I wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
I walk around the room in search for my clothes. I have got to get the hell out of here. Suddenly frantic, I open a drawer and quickly pull the t-shirt over my head as he walks out of the bathroom. Shit, that was the quickest shower in history.
“Where you going?” he asks as he dries his hair with the towel.
“Home,” I snap as I pull up the shorts.
He raises an eyebrow. “You a good swimmer?”
I frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“We are fifty miles from shore.”
Huh? I frown.
“You’re on a container ship.”
I start to look around in a panic. “W-what do you mean?” I stammer. Oh my God.
I run to the cabin door and jiggle the handle. “Let me out. Let me out,” I cry.
He opens the door. “Have fun with the crew.” He pushes me out and slams the door behind me.
My eyes dart from side to side as I try to focus on my surroundings that are all metal. It’s dark with only a row of small orange lights on the floor along the wall. To the left is a wide corridor that must be at least one hundred meters long and I can see a large lit up room at the end. Noise and laughter echoes down the corridor. I can hear men’s loud laughter. Oh God, those are the animals that were just in my room. I look to the right and see an exit sign. I have got to get out of here. I quickly dart across the hallway to the safeness of the dark and make my way up toward the exit sign.
He was lying.
He had to be lying. I’m not on a boat. I can’t be on a boat.
I tiptoe like a mouse up the three flights of stairs until I get to large double doors with small round windows in them. I peer through and my heart sinks.
It’s dark and raining, and for as far as I can see shipping containers are piled up miles high on top of each other.
Oh my God, what do I do?
I stand back as I think. I know one thing for certain: if I stay on this ship I will be dead before I see land again.
Fuck this. I burst through the doors and run outside into the pouring rain as I frantically look around at the surroundings. I run to the side of the ship and look over the side… water for as far as I can see.
With my heart hammering in my chest, I run to the other side of the boat… water for as far as I can see. I look to the back and see a tower with lights on in it and I know that the captain must be in there. He will have a radio.
Yes.
He will help me.
I run toward the watchtower and trip over a large rope thingy that is raised from the metal deck and I go flying across and fall onto the hard floor.
I lie for a moment in the rain as despair fills me. I can’t do this. I’m not strong enough to get through this.
My head hurts from earlier and I feel disorientated. I don’t need this fucking shit.
What am I going to do? I have no idea how I am going to get myself off this ship.
How did they get an unconscious girl onto a shipping deck through customs? What the fuck is going on with our border protection? With renewed purpose, I stand and start to head toward the control center. Somebody from there will help me. I know they will. They have phones and can call for help. I open the door and am greeted by another large metal staircase. I take the steps two at a time until I get to the top. I look around nervously and I see a man sitting behind the control center of the boat.
“Hello.” I pause. “Can you help me?” I ask.
The man turns around and my face drops. Oh God, it’s the man who tried to rape me on the bed downstairs. I step back in fear and he picks up the radio.