Desperate, he bashes his hands against the hardwood of the hatch, but it seems to be useless.

Why!? May the depts take me I can’t open this stupid thing, it’s stuck!

“Just open up damn it!” He latched himself onto the railings and used them to take some momentum, he positioned his head so it would be at a slightly lower angle than his body and then he propelled himself upwards as hard as he could, striking the hatch with his shoulder.

“FUCK!”

It wasn’t as good an idea as he thought. He fell down, backside first, onto the floor again, a raging pain circling through his upper joints.

That hurt like hell! I sure hope I didn’t break anything.

Tired and in pain, he decided to relax, spreading himself and taking deep breaths.

“You done?” A familiar voice called to him.

“Einar?” He asked, but silence was the only reply in store for him. It wasn’t until a few uncomfortable moments passed that Einar spoke again.

“Seeing as you are no longer intruding on my beauty sleep… I’ll take it that you are finished?”

“He… Yes, what happened up there? Alpo is down here spouting a bunch of bullshit. Where we attacked again?”

Again, there was an ominous delay in Einar’s reply.

“Hey! You go-?”

“He. Sorry… if it’s you Kid then I’m glad… don’t bother coming up here… I’m the only one left… for now at least,”

“Wait! Einar, can you hear me?”

“So yeah, if you are speaking to me… don’t bother either… I’m not much help now, I’m only hearing a ringing… it’s so annoying… everyone is… gone, just like that,” His voice began to crack under the emotions “the old man went crazy and stuck a bolt in my ears… everyone just threw themselves off the fucking ship afterward and I just fell on top of the hatch.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Dead? Everyone? Just like that? What could do that? An entire crew of hardened sea warriors dead? As if they were nothing.... just like that?

“I can’t believe that c’mon, open up, just move and let me out!” He pushed with a lot more strength, violently, so much so he thought the wood would crack and break, but no such thing happened. He only felt a searing pain moving from his wrist all throughout his arm.

“God damn it!” He screamed but heard no reply. No inquiry about his health or sarcastic remark.

“Just try to remain calm kid, we were only a few hours away, and the ship hasn’t gone off course… I think, if you are lucky the ship will arrive on shore and you’ll be saved, one of us must at least. It’s just not your place to die on this floating piece of wood, nock once, so I know you understand.”

He does “Atta boy, don’t lose heart. There is still a chance… old bastard knew something was up.”

“What do you mean?” I know full well this is a one-way conversation. But not saying anything would feel weird to me.

“You know… he’s always cared for the young… He also had a soft spot for you. I guess you reminded him of himself, shit!… I,”

“Hey!” He knocks on the wood.

“Don’t worry, kid, just leave me here and hide. Good luck. "

After those words, Einar didn’t speak again, no matter how much he waited, screamed, and kicked. No reply ever came his way, so after a while, he returned to the cargo hold.