Olivia woke up suddenly because her bed was shaking. She looked around while sitting on her bed, but everything appeared normal and peaceful. She wondered if it was just a dream. Tara was sleeping soundly on the bed next to hers. Olivia was lost in thought when suddenly the bed shook again. She whispered nervously to herself, "Is this a storm?" Feeling excited, she quickly dressed and ran down the corridor towards the staircase. As soon as she reached the ship's deck, she could hear the wind howling. The deck was shaking back and forth, and she felt like she was on a roller coaster. Suddenly, lightning lit up the environment, making her feel like she was watching a horror movie. She rushed to the corridor as it was the short way to the cabin. As she was walking along the corridor which was bordered by the sea and marked by a safety fence, she caught the sight of Melvin walking a few steps ahead of her. As the rain started to pour heavily, her vision became blurred with a shade of blue. She raised her hand to shield her eyes and see more clearly. The strong winds, thunder, and heavy rain combined to create a terrifying and ominous atmosphere, resembling a gathering of demons. The ship's deck was shaking violently, causing it to feel like an earthquake was happening. Massive waves were crashing onto the deck, resembling the arms of monsters trying to snatch any human in their reach. The corridor was wet and slippery, making it difficult to maintain balance. Olivia had to grip the fence tightly to prevent being thrown overboard.
As she ambled along the corridor, carefully placing one foot in front of the other, she was completely unaware of the horror that awaited her. Suddenly, her peaceful stroll was interrupted by a spine-chilling sight - Melvin had fallen into the sea! The fear that gripped her was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. With all her might, she darted towards Melvin screaming, her voice trembling with fear.
"Melvin! Oh my God! No!"
She bent over the fence and stretched out her hand to grasp Melvin's hand, the only thing that could save her from imminent danger. Luckily Melvin could grab Olivia's hand. But don't relax. The danger isn't gone completely yet.
"Grab my hand"
Olivia shouted stretching her other hand toward Melvin as well. Melvin struggled to catch her hand and eventually she did. Olivia tried with all her strength to pull her up into the ship deck again and realized she was not as strong as the heroes she's seen in movies.
"I can't pull you up! Can you put your feet on something and push up" Olivia shouted to Melvin. Melvin tried to pull herself up. But she couldn't find anything in the limit of her legs could reach.
"I can't!" Melvin shouted back to Olivia. As Olivia looked around, she realized that she could not continue to hold Melvin for much longer. The ship's deck was slippery and the two of them were in danger of falling into the ocean at any moment. The water droplets streaming down her arms only added to the difficulty of the situation, making it hard for Melvin to hold on tight. If they do not come up with a plan soon, both of them will be already dead by the time when others start to search for them. Olivia looked at the sea. Suddenly the ship moved up at once as the waves were crashing. Olivia barely managed not to lose her balance.
But a bright idea popped up in her head at that moment of danger. She looked down at Melvin.
"Melvin! Wait for the next wave to hit. I'll pull you up. The upward movement of the ship will provide enough push to get you aboard."
"OK!" Melvin shouted as she looked down at the deep, scary ocean. They waited anxiously for the next wave, feeling the ship bobbing up and down beneath them. After two minutes felt like an hour, a massive wave finally hit the ship. Olivia seized the opportunity and used all her strength to pull Melvin up as the ship began to rise up. As they were thrown onto the deck by the force, they clung onto the fence for dear life to avoid another fall into the sea.
"We need to go to the cabin. Kalvin is alone there tonight. Nobody gave a warning about a storm." urged Melvin in a worried voice, rising to her feet after the wave subsided. But still, her heart was pounding so fast.
"Be careful, hold on to the fence for support" Olivia replied following her own advice for safety.
"We need to hurry up" Melvin said as she tried to move as fast as possible. Melvin and Olivia finally arrived at the cabin room after a hard walk. Melvin tried to open the door, but she couldn't. The reason was that the air pressure from the wind was blocking it.
"Let me try" Olivia took a turn and kicked the lock with all her might, and the door opened. Upon entering the room, they realized that all the windows were open, causing the wind to blow and create pressure on the door.
"You should've closed the windows instead of the door" Melvin complained to his brother who was already soaked from the wind and rain.
"I didn't close it," Kalvin replied staring at the big glass cover which was covering the front of the cabin room.
"Someone call the Octagon Veranda! I'm dying to know why they couldn't warn early" Kalvin said in a humiliating voice. Melvin hurried to bring the raincoat for Kalvin. She realized that he was feeling cold as she heard his voice.
"Thank you," Kalvin said looking at his sister's face kindly.
"I'll call. Olivia get the windows closed!" Melvin said walking toward the communication system. Olivia hurried to close the windows. But it wasn't an easy task. She felt like someone was pulling out the window from outside to stop it from getting close. However, with her best effort, she could manage to close all four windows. She looked back at Melvin with a confident look. She saw Melvin talking to Madam Brown on the screen.
