Stranded

The cool ocean breeze feels nice on my face as I sat out on the deck reading a survival magazine. It was a good idea to come along on this tropical cruise trip around the Caribbean with my awkward and sometimes dimwitted friend, Manny. He and I have known each other since middle school and even been on a few trips together with his family. We’ve been through so much together that he decided to go to the same college as me.

            “Hey El!!! Whatcha doing?” Asks Manny in a loud voice.

            I looked up to see Manny in front of me grinning while holding two orange drinks. He hands me one and then sits next to me while slurping away his own drink.

            “Manny, how many times did I tell you not to call me El?”

            “El is a nickname. If you like, you can give me one.” Says Manny. “I was thinking something like ‘Da Man’ as my nickname.”

            I rolled my eyes at his suggestion. I’m sure Manny saw it too but did not bother to point it out to me. He seems occupied with staring at the starry night sky than anything else on this deck. I shrugged and went back to my reading. There is an interview with the British survivalist Bear Grylls that I was looking forward to reading. Grylls is the reason I was so into survival and going outside to embrace nature.

            “El!!! Look! A shooting star!!! Shouts Manny as he shook my right shoulder with his left hand vigorously. “Make a wish El!!!

“I swear you are five years old.”  I said rather peeved. I do not like being interrupted while I am reading and I had always told Manny this. He just never took a hint or he just doesn’t give a shit about other people’s business.

“No time for that El. We have to make a wish before it goes away!” And with that said, Manny closed his eyes and put his hands together as if he were in prayer. “I wish my best buddy El become the botanist that they had always dreamed of becoming.”

“Manny, you don’t have to make any wish for me.” I said while turning around to see if there are other people on deck that could have heard what Manny said. “Make a wish for yourself, maybe it will come true.”

There were about two dozen people on deck but most of them are too busy chatting among themselves or busy getting drunk. Some of the people are making wishes to the ‘shooting star’ that Manny had pointed out. I shrugged and turned back to face the ocean and look out into the darkness.

“If you put it like that then I wish for the two of us to go on an awesome adventure!” Manny says excitedly.

“Yeah maybe that will help you lose some of those fats sticking out of your sides.” I said in a mockingly.

“Well, I could use the exercise.” Says Manny as he beamed at me with a large toothy smile.

 A glare in the water started to irritate my eyes and made me squint. I looked up towards where Manny was looking at and saw a bright streak is the sky and it is getting bigger every second. It looks like a miniature moon that is rapidly growing and getting brighter. Other people sees this too as I hear people gasp and footsteps rushing to the exit.

“Uh…Manny…” I stuttered. “That ‘shooting star’ of yours is getting closer.”

I turned to see Manny, who seems to be fixated on the meteor that is about to collide with the cruise ship. I shook Manny to snap him out of his trance. He looked at me as if he had seen me for the first time and then grabs my arm and started running. He had a scared expression on his face but his grip seems determined to get me to safety inside the cruise ship.

“We’re going to make it El.” Says Manny in between breaths. He pushed people out of the way and even back handed a little girl who was moving too slow. I took a quick glance behind to see the girl crying and her mother coming to her aid. Oh well, everyone for themselves I guess. I thought.

            The bright light got brighter to the point where the deck seems like it is in the middle of the afternoon. I heard a huge splash and a loud hissing sound. Followed by a rocking of the deck which made me and Manny lose balance and fall onto the deck. Chairs, tables, and beer glasses fell around us as well as a few other unfortunate people.

            I looked up just in time to see a large wave dark wave colliding with the deck, picking up everything in its path. I tried to get up before the icy cold water engulfs me and lifts me off the ship but I was too late. I felt my body get pushed by a tremendous force and then my back was slammed against the railings on the deck. My eyes were squeezed shut and held my breath as my hands groped around me to find anything to hold onto. My whole body felt numb from the coldness and I felt like a rock is being pressed against my chest, like someone is trying to press me to death against the deck railings.

            I opened my eyes just enough to squint and see my surroundings. I saw people and objects being pushed over me. I turned my head to where I thought Manny would be but what greeted me was a beer bottle coming towards me at a ridiculous and soon everything went dark.