Nature sucks

With a hangover- chapter 1

It’s been 2 weeks since leaving port for the Antarctic research station, from the beginning its been hell n’ high seas. The constant bitching of the scientists and grumbles of the crew have annoyed you to no end. The constant shaking of the bed, vibrations from the engine and thumping of this ‘ship’ hitting the surf has kept you awake at night. Over all you’re always pretty pissed. Drunk, pissed drunk that is. It’s the only thing keeping you from jump of this endless void of annoyance. You were never one for sea, but with your no-so-current unemployment and piling debts, you were forced into a rickety old piece of shit of a boat.  Oh god how much I hate this boat. With its flooded corridors and rusted walk ways, to its late 1990’s tech, and finally the engines. It’s a miracle the boat floats, let alone that the engines still work. There old diesel’s, old but powerful, dam loud as well.

From previous talks with the crew you learnt this so called ‘ship’ is over 20 year old, and has been sitting on the brink of being decommissioned for the past 3 months. But unfortunately for me, she had one last trip left in her. Big bertha was her name and this is the beginning of the end.

Thump!

‘God dam I hate the ocean’ thinking to yourself.

THUMP!

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” falling out of you bunk you hit you head. Fumbling in the dark you search for the one thing you need. “Ah HA!” getting hold of the flask you down it in one gulp. Laying there, for what seemed for at least five minutes, you reach for the light switch, light floods the damp shit bucket you call home.

The instant the light turns on you hear knocking on the door.

‘Knock, Knock, Knock’

‘Shit why now, I only want to get some sleep’ thinking to yourself. Your about to reach for the light and pretend you’re asleep….. but and life had other plans.

THUMP!

Still lying on the floor, you felt the direct impact of the frozen arctic water hit the hull of the ship. Resulting from this as your head is lifted of its smashed against the cold hard metal of the floor. Coupled with the hang over this felt like someone was cutting you brain out with only a plastic Spork. A pained sigh slowly escaping your mouth is the only thing you’re able to do. The excruciating pain was…well….excruciating.

Getting to your knees, you notice the door to you cabin is still being knocked on, completely oblivious to you peril.  Fully standing, it takes you a good minute to regain you balance. The constant rocking of the ship and up and down movement of the ship always gets you. Stumbling to the door you open it a crack.

“What do yah want?” asking in an irritated tone.  You look over your fellow crew men, or women should I say, you through the slit behind you door, meeting her eyes.

“Captin’ wants to see ya” with that she turned around and left.

‘Fuck’ groaning to yourself, looking at you watch read 12:02.

“Twelve o’ two shiiiit” dragging out the last syllable. Going to the dresser you quickly slide on you under ware and inner thermals, though the next part isn’t so easy. For the next 20 minutes you trying to get thick, water resistant overall’s on. Sure, they went comfortable but if you fell in the sub zero water, without them on, you were screwed on a colossal scale. Finally you tie on the life vest and harness. The harness stopped you from falling of the ship, and if that failed, the vest kept you afloat for the metaphorical vultures pick at.

Going to the open door you slide out in to the gloomy dark of the corridor. Long, black and dull is all that crosses you mind. The interior lights gave a dull glow that only illuminated the knees of whoever happened to walk bye.  Snatching at the hand rail, you use it as a support against the constant rocking and rise and fall of the ship. The buzz of alcohol in your blood stream also does not help.

Cursing you self for drinking at this time you reach the end of the corridor you foot brushes against the first step.

THUMP!

Slipping you land face first on the stair case. Feeling like you have broken every bone and teeth in your face you reach up. Instantly your hands cringe away from your face, bringing tears to your eyes.

“God must hate me for some reason” is all you say as you have received your second supposed punishment.  First the floor incident and now this, ‘today is going to be just great, just FUCKING GREAT’ echo’s in your mind. Gingerly getting to your feet and brushing down your legs you assend the stair case.

Reaching your destination you look up at the door. Light seems to just ooze out of the small window. Rising form the dank and horrid corridors you emerge from the ship.

The sight you behold can only be said in one word:

Magnificent

There was a storm cell fast approaching the ship black and angry Columbus clouds seemed to crackle with hate and anger and the heavy down poor could be easily seen. Though that wa not the worst. The ocean was rough and dark with 20 meter high swell. This beauty inspired beauty but also fear. Fear of nature and what she's capable of.

Looking around you notice something terrifying, it was quiet. Not ‘ship’ quiet, with the wind blowing and the hum of the engine, but utter silence.  words echo through your head ‘a quiet ship is a dead ship’ . Looking around you see no crew, no whining science team and especially no yelling captain.

“Oh god” is all you can say as your head sweeps from wall to wall of the ship. Panic is starting to set in, sprinting down a walk way and into the bridge you’re met with silence.

Stopping to catch you r breath and looking around expecting to see the usual blinking lights of the computers and dad sitting in the captain seat. But alas no one is here. Slowly approaching the glass overlooking the rest of the ship you see that the bright orange life raft is still attached to the ship. “This isn’t right” You mumble, running your right hand through you hair. “This isn’t right” you repeat. ‘Don’t panic’ thinking to yourself, ‘Don’t panic, don’t panic, Don’t PANIC, DON’T FUCKING PANIC’ you turn around quickly and without looking  your face is met with the low hanging hatch that you entered through.

With a sickening crack your head makes contact with the steal of the hatch and then the steal of the floor. Your mind is slowly clouded with darkness and with the last your able to say is

“AWww Fuck…”