Just the beginning

His mother was hugging him for the tenth time in those last five minutes. She had stopped crying, but she maintained her reluctant attitude towards his departure; although nobody could blame her: her only son was leaving. Despite being a small woman, her arms clung like strong pincers around the boy's back.

    “Mom, that's enough,” he said gently. “I'll lose the ship.”

    “Silence.” She replied as a shudder ran through her. “I will not see you in God knows how long, let me hold you just a little more.”

    Jeffrey drew the air resigned, there was useless arguing with that woman, she was stubborn to the teeth and he had inherited that stubbornness. She said that was the only thing they had in common, that the rest of him was like his father and he couldn't agree more with her. He had the same thick brown hair, the same hazel eyes, the same chin, and, above all, the same spirit of adventure that had characterized him so much.

    It was for that reason, Jeffrey had presented himself as a recruit to that trip, it was heading to a new land that had been recently discovered. It was a reconnaissance mission that required cartographers, paramedics, and soldiers.

    His mother finally released him from her embrace and looked at him with her puffy little eyes.

    “When did you grow up so fast?”, she asked. “I still remember when you ran naked around the house to get my attention.”

    “Mom!” He exclaimed, feeling himself blush violently.

    The boy looked sideways to see if anyone had heard that comment, but no one seemed to be showing any attention.

    The pier was turned into a sea of ​​people and bustle; everywhere he looked people were crowding that place, some groups were families saying goodbye to someone, others were street vendors shouting their merchandise -items that promised to eradicate seasickness, blankets, dehydrated food, and Good Fortune charms for the trip- and several soldiers were flanking the pier.

    “All aboard!”, a thunderous voice announced.

    Jeffrey looked back at his mother, who was beginning to cry again, this time it was his turn to hug her tightly. She was a very small woman, but she had the personality and recklessness of a wild animal, He would miss her very much. He pulled away quickly so as not to give in to tears, he didn't want to fall into sentimentality just now.

    “I have to go.” He said while taking his suitcase “I love you, mom. I promise to write to you often.”

    She nodded and kissed his forehead.

    “Let Fortune take you well to your destination.”

    “All aboard!”, the voice repeated.

    He turned and ran to the queue of the last passengers to board the large dark metal boat in front of him. It wasn’t that appealing in its looks, but its size certainly imposed all the presence it needed. He saw the soldiers begin to eagerly push the families of the passengers off the pier; he looked for his mother and it was not long for him to locate her, she was arguing with a guard.

    He suppressed a smile at that sight and looked back to meet the angry face of the guard who was reviewing the documentation. It was then that he realized that he had said something to him and he had not listened because he was distracted. He immediately wiped the smile off his face and tried not to let the blush spread across his face.

    “Excuse me, Could you repeat what you just said?”

    “Your documentation,” he replied sharply.

    With his head down, he hurriedly reached in his coat pocket for his papers. Finally, he pulled a pair of yellowed sheets out of his pocket -which contained his identification and his accepted recruit application- and handed them to the guard. He snatched them away to read them.

    “Welcome aboard the Atlantis, recruit Woolag," he said as he sealed the papers. “Go to your cabin and wait for instructions,” he said, almost throwing the documents at him. “Next!”

    He crossed the bridge that linked the ship to the dock, and as he entered, a pungent smell of cheap cleaning supplies and fuel came over him. In front of him was a hallway with another guard waiting for him, who led him through the maze of white hallways illuminated by spotlights that emitted yellow light. He hoped it wouldn't take long for him to learn to locate himself inside the ship, as this would be his home for the next two years and it would be awkward to have to ask for instructions every time he left his cabin.

    The interior of the ship changed, from white to corridors flanked by wooden doors, gray walls, and carpeted floors. It must be the bedroom area since that area had a slightly more homely feel. A strong jolt made him lose his balance, causing him to crash against the wall; He looked around in panic believing something had exploded but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The guard was still standing firmly as if nothing had happened.

    “Atlantis set sail,” he said, answering the question he hadn't asked. Then he went on his way, not looking to see if Jeffrey was following him or not.

    He straightened up and started to catch up with the guard at a brisk pace, they turned into a hallway and he began to hear laughter and lively speaking voices, which turned into young people talking heatedly, making a scandal just like they had done on the pier. Finally, the guard stopped and pointed to the corridor to his left.

    “Your bedroom is 32B, at eight o'clock we take dinner at the dining room. Delays are not allowed and it is strictly forbidden to wander the exteriors of the ship after nightfall.” Then, he turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

    Jeffrey frowned at that last comment, why would it be forbidden? Would it make strong waves?. He decided to discard those thoughts and began to search for his room, he had no trouble finding the door to his bedroom, since it was one of the first. With a surge of enthusiasm, he opened it.

    “I told you to stay at home!” Exclaimed a female voice from inside.

