I was assigned the USS Indianapolis as it was being completed; a mighty warship, wrapped in metal and wreathed in guns. I was ecstatic. None of my Maiden friends had ever been assigned a warship before!
She was being finished in the dry docks and would soon be sent out for test runs with a full crew. Her crew was already gathering in town, anxious to get underway.I peeked at a few of them as I waited, impatient. They were all very young, the oldest being the captain, who was in his fourties. Most of the crew, however; were in their late teens and twenties. Several, I noticed, had lied on their entrance forms to get into the Navy.
The boys' laughter was infectious, and I commonly found myself laughing along at whatever joke they had told each other, even though they couldn't hear me.
They couldn't see me either, as was customary for a Maiden. Some perceptive people might be able to notice the slight shimmer that can happen if I stand in direct sunlight, or the cup that I may knock off the table. Most people blame the ticking of the ship or mirages for these strange occurances.
I was completely alone on a ship with a crew of 1,195 men.
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Maiden of the USS Indianapolis
Historical FictionEver wonder why ships are reffered to with female pronouns? Well, way back at the christening of the first ship, it was named after a girl who was no longer alive. It was said that her ghost haunted the ship. Ever since then, a spirit has been assig...
