The Salty city Predator

Chapter 11

Days passed, and they were still on their voyage but on a particular day the compartment he was in started leaking with water slowly the water level started rising, and Geoffrey was forced to climb to higher heights in his small cabin. He rose to higher places in the cabin, but the water continued to rise. He could hear the crew shouting and enjoying as the ship overcame the tides not knowing the vessel had a leak. The water level continued to rise to his shoulders. He was now too wet and the cold was biting across his spine and he could not help it but shake stealthily. He swims out of the compartment so as not to drown but the water keeps rising to higher levels. He keeps moving higher until he realizes he has to drown to conceal his presence but since the ship was sinking anyway his death was inevitable as he had wished but was not yet ready to embrace it. He could now hear the crew as they were working but a thought came to tell them that the ship was sinking, but they might throw me into the sea anyway now the water level was still rising but they might even consider my life for saving their lives and with that he went to face them to warn them of the impending danger. But the fear was too great he could not be able to do it as he was still shaking of the cold salty water that had drenched his clothes. How can a fragile antelope walk into the lion’s den it is like a crab swimming into a sharks mouth willingly? He came to meet his death, but he was not yet ready to die. I have been running away from these people and the only hope I had to stop running, was to hide under their noses and make it to greener pastures is slowly being drowned by the salty water as he helplessly waited. Lord if this is because of the strong views I heard against you forgive me and if you give me another chance to live I with follow all you teachings diligently, and this is my prayer to you. With the salty water at his neck still, he did not have the courage the water rose, and he was wholly immersed in the water. He tried holding his breath under the water for some few minutes, but suffocation outwitted him. He quickly swam out of the water and sneaked to higher grounds on the ship. He tried hiding but he almost got caught but still he was now afraid that if one of the crew member sighted the water they might abandon the ship and leave him to die at sea. If I show myself they might secure a ride on a life boat maybe, so he thought. He walked towards the deck of the massive ship shaking with uncertainty the fear and the cold slowed his movement as he was shaking. No, one noticed him as he walked closer to them and the fear grew and was playing mind games with him. When the fear become too strong and his feeble and hungry body could not carry him anymore he shouted," the ship is sinking! The ship is sinking!" Everyone heard the unfamiliar voice but could not trace the messenger.

One of the crew members sighted the street kid and shouted there is a stowaway on the ship. The drenched poor street boy run for his life on the vessel. Every crew member was after him. This was an entirely different terrain where he did not know where to hide he was not thoroughly acquainted with the ships manifest he just ran for the sake of it, obeying his adrenaline gush and had to run for his life . He stumbled into a cabin where the captain and Ben were having a drink. He quickly runs across the vast ship dodging unaware crew members on the way. Godfrey tried hiding, but his drenching clothes were giving out his hideout. His bare foot left wet steps on the floor of the massive cargo ship and was quickly followed to reveal his where about on the vessel. He had to tear down his tattered clothes and left them for the crew to find as he continued running the body had generated enough heat, and this warmth led to his dry body which enabled him to hide safely at one edge of the ship. At the time the captain and the crew members were busy looking for him. They combed the entire vessel in the direction the stranger had run for hours with the captain holding a rifle in his arms. They got closer and closer to Geoffrey the captain was confident this is the man sent by his political enemies to finish him.

Geoffrey was shaking timidly as they came closer and closer to where he was hiding. His adrenaline was active, and he held his breath not to reveal his hideout. The crew combed the area as the captain and Ben followed from behind. The team passed where the boy was hiding after they had moved and continued searching for him. The boy was nowhere to be found they were now at the edge of the ship the only conclusion was that he had dived into the sea. The captain was not contented, and he started repeating the search for the boy alone as the crew followed him. He came face to face with the n***d boy hiding between two compartments. The boy runs once again, and this time both Ben and the captain were after him. Geoffrey this time around did not have a head start the curvy path on the ship prevented the captain from having a clear shot, but the ship was not like the city he was used to. The limited space was working against him. He running n***d enabled him to dodge other crew members who did not pursue him the first time someone came close to catching him he quickly slipped through past them because they had nowhere to hold.

