Chapter 27
T he others catch up and Jasper pokes his head out to eye the hall.
“There’s nobody out there. But there is only one way up that I can see from here.” Jasper’s words shake out of his mouth. He’s breathing heavily but we all are from moving through the water. It’s getting cold and we are trying so hard to focus on how to survive. On the left side of the hall you can hear the water gushing out. It almost sounds as if you are nearing a waterfall, though I haven’t heard one in years, that is a sound you never forget.
“We need to rush on up, I'll go first to scout the area. If they see me, they won't immediately attack since they know I was on their side. But you need to listen and pay attention, I won't come back for you if you get caught.” Arielle warns everyone but looks directly at me.
“Good, let's get going then. We are short on time.” I counter. I don’t have it in me to get offended. Truthfully, I am just trying to save my energy to get me off of this sinking ship. Arielle heads out into the hallway, the water is now past our waist and we are merely swimming at this point. Jasper follows and just before I start to swim, Caspian pulls me back to him, grabs the back of my head, a fist full of my hair and kisses me. At first I'm taken by surprise but then I wrap myself around him, consumed in his kiss. The passion you give when you are afraid this would be your last kiss. The way you crave to be touched everywhere all at once. After a few seconds he pulls back and smirks his infamous smirk.
“What was that for?” I question while watching him swim out into the hall.
“Just in case, love. Just in case.” He says and then starts treading behind the others. I pull myself back into the moment and stride behind. I can't keep myself from smiling even in the chaos. Somehow we could be standing in the middle of a fire and he would distract me and make me feel like I’m a teen again.
I know he says he is in love with me so maybe there is something there. I mean, I do have to survive first to even have a chance to figure it all out. I giggle to myself just before I reach the steps where the three are standing, waiting. Arielle looks at me as I step up out of the water, still midway of the steps.
“Maybe, Abigail, you can try to keep up. That would make you slightly useful.” She taunts.
God I don’t think I am ever going to get on her good side or be someone she will ever be able to respect. Not that I blame her, I do act like a lost puppy when Caspian is around. He just devours every bit of self control that I hold.
She immediately turns around and starts walking up the staircase. Preparing herself for what and who she is going to run into at the top. We sneak behind her, listening for any voices but we don’t hear anything. There is a faint shout in the distance from someone speaking to another but it’s so far none of us can make out what was said.
Arielle walks out into the open as we watch. She looks around and her body speaks for itself. The confusion in her stance and how hard she is struggling to see anyone says that we are alone on this ship.
Did they know the ship was sinking or were they the reason for it? He just left me here knowing I would drown? Even after everything, I can't stop myself from having faith that Ace would change. That he was just playing a part but I have continued to be wrong. He really doesn’t give a damn about me.
We move up the rest of the stairs, all of us standing on the top deck of the ship. The back of the vessel is tilted down towards the water and the front is starting to point up. Death or glory, our backs are up against the wall with a ticking clock.
“We need to split up and check the sides to see if any boats are remaining!” My voice is unsteady. This is never a position you want to be in, this is death to a pirate.
Caspian looks to the left side and then at Arielle, “Arielle, let's check the left side. Jasper and Abigail can check the right. We need to be swift if we have a chance to get out of this alive.” He speaks in such a strong and stable tone. He would make a perfect captain in a normal scenario. We all nod in agreement and Jasper and I run to the far right checking for anything that could possibly resemble a boat. There are ropes hanging where the escape boats were hanging before Ace's crew jumped ship.
There’s nothing left on this side. Jasper looks at me, fear filling inside his body. His demeanor smells of defeat as he shakes his head no. I let out a big breath and started running over to the left side, exhaustion aches in my legs. My body continues to feel heavier and heavier.
Please tell me there is one over there. Please tell me we aren’t going to die here. To drown like this, with so much potential of a better future. It can't end here, we have come too far.
“Abigail! Jasper! We have a boat, hurry!!” Shouts Caspian. A busy mix of worry and excitement all in one. Suddenly a rush of adrenaline jolts through my veins. The ship starts to tilt more and my balance is challenged but I don’t stop. I keep running over to the other side. I hear Jasper panting close behind as we reach the other side meeting Caspian and Arielle.
