I felt inspired to do a bit more, so here's chapter 2. Thanks for the review, BTW.
CHAPTER TWO - THE STOWAWAY
"Sin! It's Sin!"
The cry of terror woke Callie with a start. Sin was attacking Besaid?! She stood up quickly only to bang her head hard on a beam running the width of the hold.
"Ouch!" she cried. She stood and thought for a moment. Wait, she wasn't in Besaid any more, she was on the SS Liki. The memory came flooding back and she sat down abruptly as the boat began to rock about violently. She wanted to grab her mother's hand and flee into the trees behind the village, but her mother wasn't here, and there was nowhere to run.
Shouts of panic could be heard through the closed hatch at the other end of the hold as Callie sat trembling in the corner behind the barrels. What would she do? It couldn't end here, all she'd seen so far was the inside of the cargo hold and already things were looking bad. Maybe she should have stayed at home.
No, this wouldn't do - she had to be brave. She set a stern look upon her face and wiped her sleeve across her eyes. The guardians would do something, surely, that's what they were there for after all. She decided to go risk a peek out of the hatch, just to make sure they were doing their job. She got to her feet again and staggered towards the other end of the hold where the ladder up to the hatch was located and finally got close enough to grab it. She scaled the ladder quickly, but at the same time being careful to keep a firm grip to prevent being thrown off by the rocking of the boat. Much to her relief, when she pushed up on the hatch, she found that it wasn't locked, although it was quite heavy.
Callie glanced around quickly to see if anyone was about. Nobody could be seen, but as her eyes scanned over to the starboard side of the boat she saw something that made her mouth fall open in both fright and amazement. She could only assume that the enormous, whale-like creature breaking the surface of the water was what they called Sin. It was, quite simply, the biggest thing she had ever seen in her life, and all she could do was stare as it continued to rise up out of the water until it towered well above the top of the central cabin of the boat. As well as being the biggest thing she had ever set eyes on, it was also the most ugly. It was no wonder everyone was so frightened of it. She managed to tear her eyes away and look towards the prow of the boat, assuming everyone to be gathered there, but she realised that she couldn't see past the central cabin. She glanced back out towards the creature in time to see it veer sharply towards the boat.
"It's coming in!" She heard someone yell, and wrapped her arms tightly around the ladder, while tying to hold the hatch up with her head. Despite her grip, the force of the beast hurling itself against the side of the boat sent her flying from the ladder and back down into the hold. She crashed down onto a stack of wooden crates, breaking the top one and sending apples rolling around the floor.
Groggily, Callie pulled herself to her feet. No bones seemed to be broken but she would have some nasty bruises to show for it tomorrow. That is, if any of them would see tomorrow. She had to see what was going on but that would mean leaving the hold and going out on the deck. If anyone saw her she'd be shipped off back to Besaid at the first opportunity, never mind the possibility that they might just turn around immediately and take her back there and then. But no, she had to see. She scrambled back up the ladder, pushed open the hatch for a quick check, then wriggled out onto the deck, letting the hatch thump closed behind her. She crawled over to the cabin as quickly as she could and peered around the side, hanging onto a railing for support. As she did so, something shot out from the prow of the boat and arced through the air towards the hideous creature, a rope trailing out behind it - someone had fired a harpoon at the monster. Would that actually kill it, or were they trying to catch it? What would they do with it if they did? What if they put it in the cargo hold with her?! Callie forced herself to calm down, realising she was being rediculous and peered further around the cabin, making sure nobody was looking her way.
Nobody was in any state of mind to be gazing about the boat looking for small children, they were all gathered near the prow, keeping a respectful distance from the guardians, who did actually seem to be making an attempt at attacking the creature as it veered from one side to the other on its harpoon leash, pulling the boat from side to side. Lightning bolts crackled about its body as Lulu, standing back from the edge, muttered incantations and inscribed shapes in the air. Beside her was Wakka, who seemed to be using his blitzball as a weapon, hurling it with incredible force at the beast and catching it again as it bounced back. Kimahri the hornless Ronso and the new boy were following the creatures movements around the edge of the deck, slashing at it whenever it came within striking distance of the boat. The boy was using a sword of some description, and did actually seem to be handling himself rather well, though she didn't remember seeing the weapon the other day when he arrived in the village.
Callie was beginning to wonder just how effective their attacks could be against such a huge monster, but then it appeared it had had enough as it veered back towards the starboard side, out of their range, and proceeded to dive. The rope attaching the harpoon to the firing mechanism snapped taught and caused the prow of the boat to lurch violently down and forwards, throwing several people onto the deck and Callie face-first into the side of the cabin. There was the sound of crunching wood and Callie ragained her composure in time to see the base of the harpoon mechanism go flying through the air. The sudden release meant that the prow came quickly back up again, throwing Callie onto her back on the deck and sending her sliding towards the edge of the boat, desperately grabbing at anything she could. She caught hold of a rope and managed to prevent herself from going over the edge. There was a splash from the direction of the prow, so she looked that way to see Wakka diving over the edge, presumably going in after someone, and causing a second splash.
The rocking of the boat had calmed down considerably now that Sin had been fought off and Callie thought it was time she made herself scarce. On reflection, it was pretty stupid of her to have come out of the hold in the first place, especially considering she had almost gone over the edge herself. She crawled over to the hatch, lifted it up a little and squeezed back in, feet first. The apples were rolling slowly about the floor so she gathered up a few and left the rest where they were. Huddled back in her corner, battered and bruised, she wondered again at the wisdom of leaving Besaid. Still, it could only get better from here on, couldn't it?
