Anchored

Epilogue

The rain sounded at first like laughter. it shreiked with joy at the damage it was doing. Only stopping to increase the amount of water assulting the earth. Ocean and wind pound against my stained window, causing it to groan with effort.

THE SEA LADY was a small, beat up boat, that my dad would say was 'worth less than penny'. Her sails were torn and faded, her wooden sides peeling and splintering. The cabins where we slept smelt like mold and sea water always covered the floor, but she was beautiful in her own way.

My father and I, had grown up in the salty embrace of the ocean. I had lost my mother to a car crash, the same one that had left a dark scar tracing the right side of my fathers face. Her name was Evileen. I wish I could say I looked like her, but I don't. I have bright green eyes, hers were dark brown. I have brown curly hair, her hair was blond. My face looked rough and tan hers was soft and always a creamy pale. I was young when she died, five years old. It was a gloomy day full of rain, much like this one.

The storm outside continued to thrash the boat. Cans and kits of all sorts tumbled of the shelfs smacking into my, now bruising, body. I grab onto the walls trying with difficulty to get up to the top deck. My father is already there, his shirt plastered to his back and his hair loosely falling around his face.

"Tanner!" He shouts over the rain, "Get over here and help me boy!" I trudge through the rain over to him with my hands hideing my face from the storm.

"Quick grab that rope!" He says holding up his own fraying end. I hoist it over my shoulder and follow him to the front of THE SEA LADY.Together we rap the rope around a group of barrels that had been rolling around the deck knocking things over board.

Huge waves start to beat Against the boat causing it to rock and lurch more violently. I lose my grip on the rope and my father slips over board taking the barrels with him. his head hits the side of the boat as he falls, and I know he wont be able to swim for himself. Swimming in a storm awake is dangerous enough. I reach for his submerging form but I cant get a hold of him, and I watch with dread as he disappears into the darkness below him.

I'm too busy reaching for my father to notice the mast coming for my head. it slams into my ear, throwing me to the deck.  it hurts, God it hurts. I'm slipping away. "NO!" my head screams. "Don't pass out!". but my eyeslids close shut, leaving me to the storm.