And here is chapter 5, please enjoy :)
Chapter 5: Last Best Friend
Full of maybe a foolish pride, Skipper watched the waves of the sea make way for his new ship. Marlene was everything he had ever wished for and more. Though she would never hold him like the real Marlene could have... She was made out of wood, polished and painted. If you asked him, she had her own mind, she made her own stubborn decisions. Just like a real woman. But she wasn't, she was a thing, without a mind, without feelings. Her decisions were made by the sea, her movements were accompanied by the wind pulling and pushing on her sails. She would never be like the real Marlene, but it was close enough for Skipper. Or at least, it was for now.
He was all alone now, alone with his ship on the sea. Skipper hoped with his whole heart that his brave and loyal sailors would safely reach shore. That they would survive in their little rowing boat... And he knew that he himself wouldn't. He doubted he would see another sunrise when the sunset had finished pushing the sun under the horizon. He doubted he would ever feel again. But he didn't really mind, he was done with living anyway. He softly let his hands run through his hair, doing nothing about the dangerous situation his ship was in. It was almost like a crazed way of suicide, he was going to be murdered by his own ship. "Just the way I want it." He said softly as he watched the waves reaching higher and clashing onto his deck.
His mother, his father, most of friends, they all waved to him from the docks. How disappointing must it be, to see your promising son or best friend, the one you had imagined with a sparkling future, sail away from you. Future-less and throwing away all his chances at a 'fitting' job. Not that he himself cared about his bright shining future, for him, his future couldn't get any brighter than this. Though maybe if he had had the chance to be spending it with a living Marlene... But that was impossible. He knew he would wake to the sun everyday, the wind would rush through his hair and the waves would rock him to sleep under a starry night sky. He couldn't imagine anything better than that, except for her to be alive and with him.
His ship seemed to sail swiftly through the waves, even though it had been wildly rocking just before. Maybe she had peace with the absence of the other three sailors, maybe she wanted to keep him for herself. But how he would yank at her ropes, she wouldn't give in and she went her own way. Away from save shores farther upon the wild and open sea. It made him realize how fragile he was, how small in comparison to the wind, sea, sun, the whole wide world.
The others who were joining him, waved to their family and friends at the docks. They smiled, though his youngest sailor seemed to be crying. Skipper knew that it was hard for him, he could see easily how it was to leave everything he was used to and cared for behind. Knowing that if the chances weren't in his favor, he might never return to them ever again. And that all for an adventure on sea with strangers, not having a final destination, except for transporting goods from dock to dock. There was no saying when or whether they would reach New York City's dock again...
He folded his roughened hands around the hard wooden railing of his ship. He knew that, with a ship in this state, ripped sails, broken railings, she even had a hole in her side, he wouldn't be able to reach shore. He knew he could end up starving, alone in the open sea, nothing but the beautiful emptiness of the sea surrounding him. He clenched his hand around the railing and a splinter made its way right into his hand. He looked surprised at it, as if the pain was a new phenomenon to him. He had made his decision. Starving on the sea wouldn't be his dead.
The small sailor wiped away a tear from his cheek as the other two were busy with the sails and navigation. Skipper placed a soft and clean hand on his shoulder, the boy turned around and looked right into his eyes. His tears dried immediately, a small half-smile appeared. Trust.
He stepped on the railing and opened his arms like an eagle. He watched the waves rolling on the endless sea. He took a deep breath and felt the salty sea air making its way to his lungs through his nose. He steadily kept his balance on the railing.
They spent months and months together on the sea, sailing from dock to dock. He gave them all the opportunities to leave his ship, to find another life, but they declined every single time. Together, they fought pirates, rescued stranded shippers and watched the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets together. Marlene didn't break down once, her sails stayed strong, her wood was kept from rotting. She stayed in one piece, no matter how high the waves, how hard the wind, how though the storm.
A big wave made him lose his balance, Marlene threw him from her deck. He fell right in the cold and dark water, but he wasn't afraid. His breathing seemed to stop immediately when he reached the surface of the water and his memory seemed to clear at the exact moment.
Her small, white and cold hands seemed to close around his too. He sperred his eyes wide open and watched her face in shock.
His body wouldn't give up so easily, it seemed, he resurfaced and his lungs screamed for air. He obeyed and gasped.
He held his head close to her chest, while his hands were still folded around hers. He searched desperately for a sign of life. "Don't let me down now..."
He swam and swam, trying to stay afloat. But cramps soon filled his body, he wanted to scream, to be saved, but he was draining from his last strength.
Nothing... She hadn't reacted on his pleading, begging. She wouldn't come back, she had really left him...
One last time, his feet kicked him up and he gasped for air, which painful filled his drowning lungs. He sunk slowly in the depths of his last best friend... The sea...
Thank you for reading so far :)