CHAPTER TWO - THE STOWAWAY
"Sin! It's Sin!"
The cry of terror woke Callie with a start. Sin was attacking Besaid?! She stood up quickly only to bang her head hard on a beam running the width of the hold.
"Ouch!" she cried. She stood and thought for a moment. Wait, she wasn't in Besaid any more, she was on the SS Liki. The memory came flooding back and she sat down abruptly as the boat began to rock about violently. She wanted to grab her mother's hand and flee into the trees behind the village, but her mother wasn't here, and there was nowhere to run.
Shouts of panic could be heard through the closed hatch at the other end of the hold as Callie sat trembling in the corner behind the barrels. What would she do? It couldn't end here, all she'd seen so far was the inside of the cargo hold and already things were looking bad. Maybe she should have stayed at home.
No, this wouldn't do - she had to be brave. She set a stern look upon her face and wiped her sleeve across her eyes. The guardians would do something, surely, that's what they were there for after all. She decided to go risk a peek out of the hatch, just to make sure they were doing their job. She got to her feet again and staggered towards the other end of the hold where the ladder up to the hatch was located and finally got close enough to grab it. She scaled the ladder quickly, but at the same time being careful to keep a firm grip to prevent being thrown off by the rocking of the boat. Much to her relief, when she pushed up on the hatch, she found that it wasn't locked, although it was quite heavy.
Callie glanced around quickly to see if anyone was about. Nobody could be seen, but as her eyes scanned over to the starboard side of the boat she saw something that made her mouth fall open in both fright and amazement. She could only assume that the enormous, whale-like creature breaking the surface of the water was what they called Sin. It was, quite simply, the biggest thing she had ever seen in her life, and all she could do was stare as it continued to rise up out of the water until it towered well above the top of the central cabin of the boat. As well as being the biggest thing she had ever set eyes on, it was also the most ugly. It was no wonder everyone was so frightened of it. She managed to tear her eyes away and look towards the prow of the boat, assuming everyone to be gathered there, but she realised that she couldn't see past the central cabin. She glanced back out towards the creature in time to see it veer sharply towards the boat.
"It's coming in!" She heard someone yell, and wrapped her arms tightly around the ladder, while tying to hold the hatch up with her head. Despite her grip, the force of the beast hurling itself against the side of the boat sent her flying from the ladder and back down into the hold. She crashed down onto a stack of wooden crates, breaking the top one and sending apples rolling around the floor.
Groggily, Callie pulled herself to her feet. No bones seemed to be broken but she would have some nasty bruises to show for it tomorrow. That is, if any of them would see tomorrow. She had to see what was going on but that would mean leaving the hold and going out on the deck. If anyone saw her she'd be shipped off back to Besaid at the first opportunity, never mind the possibility that they might just turn around immediately and take her back there and then. But no, she had to see. She scrambled back up the ladder, pushed open the hatch for a quick check, then wriggled out onto the deck, letting the hatch thump closed behind her. She crawled over to the cabin as quickly as she could and peered around the side, hanging onto a railing for support. As she did so, something shot out from the prow of the boat and arced through the air towards the hideous creature, a rope trailing out behind it - someone had fired a harpoon at the monster. Would that actually kill it, or were they trying to catch it? What would they do with it if they did? What if they put it in the cargo hold with her?! Callie forced herself to calm down, realising she was being rediculous and peered further around the cabin, making sure nobody was looking her way.
Nobody was in any state of mind to be gazing about the boat looking for small children, they were all gathered near the prow, keeping a respectful distance from the guardians, who did actually seem to be making an attempt at attacking the creature as it veered from one side to the other on its harpoon leash, pulling the boat from side to side. Lightning bolts crackled about its body as Lulu, standing back from the edge, muttered incantations and inscribed shapes in the air. Beside her was Wakka, who seemed to be using his blitzball as a weapon, hurling it with incredible force at the beast and catching it again as it bounced back. Kimahri the hornless Ronso and the new boy were following the creatures movements around the edge of the deck, slashing at it whenever it came within striking distance of the boat. The boy was using a sword of some description, and did actually seem to be handling himself rather well, though she didn't remember seeing the weapon the other day when he arrived in the village.
Callie was beginning to wonder just how effective their attacks could be against such a huge monster, but then it appeared it had had enough as it veered back towards the starboard side, out of their range, and proceeded to dive. The rope attaching the harpoon to the firing mechanism snapped taught and caused the prow of the boat to lurch violently down and forwards, throwing several people onto the deck and Callie face-first into the side of the cabin. There was the sound of crunching wood and Callie ragained her composure in time to see the base of the harpoon mechanism go flying through the air. The sudden release meant that the prow came quickly back up again, throwing Callie onto her back on the deck and sending her sliding towards the edge of the boat, desperately grabbing at anything she could. She caught hold of a rope and managed to prevent herself from going over the edge. There was a splash from the direction of the prow, so she looked that way to see Wakka diving over the edge, presumably going in after someone, and causing a second splash.
The rocking of the boat had calmed down considerably now that Sin had been fought off and Callie thought it was time she made herself scarce. On reflection, it was pretty stupid of her to have come out of the hold in the first place, especially considering she had almost gone over the edge herself. She crawled over to the hatch, lifted it up a little and squeezed back in, feet first. The apples were rolling slowly about the floor so she gathered up a few and left the rest where they were. Huddled back in her corner, battered and bruised, she wondered again at the wisdom of leaving Besaid. Still, it could only get better from here on, couldn't it?