On the Ghost Ship
Lollipop
it’s a sweet trip
to your final stop …
“Is it always
this tranquil out here?”
The weathered old
sea captain pondered his pipe. “It’s always deathly tranquil out
here,” he said through a puff. “Or deathly, not.”
She was taken aback
by his response.
Her companion began
rubbing her shoulders. “I think,” he said, “that what the
captain is saying, is … the sea’s in a constant state of change.
There is no ‘always’.”
He stopped rubbing
and turned to the captain for approval.
The skipper grinned
a little around his pipe. “Yeah, that’s it.” His smile faded
quickly. “That’s mostly it.”
The couple
exchanged a glance. She asked with her eyes, and he answered with a
shrug.
She sighed, and
again addressed the captain. “How far do you think we can see?”
He did not react to
her inquiry, but stared off into the water.
She looked at her
companion.
“Captain?” he
said.
“Oh … yes …
what can I …”
“Mae was
wondering …”
“Lovely name,
May. I once knew a girl … a pretty little thing. I think
that was in May.”
“It could have
been April,” the younger man said, with a wink to his lady.
“I hear she was also―”
“Humph!” The
captain bit down on his pipe. “Never cared much for that
woman,” he said, “and April never cared all that much for me.”
“I … I had no
idea …”
“Quite an
unpleasant memory, actually. Thanks for bringing it up.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Aye, that you
are. But you’re a paying fare … and it wouldn’t do to point
that out.”
“Point what
out?”
The captain
declined to speak, other than with his eyes.
“That you’re
sorry,” the woman connected the dots for him.
Her companion
appeared confused. “I said that.”
And she looked
flustered herself.
The captain’s
gaze struck out over the sea.
A shape on the
horizon caught the younger man’s attention. “What’s that,
Captain?”
“Where?” the
woman said. “I don’t see …”
“Is it another
ship? Or is it like … an iceberg or something?”
“Humph!”
exhorted the captain. “Icebergs don’t follow ships.”
“That’s a
relief,” she said. “I can think of a few iceberg-and-ship
incidents that have ended really badly.”
“They usually
do.”
“So,” the man
said, “it’s a ship?”
“And it’s
following us?” she added.
The captain removed
the pipe from his mouth. “That ship is the Lollipop.”
The younger man
smirked. “The Lollipop, huh? That sucks.”
She laughed at his
joke. “Oh Thad, you’re so―
”
“Humph!” The
captain put the pipe back in his mouth. “You better hope the
Lollipop isn’t following us. We all better hope it’s not
following us.”
“Why?” she
said. “Is it … some kind of ghost ship?” She covered her mouth
as if to stifle a fake scream.
“Humph!” The
captain’s disgust was palpable, they took him so lightly. “You
better hope it never gets close enough to find out.”
He turned away and
started to go.
“Captain?” Thad
called after him.
The disinterested
skipper waved him off as he continued to walk away.
The couple looked
at each other, perplexed.
“What,” Thad
said to her, “do you suppose that was about?”
She pointed out
over the rail, at the far-off object. “Either it was about that
thing, or a cranky old man … or both.”
“Hmmm …
whatever it is … I trust the captain. He may a gruff old sea-dog …
but he knows what he’s doing. He’ll keep us safe.”
“Who said they
felt unsafe?”
“Didn’t you?”
he said.
“I said no such
thing.”
“Oh, well then …”
“Well what?”
She crossed her arms.
“Well in that
case … I suggest we check out what’s going on in the galley. I
heard there’s all-you-can-eat, fresh caught seafood tonight. I bet
it’s ready.”
“I thought
something smelled fishy,” she said. “Maybe it’s the galley …
and maybe it ain’t.”
She had a hard time
letting go of the distant ship as he led her away.
“Good morning,
sunshine.”
“Good …” she
groaned under her breath. “… good morning. Why is it so hot
in here?”
“I noticed the
air conditioning had stopped in the night. It did get stuffy, fast.”
“I’m thirsty.”
She threw the covers off and slipped into the bathroom. “There’s
no water from the faucet. And the lights don’t work either.”
He reached over and
tried the lamp on the bedside table.
“Hmmm …
something’s going on …”
“Well nothing
electrical is,” she said.
“Cute. Guess
I’ll go see what I can find out. You want to come?”
“Captain!” Thad
accosted him.
They approached the
old skipper. “Just the man we wanted to see.”
“You want to see
me?” The captain puffed his pipe and smirked. “I’m flattered.”
“Can you tell us
what is going on?”
“Yes … I can.”
The three stared at
each other in a moment of awkward silence.
“Then,” she
said to the captain, “would you mind?”
He puffed his pipe
some more.
“Telling us?”
Thad attempted to clarify.
The captain removed
the pipe from his mouth. “Well … we’re having a little problem
down below.”
