„Again.. explain it again, I don’t get it” A small girl wearing elegant, but greyish clothes that didn't fit her youthful appearance, kept looking at a ship far away. Annoyed she was flailing her hands in front of herself.
„No problem… Alice, put your hand in front of yourself so that it is in line of that ship” A middle aged man with a long beard had a patience of a saint.
„Sure, sure, and what do I do next Albert?”
„Just keep it like this. It’s simple. Don’t move your head or your hand.”
„I still don’t get it but whatever, I do as I’m told. '' The girl exclaimed with a sigh and held her hand in front of herself looking to the sea. She held the handrail with her second hand to stay straight despite the swinging of the ship. Despite her best efforts however, she hit the handrail and quickly grabbed it with her second hand as well. She barely stayed on her feet. The man laughed.
„Your first time on a ship?”
„No, not really”
„Oh, so you’ve only traveled on rivers? Yeah, I can see that. Anyway, let me do it.” The man stayed with his legs close to each other, his hands supported on his waist, and yet it was as if he didn’t even notice the swinging. He stuck out his hand and looked forward.
The girl on the other hand sat on the deck and supported herself on the rail. She looked around. A lot of people were on the ship, most of them seemed to be merchants who transported their goods on this ship, some nobles, who proudly displayed their family crests but were probably nobles only by title and probably poorer than most of the merchants here. There were some scholars, wearing long fancy robes, most likely traveling to some far away university to exchange their long gathered knowledge. There were some soldiers assigned to protect the ship. There were also some adventurers, just like Alice, who could easily be spotted by their weapons. Aside from your usual firearms, long range rifles and easily concealable pistols that at least a third of them didn’t know how or didn’t bother to conceal properly, they also had bows , spears and the likes. The kind of weapons you could use for long periods of time without the risk of running out of ammunition.
One of the scholars was arguing with a twenty something year old girl. A big crowd surrounded them, even the captain was there listening. The girl seemed hysterical, while the scholar had a tone like he was scolding a bad pupil of his.
„If you claim that there is a ghost in here, give me something tangible. Make a series of measurements of a value of a physical property that would prove without a doubt the existence of this ghost.”
„But can you truly measure anything and everything? There surely must be things beyond the grasp of reason”
„No, there are simply no such things! Humankind has measured the weight, WEIGHT! of the planets in our solar system, the size of the basic particles that form everything, and the refractive index of luminiferous aether that helps us explain the properties of light! There is nothing in existence that can’t be measured! ”
„It’s very impressive Oh sage… but how do you know that? How do you know there isn’t more to the world than just the things you can measure? Isn’t that just a belief of yours as well?! ”
„Oh you stupid ruck, had I told you there is an invisible ranbow colored platapus here, would you believe me? Would it make sense to believe it when we can’t touch it, can’t see it, can’t hear it? And how long can you multiply these imaginary entities? You came up with ghosts yesterday, invisible platypuses today, what’s tomorrow then?”
„B-but I didn’t mention any p-platypuses… it doesn’t even make sense. How can it be both rainbow and invisible.”
„Agh! That’s exactly the point! How can you not understand it? Alright then. I’m sorry. I’ll explain it so you understand. Let’s assume for a moment that your boy is really here by your side. If you can’t touch it, see it, hear it, smell it… if you can’t show us something, anything, tangible regarding his existence... How, just how is it any different from this ghost of yours not existing at all?”
„I… I don’t know. But he is here. I just know it.”
„It seems we are on a collision course” Albert rose her from stupor
„Sorry, I’ve been focused on the other passengers… what did you say”
„We’re on a collision course”
„What? No! We survived the whole journey and the land’s so close… Wait, wait… but it’s not too late to change the course yet?”
„Hahaaha, yes, there’s still time, the captain would have to be a complete moron not to notice. Keep calm and tell me what are you going to do after you’ve left the ship.”
