I stood over the edge. Terror filled me, I took deep breaths as I stared down at the fast-moving water. How did I let my family convince me to come, my brother lay his hand on my shoulder making me jump.
“Jeez calm down” he said, “I knew you’re scared of water, but this is on another level!”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, it’s just, you know I’ve never learned how to swim. And we’re realllly far from land”
We chatted some more. About the weather, the service, etc. my brother relived me from my station at the front of the boat. Or the bow as it’s officially called. I was hungry and sleepy, so I got some toast from the cafeteria and went to my cabin to sleep. Though it wasn’t easy because I was constantly on the verge of vomiting. If it kept on like this for the whole three-week holiday, I think I might through myself overboard. After an hour and a half of getting flung around my bed, I finally retired my hope of sleeping. I left my cabin. As I shakily made my way to the deck of the swaying boat. When I made my way to the top, I knew why I had a hard time sleeping. We got swept up by a storm, and a big one. There where crew members running around either trying to bring equipment not bolted to the ship inside or are yelling at passengers who, like me were unable to sleep to return to their cabins. And sure enough in less than a minute of being out of my cabin an employee came up and yelled at me to return to my cabin and wait out the storm. Not wanting to cause a fuss I quickly went back down and once again tried to sleep. It. Was. Impossible! By the time the storm past it was eleven in the morning I didn’t have a wink of sleep. My brother did sleep and made sure I knew
“Hey why so sleepy?” he asked as he approached.
“How did you sleep!” I exclaimed I knew he was a heavy sleeper but seriously! I thought.
“Did the massive storm not wake you up?” I asked ignoring his question.
“I thought there was just a bit of rain when I woke?” he asked puzzled.
I was shocked. Brushing it off I asked If he wanted to accompany me to breakfast, he accepted and over breakfast we discussed the storm and how it was on till 11, I don’t think he believes me though until the captain announced over the inter-com:
“Attention all passenger’s unfortunately due to an unexpected storm we’ve been pushed off course, and we are further away from the coast Namibia then we expected, and we’ve got an extra day to our trip, sorry” the captain remarked
I raised my eyebrows in victory and my brother admitted defeat. After my breakfast I went outside and look over the edge slowly conquering my fear of water. As I looked over the edge listening to my podcast to past the time. Some insect bit me, I slapped it. I didn’t think mosquitos could be found this far from land, guess that’s another problem I must deal with.
So, my holiday went on. Eating, drinking, swimming, and general lazing about with the mosquitos getting increasingly frequent. by the end of the first week I started enjoying myself, the mosquitos where the only real issue. But I can get past that. One evening halfway through the second week I was participating in my new favorite past time on this cruise looking over the edge of the boat. And something that joined me in my past time is scratching my bites, when an employee who I assume was on some sort of break joined me. we both were watching the water in silence the seconds ticking by, it was a moment and a nice one at that. When I felt the bite of yet another one of those DAMN BUGS! Trying to relate I asked
“Hey, these mosquitos bothering you too?”
With a confused look he said “Mosquitos don’t come this far out land”
Me now sharing his confusion I asked, “Then what does?”
“Nothing as far as I know… there might be some mango flies because we did come pretty close to the south Atlantic gyre”
“What’s that?” I asked
“Well, you know the great Atlantic garbage patch? It’s the African version of that” satisfied with his answer I was going to catch up with my mom and maybe play some cards when the man asked my one last question “How many times where you bitten?”
“Today about four- “
“Four! Do you know what a mango fly bite means!”
“No wha-”
“It means its larva is in you, we should get you to the hospital, now!” he exclaimed interrupting me
So, I followed him as he raced to the hospital on the cruise. Though it doesn’t look much better than a school nurses office. Where my new friend who’s name I don’t know explained the situation to the nurse. He then ran off towards the captain office to warn him of the mango flies. While he was off, I showed the nurse where I was bitten and then she started removing them. it was a lot less painful than I thought she just put Vaseline on the bites then after a few minutes squeezed the spot and out they came. Honestly, the worst part was seeing the larvae that was living under my skin. But it was all back to normal after that, and I got to play that card game
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On the fourth day of week two there was another announcement it was as follows “ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching the south Atlantic gyre could everyone please make their way to their cabin and make sure their windows are closed, there may be a dangerous animal on the gyre, so it is of utmost importance that you comply thank you”
with that I quickly jumped out of the pool and raced to my cabin and by the looks of it one of the only people to heed his warning. Everyone else was leaning over the ship, looking for it like it was some sort of tourist attraction and not proof of the damage we’re doing to the world. employee’s try convincing them to go inside but no one will listen and after maybe ten minutes they left them to their fates.
So, I waited inside. At minute fifteen of being inside I saw the large pile of rubbish that is the south Atlantic gyre I heard the idiots above rushing to that side of the boat. Probably to take pictures for there “instsa” and talk about how bad climate change is, then do nothing else about climate change.
By minute twenty you could hear buzzing. loud buzzing, I think that’s when people started realizing there fucked. there was a stampede as people raced to their cabins but all too late.
By minute twenty-two the mango flies noticed the ship and transferred over.
By minute twenty-three the screams began. makes sense since there being eaten alive. It was horrible. for the next thirty minutes that’s all I heard, and I feel like I can still hear them now
By hour one the screams stopped all that was left was buzzing
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At hour one and a half the gyre left my view. They were here to stay.
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As of writing this its hour thirty-eight. I couldn’t sleep at all; throughout the night I heard screaming as people gave up hope and left their room. I’m so thirsty… so hungry… you know what I think I’ll go on a walk.
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