“I’ll say,”
she said. “Nothing works in our cabin.”
“April …” the
captain began.
“Her name is
Mae,” Thad said.
“I can answer for
myself,” she reprimanded him. “I’m Mae.”
“Ah yes,” the
captain grumbled. “I used to like May … but I’m caring
for it less and less, I have to admit.”
She gave him the
eye. And when she noticed Thad’s amusement, she shot him an evil
eye too.
“Humph,” the
captain said. “Have you looked around, Miss?”
“Yes, I―”
“Nothing
works in anyone’s cabin. The entire boat is dead … dead
in the water.”
“Dead
in the water?” Thad said. “Captain? But how can that be?”
The
captain took a long draw from his pipe, and then slowly released the
smoky breath. “How to end up dead in the water … let me count the
ways. The trick, let me tell you, is how not to die in the
water.”
The
young man watched fear sweep over his girl.
“And
it ain’t easy,” the captain continued. “I wouldn’t take that
outcome for granted.”
“Captain,
is this really necessary? Talking like that … look, now she’s―”
“She’s
what?”
Mae said, crossing her arms.
“Uh-oh,”
the captain said, with a bemused grimace. “Now you’ve done it.”
“Done
what?”
“You
know,” the captain said to him, and then winked at the woman.
She
studied Thad for his reaction.
“I
… don’t agree with that,” he bumbled. “I didn’t say―”
“How
long will it take?” she demanded of the captain.
“To
what?”
“To
get the ship fixed, or whatever.”
“That,”
the captain said. “is the big question.”
“Well
then, WHY don’t you answer―”
The
captain’s stare stopped her in her tracks.
“I
don’t know how long it will take. We all want to get back
underway. It could be awhile.”
“Captain,”
Thad said, “I’m sure you’re doing all you can, but … we have
reservations already booked at our destination …”
“I
understand you having some reservations.” The captain was pipe
puffing and smirking again. “We’re doing all we can.”
And
he turned and left, before they could trouble him with any more of
their troubles. Humph!
A
loathing ocean churned and turned.
“Are
we having fun yet?”
“Are
you?” he asked.
“What
do you think?”
“Well,
I’m sure you miss the air conditioning …”
“I
do,” she said.
“And
I’m sure you miss running water …”
“I
do.”
“And
refrigeration …”
“I
do.”
“And
not peeing in a bucket and having to dump it over the side after …”
“I
do.”
“It
would be the perfect time,” he said, “if I wanted to … to ask
you to marry me … since you keep saying ‘I do’ … wouldn’t
it.”
“No,”
she said. “No it wouldn’t. I’m hot … and dirty … and
grungy …”
“So
that makes you disagreeable?”
“A
little.”
He
looked quizzically at her.
“Okay,”
she admitted. “A lot.”
“Then
never mind.” He grinned. “I could never marry someone who’s
that high maintenance.”
“You
know, pee’s not the only thing we’re dumping into the ocean,
Thad. What you are is getting dumped over the side too.”
“Aw
… that stinks.” He held his nose. “Keep your bucket away from
me.”
“My
bucket asked that you be kept away.”
“Tell
your bucket,” he said, “that I’m in a sensitive place right now
… I’m hot … and dirty … and grungy …”
She
sighed and sat back in her deck chair. “WHEN are they going to fix
this ship? I’m starting to worry.”
“Aw
… don’t worry. We’re in good hands.”
“Yeah,
right.”
“Seriously,
the captain seems to really know what he’s doing―”
“If
he knew what he was doing,” she cut him off, “we wouldn’t have
been adrift at sea for―”
“Two
days.” The captain had come up behind them unnoticed. “Aye, it’s
been two days.” He puffed his pipe. “It’s true that I know what
I’m doing.”
“And
still,” she said, “here we are.”
“Aye.
We are here.”
“Captain,”
Thad said. “Nobody meant any insult …”
“Awww,
there was none taken. Believe me, I wish I knew I was doing
something better.”
“So
what are you doing now?”
“Relaxing
on the deck,” the captain said. “Smoking … and chit chatting.”
“Have
you radioed the Coast Guard?”
“The
guard of what coast, son? We’re out in open water …
there’s no coast to be found.”
“Shouldn’t
you still radio someone?” she asked.
“I
definitely still would,” the captain said, “except that old radio
is dead, too. Battery back-up and all.”
“It
IS?” she wailed. “How is that even possible?”
“It’s
just dead.” He smirked that smirk around his pipe. “Death is like
that. It just happens. It just is.”
She
wrapped her arms around her companion.
“That’s
a cold way to put it,” Thad said.
“At
least you got a nice hug out of it, fella. There’s much worse out
there. You better count yer blessings.”
“It’s
getting closer, isn’t it.”
