Slowly gripping the helm, Garryson was flooded with memories of his time at sea. All the hard work and feeling of belonging were gone. One moment they were there, and the next they were behind him.
It doesn't get any easier... losing everything you love. It seems death is the only thing I can count on sometimes. I suppose we all will die one day... but how do we go on without those that gave us strength?
Garryson stood on the small lifeboat watching it happen. It was right in front of him, but it didn't seem... real. The Defiance was sinking. Everyone he loved was aboard. His home was being taken away by the waves.
The tears drenched his face the moment he saw the last of the ship dip beneath the surface. It was gone. He was all alone again. Once more he had survived and was forced to keep on living.
He curled up on the boat for what seemed like days. The current floated him along as the agony ebbed deeper and deeper into his heart. Once he could finally sit up, he looked over the edge at his reflection. The skin on his face was still healing. One of his eyes and a chunk of his hair was now white.
I should have died out on the sea after that. Just another time I should have died. But I didn't. I survived. I kept drifting.
The boat shook violently, waking him up. He opened his eyes and saw something in the distance. Getting to his feet, he saw destruction rain down upon the land. What was happening? What was causing it?
An eerie calm came over him as he realized that this might be the end of the world as he knew it. There was some sort of figure he could barely make out in the distance. Garryson grabbed a jug of rum and slowly raised it up to the figure. Keeping a solemn expression, he kept the jug held out in honor of it for a few long minutes before taking a long drink. A shockwave sent him flying off the boat. He felt the cold water then there was nothing but blackness.
Back then... I wanted the world to end. I wanted everyone to lose what had made them smile. I wanted everyone to be like me. But despite myself... I survived. I found yet another life.
His eyes slowly opened. He heard water, and tasted salt in his mouth. Taking a while to gather his strength, he pulled himself up enough to look around. It seemed he was on a small fishing vessel. Sitting on a small crate smoking a pipe was a gruff looking Highlander man.
"Did... did you save me...?" Garryson asked, coughing up some water. The man merely gave him a small nod. For some reason, Garryson asked, "Why...?"
The man seemed to consider that himself. Plumes of smoke danced in the air as he thought about it. Finally in a low, somewhat raspy voice he answered, "Because... you look a little like what my son would have looked at your age... had he gotten the chance."
Garryson frowned as he realized what that meant. This man had lost his son. Garryson had lost everyone else... but he had never lost a son. The thoughts of how painful that would be dominated his mind until he passed out once again.
The days of my smiling adventures were over. I was about to learn the uncomfortable truth of what it takes to be a man. Those were the most miserable days of my life. I was constantly afraid and in pain.
But... I am glad that they happened. I would never want to re-experience my days with him but... I learned things I could not have learned any other way.
Garryson's hand slowly slid along the grip of the helm. So many happy memories. So many painful ones. All of them making him who he was.
Whether we choose for it to or not... time keeps moving forward. The world changes. There is no stopping, no turning back. Once we accept it... Once we flow with the ebb of time... That is when we gain control.
It doesn't get any easier... losing everything you love. It seems death is the only thing I can count on sometimes. I suppose we all will die one day... but how do we go on without those that gave us strength?
Garryson stood on the small lifeboat watching it happen. It was right in front of him, but it didn't seem... real. The Defiance was sinking. Everyone he loved was aboard. His home was being taken away by the waves.
The tears drenched his face the moment he saw the last of the ship dip beneath the surface. It was gone. He was all alone again. Once more he had survived and was forced to keep on living.
He curled up on the boat for what seemed like days. The current floated him along as the agony ebbed deeper and deeper into his heart. Once he could finally sit up, he looked over the edge at his reflection. The skin on his face was still healing. One of his eyes and a chunk of his hair was now white.
I should have died out on the sea after that. Just another time I should have died. But I didn't. I survived. I kept drifting.
The boat shook violently, waking him up. He opened his eyes and saw something in the distance. Getting to his feet, he saw destruction rain down upon the land. What was happening? What was causing it?
An eerie calm came over him as he realized that this might be the end of the world as he knew it. There was some sort of figure he could barely make out in the distance. Garryson grabbed a jug of rum and slowly raised it up to the figure. Keeping a solemn expression, he kept the jug held out in honor of it for a few long minutes before taking a long drink. A shockwave sent him flying off the boat. He felt the cold water then there was nothing but blackness.
Back then... I wanted the world to end. I wanted everyone to lose what had made them smile. I wanted everyone to be like me. But despite myself... I survived. I found yet another life.
His eyes slowly opened. He heard water, and tasted salt in his mouth. Taking a while to gather his strength, he pulled himself up enough to look around. It seemed he was on a small fishing vessel. Sitting on a small crate smoking a pipe was a gruff looking Highlander man.
"Did... did you save me...?" Garryson asked, coughing up some water. The man merely gave him a small nod. For some reason, Garryson asked, "Why...?"
The man seemed to consider that himself. Plumes of smoke danced in the air as he thought about it. Finally in a low, somewhat raspy voice he answered, "Because... you look a little like what my son would have looked at your age... had he gotten the chance."
Garryson frowned as he realized what that meant. This man had lost his son. Garryson had lost everyone else... but he had never lost a son. The thoughts of how painful that would be dominated his mind until he passed out once again.
The days of my smiling adventures were over. I was about to learn the uncomfortable truth of what it takes to be a man. Those were the most miserable days of my life. I was constantly afraid and in pain.
But... I am glad that they happened. I would never want to re-experience my days with him but... I learned things I could not have learned any other way.
Garryson's hand slowly slid along the grip of the helm. So many happy memories. So many painful ones. All of them making him who he was.
Whether we choose for it to or not... time keeps moving forward. The world changes. There is no stopping, no turning back. Once we accept it... Once we flow with the ebb of time... That is when we gain control.
![[Image: HvjYXi5.png]](http://i.imgur.com/HvjYXi5.png)
