The Cruise
Kate stood on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, completely naked as she watched the setting sun. Her eyes were blank and listless, body thin as her dirty blond hair blew in the breeze. She’d lost track of how much time she’d spent stranded on the island. Weeks. Months. Years. She didn’t know.
All she knew was she was the only one left alive.
It was supposed to be a simple vacation. Kate and her friends had just graduated high school, and figured a celebratory cruise was in order. The idea originally came from Kate’s friend Becky. Becky knew Kate hated water, but somehow managed to convince her to come along. There were six in total taking the trip: Kate, Becky, their friend Kim, Kim’s friend Lacey, Lacey’s boyfriend Ted, and Ted’s friend Bill. They didn’t know each other that well, but over the days at sea they got along well.
The cruise went on as expected. Partying, drinking, and carrying on all took place. Becky and the others enjoyed themselves, but Kate was never much of a partier. She’d just as soon spend the night reading as going out on the town. It’s not like she hated socializing, she just wasn’t a party animal like her friends.
As Kate sat alone on the balcony of her cabin, she sighed, staring out at the afternoon horizon. She’d finally managed to slip away from her friends, each of them working on their third and fourth bottles of Kahlua. Kate didn’t drink, and was always stuck being the responsible one when out with friends. She sighed, ultimately regretting her decision to come along.
“Damn cruise. If only this boat would sink,” she said under her breath. She didn’t mean it, of course. She was just letting off steam.
But just as she spoke, a violent crash rocked the ship.
Kate suddenly lost balance, nearly falling from the deck chair she was sitting on. She looked across the balcony, screams coming from all over the ship. As Kate stood in shock, a second crash shook her surroundings, the ground slowly tilting beneath her feet. As screams echoed from a distance, the ship began to tip.
“Kate!” a girl shouted, bursting through the cabin door.
“Becky!” Kate replied. “What’s going on?!”
“I don’t know! I think the ship hit something!” Becky exclaimed.
Kate moved to the door, she and Becky poking their heads into the hall. Panic ensued in all directions, people running through the corridors as chaos filled the ship.
As Kate and Becky watched in fright, a third crash tore through the ship, the girls shrieking as the boat tilted further and further. The two looked to the balcony, suddenly struggling toward it with all their might. The way things were going, the boat would likely capsize, and the two were on the east end of the ship. The ship’s west side was taking on water, and if they could reach the east balcony, they’d be the last to submerge. Kate was closest, and reached the balcony first. Becky tripped, however, falling to the other side of the room.
“Becky!” Kate yelled.
Becky struggled to her feet, now standing on the west end of the cabin. The ship continued tilting, the room now at a forty-five degree angle. Becky climbed across the cabin, barely reaching the balcony moments later. As the ship tilted further, Becky slipped, Kate grabbing her at the last second. Kate held onto Becky for dear life, her other hand latched firmly to the balcony railing.
As the two barely hung on, the ship shook once more, suddenly beginning to sink into the sea. Kate and Becky shrieked, the boat quickly submerging beneath the waves. As seawater flooded the room, the force of the sinking ship sucked the two deep into the ocean. Kate tried to swim away, but found herself held back by Becky. Kate looked over, Becky panicking as her foot was caught in debris. Kate tried to break free, but Becky held on tight, face full of terror as she suddenly breathed in water. As Kate watched Becky drown, she cringed, finally breaking free before swimming from the room.
She swam toward the surface, struggling against the crushing weight of the water. She swam and swam, heart pounding as she raced toward the sun. As her lungs were just about to burst, Kate reached the surface, catching her breath as she warily treaded water. She looked down, frowning as she recalled what happened to Becky. She sobbed, left by herself amidst the ocean. Panicked, she looked around, suddenly spotting an island off in the distance. She began to swim, steadily treading her way toward the shore.
