A Sinking Ship

Inky Black Depths

I didn't encounter anybody else on the path to the security center. 312. 618. 312. 618.

I reached the crossroads I had seen on the map, and took a right, vaguely remembering that it was the way to go. I thought back to the day I had met Simon. They way his eyes glinted with the buzz of alcohol. This was for him. If anything, I would get out of this for him.

My footsteps echoed down the hallway as I reached my final destination. Room 618. The security room. I opened the door quickly and wasted no time scavenging. On the back wall was a set of many blank monitors and a metal desk. I was too busy searching the drawers to see the small red box on the wall. After a few minutes of searching, I finally saw it. A gave a shaky laugh as I shattered the glass front with my gun. And there it was. A flare gun. Our savior. I pocketed it just as the ship groaned again. But this time it was louder. And then the sound of moving water came.

I ran out of the room just as water leaked down the hallway. How did it happen so fast? I trudged through the icy cold water as it rose. It numbed my skin almost immediately on contact. My teeth chattered loudly, and by the time I reached the crossroads again, the water was up to my waist. I didn't get it. It was raising slowly before, and now it was going so fast.

I was basically swimming when I got to the pool. That's kind of funny. I reached the otherside quickly and swam through the door. I shrieked as I felt my back touch the roof of the hallway. Shit, shit, shit. I took a deep breath, and dove under. I threw my arms back and sped off toward the door that led to the little waiting area. I grabbed the knob and pulled hard, but the rushing water was making it hard to open. My lungs were screaming for air when I managed to get the door open just enough. I slipped inside and swam doggedly. I pushed off of the couch and flew through the stairwell door. I propelled myself upwards with black dots dancing in my vision. I kicked off of the railing and pulled myself up with others.

I broke the surface with a deep breath and coughed violently. I pulled myself onto the landing, shivering and numb.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I whispered, feeling like my skin was about to fall off. I basically dragged myself up the rest of the way and opened the door to room 312.

"Sarah?" I croaked, grabbing as much clothing as I could find and changed into them. I looked at Sarah, but she looked...dead. I fell next to her and shook her until her eyes opened. "Sarah! Sarah, jesus christ. I'm so sorry."

"...fine." She whispered. I showed her the flare gun, and her eyes lit up just a bit.

"I got a flare gun." I whispered to her, letting out a shaky laugh. She gave me a feeble smile. "Okay, I'm going to get us out of here."

I slipped my hands under her burning body and lifted her gently. I kicked the door open as the ship began to tip. The whole place whined as the hull cracked and grinded. I struggled to walk up the know tilted hallway, but I made it to the staircase eventually. I heaved under Sarah's weight, hyperventilating. Each step I took took more strength than the last. Finally, I reached the deck level and opened the door slowly. The cold air met my already freezing air, and I moaned in pain. I placed Sarah against the wall and retrieved the flare gun. It was already loaded with a flare. I had just one chance to get this right. The ship screamed at me as I lifted the gun and aimed it at the stars. Just one chance. I took a deep breath, and pressed the trigger.

The red light burst out of the gun and flew at an angle into the starry night. It stayed up for a while before it reached its arc and began to descend. It watched as the light fizzled out and disappeared, leaving behind the hope that its beauty was witnessed by someone else. I picked Sarah up again and carried her to the pool area. I put her back down again against a wall so she wouldn't slide because of the angle the ship was now on. I sat down with her, watching the stars twinkle brightly in the sky. I threw off my shoes, knowing that it would be difficult to tread water with them on. Just in case. The other side of the boat began to fill with water as the boat continued to turn over.

I grabbed Sarah's hand, knowing that she wasn't going to make it, but feeling the need to comfort her on her way out.

"It's okay, it's okay." I whispered to her. Her eyes fluttered open for a second, and she smiled as I sang her a song that made always made me feel better when I was scared.

"Only you can make all this world seem right. Only you can make the darkness bright." Sarah began to hum along with my words. "Only you and only you can thrill me like you do. And fill my heart with love for only you."

A bullet implanted itself into the wall behind me.

I looked up to see assface staring down at me with a gun, standing on the wall.

"Thought you could get away, did you?" He asked viciously. There was no where I could go, except the cold depths of the ocean below. Another shot and I rolled away. The bullet hit where I had been and I made my decision. I grabbed hold of Sarah, and rolled off the wall. We tumbled down the ship and splashed into the inky black cold.

I could only describe it as being stabbed with thousands of knives. I held onto Sarah's hand and swam back up to the surface. I felt the cold air stab me, and I shrieked in pain. I pulled Sarah up, knowing that she couldn't swim with that leg. A few tables from the pool area had fallen in already and I climbed on top of one, dragging Sarah on as well. The ship sank further, and I paddled away quickly, trying to get away from it. When we reached a good enough distance, I laid down next to Sarah and shivered like a sick person. The ship sank and sank, until finally, it was gone. And in its place was nothing. My head hit the tables metal surface and my hand found Sarahs, even though I knew she was already gone.