THE BOAT TRIP: Stampy And Squid

Sail

STAMPYS POV

"Stamps! Stamps! Help!"
I winked my eyes open and ran out of the cabin outside to only hear the waves crashing against the side of the boat. The deck was drenched.
"What's going on?!" I yelled, running up to him.
The sky was dark and it was lashing rain.
"The engine.. I've tried so many times!"
My mouth opened. I stared around the outside to try and find some form of civilisation.
All I saw was the ocean. Just water, as far as the eye could see.
"You- you mean to tell me that our engine has gone down, in the middle of a storm in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean?!"
We both stared around. Drenched. I put my arm on my face, trying to hide my anxiety.
We had nowhere to go.
We had failed our mission.
"Oh god stamps, I think this is it.."

...2 Years Earlier....

STAMPYS POV

I was recording with Squid, well, just about to record. When my phone rang.
"Oh God it's Courtney Holt!" I gasped,
"As in- the Head of Maker Studios?" Squid asked,
"Yeh... "
"Then answer it for gods sake!" Squid said. I picked up my phone and answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hiya Joe, this is Courtney from Maker Studios."
"Oh hello Mrs Holt, how are you?" I said. Please don't fire me.. Please what have I done? Be polite Joe, be polite..
"I'm not so bad, what about you?"
"Oh I'm okay, today."
"Good, good.. Now, Maker Studios will be launching, in about two years time, a new programme, this time we will launch it on the television. Now the programme is called The Boat Trip. Where two of people- part of Maker Studios- will sail, in a motor yacht, all the way around the world in one year."
I was silent.
"Are- are you requesting me-"
"I'm not requesting as such, I'm more inviting."
I laughed for a couple seconds, then put my hand over my mouth, "this is serious?"
"I'll give you two days to think about it."
"But I have to make videos, I can't prerecord 730 videos! Two each day of the year- that's- that's impossible! And, and who would I be going with and when? And I can't drive a boat!"
"Hush, hush, Joe, calm down. For that year we would only request one video per week, we would pay you for the full seven however, so 52 videos prerecorded. You can choose who you go with on the trip, as long as they participate in Maker Studios. You will be given training on how to sail the boat."
I hesitated. "I- I'll think about it.. Can, can I ring you back this time tomorrow?"
"Certainly. Thank you for your time."
"Thank you Mrs Holt."

I hung up.
"Mate, did you hear that?" I asked squid.
"Sure did. What are you going to do?"
"Well- I mean- I can't sail a boat and- my audience.."
"Who would you do it with?" He asked me,
"I dunno. Would you be interested?" I asked him.
"Oh god yeh, but, a lot of prep work would be needed."
"Yeh.. A lot."
"I think we should do it." He announced.
"Really?"
"It would be good craic, also, sometimes it's nice to get away from it all."
"I know but.. It's all very well being payed the full amount.. But what videos to make? Lovely world once a month? Only twelve episodes in one year? I wouldn't know how to lay out one a week."
"Stampy. You're thinking to much."
"You're probably right. Can we discuss this afterwards?" I asked him.
"Of course."
"Hello this is Stampy!....."

.....5 months later......

I had just finished recording the final video before Squid and my trip.
I had completed a sailing course, as had squid.
We were leaving for Southampton tomorrow, where the main pier in the south of England was.
I was nervous.
Tomorrow was going to be a big day.
My last day on land for a long time.

****

I was driving.
Sqaishey was in the passenger seat.
I was driving to Southampton, which was, thankfully, not too far away from me: however it was half way across the country for Squid, he had to get up at 3am to arrive at 9.

When I turned in towards the harbour, I saw Squid's car turning in from the same direction. We had arrived at exactly the same time. Squid had his windows rolled down, he waved his hand outside the window, smiling. I waved back at him and let him turn in before me.

Once I parked the car I got out and stretched my legs.
It was a beautiful sunny day, the sky was bright and dotted with cumulus clouds.
Squid walked over to me,
"Hello mate!" He said, patting my arm.
"Hello- God you must be tired!"
"Meh, I could be worse, I'll probably be dead by 8pm though."
We sighed, "nice day, eh." He said.

Courtney Holt then walked up to us with cameras.
"Hello Mrs Holt." Squid said first, kissing both her cheeks. I did the same.

"So, are you boys ready?" She asked us.
We looked at eachother and laughed, "ready as we'll ever be!" I said. Smiling.
"Well, you'll be off in an hour, go and have a look around the boat and organise your things."

There were cameras all around the boat.
It was a small boat. A motor yacht.
On the top of the boat there was an outside steering wheel and control panel. Down the stairs there was a small deck before going inside you found a small kitchen, sitting area, then a toilet and one cabin with a large bed.
It was tight, but it would do. It was a challenge.
There were cameras in every room except the bedroom and the toilet. The toilet consisted of a tiny pump toilet and a shower which you had to bend down to use. You couldn't brush your teeth with this water as it was salty, so you would have to use a water bottle.
Water? Water was to be used sparingly. We had 12 containers of water, we were told that this wouldn't- or at least shouldn't do us for the whole year, so we would have to stop off somewhere and get a few more.
We had food, however most of the food we had was drenched in salt to keep it fresh. We could have meat for the first month, but after it went out of date we would have to make do with beans, soup, rice and other foods that weren't perishable. Basically, after then we had to go vegetarian.

We had stalked up on caffeine, tea and coffee -essential- We had also brought lots of medicine, capsules, bandages and plasters, epipens, incase of a reaction and several other things like clothing, blankets and maps. Lots and lots of maps. And a book about information of all ocean bordered countries.

Once we had put everything in place, we went back off the boat to say goodbye to everyone. All our families were there, my parents, squids parents and all the people we loved.
I gave all my family a hug, when I got to Sqaishey I put my hands on her shoulders,
"I'll miss you." She said,
"I'll miss you too." I replied. I leaned forwards and kissed her lightly in the lips before hugging her.
"Promise me you'll come back to me." She said,
"I'll always come back. Always."

I turned away and looked at Squid. He was kissing Nicole. I looked away awkwardly before he ran up to me and patted my shoulder.
"Let's go!" He said,
"You ready?" I asked him.
"Are you?"
"Oh squid I was born ready!"

We ran on board and up to the top controller panel.

"Let's go sail around the world."

When you say a book is coming in July and you publish it in February..
This will be updated once ever other weeks but I wanted a mostly happy book to be published alongside the rather heavy-going sad one, 'what Happened' I'll try to alternate between publishing them.