's a real shame. It's to be expected, though. I've spent many years on the sea and I can tell you that it's full of surprises. A lot of which aren't pleasant. Anyway, I imagine you're quite chilly. Would you like something to warm you up? The guests are getting ready to dine right now."

"Thank you but aren't we close to shore? It isn't a long walk from there to my car and I'd hate to intrude."

"Not to worry. You aren't overstaying your welcome if that's what you're thinking. Besides, the weather's still too rough for us to go anywhere. We're anchored down right now, but once the weather is clear, we'll pull the anchor up and head back to shore to drop you off at the doc."

"Okay. It can't be helped I guess. It's weird, though. I was at the docs pretty early and I don't recall seeing you guys pull up there."

"It must not have been on our route then."