Ship's Core (CaptainSwan fanfic)

Thirteen

I want to start saying that! *the picture.*

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Hook was right.

A storm was coming.

I stared at the dark clouds, which were hungry for destruction. I was unsure of what to do, while everyone else was busying themselves, preparing for the dangerous trek ahead.

"BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!" Smee yelled.

Hook ran towards me as the ship began to rock more violently and rain began spitting on the deck.

"Swan. You need to get on the lifeboat, you need to get off the ship and-"

"And what, stay in the middle of the ocean with no food, water or suplies?" I interrupted. "I don't think so. Mate." I mimicked him.

"Emma, you can't stay here, storms are dangerous!" Hook insisted, the water droplets quickly flattening his hair.

"Oh and it's less dangerous for you because . . . ?" I persisted. The rain left cold spots on my skin as it soaked through my blouse. I was thankful for the blue vest that covered my torso.

"Because I have sea legs!-"

"No, because you're a man!"

Hook stopped and stared at me for a second, but then looked down in shame.

"So it's true." I said quietly. "You think that you can handle the storm better than I can because you're a man. Well, we'll see about that."

I stomped over to Smee and asked him what I could do to help, leaving Hook dumbfounded.

The dark, heavy clouds rolled forward, rumbling hungrily. As they grew closer, Hook ran up onto the quarterdeck and grabbed the wheel.

"EVERYONE GRAB SOMETHING!" he yelled over the loud thunder.

The rain was now slapping the wooden planks hard. I grabbed hold of a long, wet rope that led up to the crow's nest, where a short, skinny crew member was standing, his shoulder length, black hair blowing back in the wind which was only growing stronger. He was looking through a telescope at the storm ahead.

"RUNS AS FAR AS EYE CAN SEE, CAP'N!" He yelled down to Hook, who replied with a stern nod.

The ship rocked forward and the sails began to get soaked as they blew back and forth in the violent wind. The crew were yelling at each other from all directions, some were just yelling with no purpose at all. The lightning turned all of my vision white for a split second, until immediately after when the scene turned dull again. I felt my stomach churn as the ship's rocking began to grow more violent. I held on to the wet, slippery rope with all I had.

Suddenly, a large wave built up ahead of the ship, towering over us as it grew. I stared up at it with my jaw hanging stupidly, and when it came crashing down against the ship, my mouth filled with salty water.

I spat it out urgently and inhaled what little oxygen I could without swallowing another mouthful of water. I held my breath and felt the pressure of the water jolt the ship forward, and I lost balance in my legs, they flung forward. I tightened my grip around the slippery rope, but as more water poured onto my hands, they slipped off the rope and I felt myself sliding against the deck of the ship, until my back hit the wall at the front, causing a snapping pain to jolt through my spine.  I inhaled deeply, oxygen and relief filling my lungs.