"I told Erien to tell you to change the coordinates of the ship" She was giving reasons for excuses,
"Erien? That guy in the kitchen?" Melvin asked in wonder. She could remember the guy with sharp lips and sharp eyes almost looking like a thief.
"Yes! He's not a cook, He's a student of the mechanical sector. He volunteered to work in the kitchen as he desperately wanted to join." Madam Browns replied thinking about the incident that happened the day before yesterday.
"He told nothing" Melvin whispered thinking about that guy, wondering how he could forget something such important.
"Anyway, how can we pass the storm?" Melvin asked coming back to the topic as she saw warning signs in his brother's eyes.
"Well, I can give you coordinates. It'll take some time to pass the storm" Madam Browns replied looking at the radar.
"OK, I...." Melvin didn't get to finish the sentences Olivia interrupted.
"None of you saw that we were sailing in the wrong direction the whole day?" Olivia shouted to Madam Browns wondering how the council could make such a big mistake. Huh! Do they think it's a game or something?
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"That's a good question," Kalvin said agreeing with her for the first time ever. Madam Browns took a moment to come up with a proper answer to calm down these young adult minds.
"I'm so sorry but we had to use our main mission control system for a project about the space station today." She replied with her best-apologizing face, like trying to convince them that the world would've end today unless the council decided to use the system for their new mission about the space station.
"What? We were disconnected the whole day?" Kalvin yelled in anger. Did she really mean it? His mind was repeating the same question. How could they be such reckless?
"I know it's frustrating but it was too important too" Penny Browns tried to justify herself as she wiped her forehead nervously. Nice try Madam Browns! But she missed the point that the lives of voyagers are too important too.
"Did Bell even approve this? Are you playing some game with our lives?" Kalvin yelled in anger still looking at the ruthless mad ocean. Melvin knew it was time to end the call. She knew about the short temper of his brother, he could've said something inappropriate and caused more trouble for himself.
"I'll call you for further information if needed" Melvin said in her best polite voice which has been her cover to her aggressive emotions in situations like this. Penny Browns nodded in agreement as Melvin ended the call, secretly being relieved about being able to get rid of this hot topic. Melvin hid her face in her own bent hands like something was bothering her.
"Now what?" She asked. Meanwhile, Olivia was lost in an ocean of deep thoughts full of storms, and Kalvin appeared frustrated and exhausted after struggling with the fierce ocean for nearly two hours, leaving him drenched and shivering. Melvin went to the drawer, opened it and took a warm suit out of it. She brought it to Kalvin with a towel.
"Thank you!" Kalvin said warmly taking off his t-shirt quickly. Olivia went to the window as Melvin walked to the computer giving Kalvin space to get dressed as it was too risky as walking on thin ice for him to leave the controlling unit in a condition like this. Olivia looked at Melvin trying to ask her about waking up Claran to help. But she didn't get to talk about her new idea as she realised something was bothering Melvin.
"Are you ok?" She asked walking to Melvin, and leaving the window which showed a scary film of her loving ocean.
"Yeah, I'm fine" Melvin replied, again switching to her best polite voice. But Olivia realized something was wrong.
"What's wrong? Is she ok?" Kalvin who was fully dressed in warm comfortable clothes questioned Olivia turning around. Kalvin got his answer although Olivia didn't get to answer. Melvin ran to the door covering her mouth with her right hand. Olivia ran after Melvin as Melvin leaned over the fence. Olivia didn't want the same adventure for the second time in the last hour. She helped Melvin by patting her on her shoulder. Melvin turned around coughing. Olivia helped her into the room. Kalvin looked at Melvin who was turning pale. 'Again seasick? In this moment oh god you must be kidding me?' Kalvin was stuck with two storms in his head. Olivia raised her voice in this moment like an angel sent to rescue him.
"Melvin you need to go inside. I can help you get inside. It's not shaking much inside like the ship deck." Melvin looked at Kalvin with a question on her face.
"She's right. I can handle this. I can't focus properly when I see you are not ok." Kalvin said making up his mind to fight one ruthless storm at a time. It's going to be so lonely and tiring at the same time it'll be too risky to handle all this alone. But that's fine he thought. But Melvin answered looking at Kalvin like she just read his mind.
"But you can't handle this alone. No matter how hi-tech this ship is. You want someone to help. You were wet, cold and shivering when I reached here" Melvin said trying so hard not to cough again. Kalvin knew what's she saying was pure truth but he disagreed. What else to do? He needs to get his sick sister safely on a warm bed to rest. Olivia looked at the troubled and worried eyes of these siblings. 'Oh gosh, you must be kidding me? Why on earth am I going to have to tell this?' Her mind warned her but Olivia let the terrible idea slip through her lips.
