Capital Ferry Accident 2

Capital Ferry — en route to Olympic Village Harbor

It was almost mid-day and the sun's warmth had finally diffused the cold wintry air, even so, Jenny put on her light blue hoodie that has her district's logo on the right chest.

She stood up but immediately lost her balance when the ship swayed to the left. The sudden motion sent tickles in her tummy which made her giggle albeit her odd position with both her arms on a tight grip on the railings of the bunk bed while her legs where parted in a split.

"Da-jie, if you are free, come watch and cheer for me. Okay? My family could not come today and I only have you." Jenny batted her long thick eyelashes and pouted as she guilt-tripped her way to get her new friend to accompany her.

Chinshih contemplated her request while observing how silly the sunny girl looked as she kept her balance on the rocking ship.

Chinshih involuntarily chuckled but nodded her head nonetheless. It would not hurt to make friends during her short stay.

The captain of the ship could now see the Olympic Village Harbor without the help of his binoculars. They were near the harbor when the wind gust started to pick up, the waves followed suit formed like a mound on the sea. The ship swayed left and right as it danced to the beat of mother nature.

Below the ship - in the engine room - the cigarette stick glowed in the dark like a firefly in a box. It moved in sync with the boat like a partner in tango; following the direction of its partner wherever it went.

And in one final step, the cigarette stick dipped into the gas leak, igniting the whole engine room in a raging fire. The fire snaked along the spilled gas and once it reached the tank, a massive explosion followed and the ship tilted to the right.

The booming sound of the explosion rendered every passenger deaf as it violently tilted to the right. Some passengers were quick to seize life jackets and jumped away from the fast-sinking ship.

Jenny who also got deaf from the explosion was shellshock for a minute. Chinshih shook her repeatedly but the sunny girl only felt ringing in her ears.

When she finally heard her newfound Da-jie, her eyes started to pool in tears.

"I don't know how to swim," Jenny choked up as she came into realization but the ship tipped to the right too fast that Chinshih held her to keep her from falling over.

"Come with me," Chinshih said.

A rush of water entered the cabin hallway, the cold seawater froze Jenny's survival skills.

"Da-jie! I don't know how to swim! I don't want to die!" Jenny was a crying mess. Her shoulders shook from fear, her eyes were pinkish red.

Chinshih squeezed her hand and said, "Meimei, just follow Da-jie and you will be fine. Ok?"

Chinshih's motivation somehow infected her that Jenny bobbed her head and wiped her tears. Her lips trembled nonstop from the coldness of the seawater. Chinshih strapped her first in a lifejacket and they headed out.

The wails of people reverberated in the cabin hallway but the pair braved on as they waded against the brutal rush of water with Chinshih in the lead.

When they reached the end of the hallway to climb up to the main deck, a gush of water welcomed them.

Jenny was forced to let go from her firm grip, momentarily separated from her Da-jie as she was washed a few steps away. She was lucky to be strapped in a life jacket or else she would have drowned instantly.

Chinshih swam back to rescue her meimei and they swam again towards the hallway stairs but before they continued with their escape, Chinshih took out the necklace hiding under her shirt and put it on Jenny; she thought it would come in handy just in case they would be separated again.

They were welcomed by another wave of rapid waters but Chinshih managed to pull through with Jenny. They both coughed — they have swallowed god knows how much saltwater which irritated their throats.

Jenny shadowed her Da-jie like a good disciple. However, once they reached the railing, distress crept up on Jenny like a parasite; sucking her determination to survive the chaos.

"Da-jie, I don't know how to swim! I don't want to die! Wuwuwuwuwu!"

"Meimei, meimei! Stop! Listen to me," Chinshih cupped Jenny's face with both of her hands and sang.

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Spongebob Squarepants!

Absorbent and yellow and porous is he?

Spongebob Squarepants!

If nautical nonsense be something you wish?

Spongebob Squarepants!

Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish

Spongebob Squarepants! [1]

"Now sing with me, okay?" Jenny sang along with her life coach. She screamed her fears out that her lungs started to clear.

"On the count of three, we jump to survive, okay?" Chinshih shouted.

"One, two…" but before the count of three Chinshih grabbed Jenny and jumped away from the ship. They landed in the chilly seawater and their legs struggled to tread water.

The sound of metal clatter and clank against the sea; a final farewell to the sun, the clouds, and the wind that accompanied it through its journey.

Chinshih and Jenny went into their final mission for the day: to reach the harbor safe and in one piece. They never looked back at the ship's direction nor to the cries of help from other passengers; some of whom were acquaintances and some where rivals.

Each of the girls' scoop and kick was faster than the last. The race against time turned them into adrenaline maniacs.

"Hahaha! Da-jie we made it!" Jenny exhilarated, they were finally at the home stretch of their survival mission, the harbor was only a few more laps away.

"Not yet tiger. We need to swim to the harbor quickly before…" Chinshih could not finish her sentence. A sudden sharp pain in her calf made it difficult for her to swim.

"Da-jie, are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Go, go, swim towards the harbor."

"Are you sure you're ok? Grab on my life jacket, come on!" Jenny insisted, worried at Chinshih who never got the chance to wear a life jacket.

"No, no. You would sink. I can swim. I'm a pirate, remember? Let's sing! Let's sing till we reach the harbor? Ready? Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?"

"Spongebob Squarepants!" Jenny shouted in joy, thankful for dodging death's hollow and ugly face. She hugged her Da-jie, how could she ever repay her for saving her life? She was about to cry again but Chinshih pushed her forward.

"I'm a pirate, I'm a pirate, and I will see you on the coast!" Chinshih yelled at Jenny's back as her meimei swam away from her.

"I'm a pirate, I'm a pirate, and I will see you on the coast too!" Jenny replied as she swam nearer to the harbor.

A chopper flew above her, Jenny's heart raced twice over. 'Almost, Da-jie. We're almost at the coast.'

...

Olympic Village Harbor

Olympic Village Harbor crew fished Jenny right away out from the sea and once she stepped foot on dry land, she surveyed the open sea.

"PIRAAAAAAAAAAAATE!" Jenny screamed. She ran to the other side of the harbor and scanned the open sea one more time.

"PIRAAAAAAAAAAAAATE!" she screamed louder, her refined demeanor washed by the cold sea.

Jenny trembled like a leaf, if her eyes could turn redder than it already was, it would. But the tears that threatened to fall never came… and was never even there in the first place.

Gone.

Chinshih was gone.

Only a few faceless people floated on the water. None of them had the pirate's face.

'How could I never looked back even once?' Jenny blamed herself. Survivor's guilt took over her soul.

Edited by Swaning