Page 6 of Her Creation

His face lightened for the briefest second before returning to its stony state. “You remind me of her.”

“Of whom?” I asked.

“God.”

I snorted out a laugh but quickly swallowed it when his face remained dark and cold. “You believe God is a woman?”

“Mine is,” he answered.

I poured him another cup of grog for the sentiment, handed it to him with a grin, and went to check over my items for the morning one last time.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“To you, I have no name,” he answered with a tilt of his head.

I studied the odd man’s face. “You’re awfully secretive about whatever landed you on that shoreline.” I pulled out my items and checked them over.

“You shouldn’t have come here. No one should ever come here.”

Chills covered my skin at his words, but I kept to my task. “You’ve had a rough life, I can see that. I’ve heard stories about some of the whaling ships and the conditions; surely that’s not what has caused…” I trailed off, unsure of what I was actually trying to say. “This crew is different; they will welcome you. Maybe don’t mention God being a woman; they aren’t quite as progressive about females as that,” I said with a laugh.

“The man with two different colored eyes—are you in love?” he questioned.

I dropped my compass onto the ground with a clang. “Mick? What an odd thing to say. No, of course we are not in love.” I bristled.

“He’s in love with you.”

“He’s the ship’s navigator, and I can promise you no one aboard this vessel is in love with me. They hardly tolerate my being here; in fact, they’d certainly rather I not be,” I said with a laugh, surprised at how relaxed the conversation had turned. I felt my cheeks heat at the absurdity of even thinking that Mick was in love with me, especially by the notice of a stranger that had been aboard for only an hour. “I should probably get you a meal.” I rose.

“No,” he answered.

“Fine, then you should get some rest. You’ll feel better once you’ve warmed up and slept a little,” I said with my back to him as I returned to fuss with my things.

“What is this?” he asked, suddenly next to me, holding the compass I’d dropped.

My back hit the wall as I stumbled backward, nearly jumping out of my skin at his sudden proximity. “How did you do that?” I clutched my chest and felt my heart beating as fast as a rabbit’s. “How did you move like that? So silently?”

He turned over the brass compass before dropping it in my hand. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” he said.

Cold slid down my spine, but I tried to brush it off. I was tired and focused on my tools. I always tuned everything out when I was doing that.

“It’s a compass,” I mumbled, still in shock. He nodded, and as if realizing his towering form was making me nervous, he returned to the bed and tucked himself under the covers, giving me a small nod as if to assure me he would stay there.

Neither of us spoke for the rest of the night. I ended up sitting on the trunk with my back against the wall, updating my logbook before tucking it away for safekeeping. I silently watched the man until I dozed off at some point.

I wish I’d known then that it would be my last night aboard the ship.

Chapter 3

March 24, 1803

Location: Uncharted tundra, eastern Greenland

It makes me sad to think it took so long for me to hear the screams.

I dreamed I was tending a beautiful garden with ripe, full blackberries and roses when, from nowhere, a shrill, bloodcurdling scream tore through the serene garden. I’d stepped on a rabbit, and it was shrieking—a high-pitched cry that was unlike anything I’d ever heard. The scent of something putrid filled my nose, like ash and smoke and…rot. I picked up the rabbit, and its body twitched, its cries growing louder and louder. Its long back feet hammered against my chest, and with every kick and scream, the force of its kicks felt harder and the cries grew louder and louder until it was so loud and deep my head shook from the sound.

My eyes prickled and itched as they opened and focused on the wooden-plank floor of my quarters, the dream dissipating but the cries and drumming not.