Alex dreams of drowning
Nick and I were sitting at the docks again. Usually after a busy week of training and chores we dangled our feet down the docks and watched ships. Hear the people talk and shout orders.
I am not particular fond of ships or sailing, but I know Nick is, and I know that if left to his own devices he will get into more trouble than he should. A new ship comes into view from the horizon and Nick immediately begins to tell me the details about the ship what the strengths are and the speeds it can go. If only he got into less trouble I would be sure he would make a brilliant sailor. Perhaps even one day worthy of serving in the Royal Navy of Amber.
I see the sun going down dusk starting looking at Nick “Come we need to get back, we can’t stay here all evening, and if we do not return in time we will have no dinner tonight. You know they won’t wait. “
It took a bit more convincing but at a point I got Nick with me, reluctantly I might add. We walked down the docks and Nick was slow, straggling but I gave him that much. I think he is part Rebman or something. At a point I look back and can’t see Nick anymore, with a sigh I turn back and trace my steps back. Not to far back I hear him. “Hey Alex psss here! Come here!”
Calmly I walk over and watch what he is pointing at, an old decrepit small sailboat. One of those one man fisher boats.
Nick’s voice enthusiastic and excited, “lets get on it and sail a bit outside the harbor. Then we’ll turn around. I think someone left this here to sink on its own and I’m sure I can sail this one. “
With a ,are you serious look, and a groan I shake my head. “Nick if someone left it here to sink, don’t you think that it is not seaworthy anymore. It would be far to dangerous. Especially to got outside of the harbor. And it is getting to dark so lets go back home. “
Nick looked at me with those puppy dog eyes he often uses to get his way. Followed by that highly disappointed look and a pouty “you are riiiight, lets go back. “
Shoveling some stones in the water with his feet. Happy I got him convinced, I turn and start walking.
“We can always see if we can rent a boat tomorrow or something Nick, I know it is not your ship then and we will have adults supervising but that is not that bad right?” I stop, my heart skips a beat I don’t hear Nick. “Right Nick?”
I jerk my head around and see him on the little sailboat, he is already tossing the lines away and starts to get the little crappy thing going. So instead of using my head and getting help I take a sprint and run jump from the side wall onto the little boat. With a serious look I look at Nick.
“Seriously? Bring this thing back against the dock walls and lets go home!”
I knew I was talking to a brick wall. He had this grin on his face and that twinkle in his eyes. That boy is one day going to be the death of me.
Nick ignores me and starts to pull ropes and check lines and the rudder. I just stand there stunned. This little thing goes faster then I had expected and while I was getting a grip of myself again I see we are sailing out of the dock area and going to more open waters. Call me a scaredy cat but I was afraid. I am a good swimmer mind you but the idea of so much water and the growing distance between land and our surely sinking sailboat.
Finally I am able to move or say something, Nick, clearly in his element started to sing a sea shanty, he has a good voice for it and a decent musical ear but dangit this was not the time for singing. I take him by his shoulders. “Nick we have to get back. You have no clue where we are going and this little boat is probably going to sink from under us. I do not want to swim back all the way to shore or the docks and walk drenched back home. “
Nick laughs and pats me on the hands. “There there, my friend, you know archery I know sailing trust me I know what I’m doing. “
There was no beginning with this guy. He had his mind set and was dragging me along with his disastrous plan. Time passed and I was surprised we hadn’t sunken yet, though I have no clue how much time had passed. We were out in the open water and it was dark. Now and then Nick looked at me and I gave him a hopeless look back. I had given up trying to convince him. With a grin he says. “alright lets go back. It is really getting late and cold. “ The relief on my face was obvious.
Nick started to work his way with the sail and such I didn’t offer to help I had no clue what was needed, if he needed me to hold something I will but that is my extend of usefulness.
The wind was giving Nick some trouble or so I understood from his mutterings under his breath. I decided not to ask what was going on I rather had him focused on the task of getting us home rather then that I was nagging at him.
The wind changed suddenly. And I blame the horrible state of the boat that the line broke loose and the boom hit Nick and knocked him out cold. I was able to keep him on the boat but little good did it do I saw we were making water as the waves were getting higher and higher. This little boat would become a deathtrap for us. I started to pull loose some sturdy planks which I hoped would float well enough to help me and Nick to get to land safely. I took some ropes as the sails weren’t needing them anymore and tied a harness around Nick and a harness around myself so we were connected in case I would lose grip of him in these waves.
Oh this was going to be hell to swim in, in open water. Nick was starting to forma big bruise on his head but he wasn’t bleeding, that was at least something, I did not have to worry about immediate infection of bleeding out in the waters. I tried to get into the right direction with the little boat but it was no use I had no clue what I was doing. At a point I just gathered all my courage and lowered myself and Nick who I had made a little floater raft for into the water. It was freezing cold but my body didn’t protest to much, I suppose that is the positive sides of adrenaline surging through your body.
I was cussing out Nick, I don’t care if he hears me or not, but he will now I am not happy. And if we survive this I will remind him that his ideas are stupid and freaking dangerous. I try to get in a rhythm of swimming, it is hard though, the waves make it very difficult to get into a steady movement. And fighting against the waves is really tiresome. I don’t know how long I had been in the water. And how long I had been fighting and swimming and chocking on the salty water. But at a point I couldn’t feel my legs anymore and my arms felt like rubber bands. The floater I made for Nick was still holding, now and then I heard him coughing as he must have gotten some water over his face but overall he was doing okey. I tried to lean on the planks where I had put Nick on but it was clear it was not going to hold the both of us. So I had to keep going. Again, swimming, moving, was I still going forward… was I even going in the right direction? I didn’t know anymore, all I knew was I was not going to make it. The fear started to get a grip around my stomach and heart. I couldn’t get a grip on my movements. I was just flailing in the water now. More and more water got in my mouth, my throat burning. Mom is going to be so upset. I should have been stricter with Nick. I should have stopped him, shouted for help. Nick would have hated me but at least we would be alive. At a point I was more under the surface then above it, and I felt my body acing for lack of oxygen. My mind numbing. Guess this was it then. I just stopped fighting.
Unconsciousness came quick. And I surely thought that death was next but I woke up with my face in the sand of a familiar beach, Nick next to me still on his little raft. I was shocked, I was alive. I checked Nick. He seemed fine as well besides the gnarly bump on his head that is. I looked back over the water, were we this close to shore? Didn’t feel like it. With a frown I shake my head and with the ropes I tie Nick to the planks and to the harness I had him attached to. I have to get Nick to some medical assistance, and I am starving. The sun was rising again. I’m sure some might have started looking for us already. When at Bright Edge, I got a hug from mom, a very worried look at my salt and sand crusted clothing and Nick was brought immediately to some medical attention. I told mom what happened. And that I was stupid not to call for help. She did fully agree with me but was happy we managed to get to shore. I did tell mom I didn’t know how. It felt we were further from shore then that the waves would have carried us. Mom said that I should not worry at night and times of stress these things can look different then they are. I take her word for it. That day I took a long long hot bath, and a day off to get my muscles some rest they deserve. Though still when I am plagued with bad dreams. It always involves drowning. And since that day I have not sailed on open water again.
