Missing

Chapter 5 - Tensions Rising

The next several days went by in a blur. Each day was filled with the same rhythm of events;  wake up, eat with the crew, watch the horizon, and lay down to sleep again. Sadie had asked Captain Brawn if she could help with anything, but he mutely shot her down. She wasn't yet trained in sailing itself, not that she would need to be - Telkott Trading hired people like Brawn for that. Everything was taken care of, so she could just observe the crew for the time being. She should have considered herself lucky to be let off without work, but  for Sadie, it was more frustrating to feel so useless. Even Andrea had a role - she was helping prepare the food rations. Andrew had been excited about it. "If there's one thing I can do, I can cook!" She exclaimed. Not that the rations needed much for cooking, but it gave Andrea purpose and helped to stave away the seasickness, which had taken her the first few days to get used to.

The rest of the crew had their own duties as well - the deckhands took turns on shifts on the deck, often switching multiple times throughout the day and night. Captain Brawn would also keep watch all night, hardly seeming to sleep at all over the course of the trip. Sadie would occasionally see him napping at meals, but the next moment he would be up again, inspecting the materials, watching the crew, or occasionally correcting one of the members.

It still seemed some of the sailors were uncomfortable about Sadie. Their voices would drop into a whisper when she entered a room. Jo introduced her to some of his friends on the crew, though, who seemed to get along with her well enough . Their names were Woody, Branson, and Carlt, and they each were close to Jo's age. Woody was a little shorter, only a few inches taller than Sadie herself, though he made up for it in personality. A day would hardly go by without Woody cracking half a dozen jokes. Branson was good-natured, similar to Jo himself, though his features were less fine. He was kind, though, and graciously accepted Sadie as another member of the group. Carlt was quiet and didn't talk much, but he was hardworking and obviously cared about the quality of the work he did. She started sitting with them at meal times, that is, when Jo wasn't on shift.

Sadie also spent quite a bit of time watching the sea. The ocean was so much different from what was seen from the shore of the colonies. More chaotic, and uncontrollable, as if it has a will and mind of its own that cannot be tamed. The same vast plain that had brought them so far along their journey could swallow up a ship with no mercy or sorrow. Only cold, unfeeling waves.

Standing against the railing of the ship, Sadie felt a presence beside her. She looked to her side, and up - it was Captain Brawn. He kept his eyes straight ahead, looking out to the waves. A moment of comfortable silence came between them for a time. Sadie looked out at the ocean, perking up at a shape that appeared in the waves. She squinted, watching the waves rise and fall, catching a glimpse of a few shapes and shadows. She blinked, rubbing her eyes, but the shapes were gone.

"What was that?"

Captain Brawn gazed out to where the shapes had disappeared below the waves. "Looks to be some Mati."

"Mah-tee?" the name sounded familiar, something her parents might have mentioned before.

"Ey, the Mati. Not much is known about them, besides a few tales and legends." He reached his hand up to his face, rubbing his jaw in interest. "They're said to be protectors of the world, placed by the Creator of the lands. Others think that they're sent from Neveah."

"And they're found in the sea?"

"Ey, though not all of them. I hear they take on the traits of the place they live." He paused again, looking deep in thought. "These must be ocean Mati, as chaotic and unpredictable as the sea itself."

Sadie nodded - she had heard about them before, except from Reeno. Like his other tales, Sadie tended to enjoy the theatrics of the tale as opposed to the truth behind it. Perhaps she'd make a note to ask him about them later. (Editors note - she did in fact forget to ask Reeno later). She didn't see any more of the Mati in the following days, though she swore that she could catch a glimpse of a humanoid shape in the distance from time to time.