It was a quiet evening when he walked into the bar in Sailorstown .
He looked lost and sat by the bar .
The barman walked over and the stranger said ,
"Bartender give me an Irish in a large glass ."
"You're not from around here . Have you jumped ship then ? "
Asked the barman .
"No I turned right instead of left fifteen years ago and took cut against a wind blown by the devil himself ."
Replied the stranger
The barman poured a whisky and left the stranger alone and he did the stranger poured the whiskey down his throat and tapped his glass for a refill The barman obliged and then turned his back and left him with his glass and motioning to the clientele in the bar that he had a cuckoo at the bar .
Most of the patrons moved to the other side of the bar except for one old sailor who was dressed in a donkey jacket and wore a star on his cap .
He went over and joined the stranger and ordered a bottle of whisky and another glass .
The barman interrupted ,
"Its closing time ."
"The old sailor produced a blue stone from his donkey jacket . The stone began to glow and flashes of lightening went out from it .
As he held the stone up in the air the eyes of everyone in the bar were fixed on it . No sound or movement was in the bar . It was like time had stopped .
The old sailor softly spoke .
"Only ghosts of time can say when it closes."
As the blue stone continued to glow stronger everything in the bar froze .
Except for the sailor and stranger .
"You said fifteen years ago you took a wrong turn . I'm a man of the sea who has seen and heard much my friend . Tell me more ."
The sailor poured a large measure of whisky into the strangers empty glass .
"About fifteen years ago I applied for a job on the docks with a cargo ship .
As I remember it was October when we sailed out from the bay .
A mile out to sea and l was thinking of home . I was thinking about
jumping ship at the next port . I was looking forward to seeing my wife and four sons again . I was confused . I was under the effects of a fever . Semi-conscious I saw things through a haze "
The sailor put away the stone . Everyone in the bar was in a trance .
"Have another drink "
Said the sailor who took of his cap .
The stranger took a drink and the sailor refilled it .
Then the star on the sailors cap started to shine .
"Tell me about the voyage ."
Said the sailor .
The stranger was began to speak easy and free .
" I woke as the wind roared like a lion across the port side . It cut like cut like scissors through the sails of the ship . I looked into the sea and heard and saw what looked like sea dogs come up for air . Deep down under the waves
I saw the sun rise up . The wind roared louder and louder and up ahead I saw what I though was the devils mouth . It opened wide and looked like it was going to devour thee ship . But then I saw what I can only describe to be a gap open up somewhere between the devil and the deep blue sea .
The ship fell into the hole and we were in another world empty of humanity .
Some of the faint hearted sailors jumped off the ship . Maybe I should have too but I stayed on board like the rest of the other fools ."
The old sailor said ,
"Have another swallow . It will help you spit it all out "
The sailor placed his cap on the strangers head as the star continued to shine
"It was like years passed on the ship . We all stood there like statues .
We couldn't move and we couldn't talk .We were all terrified with fear .
Our eyes deep and intense looked at this strange world around us .
Weird it was . A weird world man ." said the sailor .
A few new customers walked into to the bar and came and sat down in the company . The new company all wore caps with stars .
One of them took out a red stone that shot a bright light around the entire room . He looked deeply into the strangers face and said .
"Yes my son . Its time to go ."
"We are here to bring you home in our ship "
" Take me home ?"
Said the stranger .
"Yes . Back through the void where you fell ."
The man with the red stone said .
The stranger was stunned and said .
"Home to my wife and family ?".
"Yes . Our ship is waiting in the bay ."
They all rose from their seats at the bar .
As if in a trance the stranger said ,
" Right let us go then and sail out on the sea. Let us find the places where the sun hide . I want to feel the winds beyond the horizon . "
"In our ship ."
said the sailors with the star caps .
"Ah yes in our ship ."
came the reply .
"We'll be fine sailor's dancing on the sea . "
Said one and all .
They made their way in and out of the streets to the waterfront . Then on through Sailorstown and down to the low dock where a tall ship was waiting .
It was indeed a tall ship and one that any Captain and crew would be proud to sail in . The ship seemed to touch the sky .
A crew of strange looking beings greeted the men with the star caps .
"Now we have him . He will be born again . Let us find fine winds ."
The stranger was deeply entranced as if he was gripped by a fever .
Placed into a hammock on the deck he lay still for a moment until
A sea surge underneath the ship rose the ship about six feet in the air .
The captain appeared on deck . His face shone like bright diamonds in the sun and as he pointed his telescope to the sky he said ,
"Time to set sail . "
It wasn't long before two huge wings shot out from the ship and everything started to happen . Three engines started to roar , four more wings appeared with a bubble shape roof closing over the entire ship .
With a bright flash and a loud blast the ship lifted off from the bay and exploded like a rocker off into the sky . Propelled further and further beyong the earth the ship made its voyage beyond the galaxies glow .
Onto the blackness of space the ship sped alone in an ocean of stars like a speck of light in a universe . Planets and comets spanned the way ahead as the spaceship headed for what seemed to be a pillar of light in the distance .
The ship began to increase speed and the engines noise got stronger .
Soon the ship became hot like a fire and it started to twisted around and around . Tossing and turning into the pillar of light the vastness of space seemed to be running away from the ship .
Space was falling away from the ship and shortly after the roof came off and the wings folded in . The engine noise cut and again the riggings and the mast of a sailing ship appeared as the tall ship fell from the sky into an ocean aglow with a strange blue light .
The ship continued to sail across the shimmering ocean that was full of wonder . Like a parallel world many other life forms appeared ..
Strange creatures with orange skin flew in the sky .
On the rocky islands skeleton like beings walked around on their web feet .
They had constructed igloos from rocks and seemed harmless .
Green lizard like people lived in huge dome shaped sea-cities that floated and hovered above the water .
As well as the futuristic sailing vessels there were some others that were very old . Swimming in the ocean were many weird and wonderful things .
Now and then from underneath the deep mermaids would arise and talk about their sunken kingdoms with secret treasures unseen by anyone .
Here and there whales and dolphins appeared . Enormous jellyfish and octopus were often seen .
Suddenly a wind took the sails and a storm surrounded the ship .
It was as if time itself was being sucked through a porthole or the universe was drawn to an open window .
Waves like mountains arose and tossed the ship like a toy towards a
hole in the storm .
Then what seemed to resemble the mouth of the devil appeared in front pf the ship . Sailing inside there was a violent storm that ripped the ships sails into shreds . After passing through the storm the tall ship was making its way towards an island .
There was a light that spread over the ship and inside the bright light a soft voice spoke
"Be at peace and do not fear . You have returned home . You will not remember the voyage . "
The voice said .
When the light faded there was five figures standing on the shore .
An woman with four young men waited there and began to wave as the ship made an approach . A small lifeboat was sent out with a few sailors and the stranger who was so happy to see his family once again .
The captain and the crew waved goodbye to the small human family ,
who embraced one another on the shore .
The woman threw her arms around her man and said ,
"Welcome home darling . We got a letter from the merchant supplier who told us you'd be coming home today . They have sent on your pay for the past fifteen years . We are so proud of you . Now we can pay off the house and build another ."
"Wow Dad . That's a cool cap . Where did you get it ?"
One of the boys said .
The cap had a gold star and the words Space Cadet written on it .
"I got it in one of the ports son ."
He replied .
The he looked at his wife and said ,
"I'm so happy to be back . This is where I want to be . I don't ever
want to return to sea anymore . "
By Doctor Write
The End
Originally Posted On Site: 2008-02-21 12:08:04
Last Login: 05.21.12
Visits as of 12-12-07: 152
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