dark
14th-August-2011, 04:49 AM
I made thread once upon a time with a clip of this with the hopes of adding more things I've written, but I disappeared from the forum, so here is the full story. I wrote this for a class, so it was limited in the manner in which I could let my imagination run.
Journey's Edge
It wasn’t long ago we left the shores of England. Filled with promises of promises, we boarded ships by the tenfold, packed full of all the things we would need in our colony. For the English crown they told us, for land and glory. I was standing on the docks as the captain called us on, looking back I witnessed the harbor vanish behind us, I felt freedom. I felt alive. At first the nights were beautiful. To watch the sun fall below the waters edge, there is nothing like it in the world. The only thing that compares is when I look into her eyes. My lady would love to see this beautiful world, I have promised her I would return to bring her, but the time has not yet come. She waits for me back in our home in England. At times I wish I had never left her, but this new sight, this new hope, I feel it must be worth it.
The trip was not entirely paradise, soon the storms came in, some men had told me this happens and they have witnessed many a storms during fishing. Being tossed to and fro, holding on for dear life, the fear that took us as our little ships barely stood the tests, but they stood and past those first nights. The greatest feeling was when the storm finally subsided. It was like the hand of God coming down, pulling us out of the torturous hell and brought us to safety. After the first two weeks we realized we were not prepared. The days trudged from one storm to the next, with no turning back the spirits soon declined. Many men were afraid, others where so hardened they felt invigorated, but even that soon died. In the end we were all the same, except the captain, he had no fear. During he storms he stood at the helm, shouting orders, and when no one responded he went about doing them himself. Full of courage, this gave us hope, if only a small bit.
Wasn’t long we realized yet again of our unfortunate tidings from abroad. I had never eaten so little; my stomach ached then each day, but gladly no more. At first we decided to keep the ships close to keep rations up, but after a couple storms we discovered to late that this was a bad idea. The night brought down the crews of two ships. Their souls haunt my dreams. We’ll never see their smiles; never hear their laughs in the calm nights. Things like this make me doubt our risks. Was freedom of country really worth all this, I must continue think it must, and this is the price that must be paid; only a selfish man would think that there would be no risks. On those very calm nights the fishermen would tell us stories of wicked storms, ones that they said make ours seem miniature. Their voices so fashioned in the story I can feel the pains, I feel the fear, the feeling of no escape. I pray to God that we survive each night, but many began to get sick. Scurvy has taken many of the crew, some were not so well nourished, but I must go on I kept thinking, I must [I]survive. Sleep I could never find, the waves tossed and tumbled, each night became worse, and the food shortage ended, there was none. The fisherman attempted to catch a bounty, but there were no fish. At times I could not even get out of bed. The world collapsed around me and I felt as though I was falling off the edge.
The sunken crews tortured me, taunted me, calling my name, calling for us all. They didn’t want us to die; they didn’t even know they were dead. What horrible things the sea does to a man’s soul. Tears found their place, the fallen men asked for help, they keep calling me to pull them up, but they weren’t real, I couldn’t find them. Their screams terrified me every waking minute. My body shook viciously, for king and country; yeah that is what we were told. That is what our hopes were held on, the freedom of man, the freedom for everyman. It seemed so simple. Yet so… far… away. God seemed so distant; it seemed as though he no longer watched over us.
But all was not lost. I had hope, and for three days some of the men noticed signs of land. I held on tight as I pushed my head as high as I could, and there it was, precious land. It was beautiful, the sight, captain says it will be another three days until we finally touch ground. But I feel the happiness has faded me, this sickness I am dying from, many others have went, and I feel I wont make it to land. I didn’t want this to happen, I guess no one ever does, but here we are, to many good men have died. And for what? Was their deaths worth this, this new land, my only hope is to think yes, yes it has to be worth it. Only a sight such as this would be worth dying for. For king and country, yes I will answer the call, yet I am no warrior but here I lay, near death. So far away my lady, she must know I love her. My friend you must remember what I say here today, you witnessed this ordeal, if you happen to live, please tell my wife that the world is beautiful, and I got to see it before I died. Please let her know this, give a dying man one last wish.
…
…
My lady these were his last words. You husband stood tall and brave, he fought hard, but the scurvy took him along with many other good men. If only we had more food I am sure he would have survived. He will not be alone; we buried him along with some others at our landing. He almost made it to the shore; he died on the journey from ship to shore. I am sorry to bear this news, but my word is my word. And he was right; it was worth it, I doubted his hopes for so long, if not for him I would never have made it. I would have never made it to the new world; I never would have seen its beauty.
