Skye City: The Darkness of Emmilyn

Workout

'But I can't use the gym, I don't even have sports clothes, plus I'll get all sweaty!' I plead as we lounge in a table booth, but the others are getting restless from days of inactivity. The main deck is growing smaller by the day, and not everyone has my confidence to take to the dance floor in the evenings, so they have spent everyday sitting. And apparently their excess energy is my problem now.

'Come on, we can't just spend our time sitting around. We need to keep active,' Nelson says and I sigh as we rise from our seats, a short while after eating breakfast. I really would prefer not to make an idiot of myself working out in front of my boyfriend. This is actually mortifying.

I follow three testosterone-fuelled gorillas called Nelson, Anguson and Ahran across the deck into the adjoining gym which is surprisingly empty. Maybe now is too soon into the voyage or maybe too early in the morning for any sensible person to work out. The gym is full of weird contraptions that hold absolutely no appeal and I would have no clue what to do with any of them. The two silverbacks head for the bench press and I only know the name of this one from watching meat-heads working out beside basketball courts in the slums. My eyes bulge as they put an obscene amount of weight onto a metal bar, then take turns lifting and growling.

'I hope you're not expecting me to do that,' I say to Nelson who is standing at my side.

'Course not, let's try this one.' Nelson approaches a machine with large leather pads on metal bars which are spread apart like wings. He adjusts the back of the machine then sits with the pads by the side of his head, pushing them inwards so they close before his face. This lifts weights which are held behind his head by two thick wires. Definitely not my thing.

Quietly sneaking away, I leave Nelson to the ridiculous heavy lifting and approach one of several machines which two ladies are using – the only other people inside the gym. They are gripping levers and stepping up and down on these large pedal things. The exercise looks easy enough so I give it a go, gently stepping up and down, over and over, watching the gorillas lifting heavy weights and deafening the females.

The growling contest continues for half an hour or so, then Anguson and Ahran leave the bench press and approach a punchbag hanging in the corner. The pair take turns attempting to punch the damn thing from the mount and Nelson stops his workout to admire the freakshow, awestruck. Anguson mumbles something and demonstrates his punching technique, then Nelson imitates, hitting the punchbag with about half the power. He talks enthusiastically with the men and seems thrilled by the coaching experience.

'Come on, Emmi, your turn,' Anguson yells and I approach the gorillas who are sweating proudly and profusely.

'There is no way I'm punching that thing, thanks. I'll break my hand!' I watch the men punching for a while longer, tempted to sneak away, but there is nothing better to do than tolerate this stupid sweaty nonsense. Blam, blam, grunt, over and over again as dents appear in the red leather of the punchbag. So. Not. Impressive.

An eternity later, Anguson wipes his sweaty brow as his neck veins bulge and his beard glistens. 'Phew, I need to cool down now. Time for a swim,' he says, shaking his muscular arms as the punchbag slowly swings behind him.

'Okay, I'll leave you guys to it.' I turn to leave the gym, eager to shower and change my smelly clothes before Nelson gets a whiff of me. The two ladies have already fled and I feel relieved by the opportunity to escape and maybe rest inside the cabin. The stepping machine has left me worn out and I would not have the strength to swim, even if I knew how.

'No, no, you're coming too. Swimming is one of the best exercises for your cardio,' Anguson says.

'Sorry, no can do. I can't swim and even if I could, I have no costume,' I say, glad of the excuse because I have no desire to explain my previous water traumas. The last thing I need is frigging mutant flashbacks.