23 Monster Aboard the Moonligh (1/2)
”Eden, let me ask you when you were young, did you ever dream of being a pirate?”
Before taking this option, I had considered many possibilities: hiding on the ship, killing whoever came to get me, jumping from the ship at port, and many other options. However, the problems with many of them are I don't know what they know. Has the video of my actions been sent out? Will they figure out that it was me in Japan? Is it going to be police or military waiting for me at the next port? Are they going to try to catch or kill me on sight? Too many unknowns, that's why I've decided to go for the nuclear option.
”Eira, what are you about to do?”
”Well, first, I am going to go find the Captain. I leave the decision if you want to come with me to you, but I'll warn you things are about to get a bit messy.”
Eden stops speaking and looks down at the back of her hand. She rubs the mark of the Goddess that is burned into it.
”...I was told by the Goddess to stay close to you, so I should go to.”
I look at Eden seeing the determination in her eyes, ”Okay, if that's your decision, then grab everything you may need; we may not be able to come back.”
”Okay...oh, here's your laundry. I did it last night, and I bought some more clothes for you as well this morning.”
”Oh, yeah, thanks. Wait, did you not sleep?”
”I had to work last night, so I was up, and I just went to the ship store when they opened. Buying clothes on the ship is really expensive, but the card went through.”
I glance at the pile of clothes and my eye twitches.
Eden looks at me with anticipation, ”I didn't know what you would like, so I just bought stuff like you already had.”
I pick up a set of underwear that is covered with pictures of kitten paw prints.
”Yeah...this is perfect. Thanks again...” I do my best to put on a smile.
”I'll finish gathering my things.”
A few minutes pass, and Eden returns with a duffel bag full of clothes. I dump more snacks from my ring to make room and again suppress my urge to cry.
'All my snacks! Why is this world so cruel?'
We are about to leave Eden's room when I remember something I almost forgot. I pick up a pillow and toss it at the person in the closet.
”AH!” Audrey squicks.
”Come on, Audrey, we're leaving.”
”Where are we going?” she looks at me nervously.
”You are going to take me to have a talk with the Captain. Where would he be right about now?”
”...I don't know why would I know that?”
I purse my lips, ”Then, just take me to his room.”
”I don't think taking you to the Captain's cabin is a good idea...”
Frowning, I tighten the blood choker around Audrey's neck. Audrey panics and grips at the choker trying to get some breathing room. I leave her like this for a moment before returning it to normal.
She turns and stares at me with fear, ”Okay, let's go.”
Together all three of us leave and head to the stairwell. We walk up several sets of stairs and eventually arrive at an area close to the bridge. Audrey leads us to a door with a small gold plaque on it that reads 'Captain Hitchcock.'
”This is Captain Hitchcock's cabin.”
”That's great. Now knock on the door and see if he answers.” I move to an area out of sight of the door.
I hear a small sigh from Audrey before she knocks on the door.
**Knock Knock**
**Knock Knock**
”I don't think he is in his room right now.” I hear Audrey say.
I walk back to the door and find it locked. Looking above the door handle, I can see this door seems to require a key card.
”Audrey, use your key card to get us in.”
”Even if I do that only works for the deadbolt. I heard that the Captain insisted on having a traditional lock as well.” Audrey points at the door handles keyhole.
Losing my patience and afraid someone might find us, I use my nail to break the lock. I grab Audrey's key card, swipe it, and shove Audrey into the room while Eden follows behind. I begin to look around the room to try and get an idea of the character of Captain Hitchcock. What I see makes me frown slightly.
”What's wrong?” Eden, who seems to have noticed my expression, asks.
”Look around, what do you see?”
”...A clean room, not many furnishings, some old photos, Uhm, a flag, and that's just about it.”
”Yeah, but what does that tell you? Like look at the photos, the newest ones are of who I assume is Captain Hitchcock with his daughter at her college graduation. Then when you look at the oldest one, it is a picture of him and a woman at their wedding. Then there's another with the same woman pregnant, after that there aren't any more pictures of the women. Those pictures look at least twenty years old, but he still displays them, which means his wife is probably dead. Then the flag is a U.S. Navy flag, which means he is probably ex-military, and anyone who would hang a U.S. Navy flag in their room was likely in the military for a long time.”