Milky black eyes. Medusa. I bite. Sinking fangs. Into his arm. Flesh swelling purple veins. Bursting. With hot green venom. Like snake eyes turning men to stone. Statues. Lined up below deck.
The boat lurches. I wake in a burst.
There are footsteps behind the door. The door is wrenched open. A gust of fresh air comes over me in a wave. I breathe in deep.
Vlad looks me up and down, disgust on his face.
'We'll be in Auckland Harbour in the next hour,' he mutters, then leaves me. Medusa. Covered in blood and piss.
***
Everyone is upstairs in the cockpit when I crawl out of the bow cabin into the main body of the boat. I find a tampon in my bag and fresh clothes, and change behind the nav station, afraid that if I go back into the bow, the door might swing shut behind me, locking me in. Forever.
When I come on deck, back into the light of day, I'm silent.
So silent, even my breath passes without sound.
Above me, the broken boom is tied down. Vlad is at the helm, motoring us in.
***
When we dock in Auckland, Hunter says to Cam, 'You excited to see Amy?'
Cam shrugs. 'A newborn kinda kills the romance.'
'Who's Amy?' asks Zach.
'His fiancée,' Hunter answers.
Cam looks to me. I shudder.
***
'Do you have a phone?' I ask the barmaid in the yacht club.
'Sorry, love. What did you say?'
'Do you have a phone?'
She shakes her head.
I feel tears welling, my eyes glazing over.
'You can use my mobile, if you like?'
I nod. I dial, bring the phone to my ear. It rings out.
I try again.
Maggie picks up on the fourth ring.
'Hello?'
I try to speak, but nothing comes out.
'Hello?' she repeats.
I begin to sob.
'Oli?' she says, suddenly worried. 'Oli, is that you?'
I take a deep breath. 'Get me out of here.'