Arielle is cutting the first set of ropes to let the boat down into the water and Caspian is grabbing the paddles that were just laying there. It’s strange that they were just sitting there, typically you keep the paddles up hanging somewhere safe and secure. For them to just be sitting there, just feels odd. But looking at the back of the ship and the water creeping up onto the deck, we are in no position to second guess it.
“Abigail, get on the boat. We will launch the boat with you on it.” He explains in a you’re the only one that matters kind of way.
“What? No. You three are coming with me.” I counter. Where do I go from here, if I am alone? I have nobody left.
Caspian walks up to me and pets the side of my cheek with the back of his hand. “We are right behind you, love. Promise!” He whispers. I push away from him stubbornly.
“Promises have only left behind death. I will not go alone.” I sharply retaliate. Caspian has the spark of a challenge in his eyes but he knows as well as I that time is against us. Instead of responding he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder.
What the fuck are you doing?! My immediate thought as I try to pull myself off of him. His grasp is tight and my body is too tired to fight him at capacity.
“Caspian, please!” I shout as he tosses me onto the boat, grabs out his sword and cuts the rope dropping me and the boat down into the water. The last people to tell me they promised either died or completely betrayed me. This word is like taking a swig of sour milk.
The sky rumbles and I look up to the sky to see ribbon lightning strike throughout the clouds and down onto the bottom of the submerging vessel. The flash is bright but the sound of it touching down on the ship is excruciatingly loud. The entire ship reverberates throughout and the ship starts to tilt up and submerge further into the angry ocean. Each wave devours more and more of it within the second. Flames catch from the touchdown in a quick roar, spreading up the entire ship. My body becomes tense watching the pendulum ticks against their survival. The worst feeling in the world is seeing disaster happen but not having the ability to make a difference.
A loud yell comes from the top of the ship and a large bag of supplies is tossed overboard in my direction. I jolt my body over to catch it so it doesn’t land in the water soiling anything that may have been packed up. The ship is actively plummeting further down and I am just begging to see someone, any one of them escaping it.
I see hands grasp onto the railing and Jasper’s head poke over as he pulls himself up onto the side of the ship. He starts to tie a rope, preparing to rappel down onto the boat. He wraps the rope under his thigh, across his body, and then over his shoulder and pushes himself off the ship allowing the rope to slide him down safely. Once he gets close enough to the bottom of the ship he waits as I push the boat as close to him as possible and then he jumps the rest of the way down landing perfectly on the boat.
The boat rocks welcoming the new weight added. He bounces up with a giant smile and grabs a paddle readying himself to start paddling as soon as the other two get onboard the boat as well.
“Where’s the other two?” I ask, happy to see him and that he made it but concerned that Caspian and Arielle aren’t immediately rappelling behind him.
“Oh, they are coming, Abby. Don’t worry. They are cutting the last of the rope and will be making their way anytime now.” He responds while looking up at the top of the ship. The waves begin to pick back up pushing our boat into its side.
“They have to hurry, the ship is going to sink before they make it off. They don’t have a lot of time.” I say, my hands now shaking. I am getting worried they wont make it in time. I just watch as the ship starts to speed up allowing the ocean to start finishing its feast.
Finally, Arielle’s head pokes over the side as she pulls herself up and then helps Caspian. They throw their ropes over the side and get in position to rappel down. Caspian has a giant bag of stuff on his back.
I don’t know what could have possibly been so important to allow the ship to get far under water before jumping ship, but it’s Caspian so I know it wasn’t for nothing.
The ship makes an ear splintering grumble and begins to tilt, the back is lifting straight up to sink what remains still above water. The two jump off the ship towards us immediately, avoiding being swallowed up by the waves. As Caspain is falling he removes his cape and tosses it right on the ship, just in time for him to plummet into the cold ocean water. Arielle falls too close to the boat and slams her arm off of the side. a large cracking noise spews out from her arms contact, echoing to my ears, as she tumbles in the water. Jasper and I wait a moment looking around but neither Caspian or Arielle poke out from under the waves.
Shit! We have to help them. I look around the propelling waves but it's dark and it is so hard to see anything not in the reflection of the flames engulfing the crumbling ship.
“There, I see Arielle. I’m going in for her, but Abby... I can't get them both.” He points down into the water, strips off his shirt and pants and dives into the water. He is going to need to dry clothing to survive the night. I keep looking around and I see Caspian gasping for air and fighting to stay above the water. Something's off, I saw how good of a swimmer he is.
