Andrilison

Melting frost

Guided by a friendly merchant, Captain Perlamo emerged onto the  beach and saw why she was stressed. On the sand were about twelve ships in various arrays of damage. All carried similar damage. Some were covered in frost and melting ice, others' hulls were blackened from fire. He saw a clump of people looking out from a fisherboat to the shallows. Following their lines of sight he realised why they looked so confused. Out about two hundred metres from land was a ship skewered by an enormous icicle. One man, a grizzly looking sailor seemed to be in charge of the cleanup. The Captain came over and asked where he could help.

"Well ya could take the timbers from there and stack 'em for storage or ya could go with them and salvage that irritant."

"Where would I be most useful?" He asked pondering his options.

"Well if ya look half as good a sailor as ya look we'll need ya to cut that down."

"Good I'll join them then."

Captain Perlamo left the company of the sailor and went to the fisherboat. They pushed her off the beach and clambered on surfing her to the icicle. They dropped anchor a few metres away to not hit it. They rowed out to the jagged icicle and clambered onto the slippy surface. All of the helpers looked up at the ship.

"Well chaps. I hate to say it but we aren't getting that down easily." One of the sailors said.

An audible creak pierced the air. Seagulls flew off of the deck, screeching and circling in the air. Wood dusts and planks fell off of the ship as it slipped down a few feet. The hull sustained another crack and the two sides shifted down.

Captain Perlamo estimated a few minutes before it came down.

"Everybody clear off if this icicle! The ship is going to split and fall!" He exclaimed.

People looked around frantically and began to run to the running boat. Another crack split the boat further, the anchor came down sending shards into the air. The chain followed cracking like a whip and slapped into the back of Captain Perlamo. The force hurled him throw the air and his chest slammed into the ice floor. Dazed and winded he slid down and into the chilled sea. He paddled out further until he reached the warmth and turned onto his back and began to float. By this point everyone was in the rowboat rowing to safety. Another crack split the air and the ship plummeted shattering into the ice sending splinters and planks everywhere. The icicle crumbled and split falling into the ocean.

The old sailor looked over to see an enormous wave ripple out as the whole thing sank. 'At least its not an eyesore,' he thought to himself bemusedly.