Stranded at Sea

My mind is foggy. Adrenaline is pumping, and my ears are ringing; my throat is full and choking. Of what? Bitter, burning, salty ocean water. Why? I'm struggling to stay afloat in the Atlantic Ocean, far from any civilization. That's right; it's coming back to me. I fell overboard! From where? My cruise ship. I was on a trip to visit the Caribbean for a well-deserved vacation. I was so excited; I'd never been on an exotic trip before. It was a massive win at the grocery store in a drawing, of which I never won anything. I dashed home and began packing shortly afterward. The ship would leave first thing in the morning.

I had three tickets, but I had no one to accompany me, so I traded them in for extra privileges, carpe diem, right? I boarded the ship at approximately 10:30 AM, in Florida, where I'm from, and said bon voyage to all the anxious families that were saying goodbye to their travelers. The cruise ship was extravagant. It was brilliant white with silver guard rails, large freshly-waxed deck filled with lounge chairs, and eager wait staff. In the middle was a massive in-deck pool shaped like a rectangle. There were two levels to the ship, one for the deck/lounge area, the cabins we all sleep in. But, how could I sleep!? I had so much to do. And so, I wandered around the ship, checking everything out until sunset.

Hours later, when the sky was pitch black; the waves were calm, I retreated to my cabin for some rest. After a few more hours of tossing and turning, I left my room wearing nothing but my pajamas and slippers. I wasn't hungry or thirsty, so I decided to walk around the deck again for some light exercise. It was quiet; I was the only one up, I suppose, at such a late hour. I stopped and leaned forward onto a guard rail for support. It was peaceful. Or it was until we hit a rough patch in the ocean. Suddenly, a brief announcement rang through the speakers. The ship had run into a sizeable patch of rock formations. The vessel was sturdy and secure but struggled to stay stationary. They told us not to worry and to take cover in our cabins until further notice. I couldn't.

Whenever I attempted to move from the safety of my guard rail, my feet would slide off in crazy directions, so I stayed still with my arms anchored onto it. I slipped and fell over the railing, between the excessive water, the thrashing around, and lack of proper footwear. Desperately, I grabbed the top and held on for dear life until I lost my grip, that is. I plummeted into the cold waters below. Before I knew it, my cruise ship was drifting away from me, far from my reach. I swam after it for a few minutes, but I was tired, sore, and struggling against the rough waters. Within minutes, the ship is far away on the dark and desolate horizon, never seen again.

Now here I am, all alone. I feel pain in my arm and warm, thick fluids coming from it. I'm bleeding in the ocean. I'm floating here, mortified as my only safe place drifted off into the unknown waters. I panic and begin screaming for it to come back. I don't know how much time passed, but I shouted until my throat was hoarse. Tears were soon to follow. With no hope for anything, I began swimming in a random direction, albeit slowly.

Off in the distance, I found salvation. A buoy! I make my way to it. As I was climbing up the ladder, I felt something brush by my leg. Huh, that's weird. I was suspicious for a second and then dismissed it. I got up onto the platform and collapsed.

There's not much space, but it's better than dying of hypothermia- the buoy rocks back and forth from my weight, but only slightly. My legs were leisurely wading in the cold waters when I felt it again. The same rough brushing past my calf. Probably a fish, nothing to fear. I trace the leathery surface of the body with my foot. Yeah, it's a fish, but it's enormous. I feel a point, a fin, maybe. Wait, a fin. It dawned on me, blood from my arm, ocean, nighttime, a sharp fin. Oh no! I yank my legs out of the water, only to have crushing pressure and excruciating pain upon them.

I couldn't see much, but I made out the outline of a jaw, several sharp teeth, and my poor leg stuck inside it. I howl in agony; It's a shark. I'm being attacked. I panic. And grab the sharpest thing I can find- a loose shard of metal and begin stabbing into my assailant. I must have hit it because it let go of me. There's blood, lots of it from the feel of it. There are several holes in my thigh and calf, all sensitive to the touch. Great, first I'm stranded, now I'm dinner for fish. I get far away from the edge or as best as I can and try to balance the shift in the buoy. Silence ensues.

I calmed down briefly before realizing that I wasn't alone. My eyes barely see it, but they do. Fins. Several large, rubbery fins. It brought its friends over for a feast. My leg and arm are still oozing; I'm exhausted, and monsters of the deep surround me. I put my hands together in prayer; that's all I can for now. In the corner of my vision, I spot an emergency flare box attached to the buoy. I could try and reach someone. I opened the panel box, pulled out a single flare and a gun, and shot that bad boy into the air. I thought I was saved. The sky lit up red and revealed to me in the distance, as it was before my cruise ship! At the edge of the horizon, but quickly approaching my direction. They had seen my flare!

Then it all went black. I had lost consciousness from the adrenaline, the exhaustion, and the blood loss. I slipped off the buoy and into the dark, unforgiving ocean below. I didn't feel anything at first, then all at once. Hundreds of razor blades are tearing into my soft meat and biting off chunks at a time. I can feel the heat and the bitter cold as my body drifts in the bloody waters. I'm long dead by now, but even then, I knew I was betrayed, not only by my ship but also by the ocean itself. I seized my day, and it seized me right back.

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