Sargasso

by Goldymarg

A crushed dream

- 211 Miles off the Coast of Baltimare
Twelve Hours Later

How long have I been out here? It's gotten so dark, I can't see anything...the moon won't even come out from behind the clouds. Even if somepony came by, there's no way I'd be able to see them. Nopony's going to save me now, and there's nothing I can do.

(“...you drowned us. It's all your fault.”)

It doesn't even matter, either. Those creeps were able to sink the Ironside because I gave them what they wanted. Being alone out here is what I deserve. It's all my fault.

“I know that, okay, I-I KNOW that...just...just leave me alone.”

(“...it's all your fault. Your fault.”)

I can still hear them. The voices of my crewmates. I thought I was just my imagination, but they've been getting louder. And they haven't stopped. Why won't they just shut up...?!

“Stop it! Just stop it! Go away!”

(“...they're coming for you. You're next.”)

I'm so tired. I'm thirsty. My stomach's numb from lying on this mast forever. My legs are soggy and cold. The salt water is still stinging my eyes, and the voices in my head won't stop. They keep saying the same things over and over again. They keep saying how useless I am, that it's my fault they're all gone. I...I can even hear the boss and that solitaire pony in there too. They're telling me they're going to come back. Those raincoat freaks.

“Why'd they leave me alone...why is it I'm the only one left...?!”

The waves picked up again in the darkness, forcing me to clutch the mast even harder. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. I'm shaking so hard now. I never thought the ocean was so cold and...terrifying. They're out there, they're watching me right now. They're waiting for me to slip even just a tiny bit so they can drag me to the bottom of the sea. Just like all the rest. Sea water splashed into my face and mouth, making me gag. I've been doing my best not to swallow any of it, but I still had to taste it. At this point my throat's gotten so dry and salty, it's only a matter of time till' I wouldn't even be able to yell out anymore.

“(pant)...(pant)...guys...I'm sorry...”

I didn't even learn their names. I thought they were just a bunch of squares. Well, maybe they were. But nopony deserved what happened to them. They still had lives back in Baltimare...but...not anymore. Did any of them have family? Friends? If I ever got back to dry land, would I have to tell them all what happened out here? Would anypony even believe me?

“I didn't even try...I didn't even care! I was just thinkin' about myself the entire time, and now...!”

It was too late. Too late to make friends, too late to make amends...too late to save anypony. I've...I've never hated being alone so much in my life. I think I'm going crazy. What was I thinking?! There I was, thinking I could become a great ship's captain, and I ended up killing everypony on board my maiden voyage! I don't even deserve this cutie mark for what I've done!

“I don't know what to do...somepony, anypony, please...help me...!”

I've been holding them back all this time, but I just couldn't do it anymore. My face felt the first bit of heat I've felt in hours as tears started to fall. Snot dripped down my nose and I gurgled with the most pathetic noise I've ever heard. I can't take this anymore. Somepony please find me, I don't wanna go! I don't want those monsters to get me!

“Nuh-no! NOOO! HEEELP! SOMEPONY HELP MEEEE!!!”

Nothing. There wasn't even an echo out here on the open waters. But I couldn't stop myself. I knew it was useless, but I couldn't stop screaming.

“I'm sorry, I don't wanna die! Please save – NOOO!”

They found me! It's got me! It's got my leg! It's cold, IT'S SO COLD! It's freezing me to the bone!

“Lemme go, please! LET ME GOOO!!!”

It was cold, and it was strong. It was gripping and crushing my leg like a vice. I tried to hold on to the mast as long as I could, but there was no way that piece of wood could keep me above water. One quick tug on my leg, and the mast rolled away from me as I was pulled beneath the water. I didn't wanna look down there...I didn't wanna see the monster that was going to drown me for what I've done. I could feel my last breath bubble out of my mouth before everything went black.

----

“That's the last thing I remember, sonny. When I came to, my leg had to be chopped off cuz' a frostbite. I've been sittin' here ever since. Warnin' anypony goin' out to sea about them monsters.”

The aftertaste from the minestrone was gone by the time he finished his story. What a story too. I mean, seriously, a mysterious ship that appears out of nowhere and sinks you with a soup ladle? That's absolutely ludicrous. And how about getting back to the mainland with no recollection or explanation?