“Caspian!!” I shout out but notice he looks to be getting pulled down into the water. He’s caught on something and can't get enough air in the lungs to save himself. I have to save him and without a second thought I dive into the water after him. Swimming under the water, I force my eyes open to try to see anything under there. The ocean becomes a dark abyss especially at night. I push myself up to catch my breath and to see how much further I need to go. As my head comes out of the water I just see Caspian’s go under within arms length away from me.
“No, Dammit! You aren’t drowning on me.” I yell as I pull out my dagger from my boot and dive down into the water after him. I swim down to where I can feel his body and keep swimming till I reach his leg. I feel a piece of rope wrapped around his leg towing him down into the darkest depths of the ocean. If I don’t separate him now from whatever is on the other side of this rope, he will never survive. I grabbed the rope with one hand and saw my dagger through the rope. I don’t feel Caspian fighting to swim anymore. I’m running out of time. I force every inch of strength I have left into my hand, slicing the rope and finally cutting through.
My heart is pounding as I know Caspian is past out and my own lungs are losing what little air I have left. I grab Caspian and lunge myself up. Looking towards the little reflections of light that creep on top of the water. I push and push till we are finally out of the water. I gasp an exasperated breath and look forward to seeing where the boat is.
“Abby! We are right here!” Jasper says from behind me, his arms reaching down to help me out of the water. I push him away and hand over Caspian. He removes the bag still on Caspians back and lays him down flat.
“Jasper, we have to help him!” Worry overcomes my tone and Caspian is all I can think of. I pull myself up onto the boat and watch as Jasper checks his pulse. I’m now shaking from the air piercing my wet skin, but more from my nerves and fear that I didn’t save him in time.
“Abby, I-I think he’s gone. There’s no pulse, no way to warm him up, I don’t think there’s anything we can do.” Jasper looks over at Arielle who is now crying.
No. No, he cant-he cant. I struggle to finish the thought, to finish that sentence. It’s at this moment I feel like I am suffocating. I finally see that through the last couple of days, he has given me all the love I could stand and I can admit that I have somewhere fallen in love with him too. My head is spinning and my heart feels as if it’s one beat away from shattering.
“NO! Dammit Caspian!” I shout and rush over to his body, kneeling beside his shoulders. “You can not die on me! Not when you have made me love you!” Tears fill my eyes but my determination shines through. I place my hands on the center of his chest and start doing chest compressions. I pinch his nose and breath in his mouth then check for any sign of him breathing back. I repeat this over and over.
“Jasper, help me get the wet clothing off of him!” I shout out as I continue back and forth. I am losing myself in every second that passes and he doesn’t come back to me. Jasper removes his pants and wraps him in his thick cloak hoping to warm him up enough.
“Come on, Caspian! You have to come back to me. You have to!” I shout, my tears are flooding out and I am breaking down mentally.
How dare you make me love you like this and then leave me.
I feel rage build inside. Rage for everything that has happened the last four days. All the deaths, lies and defeats in my soul. I look down at my pale, cold, emerald eyed man who since I met him days ago has been the only light. The only hope I’ve had was him. It was always him.
I slam down my hands on his chest, this time with more force backed by the building anger inside me and then I stop. The remains of my energy went into the last slam to the chest. I hold my hands there and drop my head, I can't go on any longer. I’m freezing, drenched, and am moments away from hypothermia.
Just as I have given up completely, a rattled wheezing sound comes from Caspian’s mouth and water shoots out. I quickly roll his body to the side to allow the water to come out without him choking on it.
“Abigail-I.” His shivers interrupted his words. I put my forehead up against his and shush him.
“You’re alive, Caspian. Let’s just focus on keeping you this way.” I say with relief. I begin to loosen up and relax for a moment. Jasper looks through the first bag that was thrown on the ship and finds spare sets of clothing and tosses it at everyone to get dressed. I help Caspian sit up and get him dressed first. Helping him pull his pants up he just looks at me and grins.
“I’d give anything for you to be taking these off, love.” He teases but I see the desire burning in his eyes. I softly chuckle as the heat turns my cheeks a bright shade of pink.
“You just come to life after being dead for ten minutes, and this is the first full sentence you decide to say?” I mock back. My smile now matches his. I help him put on his shirt and cloak, then quickly change my soaked garnets as well over to the dry clothing.