CHAPTER 1 - THE INCIDENT

WARNING: THE LOCATIONS, NAMES, BUSINESSES ETC ARE SIMPLY FICTITIOUS!!!

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CHAPTER 1 - THE INCIDENT

"Bye hon," said Wang Lei as he kissed her on the cheek, hair fluttering in the wind and the sun rising above the sea.

He pulled away as he gave Mo Aiju his always flattering smile that was limited to few. She looked at him and gave a dazzling smile back that contained her eagerness for him to get back from his journey so that their little family would be reunited.

The man turned around and stepped onto a huge boat while waving at her. She stood there and watched as he slowly disappeared into the endless waters that were shimmering with the rays of the early morning sun.

The woman waited for a few more minutes before walking off the dock to her car where the driver opened the door and she sat in. She sat looking out the window enjoying how the city was splashed with all kinds of colors.

Once the car stopped and entered the familiar gates of her home, she got off, entered, then headed directly towards the kitchen. She picked up the plates on the counter and headed for the sink. She then proceeded to clean up and make baby food while warming up some milk.

The lady waited till her kids woke and fed them proceeding with their day till night came.

"Hello?" Mo Aiju spoke into the phone.

"Is this perhaps Mrs. Wang, Mo Aiju?" said the caller.

"Yes, it is. Is there something I may help you with?" replied Mo Aiju calmly.

"I'm sorry to be the one to inform you ma'am but your husband is lost at sea.'' The caller spoke in a low tone as his news was very devastating.

Mo Aiju froze immediately, her hand gripping the phone as a way to hold onto her calmness.

"....I'm from Huang Cheng port. I'm one of the port pilots. We lost contact with your husband a few hours after they departed and our search teams are now looking for them." continued the pilot. He was still speaking in a low tone but now it had a little caution as if waiting for Mo Aiju's outburst.

Mo Aiju didn't utter a word until the words settled in. It was not that big of a deal. Maybe the sailor/pilot lost contact due to bad connection and maybe there was a pet on board who chewed the wire of the signal.

Mo Aiju breathed inward and spoke, "How long...how long have you lost connection?"

"4 Hours ma'am," replied the shocked pilot as of not hearing an outburst.

Mo Aiju almost fainted when she heard his reply. She grabbed the kitchen counter to steady herself.

"Our search team is heading to the last place we lost connection and is going to follow the trail that the boat was heading to," said the pilot in a serious voice as this was important information he had to pass on.

"We will contact you immediately once we find any clues." After that line, the pilot hung up not waiting for her reply.

The search team by then arrived and all they saw were metal scraps floating, the moon glistening on them giving them an edgy shine. There was oil mixed in with the ocean water. There must have been a horrible accident.

One of the members radioed back "Sir it seems that an accident occurred. Most probably a boat explosion, there are many shards left everywhere and there is a great deal of oil here," he sighed as this was going to take a lot of time to clean up.

"Got it."

The next day....

Vroom sounded the boat as it sped towards the scene. Mo Aiju stood at the bow (1) of the boat. Her eyes were red from all the crying, holding a sorrowful gaze. She bit her lip trying to keep the tears at bay to be able to see ahead.

A few minutes later the boat was nearing the scene where she could see the shards and oil. Her eyes widened in disbelief and her hope was slowly diminishing. Her mouth gaped as they got closer. The boat slowed down letting her take in the scene.

"No," she mumbled "no, NO this is not possible. It isn't his boa-"

Before she could convince herself of that illusion a shard came out of the water and it was engraved with the words Momo. There was no way she could lie to herself now that isn't his boat. She fell to her knees stretching out her hand to grab the huge piece of metal.

"Ma'am!" said the driver as he stopped the boat from moving.

"Hel-Help me get this on the boat," commanded Mo Aiju as the sharp edge of the metal dug into her hand yet she was unwilling to let go as this was her only last memory of him.

He was on the boat, the words below him as he waved the sun shined behind him leaving his hair in golden light and his brown eyes shining brightly.

When the shard finally got on the boat she held it and wept, wailing and muttering his name. The driver stood there in shock and awkwardness as he did not expect the lady to start weeping and did not know how to comfort her.

He decided the best was to take her away as this seemed to be a sad place for her. The boat started and turned around heading for the dock. Mo Aiju sat down looking at her bloodied hands in a daze while the sound of the water hitting the boat played in the background.

After arriving back on the shore. The captain assisted Mo Aiju off the boat, handing her crying mess to the butler he then headed back to the boat, picked up the metal piece and dropped it on the dock in front of the butler.

The week passed on in a daze for Mo Aiju. She lifelessly walked around her home reminiscing the memories she made. She snapped out of her daze surveying her surroundings. It was raining someone was holding an umbrella over her head while her mother held her hand. Her friends and coworkers were all silently standing around her. An empty casket was being buried before her. She went into a daze again.

Out of it again. She was now in a courtroom watching the person responsible for her husband's death being escorted out as the final verdict of the judge rang throughout her mind "As of denying his duties as a cleaner resulting in the death of Mr. Wang Lei and 6 other people. The court has sentenced him 30 years to life in Huang Cheng prison. Court adjourned."

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(1) Bow - Front of the boat