The dark green Dodge pickup truck and Nissan Sentra cautiously rolled down the road and on to the empty beach. Nearing the water, the truck executed a three-point turn, its bed facing the surf. The waxing moon provided enough light for the occupants to navigate by as they spilled out of the vehicles onto the sand. The likelihood of them being spotted was minimal. It was either incredibly late at night or incredibly early in the morning, depending on how one looked at it.
The crashing of the waves echoed in her ears as the friendly caress of the salty breeze played with her hair. As Genie Banneman stared out at the rolling waves, she could almost feel Sean standing next to her. Dropping her chin to her chest, she squeezed her eyes closed as hard as she could, trying to memorize the sensation. 'This is all a dream. A terrible nightmare.'
She sniffled a bit, refusing to open her eyes just yet. 'Please, God, let this be a dream. Please. I'll do anything. I'll give you anything. Just...let me open my eyes and he'll be there,' she silently pleaded. 'Please. Just for a few minutes more.'
It was a childish hope, she knew, but one she had indulged in multiple times each day in the three weeks since the news had reached them. Foolish though the little ritual was, it felt like if she tried hard enough, he would come back, give her some sign or something that he was still here with her.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes. As usual, nothing had changed. The familiar sensation of disappointment flowed through her, a strange and hollow ache she was growing accustomed to. She softly cleared her throat before checking her phone. It was just after 3 am and the tide should be shifting from incoming to outgoing. If they were going to do this, there wouldn't be a more perfect time.
In the space between rollers, she swore she could hear Sean whisper in her ear, his voice filled with mischief. 'Ah 3 am on a moon-filled night. The perfect time for piracy, Genie lass!' Genie concentrated on the sound. Her biggest fear was that one day, she wouldn't remember what Sean sounded like. That his familiar features would blur and fade over time.
Pulling the sleeve of her sweatshirt down over her hand, she quickly scrubbed away the stray tears before anyone else could see see them. Raising her voice to be heard over the waves, she called out to her brother Matt and Mr. Mulcahy. "Tide's turned. We need to load the Guppy and get her into the water."
With utmost care, Genie, her brother, Sean's father, and his partner worked to get the modified canoe out of the bed of the truck and down past the high tide mark. Few words were spoken as the little ship was made ready for her final voyage. Once the Guppy was secure, Genie trekked back up to the truck, throwing open the doors. She began pulling out bags and bags of items, the contents representing two weeks of shopping and all of the money she had saved up.
Mr. Mulcahy and Parker helped her fold several sets of clothes in styles Sean would approve of and place them in between the spars of the canoe. On top of the clothes Genie added a new pair of work boots since Sean's favorite pair went with him on the trip. Next she added the items she had searched out in the myriad of second hand stores the city supported. Several small but useful tools, things she had never managed to master despite Sean's attempts to teach her. A handful of sailing charts and an old atlas followed the tools.
Biting her lip, she fought down her tears as she listened to Mr. Mulcahy choke back tears of his own as she added a small wooden chest, one not much larger than a bread box and decorated with a skull and crossbones, to the growing pile. Inside the chest she had put in copies of pictures, memories of all the good times they had. She had also added a handful of chocolate gold coins, some crystals that looked like gems, and some ropes of costume pearls. There was no way she could send off her captain without his treasure.
Several liters of ginger ale followed the treasure chest, along with a take-out container from Sean's favorite Mexican restaurant. Genie lifted the container towards her face and inhaled, the spicy scent of the chimichangas filling her senses. With a wry grin, she finished off the food rations with a couple of packages of beef jerky, a package of saltine crackers, and a handful of limes. "Can't take any chances with scurvy, now can we?" she murmured softly.
The last few items went in just as quickly: some sheet music, a handful of big band and jazz CDs, and some tattered One Piece mangas she had found in a used book store. With a flourish, Genie pulled out her ultimate find, a battered and warped cutlass. It had cost her most of her savings and even required her to borrow some money from her loan shark of a younger brother, but it was for Sean. That made it worth any price.
