The Game

As I swam, I felt the
Current and
Tide push me back as I swept myself
Through black water and oiled rats
Burrowing deep and resurfacing again.
As I reached the edge of the ship,
Whose bow had rusted,
Whose boards were marrow-less bone,
I climbed up and into it and dropped the
Girl
on the
Deck.

Once her wounds had healed, we started fighting again.

Victorious, I threw her into the sea.

And then I jumped back in again after her.
It was
Dark,
But the moon had illuminated the sparkling green lichen
Atop the waves.
I held her close to me,
As she spluttered and coughed and I thought to myself

'Oh god, please don't die.'

I placed her prostrate atop the deck again.
Once she had regained her strength, we fought once more.
But I had to prove to myself that I was good.

I stabbed her below the sternum.
I still remember that small gasp of air she made.

Victorious, I threw her into the sea.

As I looked out towards land,
I saw that the ship was no longer moving.
We would never make it to shore,
Never ever.
It would be an eternal night.
Upon the deck.
And there upon it,
Moss had started growing.

I looked to the sea and knew that I needed her.
I dived in again and saved her, brought her back and lay her on the moss.
I resumed my fighting position down the deck
And I heard her coughing and spluttering.
I didn't know if she was going to get up.
But I prayed that she would.