Fresh Meat: Flash Fiction

The following was submitted for a class.

           The ocean grumbled and groaned, tossin’ the ship back and forth in its tantr’m. The men held down their mugs on the o’ken table, palms as lids so the rations don’t spill over, ‘course, some did. One’a’the mugs lay tipped onto the floor, one sorry bloke stared helplessly at the thick chum, seeping into the wood; we all av’rted our eyes, gripping our own mugs tighter. The lads and I were having a game of cards, least we were trying to, the ocean wasn’t too keen on it, it seemed.

The ocean struck the ship again, the wood coffin cried out like thunder. The hold lurched and everyone fell forward with it, thudding against the furnishings. “F- auGhk!!” the lower edge of the table struck my stomach, I sucked sharply, gritting my teeth, and accidentally crumpling the Jack of Hearts I held in my hand. Two other boys fell and slid to the other side of the cabin. The room fell into an anticipatory silence, all’a us eyes looked around steadily, gauging the planks an’ scanning ‘em for cracks; could never be too sure that the ship won’t give.

            “Oi lads, steady. ‘tis no problem at all” said Barns, one of the older fellow on board. He had a red beard matted with weeks of grime, looked like a damn nest, as if some bird burrowed its way inside and built it out of loose splinters of wood and barnacles, “We repaired her two moons ago in Jango, she’ll hold.”

            “ ’ow can you be all that sure, eh?” cried one’a’the boys from the other side of the hold, steadyin’ himself on a barrel behind him and massaging his bruising hip. I wince at the thought, not fun, hurts whenever ya’ move. “At this fuckin’ rate…” the boy paused, trying to control the shaking of his voice, “it’ll be the locker for all’a us!” he cried, boy was sheddin’ tears now. Hard to watch. I wince at the thought, not fun.

            “Oh, shut up, would ya? Brown ye’ pants, have you?” said Brans, getting up from his seat, wiping his mouth of the ale dripping down his chin, surprisingly steady on his feet with the boat rocking under him, “Fuckin’ pansy, wipe ye’r bloody eyes!!” Aw hells, there he goes… “Fuckin’ disgrace!!”

            I push off my seat, steadying myself on the table against the movement of the ship, “Oi, go easy on the lad. First fuckin’ day, Barns, first fuckin’ day!”

            Barns seemed’ta ignore me, though could be he didn’ hear, fucker’s practically deaf.

           “Barns!” I cried again, the rest of the boys just watched, you could tell they wanted to help, you could tell they didn’t know how.

           “You think all’a these men in here ain’t as scared as you?” Barns bellowed, gesturing wildly behind him, “Ya thinks I ain’ as scared ya? No matter how much fuckin’ time ya spend on a ship, I’ll fuckin’ tell ya,” The boy practically curled into a ball under the yelling, desperately trying to run back but there was nowhere to run to “it never gets less bloody terrifyin! Ya’ think y’urself special? Well, you ai—”

           The ship lurched again, Barns fall forward onto the floor, catching himself on his arms and knees. His mug of rations rolled beside him. He looked at it longingly for a moment and tried to stand. I scamper out of my seat, reaching down to help him up but he swats me away.

           “Let go’a me, ye fuckin—” he looks up at me, I glare at him sternly, and he rolls his eyes, groaning loudly, letting me hook his arm around me, and then looked at the boy, who looked both terrified to continue sobbing and doing so uncontrollably. Barns sighed heavily, “Sorry, lad, what’s your name?”

           “P- Patty, sir” the boy managed to croak.

           Barns snickered, and a wry smile tugged at his lips, “Welcome aboard, Patty. Word’a advice, f’r the love’a God, just do what the rest’a us do… fuckin’ pray. It’ll keep ya’ sane”.

           We turned around to face the table, the men quickly darted their eyes back to their cards and continued playing as if nothing had taken place.

           “Ahem, Ya’ got any… threes?”

           “Uh, go fish”.

            I smiled, and leaned in closer to Barns, “go easier on the kids, will ya?”