Straight Shot ➳ Oliver Queen

01. 1,839 Nights

The sky was dark like an omen of death luring over the sullen ocean. The waves were becoming more violent by the second, thrashing against the sides of the Queen's Gambit. The yacht was an erratic pendulum, rocking back and forth unsteadily and lightning crackled overhead in flashes of blinding light. The lightning illuminated the ship's interior when the lighting fixtures finally flickered out as they had been threatening to do since the storm began. 

On the deck of the ship, a crew member clung to the metal railing lining the edge. While he linked one arm around the railing, his other hand fished an emergency marine flaregun out of his raincoat pocket. As he struggled to steady himself enough to aim the flaregun at the sky, a heavy wave rolled menacingly towards the yacht. The boat pounded over the wave like a speedbump and the deck jostled. The crew member tumbled overboard, landing in the ocean with a splash that was minuscule compared to the boat beating against the water. 

The sound of blaring sirens underlaid the irregular drumbeat of thunder. The signals for help didn't seem to be reaching anyone, meaning the ship was going down in what was a silent helter-skelter to the rest of the world.  

"Oliver!" someone yelled. Robert Queen was barreling through the halls of the large ship, tumbling from side to side as the volatile waves continued to jostle the ship. He bounced off of the walls and used the chair rails for balance as he maneuvered closer to the room Oliver was set up in for the night. "Oliver!" he called once more, his voice cracking with desperation. 

"Dad!" Oliver yelled, tumbling out of the bedroom. He would have completely lost his footing if Robert hadn't grabbed onto the cuff of his pale blue button-down shirt. 

"Son, put this on!" Robert insisted as he slipped the uninflated lifevest off from the crook of his elbow. He held Oliver steady and helped him slip the orange vest over his head. Robert was already donning a matching vest, which he had been given by one of the crew members. 

"Is the ship going down?!" Oliver hollered over the bellowing thunder and temperamental waves slamming against the ship and splashing onto the deck. The rain was just as violent, clashing with the windows.

"Everything's going to be alright!" Robert promised, but Oliver knew he was lying when he felt his shoes becoming soaked with salt water. He glanced down to see that the hallway was flooding with ocean water, the levels quickly rising. "We need to get off the ship! There's a life raft waiting overboard!" Robert explained and Oliver didn't hesitate following after his father. He chased him onto the deck where two more men in orange life vests were grappling to the railings. Oliver struggled to keep his eyes open as the harsh wind blew raindrops into his eyes. The raindrops felt like shards of glass against his skin.

"Get below deck!" One of the seasoned sailors ordered, swiping his arm through the rain to motion them back to the interior of the ship.

"The ship is going down! I need to get my son to a life raft!" Robert argued. In the true Robert Queen fashion, he was ready for any fight that was in his son's best interest. 

"With all due respect, sir, I've been sailing for thirty years! Everyone needs to stay low in the ship! It'll keep you safe and lower the boat's center of gravity! It's safer!" The man tried to explain quickly. There wasn't much time to argue. Robert didn't seem convinced by the argument. 

"The lower decks are flooded! We'll drown down there!" Robert decided. Just as he made his declaration, the ship tilted on its side and the crew tumbled into the railing of the deck. Oliver winced as his ribs slammed into the bar, knocking the wind out of him. He coughed and clutched his side. 

"Oliver!" Robert shouted, but Oliver was distracted by his sore ribs as he peaked under his shirt and checked for signs of bruising. The life vest restricted him and he couldn't lift the hem of his shirt enough to see the site of impact. "Son, I need you to listen to me!" He barked over the mercurial symphony of thunder, rain, and crashing waves. The storm was reaching a climax and the waves were rising high enough to spill over the sides of the ship and drench the highest points. "I love you, son! I need you to know that!"