Forewarning
July 27th Island Update
Tropical Storm Erin hit hard last night. Flood overtook Outer Road and the island is split in half for the next week at least. Tourists evacuated the island in droves as the thunder roared, leaving businesses scrambling in the wake as tourist economics decreased. During the peak of the season these storms are detrimental to the island. The dunes on Parrot Cove beach were overtaken by the waves, it's expected to be closed for the weekend.
In other news, boats at SeaSide dock have been ravaged. Two charters have sunk, The Symphony and The Hardass. This drops the charter number down to 26 for the season. However, The Mariner is also unaccounted for. As we all know, the strange boat is hard to keep track of. The Sea Bass is making a trek out today, despite the tides, to check the known spots of The Mariner. We await their update on our fisher colleagues.
July 29th, Island Update
Sad news today as The Sea Bass returns to shore. The Mariner was found damaged near Shipwreck twelve. Sea Bass towed it in, however it seems The Mariner will be out for at least the season- bringing us to 24 as The Fortune also goes out for repairs following the storm. From the crew we learned a large rogue wave slammed the boat into jagged rocks. A large gash was formed along the starboard helm, and the boat began taking on water. They were able to stay afloat using a pump to remove the water as it came on. They thank their friends on The Sea Bass for coming to their rescue before they sank. However, Captain Jameson was injured in the storm. We know nothing further of his condition. We wish him healing and his boat quick repairs.
August 2nd, Island Update- Obituaries
Captain Jameson, Mariner, Smith- It is with heavy hearts today that we announce the death of our friend and colleague Captain Jameson, known by friends as the affectionate title of Mariner. He was injured on his beloved boat during Tropical Storm Erin. His boat, The Mariner, was his pride and joy- christened after his friend's nickname for the man. He ran the boat for more than three decades during deep sea charters. He passed at his home, his first mate and mentee Delaney by his side. He was well loved and respected by all in the community. His charters are remembered as some of the best on the island, and his secrets in this field will be greatly missed. We all lost a gem of the island. We wish the Mariner a peaceful journey back to the sea. Flowers and condolences can be sent to the Lighthouse: Mile Marker 63, addressed to Delaney- whom he trusted and loved as family. Our hearts go out to her in this difficult time of loss.
A boat, a dead man, and now some woman. All called The Mariner. The confusing web that connected all of it distracted me and my team from our original goal. This study originated with the idea of dock workers on the island. We wanted to see how they were living on a tip based income while the living costs skyrocketed out of control.The wage-cost gap continuously grew on the island, local legislation was trying to create affordable living, and even the usual tourists were being priced out of the resorts. But slowly this research morphed. As we met the islanders, we saw how they worked together and the community they built. And it instead became a look at the life and relationships of two specific dock workers.
We would like to give a forewarning. The Mariner had a strange sort of charisma that pulled everyone in. Perhaps that is how I got away from the original topic of my writing. She was eccentric, and closed off, and completely strange. She went by many names, and I eventually came to know her by the same one as her friends- Delaney. However, my team and I were unable to find this name in any official records. Throughout this retelling she will be referred to in many ways, mainly Mariner or Delaney. Delaney’s story jumped around a lot, that was how she spoke, how she thought, how she lived. She was horrible at staying put. During some chapters I will write what she said, and it will make little sense in a timeline. We learned that nearly nothing she said fit clearly. Despite Delaney becoming our main focus, she was not the first one we met. She was rather hard to contact. And even harder to gain trust with.
Sam was a charismatic man that my team and I fell to like. He had a bright smile and was forthcoming in our chats and interviews. He seemed easy-going and relaxed despite the stressors of the island. He introduced us to the Mariner and their strange entanglement. A hatred that ran deep as well as what seemed to be a love for their lifetimes. They interacted like a town after a disaster. All gnashing teeth and death until the townsfolk return to rebuild. As we observed their interactions we found Sam to become more and more off-putting. His smile fading into cruelty and cold stares. This change quickly masked into the same noble-seeming young man we had first met.
My team and I want to state, emphatically, that no one in this story is a bad person in our eyes. They are complicated, nuanced characters like many humans. The relationship between Delaney and Sam eventually became one that we saw as dismaying. However, it was human in ways anthology struggles to adequately explain. We found it hard to put into words for the masses that have never met the two. Therefor, the story unfolding through this does not do justice to the all too humanness of the characters.
AN- This story is a complete work of fiction made to mirror an anthology. It is not an actual anthology. This is a concept chapter to gauge interest and hopefully spur my inspiration to continue.