„Albert, you’re a nice guy, but I’ve only met you today on this ship”
„Is it some kind of secret then? You got my interest” She gave him a ‘don’t do it’ look. He stroked his mustache and looked up. „Well, I live on the outskirts of the port city we’re going to. Small business importing grain, spices, wine… and honestly whatever I think can make me profit that year.” He noticed Alice became disinterested. „Well, in any case, I know the adventuring business doesn’t pay that well… If you want to make some money before continuing on your journey, I need someone to help me kill giant rats. They can be this big” he made a circle in the air with his hands “can you believe it? Basically the size of a dog and I kid you not they’ve been a plague recently. My business suffered a lot because of them.”
„You want a thirteen year old girl to help you kill rats? Do you normally hire little girls for these kinds of tasks?”
„Are you a certified adventurer or are you not? It means something… even if there was some sort of bribe involved…”
„What?! No, of course there wasn’t!”
„You’re not fooling me...”
„I… agh! No, thank you, I have enough money.”
Albert sighed and looked at the argument in the middle of the deck. More people joined it. Some were on the side of the woman and some on the side of the scholar. Such a thing.
„The crew should stop it before this conversation gets too heated. They’re probably going to intervene soon” He thought to himself. He didn’t notice the captain himself with a few crewmates arguing as well.
Albert looked at the sea to calm down. The blue color reaching as far as he could see, would always make him relax. The single ship they were on a collision course with was still there, much closer. „They’re probably going to pass like 100 meters from us, there’s no need to worry about it” he thought. He then looked at the port city getting closer every minute. He saw the spires of cathedrals, palaces and that of the city hall. He could already see the colorful, several stories high but very narrow row houses of the rich at the waterfront. Dozens of ships being loaded or unloaded by workers. One of these ships being unloaded under a giant treadwheel crane building, a true marvel of engineering. The beloved Westende in all its glory. He’d finally see his family. He had not seen them for four months by then. Mariya, his daughter, was about Alice’s age. He wondered if they’d make good friends. Well, he’ll never know because she’s not coming.
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„Will she really be alright on her own? She doesn’t seem to be the type who can last long in this profession. Especially considering her age…” Albert thought to himself.
He looked at her. She was sitting on the deck curled up, her head buried in her legs
„We’re so close. You’re gonna throw up? If so, puke off the boat.”
„I’m fine.”
„You don’t look fine… Tell me what you think about ghosts. Do you believe the girl, or the sage? Come on, we need to take your mind off how bad you feel. Let’s talk about something. Doesn’t have to be about the lady there if you don’t want to talk about her. Any topic will do.”
Alice thought for a while, and answered.
„The sage sees the world by his measurement instruments, confides in his physical models, believes in his axioms while rejecting a girl who sees the world with her feelings, confides in what her heart tells her, believes that there might be more to the world than just… than just this depressing existence”
„How poetic, I like it.” He complimented Alice ”But is there really something more? How can you tell then that she hasn’t just gone mad from all the sadness after losing the closest person she had… or no… has his death even been confirmed?”
„Yes, he’s dead for sure… and yes, I think there’s more to this world than just meets the eye.”
„Oh, come on, seriously? So… you believe this girl then? And this ghost story of hers...”. She averted her eyes, and fell silent.
„I-I...I don’t know, maybe I do… or maybe I just like to indulge in wishful thinking.” Hearing it he smiled, and replied.
„Everyone does… I used to believe in the existence of kraken … It was supposed to be an enormous sea monster. And I, before I saved up enough money to start a business, I was a sailor. I was at sea most of the time. Everyday I went to bed and… well, not everyday, sometimes we had to work for like two days straight because otherwise the ship would sink… but every time I went to bed, I would think about how afraid I am of this monster. Everyone in the port I was born in believed in kraken. Old sailors would tell stories how they were the only survivors of a kraken attacking their ships. Haha, old liers. It’s so stupid, but I believed them. Every single thing. I was not afraid of dying in a storm, or attacked by pirates... even though so many of my friends died like that. It was just the gray reality. I simply didn’t bother thinking about storms and pirates. What I thought about, what was I afraid of was this imaginary monster. ”
„You’re not afraid of kraken anymore?”
„I saw others, who were much more crazy than me… and I reflected on myself. I didn’t want to be like these freaks and…”
„hahahaha” Alice burst out laughing
„Aye, what’s so funny huh?”
