Chapter: At the end of the day

<> Sora's sight <>

I can hardly see anything because tears cloud my eyes. Why does the guy have to

diving? Aren't the nightmares that haunted me since that day enough? He took up his threat

power, chased me and actually found me. My situation has always been critical, but I have the feeling

that I ended up in hell All I have left are his words to cling to like

on a lifeline. Who knows when they'll find me The sea is huge and I am only a little one

Girl in the hands of a naval veteran. How I hate this guy for everything he's done!

I'd love to shout my opinion in Smoker's face, but I'm still hanging upside down and

the blood runs to my head. The feeling in my legs says goodbye and my head is almost bursting with loudness

Blood. Smoker finally noticed that too, because he lets go of me, whereupon I painfully hit the hard oneWooden floor of the ship is falling. I get dizzy at first, then sick, and finally I have to cough. If I

looking down at me, I see that my two swords are gone! "Are you missing something?" Asks Smoker

condescending and blowing the cold, stinking smoke of his two cigars in my face.

I have another coughing fit. "D ... u ... ass! Where did you put my swords?" I choke

and it sounds pathetic. Basically, it sounds exactly how I feel; crappy and puny. Next

the broad smoker makes me look like a joke, reinforced by the fact that I crouch on the floor. If I

but only had my swords! Without it I am completely helpless, almost completely defenseless.

That's when I notice that something is hanging out of my pocket.

I rummage around in my bag as inconspicuously as possible. Is it something soft, maybe a piece of cloth? Test

fend I look up at Smoker, apparently by chance, but he doesn't notice me.Well then I don't need that

slowly pull on the piece of fabric. A black something appears. What the...?!!?

How did that come from here?

Am I freaking out now?

At that moment Smoker pulls me up roughly and yells at me: "Don't hang around here like that, at work!

Otherwise something will happen! " "Oh yes? And what? "" Same as with Tashgi. "" You don't really think I am

bring myself down here now ?! "" We'll see ... "" I won't let you tell me anything,

Sure ... "The next word remains unspoken because Smoker wraps his smoke arm around my neck and so does me

Constricts air. "Now listen, you bastard, as long as I'm here captain, you do what I tell you!" About the message

still to underline, he squeezes even harder, so that I can't breathe for a short moment.

“Do you still have anything to complain about?” I shake my head close to suffocating and when he turns to me againdrops hard ground, I gasp greedily for air. "Now get moving! Start working! Scrub

the deck! "

As if on a call, a marine comes by and puts a mop in my hand. I want mine indignantly

Breathing anger, but Smoker gives me a withering look that makes me swallow the words quickly

leaves. "Was what ?!" "Uh, no, nothing ..."

How long have I been working here now? I've stopped counting the days, it just frustrates me. With all of them

I can only think of one thing at work. When will I finally get out of here? Has Zorro already forgotten me? Or be

Promise? What!

And if it does?

Sighing, I sat down on a standing barrel and wiped the sweat from my forehead. How I would like that

Just throw the broom overboard! The only thing left of my beautiful life is Zorro's stupid handkerchief,

but that doesn't help me here either! When is this fool finally coming?With his rescue operation he could

hurry up!

At the trampling of approaching marines, I startle from my thoughts and quickly jump off mine

Take in what turns out to be a pretty bad idea, because my already ailing cycle works out

the heat and I fall back on the deck. My eyes go black and a dark abyss welcomes me

me.

When I wake up again, I see a pale girl's face. After she saw that I was awake, frightened

them back. What's she got? "Why so scared?" I ask the little girl carefully, whereupon she talks to me

Pitying look. "Nothing ..." How old might she be? Definitely younger than me, maybe 14 or 15 and

very thin. Her face is so pale as if she has never seen the sun. Why haven't I ever got that girl on?

Seen deck?

“Do you work on deck?” She shakes her head.“Only down here.” “What's your name?” “Suzume, but that doesn't matter.

As soon as you've rested, you'll be called back to work on deck ... and I'll stay down here and ... do the ...

Dirty work ... ", says Suzume and is interrupted by sobs.

That's why I never saw her! Sure, when Suzume always works below deck.

"Believe me, it's not really better up there," I try to console her. "You say that because you have no idea

how it works here! You all have the same picture of what we're doing down here. Cooking, washing and all that. "

“We?” “I don't care!” “Are you sure that you can do it all on your own?” “Do you think I'm a little one

Girl? Just get out of here and leave me, damn it! "yells Suzume, her voice shaking as if it would

they are about to burst into tears.

I get up suddenly, go to the door and turn around again. "If you change your mind, I'm Sora and

you can find me on deck."With these words I leave the room to report back to duty. All-

however, I can't really concentrate on my work because I keep thinking about what

Suzume meant by "we". It is obvious that, with the exception of the smutjes in the kitchen, they

doing everything alone.

So what does "we" mean?

In my mind I force myself to go back to work, but I keep brooding. Who is still living the same?

in that part of the lower deck? Why don't I have the map with me? If someone finds that, it's my turn.

They'll likely think it's an escape plan.

That's it, back to work! Because of my actions beforehand, this is not exactly easy, especially because the heat is no

Piece decreases. Suddenly I remember the song my mother used to sing to me and I hum it

Melody in front of me.

“A nice song.” I flinch, turn around and immediately get a shock.Suzume stands in front of me, hers

Her eyes are red, her left cheek is swollen and there are bruises all over her arms. "What is it

happened to you "I ask quietly while I take a step towards her. But Suzume quickly backs away and says

not a word. "What happened?" I ask again, but Suzume is walled up. Who did this to her? "Damn who

was that! "I scream and Suzume starts, startled." Not ... not so loud, you mustn't know that I am

just ran away from work. ", she mumbles in her low voice, which I hardly understand a word." Down there

isn't one at all! "" But when he comes back ... "Huh, what please?" Who do you mean by 'he'? "I hardly have this one

Said sentence, I regret it again, because her eyes fill with tears again and she can quietly

No longer suppress sobs. He must be a monster if she's so scared of it, even just thatName. "Tell me," I begin carefully, "what are you doing up here?"

Hopefully this is not the wrong question.

"I ... wanted ... to ask you ... for help. You're right, I can't do it alone, but no one has ever come before

and offered me help. If someone comes, it's only because he needs laundry again ... but ... it makes me ready

tig to work down there all day ... alone! Please help me! ", Suzume just chokes out, then let hers

No more holding tears. I can't help but help her. The way she stands in front of me, a little heap of misery that makes

me angry. “Suzume?” She looks up from the floor. “I'll help you in any case!” Relieved, the little one stares at me and

tries to smile, but it doesn't really look good. Now there is only one question left:

How do I explain the smoker?

~~~~~

Sorry that it took so long, but it is quite difficult to find an internet-capable computer with us that does not take half a day to start up.We had plenty of time to write a reasonably sensible chapter for that. I hope you enjoyed it at least a little. I think you can tell that the situation on board is getting worse and worse. I would particularly advise anyone who still thinks the story is funny to read the next chapter. This also explains in more detail what Suzume does or, better said, has to do below deck.
Until then we say goodbye to you with a loud: Au revoir et merci beaucoup pour le lire de Nefeltari_Isy et Mary !!