Choose Your Own Adventure: St Helena Station Part 2

******* Author’s Note******

This is part two of my ongoing choose your own adventure style story St Helena Station. If you missed the first part, the link is below. Sadly you missed out on part one’s voting period but feel free to read and drop a comment/catch up on the story! Thank you for reading…… good luck.

https://vocal.media/fiction/choose-your-own-adventure-st-helena-station

Option 1— Step forward and speak up

You step between the man and the boy before you can talk yourself out of it. Your heart is hammering, but you keep your voice steady. "Excuse me, my friend and I are hungry."

The man in the bowler hat blinks, his mouth opening in surprise. "Your friend? I hardly think—"

You don't let him finish. You place a hand on the boy's shoulder and the two of you push past and enter the galley, his sputtering protests fade behind. He scoffs loudly and you listen as his polished shoes click away down the deck.

Inside, the galley is warm and smells like fish stew, the smell brings on another, stronger wave of nausea. A few other passengers glance up from their meals, but most are too focused on their own plates to pay you much attention. You find an empty table near the back, and the boy slides into the seat across from you.

He reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out a piece of twisted, pale root. "Here," he says, offering it to you. "Try this. You... look like you aren't used to sea travel. Chew it. It'll help."

You take the root, turning it over in your fingers. It looks like something dug up from a garden. "I just... put it in my mouth?"

"Yeah! Its ginger! Tastes kinda weird, but trust me. My family swears by it."

You pop it in and bite down. Immediately your mouth fills with a sharp, spicy tang that makes your eyes water. But after a few more chews the constant churning in your stomach begins to settle. The world feels a little less tilted.

"You weren’t kidding,” you give a small laugh. “It does taste a little weird but… thank you," you say, genuinely grateful.

"No problem." He grins. "Thank you for your help out there."

A waiter appears and the two of you place your orders. Salted cod and potatoes for you. The same for him, plus an extra roll. When the waiter shuffles off, the boy turns to you, giving you his full attention.

"You know, you didn't need to do that," he says, his tone light but his eyes serious. "I've been on this boat as long as you, and I still get dirty looks everywhere I go. People like him don't change their minds just because someone tells them to. Especially men like him. He's some kind of big time business man. I've seen him on the island before." He shrugs. "But listen, I appreciate it anyway."

You feel heat creep up your neck. "Just because he’s a… what’d you call him, ‘big time business man’, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stand up for what’s right. It wasn’t right.”

He smiles warmly at you "No," he agrees. "It wasn't." He extends his hand across the table. "Anyway, I'm Danny. Danny Kalani. Where are you headed?"

You shake his hand. His grip is strong, calloused. Working hands.

The letter crinkles in your coat pocket. You can almost hear Uncle Charlie's words again: Trust no one. But surely he didn't mean someone your own age. Surely he didn't mean a kid who cared enough to notice your seasickness and give you some ginger root?

"I'm traveling to St. Helena Station," you say, deciding that you’ll give just a little bit of the story for now. "My uncle works there. He's a marine biologist."

Danny's eyes widen. "Wait— is your uncle Charles Aldridge?"

You sit up straighter. "Yeah! Wait, you know him?"

"Know him!? I work for him!!” Danny laughs, shaking his head in disbelief. "Well… sort of. My dad does. He's one of the guides at the station. He also helps repair the boats, knows the waters, that kind of thing. The last few weeks he’s been working on some submarine project with your uncle! Sometimes your uncle and the other scientists need samples taken to the mainland— to the Scripps research center in San Diego! That's where I come in. I'm kind of like a courier, I guess."

He leans forward, excited now. "The things Helena Station are doing are just incredible! Your uncle's really amazing! Last month I delivered this jar full of... I don't even KNOW what it was. Some kind of jellyfish, but it had way too many tentacles. The scientists in San Diego went crazy over it!!”

The waiter returns with two plates of steaming food. You pick up your fork, but your mind is racing.

Danny works for Uncle Charlie. Danny's been to the station. He might know what spooked Uncle Charlie.

"Have you seen my uncle recently?" you ask, trying to keep your voice casual.

Danny pauses mid-bite, and his expression shifts slightly. "Not in the last couple months. I've been doing a lot of runs to San Diego," He tilts his head, as if he’s studying you, "Why? Is everything okay?"

You think of the letter pressing against your ribs. Trust no one, your uncle wrote. But, Danny just helped you. And he works for your uncle. Danny seems... genuine. Still, those words echo in your mind. Trust no one. Your hand drifts toward your pocket, hesitating.

What do you do?

1) Show Danny the letter. He works for your uncle. He might know something that could help you understand what Uncle Charlie meant. Besides, he seems trustworthy enough.

2) Keep the letter to yourself. You barely know Danny, and your uncle's warning was clear. You can ask questions without showing him everything.

**********Author's Note********

Once again, I'll try to keep this up about a week before posting the next portion. I'll also try to stay on top of this but school is back in session and I have to be in clinic once a week on top of my regular work and study schedule. Thank you to everyone for reading! Good luck... Choose wisely.....