„It’s just… it’s like you stopped believing these stories not because of reason, but because you didn’t want to. Isn’t it wishful thinking too?”
„Yes, but, shouldn’t you see some proof of kraken’s existence to believe in it first? In all these years, I haven’t seen any. Just some clearly made up stories of old drunkards.”
„That’s right. I wish kraken existed though. I could go on an adventure to slay it.”
„Haha, no wonder you’re an adventurer!
They both laughed... But when Albert raised his head, shock was showing on his face.
„Alice...”
„Yeah?!”
„Remember that ship on the collision course? Hold tight to something quick!” He shouted.
Alice turned around and noticed the other ship very close. The sailors on it were frantically working the ropes to change its course… and so were the sailors on the ship she was on. Something pulled the ship to the right. It quickly turned 30 degrees. Everything happened so quickly. Alice saw the deck of the ship getting closer to her head. The pouch full of money she had in her pocket fell to the ground and started sliding downwards, hitting someone on the way and then falling into the sea. She tried to grab the handrail but by that time she started moving her hand she was already on the deck rolling towards middle of the ship. It seemed to her she was still and it was the ship that moved, hitting her hard. After she hit her head she wasn’t sure what was going on. Someone grabbed her and pinned to the deck. Then the ship returned to normal. It Was in one piece, so apparently the collision was avoided.
Alice was lying on the deck breathing heavily and trying not to puke. Albert was holding her with one hand and the rail with the other one.
„Sorry I didn’t grab you earlier. Are you alright?” He asked her while extending his hand.
„I-I think… so” she answered with trouble, and took his hand. He pulled her up. She stood up, lurched a few steps and collapsed.
„Take your time. In the meantime, please reconsider my offer. About the rat slaying. Not as glorious as slaying a kraken, but can replenish some of the money you lost in the sea.”
„Don’t talk to me you lolicon” she quickly retorted while lying in a supine position.
„You don’t want the job? Noone will feed you for free, you know. It’s a good job. And I don’t expect much from you anyway. It’s basically charity.”
-
The ship they were traveling on finally arrived in the port. Alice was finally feeling fine and the argument was over. Most people just waited patiently for the ship to wharf. The woman who started the whole affair was standing there looking downwards. Before Alice would disembark there was however one more thing she wanted to do. She came towards the woman. She stood on tiptoe and said close to the woman’s ear.
„Close to the village where he was allocated, there is a waterfall of the… the waterfall of the Emperor Adras the fifth, but the serfs call it…” Alice rolled her eyes and made a pause ”… they call it the samurai waterfall. And next to this waterfall there is a cave. Your lover’s body is left there, in the deepest part of the cave. The rebels who killed him might be hiding there… so going there alone will be a suicide. Don’t do it.”
„H-how do you know?” the woman asked, her face brimming with tears again.
„Don’t tell anyone, will you?”
„N-no… I won’t tell”
„He is here with you Luca, he’s always been.” Hearing this the woman collapsed on the deck lamenting and crying her eyes out.
„Now he’s angry at me. I told you where his body is. He’s afraid you’ll go there and die too. He wants you to live. Start a new life, with someone else, that’s what he wan...” She didn’t get to finish the sentence as Albert pulled her up.
„You should leave her. I don’t know what you told her, but that’s enough. Look, people here start looking at you. You think you’re smart but it seems you’re still just a kid. You better explain what’s going on, or some of them who believe her might not be so understanding” Albert told her while still holding her above the ground.
„Oh... I-I’m sorry. I... tried telling this lady more, erm, delicately than you dear professor that… erm, the dead don’t come back. Didn’t work out.” Alice explained in full voice to the crowd.
„Why, oh why?” The Scholar answered pleased, sticking his head up and with his arms crossed ”It looks to me like it did though. She must’ve finally acknowledged this one simple fact. Good job little girl.”
„I guess… thank you.” Alice replied, trying to keep her composure. Albert put her on the ground
„And you… don’t hold me like that… let’s go see these rats” She said in a much harsher tone while leaving from the ship.