“I
think it is. But it’s almost night and … it seems to get closer
at night.”
“Do
you think they’re bringing help?” Mae asked. “Maybe we have the
Lollipop all wrong.”
“That
sounds like wishful thinking. I wish it were so, but … I get a
creepy feeling seeing that rusty old ghost ship out there. Like it’s
stalking us, you know?”
“That’s
a comforting thought.”
“Hey,
if you want comfort,” Thad grinned, “get a dog.”
“Since
I’ve been stranded at sea for days, a dog’s sounding pretty good
right now. Mmm … hot dog.”
“Well
I don’t want to be the dog, so don’t be getting any ideas.”
She
took his hand and pretended to bite it. “Bark for me … come on …
bark for me.”
The
cabin shook violently.
It
shook them awake.
“What
… what was that?”
“Did
we hit something?” Thad said, sitting up next to her in the dark.
“Silly,”
Mae said. “There’s nothing out here to hit … just us and
water.”
The
ship shook again, and thereafter continued a deep, structural
pounding that they felt as well as heard.
“Well,”
he said, “I think we’re hitting on something.”
“Or,”
she said, “something’s hitting on us.”
They
moved to the window.
“There’s
nothing out there,” she said.
“So
whatever it is, must be on the other side of the boat.”
He
left the window, and she heard him rummaging for clothes.
“I
don’t know about you, Mae … but I’m going to check it out.”
They
stood on deck. Frozen.
“Uh-oh,”
he whispered. “This can’t be good.”
“The
Lollipop.”
The
ghost ship was run alongside theirs, bumping and grinding, as dark
and foreboding as the night-time sea at their keel.
“I
… I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s
just as well,” Mae said. “I don’t know what I want to hear.”
“It’s
really … right … here. Unbelievable.”
“Where’s
the captain? Where’s the crew? And the passengers?”
“You
mean,” he said, “our captain and crew? Or the Lollipop’s?”
“You’re
not helping, Thad. This place is deserted … could we be the only
ones who heard―”
“Hun
… I think I see … one of the passengers.”
“You
see what? How can you see anything at all, it’s so dark out here.
Oh … MY.”
A
little girl was peaking over the rail of the Lollipop, looking down
at them.
“Um
… hello … hello, there.” Mae spoke in her gentlest voice.
The
little girl held the couple in her gaze, seeming reluctant to speak.
“Hi
there,” Thad said. “Don’t be …” He swallowed hard.
“Afraid.”
She
smiled.
A
little.
The
woman nodded, urging him to continue.
“What
are you,” he said, “out for a boat ride? Hmmm … us too, I
guess.”
The
little girl smiled a wider.
“I
think you’re getting somewhere,” Mae whispered to him.
“Never
underestimate my charm.”
She
rolled her eyes.
The
girl stood up taller. “Can you help me?” she said, her
voice of sweet and innocence.
“What’s that?”
Thad said. “Whats the―”
“Can
you help me?”
“We’d
like to try,” Mae said, “if you would just tell us what is―”
“You
CAN’T help me.” The girl began to sob.
“I
said we’d like to help―”
“You
CAN’T help me.” She stopped sobbing. “You CAN’T even help
YOURSELVES!”
The
couple jumped, startled as they were dumbfounded.
And
the little girl ran away crying.
“Getting
on this boat might not be the best idea I’ve ever had.”
“You
mean,” he said, “getting on our boat? Or getting on the
Lollipop, just now?”
“Yes,”
she said. “Take your pick.”
“It’s
so dark … you got that flashlight?”
“Yeah.
I’ve been saving it―it’s
our last battery.”
“Well,
save it as long as you can.”
“I
plan to. Did you see where she went?”
“She
ducked into a doorway,” he said. “I think it’s that open
doorway over there.”
“Most
of the doors are open,” Mae said.
“I
know. Spooky. But that’s the one, over next to the fire
extinguisher … see the fire extinguisher on the wall?”
“I
see it.”
“Maybe
we should call to her,” he said.
“Okay.
Little girl! Little girl!”
“She
HAS a name, you know.” He grinned at her. “We just don’t happen
to know what it is.”
“So
… ‘little girl’ then?”
“Sure,
why not.”
She
resumed calling to her. “Little girl! Little girl!”
There
was nothing but dead silence upon silence.
“I
don’t think we should be in here.” She aimed the flashlight’s
beam into the impossible darkness. “Do you know where we are?”
“In
an old ship’s innards?”
She
shivered. It was cold, getting colder. “Don’t say it that way …
it makes it sound like we’ve been swallowed up.”
“Haven’t
we been?”
She
whacked him with the flashlight. “Knock it off.”
“You
knock that off,” he said. “Break that flashlight, and we’re
never going to find our way out of here.”