With the sword in its place of honor, Genie waved Matt over. Her older brother gingerly made his way over, carefully carrying to two gas cans they had filled up that afternoon. Glancing over at Mr. Mulcahy and Parker before starting, Genie carefully doused the Guppy and her contents.
The three men and Genie dragged her down to the waves, setting the canoe bobbing on the surf. Mr. Mulcahy and Parker withdrew to a safe distance up the beach while Genie and Matt waded farther out into the water. With a nod from Genie, Matt pulled out a lighter and ignited the ship.
The flame raced across the contents, spreading light and warmth in its wake. Genie and Matt alternately pulled and pushed the canoe farther out, trying to work with the outgoing tide. Slipping on an uneven section of ocean floor, Genie foundered and grabbed a smoldering edge of the Guppy. The searing pain encouraged her to release the ship as quickly as possible. Without thinking, she plunged her hand into the water, the salt amplifying the burning sensation.
Matt tried to peer at her from his position but she ignored him and continued pushing until the tide began to carry it farther out to sea. Satisfied that it wasn't going to come back and beach itself, Genie and Matt made their way back to the shore. Ignoring her dripping clothes, she hopped up into the bed of the truck and took out her trumpet case.
'Only for you would I try to transcribe Sinatra, Sean. Only for you.' Drying off her hands, Genie assembled her trumpet and took a deep breath. As the Guppy drifted farther out to sea, Genie began playing "Thanks For The Memory." By the time she had played it through three times, the Guppy was just a bobbing smudge of light in the darkness.
'Good sailing, Sean. Good sailing until we meet again.'
Grave Goods
A Viking Funeral for a Bonny Pirate Lad
-
BetaKnight
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 4:05 am
-
MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
The dark green Dodge pickup truck and Nissan Sentra cautiously rolled down the road and on to the empty beach. Nearing the water, the truck executed a three-point turn, its bed facing the surf. The waxing moon provided enough light for the occupants to navigate by as they spilled out of the vehicles onto the sand. The likelihood of them being spotted was minimal. It was either incredibly late at night or incredibly early in the morning, depending on how one looked at it.
The crashing of the waves echoed in her ears as the friendly caress of the salty breeze played with her hair. As Genie Banneman stared out at the rolling waves, she could almost feel Sean standing next to her. Dropping her chin to her chest, she squeezed her eyes closed as hard as she could, trying to memorize the sensation. 'This is all a dream. A terrible nightmare.'
She sniffled a bit, refusing to open her eyes just yet. 'Please, God, let this be a dream. Please. I'll do anything. I'll give you anything. Just...let me open my eyes and he'll be there,' she silently pleaded. 'Please. Just for a few minutes more.'
It was a childish hope, she knew, but one she had indulged in multiple times each day in the three weeks since the news had reached them. Foolish though the little ritual was, it felt like if she tried hard enough, he would come back, give her some sign or something that he was still here with her.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes. As usual, nothing had changed. The familiar sensation of disappointment flowed through her, a strange and hollow ache she was growing accustomed to. She softly cleared her throat before checking her phone. It was just after 3 am and the tide should be shifting from incoming to outgoing. If they were going to do this, there wouldn't be a more perfect time.
In the space between rollers, she swore she could hear Sean whisper in her ear, his voice filled with mischief. 'Ah 3 am on a moon-filled night. The perfect time for piracy, Genie lass!' Genie concentrated on the sound. Her biggest fear was that one day, she wouldn't remember what Sean sounded like. That his familiar features would blur and fade over time.
Pulling the sleeve of her sweatshirt down over her hand, she quickly scrubbed away the stray tears before anyone else could see see them. Raising her voice to be heard over the waves, she called out to her brother Matt and Mr. Mulcahy. "Tide's turned. We need to load the Guppy and get her into the water."
With utmost care, Genie, her brother, Sean's father, and his partner worked to get the modified canoe out of the bed of the truck and down past the high tide mark. Few words were spoken as the little ship was made ready for her final voyage. Once the Guppy was secure, Genie trekked back up to the truck, throwing open the doors. She began pulling out bags and bags of items, the contents representing two weeks of shopping and all of the money she had saved up.
