The Man in the Wilderness

Abandon Ship!

Every day, I would wake up to the rocking of the ship. Back and forth, every minute of the day. I was sick of it, my family and I were traveling around the world. My family and I run a traveling sells ship. I sat in my room in the lower deck.

Hearing my father call my name, "Clara Grace Smith! Get up here now!"

I grimaced at him using my full name. I ran out of my room seeing my fellow crew members just smile at me for getting in trouble again. Walking and skipping up the stairs, to see my father steering the ship. He was tan from all the sun, his brown-gray hair with his beard grown out from not cutting it. His gray eyes staring at me with anger and mischief.

My mother stood beside him looking at a map. She saw me too, her green eyes full of knowing what I had done. Her black hair pulled up in a messy bun. Slowly walking to them, I heard my father sigh. Finally, standing next to them.

"Can you take the wheel for me, Joseph?" He asked the second-hand man.

"Clara..." My father said, sighing. 

I looked down as my long wavy brown hair fell down around my face. "Yes, father."

He put a hand on my shoulder, "What have I told you about playing tricks on the crew members."

I tried to hide the grin forming on my face. Remembering that I had hide firecrackers in some of the pot pies the cook was making for dinner. As soon as they crew member ate them, they exploded in their faces the other night.

I had sat there laughing my ass off. But my mother and father did not think it was funny, and now I was getting in trouble for it. "Since, you thought it was so funny to do that. I want you to go apologize to them and also you are to stay under the deck for four days. Because you are grounded."

Gasping, I lifted my head up. "What?! It was only a prank." I said, with anger coursing through me.

"I don't care if it was a prank. Now go do what I've said." He argued back.

Huffing, I stomped my way down the stairs and apologizing to the crew members. The took my apology and continued on doing their duties. Going back to my room, sitting on my bed. I sat up against the wall, thinking. I can't believe he grounded me for a simple prank. And I am 17 years old, I shouldn't be grounded. But still, they were my parents after all.

Sighing I laid down on my bed, taking a nap. I awoke to sound of thunder and rain hitting the deck above me. Suddenly, I sat up when I heard people screaming.

"Storm is a coming!" Sitting straight up, I ran out to the top deck, my loose white shirt and trousers were soaked from the rain. My hair plastering onto the side of my face. I heard my father screaming orders to the men.

Seeing my mother climbing up to the sails trying to save them. I ran up to my father trying to help him steer. My muscles started to burn from the pain of trying to get the steering back to normal.

When I heard someone yell, "Rogue Wave!"

Seeing a huge wave crash down across the deck. I didn't have a good grip on the wheel. Falling from the impact of the wave, falling to my knees and sliding to the side of the ship. Now, my body really hurt. Getting back up when a lighting bolt hit the ship, and a fire started out on the sails.

"Rocks ahead!" Another person yelled.

That's when the big ship hit the rocks, cracking the ship in half. I saw my father look at me, "Jump!" Running to the side, jumping into the water. Swimming away and climbing up onto a piece of wood.

I saw my father, trying to get to my mom. When the ship exploded, the fire had reached the gunpowder in the bottom of the ship. I screamed out, seeing my family and friends die before my eyes. Ashes started to rain down above me when I felt something hit the back of my head. Falling back against the wood. I saw dark spots cloud my vision, falling into the darkness.