Disclaimer: I do not own Tess.
My last time to see my father had ended. I realized tears were streaming down
my face. I thought, this could be the last time I will see the New World for at
least 2 years. I had been aboard the ship the 'Borealis' on my first voyage
across the Atlantic Ocean. Now aboard the ship the 'Princess Royal' I found
myself. This ship couldn't be that different from the 'Borealis'.
The ship was to stay in the harbor for the night. The sun was setting amidst
the fog, streaks of like streamed through the gray mist. It reminded me of how
many sunsets I watched happily before mother died, almost all. After mother
died, not one. I hoped I would meet someone on my journey like I had met Gabby
and Nadia, where are those two now, were they slaves, I truly hoped not. A young
boy came up to me interrupting my thoughts and said " Miss Macqueen I will show
you to your room". I nodded, then followed the boy bellow deck.
The smell of bellow deck was the same musty, salt scent as the 'Borealis' had.
We walked down a narrow hallway to three doors at the end of the hallway, one on
the left, one on the right and one in the center. The boy opened the door in the
center and held it for me I walked in holding my old trunk. The room no
different from the room father and I shared on the 'Borealis'. A hammock and
basin and a small table all bolted securely down to either the floor or the
walls.
It would be dinner soon, I wasn't hungry. I wouldn't see father for the next
two years. I was going back to Scotland, like I wanted, it wouldn't be the same
without father. What would my aunt and uncle be like, I had never met them. I
had spent my whole life living with mother and father. The way I lived was free
I could do anything I wanted. The way I live now can't even be compared to the
way it used to be.
I heard footsteps of people walking on the deck it must be dinner. Should I go
up, no too much time to dwell on my thoughts what is going on in my life. I
should stay here and try to sleep. I climbed into the hammock and tried to
sleep. Staring at the ceiling wasn't doing me any good. So I turned on my side
and started at the wall. Sleep came to me quickly.
I awoke to gulls crying in the harbor. The ship would be setting out to sea
soon. I climbed out of the hammock, realizing I had slept in my clothes. I
walked over to the basin and splashed water on my face then wiped it off with my
sleeve. I then rushed to the door opened it and ran out. The deck was probably
crowded with people. I would make sure I saw the New World until the ship
slipped into the distance.
Once I reached the deck the whistle sounded and the engine started to roar. I
stood at the deck railing and looked out to sea. My last look at Vancouver
Island. And so my new adventure had begun.