Mr. Mulcahy and Parker helped her fold several sets of clothes in styles Sean would approve of and place them in between the spars of the canoe. On top of the clothes Genie added a new pair of work boots since Sean's favorite pair went with him on the trip. Next she added the items she had searched out in the myriad of second hand stores the city supported. Several small but useful tools, things she had never managed to master despite Sean's attempts to teach her. A handful of sailing charts and an old atlas followed the tools.
Biting her lip, she fought down her tears as she listened to Mr. Mulcahy choke back tears of his own as she added a small wooden chest, one not much larger than a bread box and decorated with a skull and crossbones, to the growing pile. Inside the chest she had put in copies of pictures, memories of all the good times they had. She had also added a handful of chocolate gold coins, some crystals that looked like gems, and some ropes of costume pearls. There was no way she could send off her captain without his treasure.
Several liters of ginger ale followed the treasure chest, along with a take-out container from Sean's favorite Mexican restaurant. Genie lifted the container towards her face and inhaled, the spicy scent of the chimichangas filling her senses. With a wry grin, she finished off the food rations with a couple of packages of beef jerky, a package of saltine crackers, and a handful of limes. "Can't take any chances with scurvy, now can we?" she murmured softly.
The last few items went in just as quickly: some sheet music, a handful of big band and jazz CDs, and some tattered One Piece mangas she had found in a used book store. With a flourish, Genie pulled out her ultimate find, a battered and warped cutlass. It had cost her most of her savings and even required her to borrow some money from her loan shark of a younger brother, but it was for Sean. That made it worth any price.
With the sword in its place of honor, Genie waved Matt over. Her older brother gingerly made his way over, carefully carrying to two gas cans they had filled up that afternoon. Glancing over at Mr. Mulcahy and Parker before starting, Genie carefully doused the Guppy and her contents.
The three men and Genie dragged her down to the waves, setting the canoe bobbing on the surf. Mr. Mulcahy and Parker withdrew to a safe distance up the beach while Genie and Matt waded farther out into the water. With a nod from Genie, Matt pulled out a lighter and ignited the ship.
The flame raced across the contents, spreading light and warmth in its wake. Genie and Matt alternately pulled and pushed the canoe farther out, trying to work with the outgoing tide. Slipping on an uneven section of ocean floor, Genie foundered and grabbed a smoldering edge of the Guppy. The searing pain encouraged her to release the ship as quickly as possible. Without thinking, she plunged her hand into the water, the salt amplifying the burning sensation.
Matt tried to peer at her from his position but she ignored him and continued pushing until the tide began to carry it farther out to sea. Satisfied that it wasn't going to come back and beach itself, Genie and Matt made their way back to the shore. Ignoring her dripping clothes, she hopped up into the bed of the truck and took out her trumpet case.
'Only for you would I try to transcribe Sinatra, Sean. Only for you.' Drying off her hands, Genie assembled her trumpet and took a deep breath. As the Guppy drifted farther out to sea, Genie began playing "Thanks For The Memory." By the time she had played it through three times, the Guppy was just a bobbing smudge of light in the darkness.
'Good sailing, Sean. Good sailing until we meet again.'
The crashing of the waves echoed in her ears as the friendly caress of the salty breeze played with her hair. As Genie Banneman stared out at the rolling waves, she could almost feel Sean standing next to her. Dropping her chin to her chest, she squeezed her eyes closed as hard as she could, trying to memorize the sensation. 'This is all a dream. A terrible nightmare.'
She sniffled a bit, refusing to open her eyes just yet. 'Please, God, let this be a dream. Please. I'll do anything. I'll give you anything. Just...let me open my eyes and he'll be there,' she silently pleaded. 'Please. Just for a few minutes more.'
It was a childish hope, she knew, but one she had indulged in multiple times each day in the three weeks since the news had reached them. Foolish though the little ritual was, it felt like if she tried hard enough, he would come back, give her some sign or something that he was still here with her.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes. As usual, nothing had changed. The familiar sensation of disappointment flowed through her, a strange and hollow ache she was growing accustomed to. She softly cleared her throat before checking her phone. It was just after 3 am and the tide should be shifting from incoming to outgoing. If they were going to do this, there wouldn't be a more perfect time.
