Lucky Number

A ray of sunshine creeped past my eyes. Illuminating my face with a ethereal glow. I was cozily sleeping in my cabin.

During my length trip here I had never slept this well before. I outstretched my limbs into the air and let out a tired yawn.

Looking around my room which was in pristine condition. It almost felt like a dream.

' Did yesterday really happen?'

The room was still rather empty. I had no major belongings I needed to keep here. Everything was below deck. And it was safer there anyhow. Most thieves knew that people tend to keep their valuables as close as possible.

I pulled my time piece from my nightgown. It was nearing 6:30 in the morning. I closed its metallic cover and woozily sat down at my table. A small jar of black ink was bolted to the corner of the wall. A little metallic knob that was in the shape of a vertical "C" held a feathered quill.

Darkness had not fully crept away. I lit a small candle and opened the drawer beneath the desk. There we're numerous unfinished letters. Words like ' Im sorry , Leaving , be back , and i hate you ' could be glimpsed from the scattered pilings.

' 6 months of time and only now are you able to say how you feel '

I filled and found a blank sheet devoid of any ramblings and began to write.

- - -

' Dear Father… I have decided to leave as you have seen already. It is my intention to not return to our home in Italia until I have found my brother. I have followed the trail to a new land across the sea. And I have already received good news. I hope you and mother are doing well. Papa.. Im sorry. But I will return. '

- Amore Q

- - -

I then walked over to my bed and pulled an envelope from beneath my pillow. It was covered with my family insignia. The familiar hills and my father's signature always stood out.

The paper had browned from the moisture of the travel. But I decided to use it anyway.

Using the wax that had melted I dripped it onto the surface of the letter. It formed a thick translucent puddle. Reaching for my coat I removed a small grey box. Inside was a stamp with my family's crest. I hovered above the quickly drying wax.

My hands shaking slightly. The sounds of a deep breath left my lungs as I plunged the stamp into the wax.

' Its done…'

I checked my watch again. It was now nearing 7:00. I could now hear the footsteps of the other passengers walking around me as they hauled their luggage onto the docks.

Calls from the crew members as they helped. The elderly or directed the families to the docks where suitcases were being unloaded.

One the docks…

" All passengers please take out your luggage tickets before alighting from the vessel. All items that are left on the ship within 24 hours will become property of the vessel and a fine must be paid for their return. Anything lost damaged or destroyed on the vessel is not considered in reimbursement. THANK YOU!"

This line of sentence was repeated over and over by a young private. His bronze hair and hazel eyes beamed at his new authority. He was disappointed that only Jacob and Whillam were called to help with the docking last night.

He thought back to how his hands now had burns and were still numb due to the ropes he held as his seniors tied the ship to the stacks.

Rubbing the callous off of his palms he continued to shout out his instructions at regular intervals.

He made sure to glance at any passengers. Anyone with a coat was required to remove it to make sure no valuables from the ship were stolen. Every once in a few people there was someone who stole something small but quickly returned it and were fined by the port authorities for theft. This made most of the others will ill intentions turn around and return what was 'lost'. They were also required to give up their room keys as they exited as an extra precaution.

It was a cheering sight to see.

" Hey James. Did you hear the news last night?"

James turned to his side his bronze hair blowing across his cheeks. Infront of his was another one of his fellow privates Whillam.

James quickly looked at the steps coming from the boat and saw that most of the passengers had went to claim their luggage and as no-one was heading down immediately. He decided to indulge.

" No ? What happened? "

Whillam looked annoyed. ' Why does he always have to act all high and mighty all the time. He's no better than us. All 5 of us wipe the decks every morning…' He still continued in his enthusiasm.

" Apparently there was a shooting on the boat last night? Can you believe it? "

Unable to keep his stoic demeanor James grabbed Whillam's shoulders and looked down into his eyes.

"A shooting? With who? Below deck?"

" No not exactly. I found a bullet hole in one of the benches near the stern of the ship. And when Jacob came to report his findings below deck. He found that there was blood and on most of the staircases and there were also shards of broken wood downstairs. But the strangest thing is that when he asked some of the Auxiliary staff about it. They said someone was injured on F3."

James nodded. He remembered that there was an incident of someone getting hurt by their spouse on the casino floor.

" Well guess what? The blood that was on the floor came from all the way from the engine room!"

James raised an eyebrow and gave a questioning gaze. " How did you know this? "

" Cullen said so. When he came up from the engine room he asked if there was anyone injured onboard. When Jacob asked him why he said because there was dried blood on the stairs. " Whillam said all knowingly.

" But thats weird how did the auxiliary staff not notice someone bleeding before hand. And if thats the case why did they lie and say their spouse injured them."

" Hush. I was getting to that. Anything basically when Cullen questioned the staff who were in the casino they basically all had the same story. Some guy was injured in his shoulder by his wife who threw a fit after he lost alot of money on the roulette wheel. But when he mentioned the inconsistency with the blood they all seemed to snap out of something. As if they were in a trance."

" What do you mean snap out of something?"

" I mean exactly that. Like I cant really describe how it was but Jacob said it was as if someone threw a cold bucket of water on their heads and their memories suddenly became clear. "

" So they were hypnotized? " James continued to try and look at the situation logically.

"I don't know but even when Cullen went to the nurse she basically had the same reaction when told the truth. "

" So did they find the passenger who was injured?"

" You really gotta let me finish my stories.." James rolled his eyes and Whillam pouted.

" No this whole thing keeps getting stranger because nobody on the ship was injured or hurt. And there was no record of the person they described"

James was deep in thought for a few seconds. Whillam had hoped to get a better reaction out of him but was sorely disappointed.

" Whillam wait! "

His eyes lit up. ' I knew he couldn't just brush all that weird stuff off!'

Whillam turned around expecting to be praised for his in depth research and knowledge of this mysterious phenomenon but was yet again dismissed.

" Who was the spouse?"

" Really?"

James' expression had yet to change.

" I don't know it was a dime of a lady from some far off country. She was in first class. I think her room number was 13."

James nodded. " Thank you Whillam. You've provided me with adequate information today. "

Whillam waved him off and went back to his station somewhere else.

Jacob began to check the keys he collected. He had collected everyone except 13 but there was none else heading off the ship and there were only a few pieces of luggage left.

' Did I drop it?' He began frantically searching for the key.

"13…13 where are you number 13?"

" Hello again pretty boy..Is this what you're looking for?"

James head turned on a swivel. It was that lady he had met yesterday before sunset.

She was dressed in a black silk skirt. The skirt passed her knees but didn't fail to accentuate her posture and hips. She wore light grey short heels with a matching plaid grey coat and undershirt. Her hair was tied up into faux wavy bob with a few strands left swaying seductive over her left side. Her cherry red lips beckoned him as she dangled the keys infront of him.

" I-…I- haha..you..beautiful…lady…Yes key need me.."

" Hmm. Well aren't you cute. Here you go. "

" Thank you M'lady " He nervously combed the back of his head and stared at the floor. Unable to look her in the eyes. He shyly pointed towards the luggage pickup forgetting to check her coat.

Hearing her footsteps walk away from him along the docks. He sighed to himself and stared at the keys in his hands. A sweet aroma lingered on them. He sneakily smelled the wooden frame of the key as if hoping to grasp this smell once more.

Looking at him were 4 young boys. They all had various expressions. Some of disguised. Others of amusement and confusion. But they all universally burst out laughing.

" Shut Up!"