Finding Lily

3- Alex

In another life, I'd be in Florida on vacation. I'd have a family to take to the beach, a guy to kiss at sunset, a mimosa in hand every morning to cure the hangover from the night before. I'd spend my days wandering around the streets, admiring the unique architecture as the sun warmed my skin, wearing cute dresses and flip flops. For a minute after I stepped outside of the airport, I let myself imagine it.

Then I remembered why I could never be that person and got right back down to business.

About a hundred yards from the airport was a dock. A man I'd met on craigslist was standing at the end of it, next to the sailboat I wanted to buy from him. As I got closer, I took it in with mild surprise. I'd done my research before committing, of course, but his pictures were deceiving. This rundown piece of shit Contessa 26 looked nothing like the pictures he sent.

"You must be Fiona." George greeted me. The condition of his own body closely mirrored that of the sailboat. He was missing teeth and the few that were intact had a yellow tint. His red beard was long and scraggly and he had bald spots scattered all around his head.

"You must be joking."

"The motor works. Isn't that all you asked for?"

I scowled. He was right. Ignoring all of the cosmetic issues involving a piss poor paint job, the mast was bent. It looked like one gust of wind would be all it took to rip it right off. But alas, I didn't know how to sail and would be relying only on the motor anyway. Which, according to him, worked.

"Fine." I pulled out a wad of cash from my backpack and handed it to him in exchange for a rusty key. Then he scurried off, leaving me alone with my newest purchase.

I didn't get on right away. I hoped scurvy wasn't a thing anymore. A bug caught my attention as I continued to stand there, watching it scurry from the seat in the cockpit to the darkness down below. I shivered.

14:25. I needed to move. Now.

Putting my big girl pants on, I stepped onto the brownish surface and sat in the cockpit. I reached down to what I assumed was the motor panel and put the key in. I could hear it sputtering below for a couple of minutes before finally, it roared to life. A small cloud of black smoke came out of a hole in the back, making me cough. As if this world wasn't polluted enough already.

I let the motor run a bit before casting off. It ran strong, thankfully. If it didn't I was gonna track down George and beat the shit out of him. I was almost disappointed that I didn't have to.

Once I had started cruising out of the harbor, with my hand steering the tiller, I was frustrated that this had truly been my best option. This sailboat was slow as hell, for one thing. I was moving maybe five miles an hour. It was also covered in holes that I could only assume came from whatever bugs had infested this place. I wasn't going to dare leave my spot in the cockpit. Not after I saw one bug go down there to no doubt join his friends.

I wished I could have taken a motor boat. It was faster, definitely. But as discreet? No. With an equally sound cover story to back it up? Eh, not really. Thus, I had found George and his Millenium Falcon, as the name written on the back spelled out. Or actually, M lle m alco if we're just going by the letters still attached.

Using the compass on my watch and the charts I'd studied on the flight, I estimated it would take six hours to get to my destination. ETA 20:47. Perfect.

The sun was setting now. Sometimes I stopped to enjoy such things. Like right now. This was a moment of limbo. I had a mission but I wasn't there yet. All I could do was wait. So I looked at the swirling oranges and yellows, letting myself forget for a second that I was on my way to kill. Again.

At 4, the engine shut off. After cursing out George for a minute, I played with the key. Took it out, put it back in, turned it, blew on it, whatever. I refused to go down below. I didn't know anything about engines anyway. If it didn't turn back on, I was gonna swim the rest of the way.

Twenty minutes later, by sheer luck, it came back on.

For the next couple of hours, my only entertainment was squashing the occasional termite that decided to join me at the helm now that it was dark out. I wasn't afraid of much but bugs? They could go to hell.

Then, a shape in the distance. Land. My watch read 21:05, just a little later than planned, but it didn't matter. The real fun didn't start till morning anyway.

I pulled my waterproof backpack onto my shoulders and stood up. Peering over the edge, the water looked as dark as the sky surrounding me.

After turning the engine off and leaving the key in the ignition, I stood at the edge. Then I jumped.

Thanks for giving this story a chance, I hope you're liking it so far! Any thoughts/concerns are greatly appreciated :D