S. Welles - To Ocean's End

“Yeah,” he said as he started layering chopped romaine on the condiment-covered half of the grid of slices. “I’m both nervous and curious.”

“It seems unreal. After all that’s happened in this world, you’d never expect to physically approach a divine being.”

“Maybe she’s not a divine being. Maybe it’s just another supernatural person.” Mido went back for another bowlful of romaine.

“It’s possible.”

“I’m just not sure what to think. I know what Captain’s said, but since I haven’t experienced anything firsthand, I have a hard time taking anything at face value.”

“I can tell a fish to come up and kiss you,” Jessie said. “Maybe you’ll believe in the existence of gods then.” Mido smiled. “I can understand your doubts. I’d probably feel the same if I hadn’t had that dream that led me to break into Dyne’s container. It’s something you have to experience yourself, otherwise you have to have faith that Captain and I are telling the truth.”

“You’re divine to me.”

“As you are to me.” These last two months had been the best two months of her entire life. No exaggerations. They’d managed to contain their cravings for each other to time spent on land. Almost entirely. They’d gave in to their bodily passions once after Ed and Ted purposely shut them in the engine room, another in the cargo hold after practicing sparring with the punching bag, and a third after a salsa lesson on deck. At least they’d managed to keep their clothes on before hiding in a Sauna-free pantry.

Mido gave her a kiss then lost his smile. He started layering cheese on top of the plain bread slices. “What’s she like? What makes you believe she’s really a goddess?”

Jessie followed his cheese with tomato and onion on top of the romaine. “Her presence.” She filed through her memory of the dream. “There was something breathtaking about her. You could just feel her… divine energy. I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s like trying to describe the color blue. I think you’re not going to understand until you feel her energy for yourself.”

“An energy that feels greater than human? Like we’re unworthy little creatures in her eyes?”

“Yes to the first and definitely no to the second.” Jessie joined Mido at the cutting board and scooped two handfuls of diced grilled chicken. “Well, I felt like her plaything when she had me break into the container, but it wasn’t a derogatory feeling. I felt like this fascinating and cherished object to her, like you and your body are to me. There’s a similar respect and love I felt towards me that I feel towards you.”

“Maybe that’s because you’re her avatar? Captain doesn’t hold her in high regard.”

“Those are good points. You could be right.” She went back for more chicken. “But… think it out. She made an effort to save his life and he spit it in her face.”

“She didn’t have to curse him for it.”

“No. His punishment seems to dwarf the crime.” Hundreds of years of enduring a curse for a heavy insult and lack of gratitude? That seemed a bit much. Unless… “Mido, maybe we don’t know the whole story.”

Mido paused in patting down his fistful of chicken.

“I could be wrong.”

“You could be right.”

“And if I am, what do I do? March right up to him and ask for the rest of the story?”

He thought a moment. “Let’s just see what happens in the cave. If things don’t go well, then you’ll have to ask.” He began topping off the sandwiches with their counterparts and squishing them down.

“What if I need to ask him before we go?” She went back for more chicken to complete the remaining sandwiches.

“Then do it. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable. It’s not my place to prod for information.”

“How much do you actually know about him?”

“Not a whole lot,” Mido admitted. “We get stories out of him now and then but usually he’s pretty tight-lipped. He’s more of a listener.”

“Do you think he’ll talk if I try?” She began helping complete the sandwiches.

“Maybe one-on-one. I don’t know. I’ve never tried. I’m just the cook.”

“A wonderful, handsome cook.” That got a smile out of him and another kiss.

“Surpassed only by your beauty, inside and out.” They kissed some more, mouths wide and tongues dancing with each other until Mido slowly pulled away. He looked at his tented pants. “Okay, no more of that,” he said reluctantly.

“Sorry,” Jessie said without meaning her words.

“It’s all good.” After a few calming breaths, he picked out a chef knife from the knife block and began cutting the sandwiches in half. “You just have that effect on me. I’m not complaining. I’d enjoy the distraction from thinking about the cave, but obviously now’s not a good time.”

“No,” she agreed unhappily. “Are you scared?” She already knew the answer. She just wanted him to say it.

“Terrified, to be honest. Captain’s made it sound like we all might die.”

“Yeah. I’m pretty scared, too, but I’m determined to help.”

“Me, too. I’ve been part of this crew only ten years and I’m ready to see his curse lifted. He usually takes it well but there are days you can tell he’s suffering. Usually it’s after a lockdown. He gets these distant gazes where he looks like he’s at his wits’ end, but he never complains; just snaps at us to leave him alone if we try to get him to talk. So yeah, we leave him alone and I make him his favorite meals to help him feel better.”

“So that’s why you always make quiche after every lockdown.”

“Yep.” They began stacking the sandwiches into piles on two plates. “The real toll his curse takes is when we lose crew mates. It hurts all of us but Captain gets this look of ‘not again’ after every funeral.”

“How many funerals have you been to?”

“Two.”

“Ouch. I’m sorry to hear.”

“I don’t even wanna know how many he’s seen.”

They carefully finished loading the plates, then brought them to the table. “I’ll try talking to Captain before we head to the cave. The worst he can do is get mad, right?”

“I guess so. He needs you to go with him, so he can’t ban you from going.”

The crew steadily worked through their sandwiches, coffee, and bananas. The usual grab-fest never took place. They just reached in and set food on their plates like they were just eating out of habit. The dessert of raspberry squares lightened everyone’s mood a bit but then O’Toole dragged it back down by standing next to Dyne, whimpering and pawing at him almost nonstop. The captain pushed him away and snapped at him to stop, but O’Toole’s eyes watered and he starting tugging on his jacket until Dyne had Mido shut him in the cargo hold. When Mido returned to the galley, he had scratch marks on one arm. He wiped them clean with a wetted towel, then went back to handing out dessert.

“Usually he calms down if we put him in there,” Mido said to Jessie. “But this time he freaked out. He has to know something’s up.”

“Big surprise,” Sam said sarcastically. “He’ll calm down soon enough. I’ll keep watch over him while you’re all in the cave.”

Dyne grunted, then took another big bite of raspberry square and got up. “I’ll be in the wheelhouse.” He trudged off.

Jessie put down her sandwich and gave Mido a meaningful look. “Wish me luck,” she whispered.

He leaned in to give her a kiss but stopped himself and glanced at the full table. “Good luck,” he whispered back.

Jessie snuck off with the rest of the crew watching her. She ignored them. They could ask Mido if they were curious enough. She had a curse to help lift. She climbed the stairs to the hatch as it closed, counted to twenty, then pushed it open and carefully closed it behind her with little noise, and hurried up to the wheelhouse. A beautiful view of Australia’s sandy coast greeted her on one side. An expansive ocean with one huge tortoise shell-shaped mound of rock jutted out on the other. Jessie politely knocked on the door. Dyne jumped and spun around, then tensed at the sight of her. He hesitated before sliding off the chair and opening the door only wide enough for them to speak.