“That’s
a good point. Sorry. I should have hit you with something else.”
“Just
remember for next time.”
They
crept on.
“Do
you think,” she said, “the Lollipop is really a ghost ship?”
“I
suppose it could be just a ship … a ship that apparently
stalked our boat, without the benefit of any power or propulsion …
or crew, or passengers … other than the one spooky little kid?”
There
was a ‘clang’ up ahead.
“One
spooky little kid?” she said.
“Only
one way to find out. Little girl … little girl …”
A
song of sobs wafted toward them.
“Yep,”
he said, “that’s her.”
They
hurried ahead.
“Let’s
not lose her again,” Mae said.
“Wait,”
he said, pausing to listen.
She
stopped behind him. “I almost ran into you.”
“Shhh
…”
“Sorry.”
The
sobbing had gotten louder.
“I
think she’s in here.” He pointed into the doorway on the right.
The
woman nodded and they both headed right.
“Wait,”
she said, stopping him. “Now it’s coming from the left.”
So
they went to the left.
The
sobbing grew louder.
They
wound through a series of compartments and bulkheads.
“There!”
he said. “There she is.”
The
little girl stood crying in a doorway ahead of them.
They
froze.
“We
just want to help you,” Mae said to her. “Please don’t run
away.”
The
little girl stopped sobbing and looked up at them. “You can’t
help me.”
Her
words hit them as a frosty winter chill.
“It’s
gotten so cold in here,” Mae shivered, rubbing her arms.
“It
sure has,” he said. “Why won’t you let us try and help you?”
he asked of the girl in the doorway.
“You
CAN’T even help YOURSELVES!” she shouted at them, and disappeared
again into the depths of the ghost ship Lollipop.
“Here
we go again,” he said to his companion. “Did you see which way
she went?”
“Down
the hall, and then I lost her …”
“Shine
the light down the hall, then.”
“Okay,
let’s go see.”
They
went down the hall, through a couple more compartments, and stopped.
“I
don’t see her anywhere,” he said. “I don’t know what to do.”
“You
mean, you want to go back?”
“I
mean, we can’t go on doing this forever, and … I’m not sure I
even know which way back is.”
“You’re
lost?” She started to cry. “How can we be lost? Down here in the
dark … so scared, and cold … down here with God-knows-what.”
Something
banged nearby.
“Did
you hear that?” he said. “I think it’s our little girl.”
Something
else banged.
A
door slammed.
There
was another bang.
Doors
slammed. Many doors.
The
sounds were all around.
“Oh
my … is that ALL her?”
“That’s
NOT just a little girl.” He took her hand.
The
banging and slamming intensified.
“We’re
getting out of here—let’s
run for it!”
He
started moving, and she scrambled after him.
“Which
way?” she said. “I thought you were lost?”
“You
just point that light ahead!”
They
were in a full run, bolting through the horrible chaos.
“We’re
screwed if you lose that light!” he warned her between gasps for
breath. “Whatever you do, don’t lose that light!”
And
no sooner had he said it, than the light … went out.
Ensconced
in blackness, they had to stop running.
The
noise ceased.
All
except for a single, blood-curdling … hair-raising … SCREAM.
“The
SS Lollipop,” the crewman read off the side of the ship that had
run up alongside theirs. “You ever heard of it?”
“No,”
another crewman said. “I don’t believe I have.”
“Captain?”
“I
don’t think it’s going to help us catch any fish.”
“Captain?”
“I’m
sayin’, we only just put out to sea … and we’ve been adrift now
for hours without power … and we need to concentrate on getting
this boat fixed and back to work. If we don’t get back to port
with that hold full of fish like we’re supposed to … well, it’ll
be our arses.”
“Aye
Captain.”
“Aye
Captain.”
“Well
don’t just stand there … disregard this stray floater and get
back down to the engine room!”
“But
Captain … you ain’t interested in the least ‘bout what this
ghost ship is doin’ here?”
“I’m
interested in … FISH. Nothing more and nothing less … so get to
it!”
“Aye
Captain.”
“Captain,
LOOK! There’s people aboard that ship!”
“What
the―”
“There
is, Captain! Look!”
“I’ll
be damned, there is,” the captain said. “Ahoy there! Ahoy!”
A
man and a woman, looking all the worse for the wear, stood at the
rail of the Lollipop.
“I
say,” the captain continued, “AHOY!”
“Can
you help us?” called the man on the ghost ship. “Can you help
us?”
“Most
likely,” the captain said. “Why don’t you come aboard?”
The
woman began to sob. “They can’t help us.”
“We
can’t? Well we’d be happy to try―”
A
little girl appeared at the rail with the other two.
“You
CAN’T help us,” she said, turning to her shipmates. “They CAN’T
even help THEMSELVES!”
The
End