Journey's Edge
It wasn’t long ago we left the shores of England. Filled with promises of promises, we boarded ships by the tenfold, packed full of all the things we would need in our colony. For the English crown they told us, for land and glory. I was standing on the docks as the captain called us on, looking back I witnessed the harbor vanish behind us, I felt freedom. I felt alive. At first the nights were beautiful. To watch the sun fall below the waters edge, there is nothing like it in the world. The only thing that compares is when I look into her eyes. My lady would love to see this beautiful world, I have promised her I would return to bring her, but the time has not yet come. She waits for me back in our home in England. At times I wish I had never left her, but this new sight, this new hope, I feel it must be worth it.
The trip was not entirely paradise, soon the storms came in, some men had told me this happens and they have witnessed many a storms during fishing. Being tossed to and fro, holding on for dear life, the fear that took us as our little ships barely stood the tests, but they stood and past those first nights. The greatest feeling was when the storm finally subsided. It was like the hand of God coming down, pulling us out of the torturous hell and brought us to safety. After the first two weeks we realized we were not prepared. The days trudged from one storm to the next, with no turning back the spirits soon declined. Many men were afraid, others where so hardened they felt invigorated, but even that soon died. In the end we were all the same, except the captain, he had no fear. During he storms he stood at the helm, shouting orders, and when no one responded he went about doing them himself. Full of courage, this gave us hope, if only a small bit.
Wasn’t long we realized yet again of our unfortunate tidings from abroad. I had never eaten so little; my stomach ached then each day, but gladly no more. At first we decided to keep the ships close to keep rations up, but after a couple storms we discovered to late that this was a bad idea. The night brought down the crews of two ships. Their souls haunt my dreams. We’ll never see their smiles; never hear their laughs in the calm nights. Things like this make me doubt our risks. Was freedom of country really worth all this, I must continue think it must, and this is the price that must be paid; only a selfish man would think that there would be no risks. On those very calm nights the fishermen would tell us stories of wicked storms, ones that they said make ours seem miniature. Their voices so fashioned in the story I can feel the pains, I feel the fear, the feeling of no escape. I pray to God that we survive each night, but many began to get sick. Scurvy has taken many of the crew, some were not so well nourished, but I must go on I kept thinking, I must [I]survive. Sleep I could never find, the waves tossed and tumbled, each night became worse, and the food shortage ended, there was none. The fisherman attempted to catch a bounty, but there were no fish. At times I could not even get out of bed. The world collapsed around me and I felt as though I was falling off the edge.
The sunken crews tortured me, taunted me, calling my name, calling for us all. They didn’t want us to die; they didn’t even know they were dead. What horrible things the sea does to a man’s soul. Tears found their place, the fallen men asked for help, they keep calling me to pull them up, but they weren’t real, I couldn’t find them. Their screams terrified me every waking minute. My body shook viciously, for king and country; yeah that is what we were told. That is what our hopes were held on, the freedom of man, the freedom for everyman. It seemed so simple. Yet so… far… away. God seemed so distant; it seemed as though he no longer watched over us.
But all was not lost. I had hope, and for three days some of the men noticed signs of land. I held on tight as I pushed my head as high as I could, and there it was, precious land. It was beautiful, the sight, captain says it will be another three days until we finally touch ground. But I feel the happiness has faded me, this sickness I am dying from, many others have went, and I feel I wont make it to land. I didn’t want this to happen, I guess no one ever does, but here we are, to many good men have died. And for what? Was their deaths worth this, this new land, my only hope is to think yes, yes it has to be worth it. Only a sight such as this would be worth dying for. For king and country, yes I will answer the call, yet I am no warrior but here I lay, near death. So far away my lady, she must know I love her. My friend you must remember what I say here today, you witnessed this ordeal, if you happen to live, please tell my wife that the world is beautiful, and I got to see it before I died. Please let her know this, give a dying man one last wish.
…
…
My lady these were his last words. You husband stood tall and brave, he fought hard, but the scurvy took him along with many other good men. If only we had more food I am sure he would have survived. He will not be alone; we buried him along with some others at our landing. He almost made it to the shore; he died on the journey from ship to shore. I am sorry to bear this news, but my word is my word. And he was right; it was worth it, I doubted his hopes for so long, if not for him I would never have made it. I would have never made it to the new world; I never would have seen its beauty.