    Jeffrey was completely stunned by the scene taking place in the cabin: inside were a boy and a girl approximately his age. The boy had dark hair pointing in all directions -as if something had exploded- he wore a simple white shirt with a striped vest on top of it and had green eyes behind glasses that enlarged the size of his eyes, giving him a childish appearance.

    “He must be as blind as a mole”, Jeffrey thought and looked at the girl holding his breath. She was short and insultingly beautiful.

    She had long red hair tied in a ponytail and little black eyes with a glow of ferocity in them. She wore blue overalls and a matching beret. The girl held his gaze and raised an eyebrow with a funny gesture on her beautiful face, without a doubt he must be looking at her like an idiot.

    The boy's face lit up and he reached him in two strides, without waiting for consent he took the hand of Jeffrey and shook it vigorously with a big smile. He was definitely like a child.

    “You must be my partner. My name is Alastair Black, cartographer, great pleasure.”

    Although no one mentioned that he would have a partner, Jeffrey smiled both out of courtesy and because the young man had already sympathized with him.

    “Jeffrey Woolag, I am also a cartographer.”

    “Woolag?”, asked the girl's voice. “What a strange name, are you a foreigner?

    “No, I was born here. My father is the one who came from distant lands”, he replied trying not to look at her hypnotized. “Miss– ?”

    “She is my sister–” Alistair began to say.

    “Stepsister,” she interrupted him dryly. “Alistair, you can return the gentleman's hand now.”

    The aforementioned realized that he still vigorously shook Jeffrey's hand and released it hastily with a slight blush on his childish face. The girl walked towards Jeffrey with an amused air and a mischievous smile on her face, her black eyes looking him up and down, examining him. Finally, he held out his pale hand.

    “Hester Black, paramedic, you can just call me Hester,” she said with a shrug.

    He shook her hand.

    “Nice to meet you, Hester, you can call me Jeffrey,” he said, and added, looking at Alastair, "You too, Alistair."

    “I was thinking of calling you Jeffrey anyway,” Hester answered, releasing his hand.

    “Thank you,” Alistair replied shyly.

    Jeffrey examined the cabin and realized that it consisted of a bunk bed, a brown wardrobe and there was a door on the side, which Jeffrey assumed was the bathroom.

    “Choose the bed you want, it doesn't bother me,” said Alistair.

    Jeffrey tossed his suitcase onto the top bed, he liked being off the ground. He picked up the urge to climb onto his bed but stopped because he noticed Hester glaring at her brother.

    “Stepbrother” Jeffrey corrected himself internally. It was then that he remembered that when he entered he found them arguing. To avoid yelling at each other again, he decided to ask the first thing that came to mind.

    “Do you have any idea why we can't leave the ship at nightfall?”

    Relieved, he saw that her question had worked to distract Hester, who changed her scowl to one of curiosity. For his part, Alistair shot a grateful look at Jeffrey.

    “So they told you that, too,” Hester began, making a thoughtful stroke of her beard. “The truth is, I don't know and I assume Alistair doesn't know either.” She said looking at the aforementioned.

    He shrugged his shoulders in response.

    “It is known that the surf becomes wilder at dusk, it must be a security measure.”

   “I thought the same thing,” Jeffrey began, “but this ship is huge and heavy. I doubt if it can sink.”

    Hester pulled out a gold pocket watch and her face lit up. Again, Jeffrey had a hard time not looking at her with puppy eyes.

    “Dinner is in thirty minutes–” she began to say enthusiastically.

    “Hester, no,” Alistair interrupted her. “I know what you're thinking and it's a bad idea. I expect we don’t get in trouble. We haven't even been here a day!”

    “I knew you would refuse, man of little faith,” she muttered, then walked over to Jeffrey and hooked her arm with his, causing him to flinch. “But I know Jeffrey will be with me, won’t you?” She asked, staring at him.

    The two Black youngsters were staring at him: Alistair was looking at him, pleading him to deny his sister's invitation; while she looked at him defiantly, challenging him with her eyes to refuse. He felt his back against the wall. A part of him agreed with Alistair not wanting to get into trouble, but his adventurous self was yelling at him to go explore the unknown.

    “I'll go with Hester, it's just a boat, What's the worst that can happen?” He said, smiling shyly.

    “Excellent!” She exclaimed. “There is no time to lose. Let's go!”

    She went to his brother's suitcase -which was on the floor- and from it, she took out a metal flashlight, and without waiting for either of them, she left the room. Jeffrey cast an apologetic glance at Alistair, who ran a hand through his hair, defeated.

    “Come on,” he said to Jeffrey's surprise. “There is no need to leave her alone for long, I believe her fully capable of flying the ship.”

