He left before I could even fetch my misplaced voice back to my throat. Out of my unnecessarily loud head. I opened my eyes and he was no longer in sight.

Though he felt so real, surely, it was just a dream. Just looking at the ship I am on, I, therefore, conclude the superficial. And isn't it too cinematic that only the two of us are on its deck earlier? Also... aren't I drowned? I was dying, the sea have devoured me.

"Perhaps, is this the afterlife? And if it is indeed it, will I have to be cautious of a second death... or be privileged of co-existing with the man that'll heighten my sins?"

I lousily sprawled my arms over my head like a dissected frog and mentally chastised myself for losing every bit of sanity to a mere fiction!

You are a fool, Zasleigh!

Oh, how come you've become a thirsty maiden! I couldn't believe you've just dreamed how to develop a mind of a hoe!

And also, why the hell would I have this kind of dream after a rollercoaster misfortune?

I closed my eyes, yearning for a deeper slumber. Yet again letting three more sighs to express how ridiculed I am of myself!

I was so sure the previous was just a dream so when I woke up in my sleep, laying on a bed, wearing a crisp white longsleeves which sheathed until an inch above my knees, I am greatly bewildered. "Is this perhaps afterlife dreaming?"

My eyes rolled over the place. It is still obviously on a ship, and it seems like I am in one of its rooms. I stared at the ceiling and frowned when minutes passed and nothing came up from it. I was expectant of some fast-paced actions and transitions like sudden mandatory runs for life... then seeing your crush... to training to fly up in the sky... and being finally given the favorite dessert which in the end I will not be able to eat, just behold.

Or is this some sort of a dream where I should learn that not getting up of bed equals to not getting up in life?

I clicked my tongue. Now where did that come from?

Bored at the passing minutes of nothingness, my naked feet adjusted to the cold floor. I roved around to fish for anything magical or spellbound and found nothing but the exemplar fullness of the ship.

The walls and most of its materials are of great quality of hardwoods, but the tweaks of strong steel and alloys in some of its parts are hard to miss. Not much of things are stored, but adequately enough for a cozy flamboyant. My focus shifted on the nonspecific intricates and cautiously... trailed it only by the eyes... despite the tempestuous force that was encouraging my sense of touch. A definitive pirate craft with ambiance seething over its corners as distinctive marks are carved... as if there has been war... and it has to end here.

I'm in the midst of bewilderment of the place when a medium-sized mirror glued to the left of the only cabinet in the room showed me my just-woken face. I glared back at the staring celadon green sirene eyes... and watched it turn crystal azure as the staring got longer.

See? It does change. Why can't everyone see?

I marched around. Until I reached the front door.

The strength-sucking timber door almost broke my arms as I preach to see beyond and when it banged open, a different scene welcomed my soul.

Pirates— rugged, underdressed, and overdressed— are all over the vicinity of a significantly huge and enormous deep brown ship. And when I said huge, I am definitely pertaining humungous.

They were out there pulling or pushing something for the ship to function. Carrying heavy and large boxes of something. Laughing with alcohol. Swinging adventurously in the sails like the ocean's daredevils. Climbing the unreachable rod. Contesting the heavens as bottles of rums fly high, with pride and immodesty. Some are morbidly facing the waves and a few... I could feel like they are missing someone as they face the sea.

And they all turned their heads towards me when my door closed and I have achieved a single step outside.

I stopped in my tracks, in fear of the different contortions on their faces.

It isn't difficult to realize that I am unwelcomed and a disruption to the already disarrayed sailors.

"Eyo! A woman!" an old man with a welcoming peckish smile and five golden upper teeth, divided by single gaps each— started the gossips.

"Who took her out on that club? Was it you?"

"No... but maybe, yes!"

"How come you are young and already too stupid?" said the other disgruntled old man with a different pirated topic about me.

"Isn't it supposed to be how come you are old and still too stupid?"

A petty commotion started in the middle of their crowd, making numbers of eyes stray away from me. I even saw someone pulling a cigar in his pocket as if there'll be a show that's too stressing. Someone darkly laughed in between it all.

"Don't you know how curse they are? Why would you take one? This one is even....what if it's a trap from our rivals?!"

"That's what you get for overdramatizing your experiences in the sea!" snarled the young man even though he is not the one the old man is talking to.

Heavily indignant, the old fully faced the young to spat his pride and prejudice.

"You don't know the sea as I know, young boy! It is more treacherous than that head of yours below could even imagine. More unexpected and abyss! Don't you dare compare my expenditures to yours because it is visible you are lacking in it, given your pretty boy flawless rosy skin... it is so so so disappointing. Oh, what a fragile pirate! And I am not overdramatizing my 57 years of traveling with Bla..."

"Carry her and throw her out of this ship immediately!" the bogie man who had to earnestly bounce to make his presence known in the overwhelming crowd, suggested with a cheerful smile on his lips.

Huh?!

"But why-?"

"Attiaas!"

"Eyo! What?! Why me?!" a young boy with a green pirate hat complained but was not heard by his seniors.

One bulky man with a bald head headed to me and in fright of their plan and his overwhelming size, my adrenaline got me and so I slid my way under his wide-parted strong long legs. He tried to look left and right but I am too far gone and was already causing mess running around and stomping the pirates of their chores.

What the hell... what the hell...

Why in this kind of dream have I gone? Couldn't I get anymore wiser and sensible? Even my dreams are bunks!

Well, except that previous one... a little voice said.

Even so!

But wait!

If I am in a dream, can I be aware and have a thorough memory of my past dreams?

Oh oceans, I am getting dumber the passing minutes!