Two former military men after you was no joke finally the captain had a clear shot, and shot just a beer bottle in front of the boy to scare him to halt. Geoffrey quickly took a dodge terrified by the sound of the gunshots and the accuracy and precision of the captain and fell due to the slippery floor. Now he had two options either to wake up and quickly jump into the sea or to surrender. There was no way the street urchin was going to give up his freedom he headed for the sea just as he went for the dive the captain shot into the air. The sound of the gunshot again from the captain’s short g*n shook the young boy’s guts and forced him to freeze, and one of the crew members caught him. The boy was pushed in-front of the captain to be judged, but the penalty was only one to be thrown into the sea, or if the captain is human he might let you live on his ship as his slave, either way, you will have lost your freedom and life. He was placed on a platform of one timber where he was struggling to keep balance or fall into the cold ocean water with sharks waiting for him. His urinary bladder helplessly emptied itself and he relieved himself a clear picture of the fountain statue outside the high court in the salty city. Geoffrey stood n***d above the ocean and a g*n to his face and was ready for conviction before the crew of this ship. His life was now in the hands of the captain who had the final verdict with no one to his defense. But this kid had nothing to bargain with everyone in the ship including some passengers were crowding around waiting for the carrying out of sea justice that is obvious and only happens once in a sailors lifetime the drowning of a stowaway the rule has been obeyed for years since the abolishment of the slave trade we done with. It was easier to throw a stowaway into the sea and forget about it. If an undocumented voyager was found on you ship the coveted and expensive international voyage license would be canceled. No captain would allow this to happen at the cost of a worthless street urchin. The script was written long ago for the captain should only read it as is a tradition. If by any chance the ship is found guilty of transporting undocumented illegal passengers is banned from the international waters, so stowaways are dealt with ruthlessly. The boy balancing on the wood trembling with fear and cold ready to embrace his mother and brother afraid to look at the big fishes jumping out and back into the sea prepared to welcome him. The ship is sinking! He shouted. The boat is sinking! He repeated now this time looking straight into the captain’s eyes. The Ben thought this look was too familiar but could not remember where he had seen it.

Who are you? How did you get to be on my ship and who sent you? Have you sabotaged my vessel? The captain asked with a sound stern as he c****d his g*n with an intention to scare the truth out of the young lad.

The boy was shivering from the cold and shaking from the fear of being fed to the sharks. He tried too hard to gain enough courage to answer back, but tears flowed freely out of his eyes. You are going to kill me anyway I have nothing to live for am just an urchin from the city you had docked. No one has sent here on my own accord trying to cross the ocean to look for a better tomorrow just like others do. I just want a safe voyage to the land of the brave that is full of possibilities overseas.

Tell us the truth that you were sent to plant papers on this ship and sabotage it, and we might consider not killing you, Ben implied.

What papers? What are you talking about Geoffrey asked? I am the boy from the orphanage you always came to visit. Remember!

You are pretending to be too smart, admit you were to drop the papers and the ship started moving before you got off. (Geoffrey looks more confused not knowing what the captain was talking about). Tell us who paid you to place the death permit and academic certificate on this ship. Ben moves close to the captain and whispers into his ears,” this is the boy I told you about from your father’s children Centre.”

Those papers belong to me; the death permit belongs to my mother while the academic certificates are mine. My name is Geoffrey I was the best student in the province last year. My paper here obsesses you I don’t care whether you shoot me or not, this vessel is sinking. I know you used to come to our orphanage with your family. I am the boy you almost killed for having an affair with your daughter remember. You remember me sir. You promised to pay for my college but you never fulfilled you promise. You were our only hope that an orphan like you could make it in life. Ben was so ashamed he remembered the young promising kid. He never saw him n***d and he looked different while n***d and it was now an  year since he last saw him and kicked him out of his home.

“Go check in the engineering compartment to confirm the boy’s allegations” the captain sends one of the crew members and to break the silence and take over from the prosecuting Ben.

What was your mother’s name? The captain asked.

Stop asking me so many questions, and we all know what is going to happen, but before I die, I want to take those to my mother I was always the best in school as she wished to but look at my fate now.

Where is she? Is purity dead? Tears roll down the captain’s face as he was holding the death certificate of Geoffrey’s mother. He tried rereading it hoping it was not right in disbelief.

She died a long time ago when we were little at the age of seven.

The captain started crying now Geoffrey dared to ask questions looking straight into the captain’s eyes.  He was now certain of his death and it was time to embrace it like a man. He stopped shaking from fear and couldn't feel the cold anymore and he thought it wise to start asking questions to buy time before he is dropped into the sea.

Who are you and how do you know my mother? Geoffrey asked now more confused than ever.

The answer was written on the captain’s face he spotted the birthmark on the boy’s loins. This birthmark was similar to the one the captain had his mother had told him he got it from his father. The familiar eyes now rang the bell, and this was his son. This was a difficult question for the captain to answer he just looked at Geoffrey with tears flowing down his face and tried to reach him. The boy had purity's eyes and innocence. My son I am so sorry. He did not dare to look into Geoffrey’s eyes, but he had to. [As he walked towards Geoffrey]

Geoffrey had all his life hated his father, and he blamed him for his misfortunes, but now he was helpless and could not hold on anymore as tears rolled down his chicks. He looked at the man who brought him into this world he had vowed to ask him questions if they ever came face to face. Now was his chance to accuse his father but he could not find the right words. The captain came close to him but he was not ready and looked down and fell off the single wood platform but the captain reached his hand before he fell off and pulled him into the ship this time he felt secure and confident a way he had never felt before with tears flowing down his face. He felt a parent’s touch the same way he felt when his mother was alive but now he felt more secure I have looked for your mother everywhere but to no avail. They both embraced leaving everyone so speechless and confused. Ben was so confused and could not understand how the son to his boss would be doing in a children's orphanage where he was raised.

The ship has leaked we are sinking one of the crew members shouted. The ship is sinking he repeated again