Breathless | COMPLETED

Chapter Fifteen

Every bone in her body told her that this was wrong but what else could she do?

She could prove them wrong.

Yes, that's what she could do.

She could show them that she had what it took to be like them, hard as nails, carefree, able to live life on the edge. Isn't that what all seafarers wanted to do? Live life on the edge of death and fear no evil?

The storm was louder and seemed more aggressive since she was last out on deck. Rain was falling much harder, whipped up by the wind to slap against the side of her face as a biting wind penetrated her thin clothing. It felt as if she was being attacked by a thousand bees all at the same time.

She moved onto the companionway as a thunderous noise signaled the arrival of another plume of water, the bow slamming hard into another wave as spray lifted skywards; her fragile body twisting away to protect her precious cargo of tea from the salt water.

She doubled over, concentrating on taking each step one at a time, her shirt already soaked, her skin raw, the wind tugging at her trousers forcing her to slow down. She took another step away from the accommodation block and heard a familiar voice.

'LAUREN. If you can hear me ... back to the cargo control room.' It was Jim Rutherford standing out on the bridge-wing but his voice could barely be heard above the noise of the wind.

'LAUREN. DON'T GO ANY FURTHER!'

He waved his arms about frantically to try and get her attention.

'GO BACK TO THE CARGO CONTROL ROOM.'

Only she couldn't move.

She wanted to, she wanted desperately to but one minute the wind was trying to wrench the tray away and the next negative pressure was sending it plummeting towards the ground.

Tea began to spill from cups and then in an instant they were gone, the cups, the tray all taken from her grasp to crash onto the deck and out into the Atlantic.

She walked back, fighting against the cold, her shirt clinging to her skin, her trousers wet and her hair flat against her skull. She saw the Chief Officer watching, scowl faced as she approached and met Heath just around the corner wrapped inside his thick winter jacket ready to go back out on deck. He wore a smug grin on his face that ran from ear to ear.

'You are so fucking stupid Cox. You do you know that don't you?' he said. 'I can't believe you even fell for it. The chief's going crazy.'

Lauren brushed past without saying a word only to be stopped again by the sound of the Senior Cadet's voice.

'By the way,' he called back. 'Tell your mum thanks for the cake. Ask her to make a bigger one next time and I hope you liked what I left you. It took ages to catch them all!'

She took the last few steps more slowly, delaying the inevitable reprimand that came the minute that she walked into the control room, Rissondale quick to show his anger.

'I thought I'd seen it all,' he cried. 'I thought by now I had sailed around the world never to be shocked again but you girl have just taken the biscuit.'

The Chief Officer paused not for effect but because he was just too lost for words as he watched with both anger and concern at the sight of his youngest cadet shivering before him. He swung round and lifted his jacket from off his chair and launched it in her direction.

'Put this on for Christ sake before you catch your death of cold.'

While it was too big both in width and length it was wonderfully lined and the extra size immediately added warmth to Lauren's otherwise freezing legs.