Redemption

Unwanted Reminder (Old Version)

The ride back over to the dry docks was thankfully short and couldn't have taken more than a minute, and yet the time seemed to have stretched out into years.

Though I wanted to feel happy that Madeline was finally getting what she wanted after all her years alone and the constant reminder of her pain would be gone, I couldn't, instead an uneasy feeling was growing within me as I looked at Madeline who had a small smile on her face and a glint in her eyes.

As we got closer I decided to put it on the backburner, there was no point in letting my emotions ruin what was supposed to be a happy moment for her.

Her ship came into view and the jeep slowed to a halt allowing us to hop out, Madeline walked forward to get a better view and I motioned to join her.

It's look was overall the same, her hull was still covered in rust and decayed paint and her superstructure left something to be desired but her keel looked a slight bit better than it did before with actual metal being visible instead of green algae and seaweed, granted the metal was worn thin and was still sharp and flakey but still an improvement.

The ship may have looked the same but the area around it had changed drastically, there were large crates strewn about the dry dock in seemingly random places and long wooden planks stacked near the edge of the concrete to be used for building more of the towering scaffolding that occupied the side of the ship with different Bosun Chairs and Cage Systems hanging from it.

There was also quite the commotion happening on deck, people were angerly shouting with one another as they tried to motion a crane over the cargo hold, a worker hanging from the cable getting directions from the people below and repeating them to the man working the machine.

We watched as they worked it over to the position and lowered it into the ship, most likely to other people already stationed below waiting to secure the ropes to the cargo, and from there a near silence followed.

For a moment there I was worried that something had happened or someone had forgotten to leave their mask on until a man started walking towards us with a radio in his hand.

He addressed us, "Good afternoon Miss Enterprise, and from what I've heard you must be Miss Madeline, correct?"

I watched as she took a step forward and tried her best to wipe the smile off her face, "You are indeed."

"Well, the commander told us of your situation and how you got and everything so I was just wondering if you would like to give us the go ahead."

The smile then returned to her face and cleared her throat before answering, "You may proceed with the removal."

The worker returned the smile, "Very well, Ma'am," he then turned on his radio and ordered the crane operator, "We have the A-Okay, go ahead."

"You got it!" A crackling voice responded and the sound of a mechanical winch being activated filled the air.

And for a short bit that seemed to be the only noise that could be heard, that was until Madeline's crutches fell to the ground and she fell forward onto her hands in pain.

I rushed over to her and tried to help her to her feet but stopped when I noticed her face, her eyes where bloodshot and dilated, her noise was bleeding heavily and she was coughing violently, after which blood also appeared dribbling from the sides of her mouth.

Not wasting any time, I ordered the man to tell the crane operator to stop everything and leave the cargo in place before picking up Madeline and rushing back over to the jeep with her in my arms.

The man spoke into the radio just as I had yelled at the driver to return us to the hospital immediately, he complied and soon we were off speeding down the pavement towards the main gate while I held Madeline close to me, she was shuddering and had fallen unconscious.