Writing Contest Entry | Still at Sea (WIP)

Instructions

Ocean water lapped at the edges of the boat as it rocked back and forth vigorously. The rain came down in sheets, only adding to the seawater that was being pushed onto the boat. The wind howled in my ears as it pushed the fore boom with its sails still up whirling towards my head. My heart throbbed as I quickly ducked. The cabin boys were running about the main deck, bucketing water overboard. A wave crashed onto the deck, soaking the wood even further. “Father, what is the matter?” I asked as I ran up to him at the helm. “Cordelia! I thought I told you to stay below deck with the other women!” “I did, the water leaked through the ceiling!” I grumbled. Thunder answered in reply, making my groan seem louder. “I want to help!” I protested, loud enough to be heard over the raging storm overhead. Father seemed to be contemplating this. “Alright. Batten down the sails on the main boom, then collapse the main topsail, but keep to the stern! We’ll survive this storm.” “I want to do more!” “Cordelia, I already told you. I don’t want a young woman like you to grow up to be an old seaman like me.” At that, he ducked under the main boom and gave the order for the anchor to be dropped. “I want to be at sea!” “Dilly, listen to me. When you’re grown up, no young man will want you if you do become like me. Now, make a decision and either stay below deck with the other women or do what I’m asking of you!” Father yelled. The rope he was holding slipped through his fingers. He tightened his grip and wrapped the rope around his hand a second time. I shook my head. /Father, don’t try too hard. I don’t care about young men; I just want you./ “Alright,” I said, “I’ll do it. I’m not going to stay cooped up any longer.” “Good girl,” he said, a smile starting at the corners of his wrinkled face. I ran to the back end of the ship, the wind blowing the shrouds in circles. I climbed them quickly and expertly unfurled the sails and tied them back to the main boom. I looked up. The rain pummeled profusely at my face, making me blink back the water. For one second, I thought the sky was falling in on me. My dark brown hair billowed in front of me, ruining the effect. I straddled the boom with my thighs and untied my rope bracelet to pull my wet hair back before continuing to shimmy across the boom so I could clamber down the mast and to the quarter deck. Below me, Father yelled something to his first mate, and he handed the rope controlling the jib to the first mate. I quickly climbed back down the shrouds. I took a deep breath when my feet hit the deck of the stern as I saw Father run across the deck and grab the life ring hanging over the bow. “Father!” I called to him. “Dilly! Get below deck!” Father threw the life ring over the fence that kept the deck from plunging straight into the ocean. “I don’t want you falling into the water!” I stood my ground through the cold rain pelting on my head. “What are you doing?” “We have a man overboard!” he responded over the wind. “Captain Atherton!” the man in the ocean sputtered, trying to reach the life ring. “Father, you have to save him!” “I’ve done all I can, Dilly!” “I’m not going to give up on you! You can reach the life ring!” I yelled to the man. His head submerged under the water for half a second, then he bobbed up just barely closer to the life ring. “I still can’t reach it! The tide is too strong!” he stammered again. The world seemed to move in slow motion as I looked down at the man, then at the dark, worried face of my father. I shed my soaking shawl and pulled a pocket knife out of Father’s pocket. I opened the knife and slit my skirts as best I could so I could kick freely. I gave a slight nod at Father, then looked at the sea below me. I can do this, I thought. I jumped. “Dilly!” I heard from above me. “Cordelia!” I ignored Father’s pleas to climb back into the boat and swam as fast as I could towards the man who had fallen overboard. Droplets of water poured on top of us. The ship rose and fell, creating even more mist. I looked behind me. My eyes widened and I stopped treading for a second, my head suddenly dunking below water. I coughed as I came back up. “Watch out!” the man whom I was supposed to be saving said. He pushed me again deeper into the water. A wall of water pushed me roughly against the bottom deck of Father’s boat. Bubbles from my breath floated out of my mouth and above my head. I made the mistake of breathing in the salty ocean water. Pain streaked through my chest. I tried to cough out the salty water, but it was of no use. Using the strength I had left, I swam upward along with the man who had fallen overboard. My lungs screamed for air, and I started to feel my body start to shut down. A cloud fogged my brain.