In the space between rollers, she swore she could hear Sean whisper in her ear, his voice filled with mischief. 'Ah 3 am on a moon-filled night. The perfect time for piracy, Genie lass!' Genie concentrated on the sound. Her biggest fear was that one day, she wouldn't remember what Sean sounded like. That his familiar features would blur and fade over time.
Pulling the sleeve of her sweatshirt down over her hand, she quickly scrubbed away the stray tears before anyone else could see see them. Raising her voice to be heard over the waves, she called out to her brother Matt and Mr. Mulcahy. "Tide's turned. We need to load the Guppy and get her into the water."
With utmost care, Genie, her brother, Sean's father, and his partner worked to get the modified canoe out of the bed of the truck and down past the high tide mark. Few words were spoken as the little ship was made ready for her final voyage. Once the Guppy was secure, Genie trekked back up to the truck, throwing open the doors. She began pulling out bags and bags of items, the contents representing two weeks of shopping and all of the money she had saved up.
Mr. Mulcahy and Parker helped her fold several sets of clothes in styles Sean would approve of and place them in between the spars of the canoe. On top of the clothes Genie added a new pair of work boots since Sean's favorite pair went with him on the trip. Next she added the items she had searched out in the myriad of second hand stores the city supported. Several small but useful tools, things she had never managed to master despite Sean's attempts to teach her. A handful of sailing charts and an old atlas followed the tools.
Biting her lip, she fought down her tears as she listened to Mr. Mulcahy choke back tears of his own as she added a small wooden chest, one not much larger than a bread box and decorated with a skull and crossbones, to the growing pile. Inside the chest she had put in copies of pictures, memories of all the good times they had. She had also added a handful of chocolate gold coins, some crystals that looked like gems, and some ropes of costume pearls. There was no way she could send off her captain without his treasure.
Several liters of ginger ale followed the treasure chest, along with a take-out container from Sean's favorite Mexican restaurant. Genie lifted the container towards her face and inhaled, the spicy scent of the chimichangas filling her senses. With a wry grin, she finished off the food rations with a couple of packages of beef jerky, a package of saltine crackers, and a handful of limes. "Can't take any chances with scurvy, now can we?" she murmured softly.
The last few items went in just as quickly: some sheet music, a handful of big band and jazz CDs, and some tattered One Piece mangas she had found in a used book store. With a flourish, Genie pulled out her ultimate find, a battered and warped cutlass. It had cost her most of her savings and even required her to borrow some money from her loan shark of a younger brother, but it was for Sean. That made it worth any price.
With the sword in its place of honor, Genie waved Matt over. Her older brother gingerly made his way over, carefully carrying to two gas cans they had filled up that afternoon. Glancing over at Mr. Mulcahy and Parker before starting, Genie carefully doused the Guppy and her contents.
The three men and Genie dragged her down to the waves, setting the canoe bobbing on the surf. Mr. Mulcahy and Parker withdrew to a safe distance up the beach while Genie and Matt waded farther out into the water. With a nod from Genie, Matt pulled out a lighter and ignited the ship.
The flame raced across the contents, spreading light and warmth in its wake. Genie and Matt alternately pulled and pushed the canoe farther out, trying to work with the outgoing tide. Slipping on an uneven section of ocean floor, Genie foundered and grabbed a smoldering edge of the Guppy. The searing pain encouraged her to release the ship as quickly as possible. Without thinking, she plunged her hand into the water, the salt amplifying the burning sensation.
Matt tried to peer at her from his position but she ignored him and continued pushing until the tide began to carry it farther out to sea. Satisfied that it wasn't going to come back and beach itself, Genie and Matt made their way back to the shore. Ignoring her dripping clothes, she hopped up into the bed of the truck and took out her trumpet case.
'Only for you would I try to transcribe Sinatra, Sean. Only for you.' Drying off her hands, Genie assembled her trumpet and took a deep breath. As the Guppy drifted farther out to sea, Genie began playing "Thanks For The Memory." By the time she had played it through three times, the Guppy was just a bobbing smudge of light in the darkness.
'Good sailing, Sean. Good sailing until we meet again.'