Captain McMarlin

McMarlin stood beside the large ships wheel. One hand gripped it in an ice cold vice. It had been so long since he had last stood here. Too long. He had put younger, more ablebodied men there. The ship all but drove itself anyways. Yet somehow it had caught up with him, and the sea was slowly claiming the proud ship. It was morning, he was watching the sunrise with the sea. A sound from behind, loud footsteps, running. "Captain! All men aboard the life boats, all that's left is you." the voice yelled from the open dorr behind. McMarlin did not turn, but replied, "Then be off." "But, Sir!" Not the Captain turned. He faced the younger sailor. his pipe danced on his lip, hidden by his grey beard. Antique eyes, the color of the night sea, peered behind wrinkles and under a large black brim of a captains hat. His standard issue naval jacket, stiff from the salt water air gave a slight crack as he reached up and put a hand on the boys shoulder. "I am beyond my serivce, and chnoose to go of with my ship." The boy was in awe, the Captain seemed so brave, so heroic. "Let me stay with you!" Cried the boy, wanting to be as heroic. McMarlin smiled, sadly, and told the boy what needed to be said. "So much life ahead of you, live it. Be it with the sea, or on land, live it." "JOHN!" A voice cried from outside, "JOHN! WE HAVE TO GO!" The captain patted the young sailors shoulder. and all but pushed him out of the door before closing it. HE watched out the large windows in the nest as the boy scrambled across the listing deck to a life boat, where it quickly lowered. The ship was falling forward, much quicker now. The life boat was away, just in time. And as the waters rushed over the main deck, McMarlin closed his eyes, and hummed a slow waltz. The water pushed against the windows, but the Captain was busy, dancing with his late wife. It had been two years. She had loved to waltz, he remembered fondly. He opened his eyes right as the cold waters of the Atlantic broke in. 'I hope I still remember how."