Chapter 2: Shipwreck
1374 Words
"Are we there yet?"Jasmine asked again, squeezing in between her two friends and holding onto their arms as some sort of protection.
"I told you I don’t know." Ghael whispered, though no one told him to, he just felt like it's required to tone down his voice.
"Jas, your nails are digging in my skin. Hold gently," Jansen complained after being pulled on his right side again.
"Excuse me, I'm sorry if I'm scared. Who's fault is that by the way," she rolled her eyes.
"Well, it's not mine."
They've been walking to what Ghael concluded is about five minutes since they entered the dark and narrow pathway. There are nothing but fireflies that help them light the way, it became easy.
"How about your meteor shower?" Jasmine asked her friend, she really can't shut her mouth because of creepy feelings she needs to let it out.
"It's barely ten minutes, we'll manage." the guy replied back.
"Yeah, gonna laugh at you if you missed it."
They continue walking again, Ghael occasionally using his flashlight from his phone when the fireflies are not enough to cover the way. So far he senses no danger nor wild animals near them, well, authorities won't let them if it's dangerous so they're safe.
Jasmine screeches when they step on a branch of a tree and fall onto the ground. For a moment, he wanted to stop and capture how beautiful the fireflies on each tree were. It's like a natural decoration that would be gone when the sun is up.
"Don’t you think it's a sign for us to go back? I mean, it's obvious there's nothing here in dark—"
"Jas, be quiet." Ghael whispered again.
She lowered her head. "Okay, but if I die of extreme nervousness I will haunt your souls and drag you to hell."
"Glad you know you would never be in heaven."
"Hope one of the asteroids pinned you to the ground."
"That's epic, thanks."
"You two shut up, I can hear something." Ghael hushed them as he listened carefully.
"What is it?"
"I smell water.." Jansen murmured and looked at his friend if he was right. "There's a waterfall near."
No one spoke and continued walking, Jasmine kept her mouth shut or the two would scold her again. Not too long, the smell and sound of running water is becoming strong. They're half running half walking at the moment when a small light coming from the end of the way irked them to come for it.
Just when they're about to run full speed, Ghael hears a familiar sound and the musky smell from nowhere. His heart is racing because he surely memorized this smell, he looked around, from each side in hope to find the possible source of scent but there were nothing but trees and fireflies.
"Ghael you're slowing down!" his friend shouted.
He shook his head, there's no way it would be here in real life. It's only in his dream or he may be drunk too much caffeine and he's starting to smell things.
"I think we're near!" Jansen yelled and he was right, all of them heard a smashing of water and how it hit the ground. Not too long and with Ghael being left behind a little, they stared in awe to see a waterfall full of tiny balls of lightning, they weren't sure what it was but it made the fall brighter and magnificent.
They were catching their breath and didn't mind the water coming on their way and dampening their wrinkled shirts slightly.
"This is i********: worth it, Ghael, take a picture of me." Jasmine immediately asked and posed instantly as if the camera was already in her direction. "Make it quick because my make up is wearing off, just my silhouette is fine. Quick!" she demanded and the two just needed to adjust for her.
Instead of Ghael, Jansen did it, because first of all he is the photographer.
Ghael just took his time to see the cliff they're standing on. It wasn't that high but still dangerous to jump in the water, the water current is obviously too aggressive and it's dark.
He push some bushes out of his way and using his flashlight from phone, he scanned if there's anything bizarre he can find. Just bold of him to assume he would find something ridiculous here. When he reached the side of the cliff, he smell a wood soaked in water, it smells old but not too stingy. He lights in every direction until he firstly spot an anchor with a rope connected down on a shipwreck below them.
"I found something!" he yelled, catching his breath and heart racing in excitement. How much he missed the feeling of discovering something only you might find worth it.
"What? A ghost?"
"No, but much more bizarre than a ghost." he smiled, although it wouldn't be visible and present to them an old shipwreck behind him.
"Holy crap.."
"What a cheeze."
"This is treasure." he mumbled to himself, mind was already thinking of invading the ship and trying to find at least something interesting. "I'm going down," he announced.
The two turn their heads on him with a look. "Ghael what? No! Why would you even want to get in?" Jasmine's the first one to stop him.
"Because everything curious me," he answered, checking the quality of the rope if it still can hold his weight.
"Dude, this is way dangerous. Let's just go back tomorrow when it's not dark, it's much easier to see." this time Jansen didn't want to go through.
"Nah, this might be gone the next day."
"Ghael, that ship isn't found, for a wrecked ship placed in the middle of a forest but in a public spot, someone will surely go in before you. Not worth it." Jasmine explained.
"That's a bit suspicious, but sure, just go back and wait for me. I won't be here too long." Ghael already secured a rope on his waist.
"Dude."
"Ghael!"
"Don’t be too worried, I did something more extreme than this. I'm experienced in this field, hush down I got this."
The two didn't leave and stayed on the side of a cliff where Ghael found the shipwreck nearby. They watched and helped him make his first jump using the thick rope, thankful for the quality it still can hold his weight.
Like what he said, he doesn't feel anything scary about going down, it feels like the ship is even lulling and provoking him inside to which he granted. Ghael wouldn't want to miss a tiny opportunity of experiencing this again so he wasn't the one to back out.
He landed safely and firmly on top of the captain's cabin and steady himself for a while. When he felt it's safe to remove the rope, he tied it on free wooden furniture just near the edge and looked back at his friends.
"I landed safely!" he yelled enough at least because the waterfall is deafening. "This is terrifyingly good." he mumbled under his breath.
The captain's cabin is below the quarter deck but it was destroyed.
"Anything down there?" it was Jasmine's voice.
"Like what?" he yelled back.
"Like fairies or some sort of magical creatures. Of course, anything that is interesting."
He laughed but did not answer back, he traveled from the other end to the center of the ship. There was nothing but a pile of wood wrecked by something. The shrouds were scattered and some fell onto the water. Ghael wants to go further but he knows it's too dangerous to even try going on chains and rooms, it's a trap.
When he's near where the foremast are laying he hears a loud scream on top. The screech was owned by his friend and he immediately went back to where he landed.
"What's happening up there!?" he shouted but no one answered, he just found the rope shaking and two silhouettes trying to cross. "Wait!" he shouted and ran to tie the rope tightly to support them.
He waited and was confused. Ghael looked up, first he found his friends, not until he looked up and his eyes widened in disbelief.
"We're here."
- Writer
