Strangers

STRANGERS

- inspired by the picture below -

She arched her white gloved hand in a parting wave at the gull. Annika appeared happy, joyous from behind to the passenger as he approached, but he could not see the devastation of her expression. And he did not move fast enough to avoid her sudden and powerful rush into motion.

Her lover was back there on that fast disappearing island to where the seagull returned. She wanted to touch the bird as if by drawing another living thing to herself, the pain and wretchedness of his treatment of her would diminish. She would never see him again and it broke her heart. He had told her this in plain words. He was tired of her and was finished with her. He had not told her in person either. He called down to her hotel room that morning telling her to go home on the next boat.

As the boat sailed the choppy waves, Annika gripped the rails tightly and was unaware of the boat’s violent pitching. The cool but stinging sea spray almost hid her tears and wet cheeks from anyone who cared to look. The other passengers had abandoned the deck in favor of more comfortable accommodations except Ralph who tried to hurry somewhere, anywhere away from the sight of the foaming, roiling sea. He could not tell the difference between the sea and his stomach, both were wild and beyond his control.

Annika walked into him full force as the boat dipped and pitched in a complicated dance that sent both contenders to the deck with Annika on top of Ralph, in full body contact. He stopped breathing and could not move. His stomach no longer mattered as it was now as numb as his brain, although his eyes were open and he was aware of everything around him.

He found his voice after a minute, looked into the woman’s eyes, and said, quite matter-of-factly, "Ouch! That hurt." A trace of a smile whispered along his lips which were centimeters from hers. If they had met under different conditions, he would have introduced himself.

Her cheeks flamed red and embarrassment crippled her. She was not discomfited by crashing into this guy because she believed it was his fault. Her cheeks reddened, the heat rushed into her chilled face from the nearness of him. The faint scent of his after shave sent a shiver through her body.

Ralph was confused and blushing too because he was enjoying the feeling of her against him, even though her knee had disturbed some tender and vital parts of his anatomy.

She began to cry, softly, with great shaking sobs. Her shame and the sense of loss of her lover were overwhelming her, forcing her tears and grief out. As she sobbed, she felt worse about her situation and hid her face in her hands.

She did not move off him and he did not try to make her go until her sobbing changed to soft crying. He feared that she would begin to wail. The deck was deserted owing to the rough seas and high winds, but public crying was bound to attract attention and add to his embarrassment. He wanted to solace her, to lessen the obvious misery she felt. The deck pitched and Ralph encircled her with his arms, offering comfort and preventing her from sliding away from him. He held tightly to her shaking frame.

Annika felt peace and comfort in his arms despite the circumstances. He seemed strong and exactly the right size and strength to keep her from being tossed overboard which became a real concern when a wave broke over the opening and the entangled couple on the deck. It soaked them both in a cold salty bath.

Ralph spit salt water out as he was facing the wave about to speak when it bombarded them. With her on top of him, most of front stayed dry though.

The wet deck became more slippery and the pair began sliding with the motion of the sea. Ralph feared that they would really be tossed into the sea and tried again to speak to this woman, to plan their mutual salvation.

"I think we should get up and get out of here," Annika said first. "My back is drenched and you don’t look too comfortable."

"You first," he said. "You have the top."

She was afraid to let go and told him so. She was afraid of sliding into the violent sea.

He rolled to his side and worked himself into a half sitting position while holding on to her.

"I’ll help you stand... On three." He pulled himself up to a crouch, and counted, "One, two, three." As he spoke, he gently pulled her upright. He had to shout now as the storm winds blew harder and the boat rocked and rolled frightfully slamming the struggling couple into the wall and against the rail near the water.

Ralph grabbed the door handle and pulled hard with one hand while holding Annika around the waist with his right arm. She clung to his waist and tried to keep her balance.

"My cabin is right inside," he panted as he pulled her through at last. "I was headed there when we.... we....ummm.... met outside." His key was ready and firmly attached to his wrist.

They fell through his door and landed, together again, on his bed, soaking the sheets. However, Ralph did not care about that at all.

When the seas had calmed somewhat, he gave her a robe to change into. They rode the storm all night in his cabin, awake, afraid and making nervous small talk. She had taken on much more water than he had. Ralph needed only to change jeans and rinse out his salty mouth. He walked with her to her cabin which was near to the center of the boat as a calm sea appeared in the morning light.

"Let me buy you breakfast," she said. "You must be starved. I know I am!"

Ralph studied her shining eyes for a moment. No sleep all night and yet she looked really great. "No," he said and paused. Her eyes lost a little of the shine. "Not unless you let me buy lunch and dinner.

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