12.4 Maldive Courage

On the Passenger Deck, Level 3, Huda lay in bed in the bright light, platinum blonde hair spread on the white mattress, gold on her chest and Mannan standing between her knees, holding his grip on the girdle. They were both high on drug and spirit. One moment, he felt those eyes turn white. He could not hold his gaze.

Samir and Mariko were in Stateroom 6, