Falling For The First Mate

Chapter 30

“Coral reef!” Drago boomed from his place at the helm. He had soldiered back to his favourite spot only a few moments after realising that he was going to live. Since then, his calloused hands had not left the thin spokes of the wheel, nor did they intend to. “Below the boat, a coral reef- it’s scraping the keel.”

Forgetting the chilling call of the mutant birds, all the men aboard rushed to the sides. However, when squinting into the clear blue water, no man glimpsed even the barest shadow or tiniest splash of colour beneath the waves.

“There be nothin’ there!” snapped Silvestre. “Fer the love o’ the ocean, Drago, get back to steerin’ the boat an’ don’t be tellin’ tales.”

Drago was puzzled. He was sure he had felt something shudder underneath them, as if the ship was caught on the tip of a rock or iceberg. But they were in the middle of nowhere- no land as far as the eye could see- and the waters were warm enough to bathe in, leaving no chance of ice formation. He shook his head, perplexed, but followed his Captain’s orders.

The next time something scraped the underbelly of the Maelstrom, it was Kade who made the connection.

“Drago’s right!” he called out confidently, leaving Evanora’s side for a moment to approach Captain Silvestre. “There’s something down there, I’m sure of it.”

Once again, Silvestre glared down into the ocean. And once again, he saw nothing. He narrowed his eyes, speculating if his crew would be so bold, so stupid, as to play a trick on their Captain. Deciding that if they were capable of mutiny, they were more than capable of a few jokes and jibes, he turned on his First Mate, scowling.

“Fine.” he snapped. “If ye’ all be so sure that there’s somethin’ down there, how about I keel haul the lot o’ ye’ so ye’ can see it up close?”

Nobody else dared say a word, not even when the boat rocked and swayed unevenly. Kade shrugged his shoulders as if to say ‘your loss’ and retreated back to his awaiting lover. Shen jumped down from halfway up the rigging, landing on his feet with expert poise, and strode straight past the Captain, over to the First Mate.

“I’m going down there to find out what’s going on.” he announced.

“Are you sure?” Kade cautioned him, voice low. “You saw what happened to the bird. There could be anything down there- all manner of murderous sea creatures.”

Shen nonchalantly laughed off his warning. “You seem to forget, Skyler, that I am one of those ‘murderous sea creatures’.”

Kade cracked a smile. The shadow creature had his mind set- it was apparent by the way he threw off his shirt and stretched in eager preparation to dive- so Kade saw no point in trying to dissuade him. Close at his side, Evanora reached for Shen’s arm.

“Be careful.” she commanded.

Every time she expressed her care for him, a part of Shen spilled. He noticed the bandana in her hair; the one he had chosen on the day they shared. The sun threw reflections onto the delicate cloth, ripples of water becoming part of her wardrobe. Beautiful to the point of pain.

She would make such a glorious water spirit, he mused, perhaps even a mermaid. They would float on the backs of the waves; she would sing to him, he would kiss the sea spray from her lips.

Shaking his head to dispel the fantasies, Shen cleared his mind. He had vowed not to see her that way, so instead he focused on the sea and stumbled to the railing.

Without hesitation, he dove from the boat, barely a ripple in his wake as he submerged.

Minutes passed. Not so much as a bubble bobbed to the surface, no clue to reveal the whereabouts of the explorer. Though the water was not shallow it was clear, and this made the shock of Shen’s disappearance ten times as forceful.