I felt trapped in Charlotte Town. There was nothing for me there, no room to grow.
So I cut my hair, changed my name, and got a job on a steamship.
I didn't expect to fall in love with Gilbert Blythe.
The only problem is, he thinks I'm a boy.
[gil...
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The first day of being on the steamboat was mostly just the fireman showing the new workers how to do the jobs correctly. Sydney didn't see much of that Gilbert boy other than seeing him from across the room as he focused on what the fireman was saying.
She was intrigued with him, but Syd didn't exactly know why. She has talked to him for less than a minute but for some reason she found herself glancing over at him a few too many times.
Gilbert Blythe had seemed to have found himself a friend. Syd overheard one of the older workers calling him Bash. He was tall and had dark skin. Bash also had an accent that Sydney enjoyed listening to instead of the fireman's loud voice and obnoxious tone.
Now Syd was listening to the soft noises of the ocean. The salty smell of the water was overpowered by the strong scent of smoke and other unpleasant smells that gave Syd a headache. Sydney Salem was never one to get seasick or motion sick but combined with the heat and smells, it was getting hard for Syd to resist the urge to throw up her lunch. Her hair was already clouded with smoke and ash and her skin had spots of black soot.
Looking out the small circular window, she watched the soft waves move as the ship moved along with it. Everyone else already seemed to be sound asleep although it was hard for Syd to see in the dark room.
"You still awake Salem?" Syd looked over at the deep and raspy voice from beside her.
"You know it, Flint," Syd smirked at the man beside her. Robin Flint was a short man with a narrow face and little hair. He had been working on the steamer since he was 25 years old, he was now 36. "My mind and imagination can't seem to settle down tonight. The waves and stars allow for a wide variety of daydreams. I can't help but remember how the night sky looked back in Charlotte Town."
"Aw, is the little boy homesick?" Flint teased as he playfully pouted.
The two shared a quiet laugh, making sure to not wake anyone up.
Across from Syd's bunk, Gilbert was quietly laying down, staring at the ceiling while also unintentionally listening in to their conversation. Syd's high-pitched laugh lighted up the dark room and almost took away Gilbert's need to sleep. The way he described simple things reminded him of a certain fiery redhead.
Syd's descriptive imagery was for the most part unnecessary but Gilbert definitely appreciated it. It added some spirit to the otherwise gloomy atmosphere of the ship.
"I don't necessarily miss Canada, but I also don't not miss it. It's more like I miss the people that used to live there." Syd sighed wistfully as she laid down on her arm. "But I'm lucky to have a home to go back to. At least I have a choice."
"Amen to that. Try to get some sleep boy, the first day is always the hardest." Flint nodded his head tiredly at the young "boy" and pulled his cap over his eyes as he was pulled under the euphoric blanket of sleep.
