The next day is mostly uneventful.
Mitch and I wake up late and happily, and when we finally arise properly and go outside, we're greeted by an exhausted Avi. Mitch dismisses him to go sleep the rest of the day away, which he does gratefully.
Lindsey is unusually quiet. She's curled up in a ball in one of the corners of the ship, tracing her finger over the wooden ship frame.
I feel almost guilty; the only truly happy ones on this ship are Mitch and me. Everything seems to be working out for the two of us, but at what cost? Did Avi and Lindsey's other halves have to leave in order for us to be happy?
That's mostly what I think about all that day. His hand in mine feels offending, and the fact that we're the only ones smiling feels wrong. It eats away at me all through the afternoon and through the night, when the both of us retire to the captain's cabin while Avi and Lindsey sleep in solitude.
These thoughts gradually fade away as I drift off to sleep with Mitch's hand in mine, but I can't help wondering if it's going to feel like this forever.
***
The day after that is the sixth of August, and I begin to grow antsy.
"We're going to be in Venice by the end of the night, right?" I ask Mitch, pestering him like a little kid.
"We should be, yes," he replies, squeezing my hand in his. "Don't worry. I've got it all under control."
Before I even know what I'm doing, I've let out a snicker.
"Hey!" Mitch cries in mock betrayal. "I do."
I just nod, a smirk still present on my face.
"Meanie," he pouts, shaking my hand off of his.
"That's cute," I reply honestly.
As the day passes, I grow even more anxious. The sun has nearly set now, and land is not even in sight. I hear Mitch say something about the Adriatic Sea, but that's all I can gather from his geography. I silently curse Lindsey for being so convinced that she has no more magic left to give, otherwise we could have been there by now.
If we arrive even a minute late, it's likely that the Alvarados would be gone to another remote location that we'd have to chase down all over again. If this Sapphire is withheld from us for another wild goose chase, I think I'm going to actually scream.
I look over the edge of the ship, focused on the calming waves of the ocean as they move by, very very slowly. The water turns in on itself, causing tiny splashes that help to propel us forward, but not enough. I wish the water was faster. I wish that Venice was right in front of us, and that we were safe with the Alvarados, with answers. My knuckles whiten as I grip the side of the ship tightly, wishing and wanting something that I can't have.
I want him to be happy. I want both of us to be happy together.
At this thought, the ship jerks back, sending me flying and narrowly missing hitting my head on one of the masts. I catch myself as I fall to the ground, causing a sharp pain to climb up my arm. Mitch gasps and Lindsey stands up defensively.
"Is everyone alright?" Mitch asks, deserting the wheel and momentarily scanning the water for anything threatening or unfriendly that may have caused the disruption.
"I think so," I reply, moving my arm around and checking for any serious damage. It hurts, but I think it should go away.
"Good. Lindsey?" Mitch asks.
Lindsey nods, sitting back down on the deck.
"Where's Avi?" I inquire.
"Sleeping, I think," Mitch answers. "Well, maybe not anymore, after...that. I wonder what it was. The ocean's too deep here to hit the floor."
YOU ARE READING
The Clockmaker and the Pirate - EVERMORE BOOK 1
Fanfiction"The only thing I've wanted my entire life was to die, to die, to die. But then -- by a twist of fate you found yourself onboard my dinky little ship and you flashed your stupid smile and you gave me the opposite," he tells me. "What's that?" I...
