One night Winter asked if I wanted to learn some moves. I told her yes. I mean why not? I'll learn from a pro. Hopefully I wouldn't embarrass myself too much. She started the song over again and showed me some simple moves. They weren't that hard to do. Then she started going faster. Thats when she lost me.
"Ok I'm just not getting it." I said laughing.
"It's easy come on try it again. Ready?" I nodded even though I wasn't. "Ok. 1 2 3 4, 5 6 7 8. Got it?"
"No. You're speaking in numbers. Who speaks in numbers?"
"Ok I get it now. Let's try it again but this time I think I know how to do it. Ready?" I wasn't sure this time but I still nodded yes. "Ok. Right, left, back, back, up, left, forward down. Got it now?"
"Actually, ya I do now. Direction's are much easier than numbers." I laughed again. She turned off the music and we sat on the floor.
"You're not that bad you know." She said.
"Ya you're right. I'm horrible." We both laughed.
"No you're not. You're not great but, you're so not horrible. Trust me I've seen worse. I'm gonna go to bed. Good night Jim." She got up and wen tto her room. Then next day I didn't see Winter at all. She must have been busey.
"Hey Jimbo! Come here for a second. I need your help." He took me down to the long boats. We untied the ropes holding it down. Then he jumped onto it, saluted me and left. Then another memory came back. The last day I saw my dad. I was only 12 when I woke up late. I saw out the window he was leaving without saying goodbye. I ran down stairs to find mom crying. I ran out the door to catch up with. I fell once but got back up quickly. The ship took off right as I got to edge.
Then I heard something that woke me from my daze. It was Silver. He waves me down and I jump down. He explained to me how to work the longboat. When he was done he let me drive it. I pushed the buttons and went off.
"Whoa!" He yelled as we went froward. I start maneuvered the boat and saw the coral galaxy that was glowing bright blue. I took us inside for a crazy ride before coming out. After a little longer we went back to the ship. We pulled the boat up and I was going a little faster than he was and my side was higher.
"Whoa!"
"You having a little trouble there?" I ask laughing.
"Oh! Get away from me. If I could maneuver a skiff like that when I was your age. They'd be bowing in the street when I walked by today." He sat down after tieing his end.
"I don't know. They weren't exactly singing my praises when I left home. But I'm gonna change all that." I said as I tied my end. Then I sat down too.
"Are you now? How so?"
"Uh, I got some plans. Gonna make people see me a little different." I lean back into my folded arms behind my head.
"Sometimes plans go astray."
"Not this time." It was silent for a while than he put his cyborg leg up and tryed tighten a screw. When he couldn't get Morph transforms into a wrench and he grabbed him and tighten his screw.
"Oh, thank you, Morphy." I put my hands downs and leaned forward a little.
"So, uh, how'd that happen anyway?"
"You give up a few things chasing a dream."
"Was it worth it?
"I'm hoping it is, Jimbo. I most surely am."
I was going to say something when suddenly something hit the ship. We hopped out of the boat and ran to the deck. I was worried something happened to Winter.
"What the Devil?" Silver yelled. Everyone was running around and panicking.
"GOOD HEAVENS!" Delbert yelled. It was really loud so we had to yell to hear each other. "THE STAR PELUSA. IT'S GONE SUPERNOVA!"
"EVASIVE ACTION! MR. TURNBUCKLE!" The captain yelled
"AYE! AYE! CAPTAIN!" He yelled as he tried to maneuver his way out of the explosion.
"ALL HANDS FASTEN YOUR LIFELINES!" The captain yelled.
"COME ON!" I yelled. We went over to the lifelines and I saw Winter.
"JIM ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" She asked.
"I''M FINE. YOU?"
"FINE."
"MR. ARROW! SECURE THOSE SAILS!"
"SECURE ALL SAILS! REEF THEM DOWN, MEN!" Silver and I went up to help those who were going up. I told Winter to stay down there where it was safer. Something happened over by Silver because all of a sudden he shot up and fell over.
"SILVER!" I grabbed his life line and pulled as hard as I could. Then he grabbed onto something and pulled himself up. Suddenly a huge red ball covered in fire came towards us. Then we though it was getting smaller but it was getting further from us. When we were done we got back down. I ran over to Winter.
"CAPTAIN! THE STAR!"
"ITS EVOLVING INTO A BLACK HOLE!" Delbert said.
"WE'RE BEING PULLED IN!" a crew member at the wheel said before being forced off.
"NO, YOU DON'T YOU…BLAST THESE WAVES. THEY' RE SO DEUCEDLY ERRATIC!" The captain said trying to turn the ship.
"NO, CAPTAIN," Delbert yelled back. "THEY'RE NOT ERRATIC AT ALL. THEY'RE'LL BE ONE MORE IN PRECISELY 4.72 SECONDS FOLLOWED BY THE BIGGEST MAGILA OF THEM ALL!"
