Tale of the Raging Sea

Chapter 9

The word "chaos" is a word that is thrown around like a useless wash rag. Chaos was an understatement. Chaos was something I thought I've experienced before. Chaos was far worse than I imagined. The destruction that a human can do with their hands is truly something fearsome.

[December 7th, 1941]

{ 06:00AM }

It started out as a normal day. I woke up, ate breakfast with my fellow EURYDICE members, and got into my uniform. Despite of last night, the crew didn't seem to be as depressed as they were. There was small talk at the table, but it soon died out when we were called to our posts. All of us exchanged nervous glances at each other. Jason was going around patting everyone on the back and shaking hands. I tried to follow suit. It was so hard when most of them bore eyes of impending doom. I wondered if my eyes looked like that as well because Jason gave me a tight pinch on my bicep.

"Good luck today everyone." Jason told us as we started heading out the door.

"You too, Captain." I replied, words full of worry and concern. I really wished that they didn't come out that way. I was confident Jason could handle anything the Axis could throw at him. He was The Eagle in the midst of canaries. He nodded at me, but his face didn't seem too concerned. I never stopped to think what it was like to feel the burden he felt. He led pilots, he led inspections, he led us. We all depended on him. It must of been hard for him to see our faces and think it would be the last time he saw us. I was going to make sure that I came back to share a couple of coca colas with him. I smirked and saluted to him. That seemed to put him at ease a bit. "See you later." I put my arms around the boys and ushered them outside. I wanted to give Jason time to himself.

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{ 6: 40AM }

Leo, Charlie, and I were assigned to the USS California for the day. Castor and Pollux, Conner and Travis, and Ethan were assigned to the USS Arizona. We patrolled around the ship and saw nothing. That made me extremely anxious. The waves seemed feel what I was feeling. It lapped the side of the side over and over nervously. Leo got new orders to head towards the airstrips and off he went to aid Jason with aircrafts. I was glad I wasn't the only feeling nervous of how calm the morning seemed to be. I walked around the ship, avoiding my superiors and the orders I knew they would give me, to find Charles. He was cleaning dirty dishes in the scullery. He gave me a quick glance and nod, which meant everything was okay down there. I climbed back to the deck of the ship and ran into one of my superiors. He ordered me to check the anti aircraft ammunition supply. I thought that was a bizarre the way he said it. It was as if he was anticipating an attack.

Nonetheless, I did as I was told and climbed down the ladder to head to the compartment, but I caught a plane coming at us. My blood rushed through my body and I felt an adrenaline rush flow through my veins. I tried to identify the plane, but it whizzed by so fast, I only caught a bit of red. When it circled around, I saw the symbol completely. It was a red circle; the symbol of the Japanese. I started to head back up the ladder when I felt the boat jump up, causing me to surge forward and crash against the floor. Instantly, heat followed by pain rushed into my left shoulder. I grabbed my left shoulder and heaved myself up.

"We've been hit! We've been hit!" I heard someone from the deck. "We've been hit by a torpedo!"

I silently cursed to myself and climbed up the ladder, wincing all the way up. My superior ran up to me and shouted orders at me. I did my best to try to focus on the orders. He was saying it so fast, I couldn't understand all the words. His orders didn't seem to make any sense either. He stopped yelling when the boat began to list dangerously. Some sailors hung on the railing while others missed their chance and fell right into the harbor, with a grotesque, bone crushing sound. I would of fell too if it wasn't for a fellow seaman, who we nicknamed Fish. He had the face of a fish and his father was fisherman in his hometown of Tampa, Florida. It was something he was used to, and I regrettably called him Fish many times. I was glad he didn't resent me. He could've of let me fall, but his expression was something I hoped to never see in my life. It was contorted with worry, fear, sadness, and utter shock. His hand was wrapped around my wrist for the whole time he hang sideways until the boat rocked back into place. He let go of my wrist and I rubbed it. He looked at my wrist in a terrified way. It was black from how hard he was holding me up. I was surprised he had that much strength. He was a scrawny fellow who didn't look like he worked out much. I was sure he was a volunteer.