    They both shot out of the cabin after Hester, they had to evade the entire crowd in the corridors, and babble hurried apologies when they collided with someone. Despite her size, the girl was fast and her size allowed her to move easily through people, they had practically not lost sight of her due to her flaming red hair. It was like seeing a point of bright color in the middle of a gray environment.

    Finally, they caught up with her in a wide wooden floor corridor with large windows to the sides, which led out. To the surprise of the three, there was no guard around, space was totally deserted; Jeffrey breathed slowly to catch his breath and frowned at the windows. Through them, you could see a thick mist, so thick that you couldn't see beyond it. They were already so far from the port?

    “Is it normal for that to happen?” Hester asked as if reading his mind.

    “No,” said Alistair. “Such a dense haze only forms if the weather outside is too cold and there is too much water vapor in the air to condense like that.”

    “All I understood is that it's not normal,” Hester said as she started walking down the hall.

    “Hestie,” her stepbrother called her, “what do you think you're doing?”

    “Looking for a door, of course,” she answered, walking away.

    “I begin to believe that this was, indeed, not a good idea,” said Alistair to Jeffrey. “We can still turn back and go to dinner, I'm hungry.”

    He was about to grant the boy's request, but an exclamation from Hester interrupted him.

    “I found the door! Come here!”

    They walked towards her, by the time they reached her, the girl had her hands on the handles of a double door made of glass, through which the fog outside was visible.

    “Ready?” She asked excitedly.

    "Hester," Jeffrey said, being rational. “I don't think this is a good idea, fog is one of the most feared dangers at sea, that's why we are prohibited from being here at night. The temperature should drop when it gets dark and that's why–”

    “Has Alistair brainwashed you too?” Because you already speak like him.” She answered pouting. “Get out, then. I'll go alone, pair of cowards.”

    The girl opened the door and ran outside before either of them could stop her. Seconds later, her small silhouette was lost in the mist.

    “Hestie!” Alistair called out, running after her.

    “Wait!” Jeffrey exclaimed, but it was late, he had already lost sight of the boy.

    Jeffrey started running toward them, but stopped at the door frame, biting his lip. He understood the impulse that had brought Alistair to go after Hester, had he had a sister, he would have done the same without hesitation. But as soon as he knew them, he could well turn around and leave. 

    No. He had seconded Hester and these were the consequences, he had to face them. With a determined step, he entered the mist. Immediately a cold sensation ran through his coat, making him shudder, but he continued.

    “Hester! Alistair!” He called, but his voice seemed to be muffled by the mist.

    He kept walking but saw nothing and the cold increased with each step he took. He wrapped her arms around herself in a failed attempt to warm up. He turned to return to the interior of the boat to try to position himself better, but when he turned around the door was gone and he felt his soul drop to his feet. He was certain that he had not advanced so far -and walked in a straight line- that the door had disappeared. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, but it wasn't because of the cold weather. An icy breeze swept over him, and if he hadn't been scared, he would have sworn he heard a laugh.

    “Hester!” He called again, alarmed. “Alist–”

    A howl cut the air, making it shut up suddenly and being petrified where he was. He knew the voice that had screamed: it was Hester's voice.

    “Hester!” He called desperately.

    “HELP!” Replied the girl's voice. “Jeffrey!”

    He ran off, guided by the sound of Hester's voice calling him desperately. Suddenly, he stepped on something that made him fall flat on the wooden floor; The impact made him see white spots and he looked at his feet to see what had caused his fall, feeling the knot in his stomach tighten more. A few meters from him was Hester's lit lantern with the silver handle covered in blood.

    He sat up quickly, taking the flashlight and pointing it in all directions hoping to catch a glimpse of something.

    “Jeffrey?” Hester's voice asked.

    He turned violently, pointing straight ahead. There was Hester, her face streaked with tears, covered in blood and desperately clutching an unconscious Alistair. Jeffrey would have sworn they were not there, but there was no time for that.

    “What happened?!” He asked, kneeling beside her.

    “I don't know,” he replied hysterically. “I turned around and saw him lying on the floor with his head bleeding, I don't know what happened. He has a kind of bite on his shoulder and has lost a lot of blood, I made him a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. We must return to the ship–”

    “What are you doing here? Pair of newbies” Exclaimed a voice behind them.

    They both turned and found a decrepit man dressed as the captain -and he must be the captain– in one hand he held a pipe and in the other, he held a large lamppost whose rays of light seemed to cut through the mist. One eye was brown, but the other was a sickly yellow, it must have been a wooden eye.

    “Something attacked my brother!” Hester shouted. “Who did this to him?! What the hell is going on?!”

    The man placed the lamppost on the ground and leaned towards Hester as he took a drag from his pipe. The man looked at her with amused perversion and Jeffrey stepped in front of her protectively.

    “Dear child,” he said, ignoring Jeffrey's presence. “This is just the beginning.”