"I'll stay," She said shortly. Kalvin and Melvin looked at her with open mouths. 'Did she really agree to be stuck in this room during the whole storm with her least favourite person on the earth?' Olivia felt uncomfortable to see their wonderstruck faces.
"Well I'm not impressed with it either but there is no choice left!" She said explaining herself like she just said something guilty. Her mind was blaming her so badly. 'Are you in the right mind Olivia? You just agreed to spend one whole stormy night in the same room with that freaking big-headed idiot! What on earth is this? You need psychological help right now!' The voices ringing inside her head were quieted by Melvin's reply.
"I'll wake up Claran as soon as I go down" Melvin said walking to the door. But Kalvin replied disagreeing.
"No! If you wake up him now I'm going to have to stay up next morning too. Don't wake him up. I can handle this." Melvin turned to him with a paper full of questions in her eyes.
'" What about waking up someone else then?" Melvin asked staring back at her brother's face. Kalvin replied with a deep voice, still looking at the computer systems.
"They can't help me with this," He said with a proud voice. Oh fair enough!
"Your stupid pride" Melvin whispered with a humiliating voice walking to the door. Olivia followed her behind.
"I thought you are staying" Melvin said with a disapproving voice grabbing the knob of the door. Olivia looked straight at Melvin's blue eyes full of complaining.
"You almost fell off the ship last time. Remember?" Olivia said humiliatingly, closing the door behind them. Melvin snorted scoffingly and moved ahead, pulling up her hoodie to shield herself from the wind. Olivia trailed behind, dreading the long and tiresome hours she would next have to spend in that room. They could reach to the room of Melvin safely. Olivia gave her a cup of water and some medicines.
"Take these pills," she said with a kind smile, "they'll alleviate your sickness and untie the knot in your stomach." Melvin gratefully nodded, taking the pills and washing them down with a sip of water. "Thank you," she whispered, her head resting on the pillow. Olivia looked at Melvin with surprise. Did she just say 'thank you'? Melvin realized surprised Olivia.
"Some flies don't have breaks, might go inside that black hole" Melvin joked with a reassuring smile to Olivia, looking at Olivia's mouth which was hanging open. "OK" Olivia said realizing it was a joke. 'OK, she can joke too' her mind whispered.
"Have some rest" Olivia said walking to the door. Melvin looked at Olivia, sitting on the bed.
"Olivia" She called and Olivia turned around. Melvin hesitated for a moment. "Umm, just, just, keep Kalvin warm please, He doesn't ask for help. umm, you saw that he was shivering when we went there." Melvin said and Olivia realized that Melvin was worried about her brother. 'How many more surprises am I going to have today' Olivia's mind whispered. Well, let's see Olivia! She nodded in agreement.
"I'm not a very nice person but I'll try to be a bit nice just for the sake of this storm" She joked and Melvin laid on the bed giving a relaxing breath out.
"Thank you savvier don't think I'll make a friend of you because of one freaking storm. I should warn you that Kalvin is not as nice as he looks" She said closing her eyes. Was she threatening Olivia again? But there wasn't any anger in her voice. Olivia smiled to herself realizing Melvin was really becoming friends with her.
"Okay," She said in a funny tone closing the door. Kalvin was still fighting against the relentless storm when she entered the cabin room. Olivia entered the room taking off her hoodie. Kalvin turned around and saw Olivia slamming the door.
"Typical habits of the privilege!" Kalvin sneered. It wasn't Olivia's intention to slam the door, the gusty wind was to blame. Kalvin's gaze met Olivia's scowl. Kalvin turned around sneezing. While walking to the sofa she heard Kalvin sneezing for the third time. Olivia quickly went to the cupboards to find tissues for Kalvin, who was catching a cold. When Olivia came back to him with tissues he was surprised.
"That could be a typical privilege people's habit too." Olivia mocked walking back to boil some water. Kalvin bit his lower lip feeling uncomfortable but what's left to say?
"Maybe you don't know a word called 'thank you' " Olivia continued. Kalvin kept quiet as the best option to save his pride. After a few minutes, Olivia came back with a cup of hot coffee to him. Kalvin looked at her with a friendly look for the first time.
"Thank you," he said sipping coffee. Olivia said nothing but went to the window to see outside. She could see still the sea was stormy.
"How long would it take to pass the storm?" She asked still looking outside.
"A few hours" Kalvin said looking at the controlling panel.
"Is Melvin ok?" Kalvin asked lost in thoughts.
"She's fine," Olivia said shortly. Olivia walked back to the sofa and laid down on it. The sky roared, its deafening sound filling her ears. The power and majesty of the storm were evident in every clap of thunder. Lightning lit up the environment once in a while, adding spooky features to the scene. Ship deck rocked up and down like a rocking chair, making it easy to fall asleep. After a long day of studying the ocean bed using cameras and spending hours at night staring at the storm, Olivia eventually felt her eyes getting heavy