Asleep // Reddie

two.

As the crew stood below deck, Richie could hear more splashing against the sides of the ship. He assumed it was only a matter of time before the sirens started singing, and once they did, it would be the end of the road for the Queen Penny. It was a shame that it would be ending like this. Richie and the crew had gotten out of far worse situations. It was kind of embarrassing that they were going to meet their demise at the hands of some fish bitches.

"Any ideas? Anyone?" Bill asked, ruffling a hand through his hair. He was trying to keep a brave face for the crew, but Richie could see the panic in his eyes. He looked to Stan, who stood stoically next to him. Stan was the idea man around here, maybe he could think of some way to get them out of this.

"Captain, I mean this in the most optimistic way possible, but I think we are facing certain death." Stan replied, his face stony.

A panicked silence fell over them, and it felt unreasonably hot in the cabin. Eddie, Richie noticed, was tucked away into a corner, tapping his foot anxiously. A pang went through his chest. Maybe Richie deserved this, he'd done a lot of unforgivable things in his life. But Eddie? Eddie was pure, and good, and... light. He didn't deserve this. Eddie should have a long life, doing what he loves with the people he loves. And now some sirens were going to take that from him.

(A flash of Eddie underwater, hair floating around him like a halo, his mouth open in a final, desperate cry for air)

Richie shook his head, trying to clear that particular thought out. That wouldn't do him any good right now. He needed a clear, focused mind right now. If that was even possible.

"Maybe we could try a distraction?" Six heads turned towards the voice, which had come from Ben. "We could get them all focused somewhere else, and then get out of here."

"I think that sounds like a good idea." Bev nodded, lost in thought. Bill cleared his throat.

"I'm worried about the getting away part. Penny is fast, but she isn't fast enough to outrun some sirens. You all know that." Their captain was giving up hope fast.

"The mainland isn't too far from here. We could-" Mike began, but was cut off by Bill.

"I said no, alright? It's too much of a risk."

"And staying here, waiting for death, isn't?" Bev burst, her notoriously short temper finally making an appearance. "It's our only choice, Bill."

The seven of them were silent for a moment, and Richie had never felt more claustrophobic in his life. He hated feeling helpless, hated not having a choice in his own fate. The crew had been in many impossible situations in the past, that was true. But this was the only one that had no visible light at the end of the tunnel. Well, maybe it did- but this light was the death kind, not the "good future" kind.

"Captain, I think she has a point." Stan said, clearing his throat and breaking the silence. Bill stared at him, and it may have just been a trick of the light, but Richie almost swore he could see tears in the captain's wide eyes. After a thoughtful pause, he said:

"Fine. What kind of distraction?" Bill surveyed their terrified looking faces.

"Some sort of big noise. Like a cannon?" Ben offered up.

"Bev and I could fire some cannons into the water. Maybe they'll go over to check those out, and then we can get the hell out of here." Richie didn't even realize he was the one speaking until after he finished. He supposed it had to be him and Beverly, as much as he hated putting one of his best friends in the world in danger. The two of them were the most weapons-oriented members of the crew, and Richie was pretty sure they were the only ones who even knew how to work the cannons.