“Feh, I can already tell that ya don't believe me. It don't surprise me, neither...nopony believed me then, and nopony'll believe me now...buncha yahoos thinkin' ya know everythin'...”

He took another gulp of his mug, looking into it with one eye closed when he realized it was empty.

“Hey, Bojangles! Top me off!”

The bartender turned to face him with a glare while he was cleaning a glass with a dirty cloth. “Alright, that's enough outta you! I think you've had yer fill for one night, Briney!”

The old pony slammed the mug down, “I'll tell you when I've – eh. Maybe you're right. I'll see ya tomorrow night, Bojangles...”

He scooted back in his stool and got up, the clacking of his peg leg getting further away. Thankfully. Sure, I was nice to him and all, but he never really stopped creeping me out.

“...hey. One last thing, sonny.”

Aw, jeez. What does he want now? “Uh, yeah?”

He looked straight at me with those twitchy, yellow eyes again, the tone of his voice as serious as ever. “They say the sea's a harsh mistress. Well, I can tell ya it ain't no mistress. It's a demon. A great blue monster that steals everythin'. You ain't gonna find anythin' out there cept' a cold, lonely end. Don't say I didn't warn ya...”

And with that, he pushed past the creaky door and out of sight, the sound of his peg leg eventually disappearing. I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that he was gone. What was that all about, anyway? Guy says he was a survivor, but the S.S. Ironside had no recorded survivors. That's why it's a mystery as to how it vanished out at sea.

“See? What I tell ya? Guy's a real headcase, huh?”

I turned to look back at the bartender, his disposition completely different from a few seconds ago. His eyes had a pensive look in them as he stared at the door, and he was resting a foreleg on the counter. “Ah, what am I gonna do with ya, Briney...”

Ok, now I'm confused. “What brought this on? He seemed more like a pest to you than anything.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, I treat him like dirt a lot, but I can't help but worry about that old fart. After hearin' how bad he starts soundin' every time he tells that story a his, it makes me worry. Don't know how much of it is true, but he's always been a mess ever since he started comin' here. Somethin' happened to that guy, and it wasn't good.”

I can agree with you on that. “Well, thanks for the meal. I'm gonna head out now, I've got a lot of work to do in the morning.”

I set down my bits and stood up, eager to get out of this place. Jager Bomb's nice guy, it's just his place doesn't exactly seem...safe.

“Oh, wait a second! I got somethin' for ya!”

UGH, can't I get out of here and go back to normal civilization?! I've had enough of creepytown already! “U-um, yeah? What is it?”

His horn glowed with a levitation spell as he pulled up some weird, long object wrapped in a red and white polka dot handkerchief. “Just call it a good luck charm, alright? Preciate' ya stoppin' by!”

“Uh...thanks.” I took the thing in my teeth and stepped outside. Got about as far as the street before getting confused by his choice of gifts.

“...this some kinda joke?”

The thing inside the handkerchief was a ladle, nearly identical to the one he was using to serve me dinner. Only difference was that there was a huge, gaping hole in the bottom. What am I supposed to do with this?

“Hey, Jager Bomb! What's the idea of giving me this...oh.”

Looks like he closed up shop already. The lights were off and there was a dusty 'closed' sign on the door.

“Eh, it's not that important. Maybe I'll ask him...later?”

That's funny. I don't think that sign says what I think it says. I ended up walking back up the steps to dust the thing off with my hoof. Though I seriously wasn't expecting what it really said.

“Con...demned...?”

Author's Note:

10/14/13 - WOO, I did it! A self-contained story done in just two weeks! This may not seem like much to some other writers on here, but it's meaningful to me ~

Comments

[Prane]

Throw it away, Audiosurf, throw the ladle away and get the heck out of there!

In other words, I enjoyed your story! At first I was unsure how a ship-oriented story wasn't going to be a pirate-oriented one by default, but you've pulled it off. There was a feeling of uncertainty and mystery throughout the story and of course the ending leaves a reader wondering. All in all, good job and congratulations on completing your personal challenge of writing a fic under specific time frame!

[Goldymarg]

3363718
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment
This sort of thing gets easier when you realize that people will always be afraid of what they don't understand. The unknown makes for a great theme ~
Also, that ladle is indeed a good luck charm. Think about it for a second and it might come to you, I don't wanna spoil it