"OF COURSE. BRILLIANT DOCTOR! WE'LL RIDE THAT CAST MAGILLA OUT OF HERE."
"ALL SAILS SECURED CAPTAIN!" Mr. Arrow said.
"GOOD MAN, NOW RELEASE THEM IMMEDIATELY!"
"AYE CAPTAIN! YOU HEARD HER MEN, UNFURL THOSE SAILS!" The crew started back up the ropes. I was about to go too but then the captain called me.
"MR. HAWKINS, MAKE SURE ALL LIFELINES ARE SECURED GOOD AND TIGHT!"
"AYE CAPTAIN." Winter and I tighted all the lifelines. Not leaving a single one unchecked. "LIFELINE SECURED, CAPTAIN!"
"VERY GOOD!"
"CAPTAIN, THE LAST WAVE. HERE IT COMES!" Delbert yelled.
"HOLD ON TO YOUR LIFELINE GENTS. IT'S GONNA BE A BUMPY RIDE!" I ran over and grabbed Winter's wrist. I pulled her to the mast and held her close. Silver over me doing the same thing I was doing for Winter. I closed my eyes tight.
"FIVE….FOUR…THREE….TWO…ONE!" Suddenly I heard something explode and before I knew it the ship was speeding forward and out of danger. When it was all over Silver let go. So did I.
"Winter you alright?" I asked.
"Ya. Thanks."
"No problem." I hugged her and she hugged me back.
"Captain,that…oh my goodness. That was…that was absolutely: that was the most…" Delbert said getting untangled in rope.
"Oh tish-tosh, actually doctor. your astronomical device was most helpful."
"Well, uh, uh, thank you, thank you very much. Well, I have a lot of help to offer anatomically, amanamonically, as-astronomicaly."
"Well, I must congratulate you, Mr. Silver. It seems you cabin boy did a banged up job with those lifelines. All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow? Mr. Arrow?" He didn't come forward. Everyone looked around and wondered where he was. Then that spider freak walked over holding Mr. Arrow's hat.
"I'm afraid Mr. Arrow has been lost. His lifeline was not secured." he said.
"No! I checked them all!" I ran over and saw his line wasn't there. There was no way I missed one. Winter heloed me. We checked about three times. "I-I did. I checked them all. They were secured. I swear."
"Mr. Arrow was…a fine spacer… finer than most of us could ever hope to be…but he knew the risk as do we all. Resume your posts. We carry on." Everyone went their own ways but I just hid to be alone. When it was late and everyone was asleep I sat on the ropes.
"Jim?" I turned to see Winter. "You alright?" I just turned back around. "Jim nobody blames you for what happened. It was just a-" I jumped down.
"Look! Don't you get it?" I yelled at her. "I screwed up! I mean, for two seconds, I thought that maybe I could do something right, but... Aagh!" I walked away from her pulled my hair and yelled in frustration. "I just…forget it. Forget it." I leaned against the mast. I was pissed off at the moment. Then someone put their hand on my shoulder and forced me to turn around. It was Silver. Winter was gone. Most likly she went to bed.
"Now, you listen to me James Hawkins." He said. "You got the makings of greatness in ya…but you gotta take the helm and chart your own course. Stick to it, no matter the squalls and when the time comes you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails and show what you're made of. Well, I hope I'm there catching some of the light coming off ya that day." I leaned over and put my head to his chest. I was trying to keep from crying.
"There, there, lad. It's all right, Jimbo. It's all right now, Jim." He patted my back. He pushed me back then fixed his hat.. "I, Um. I best be getting' about my watch and you best be getting' some shut eye." I started for the galley but went to talk to Winter. I felt bad for yelling at her.
I walked to her door and knocked. She let me in and she wore her purple tank top and jean shorts again. He hair up again.
"Winter. I just wanted to say sorry about yelling earlier." I said.
"It's alright. You were upset. It's no big deal."
"You sure?"
"You sure. Alot of people would of acted the same way. It's fine."
"Thanks." I walked over and hugged her.
"You hug alot." I pulled away. Since the night we kissed Winter acted like it never happened for some reason. Before I went to sleep I had to find out why. "Would you rather I do something else?"
"Like what? A high five?"
"No." I lowered my face and kissed her but she pulled away.
"I'm sorry." She said.
"What is it? On your birthday we-"
"I know. It's just...I've had too many heart breaks. I just don't want another one." She pulled out of my arms.
"I'm not gonna break your heart." I said grabbing her hand. She turned around. "I would never hurt you like that. I love you." I said as I kissed her again. This time she kissed me back before pulling away. She walked over to her bed and sat down. I waked to the door and turned around. "At least think about it." I said before closing to door and going to bed.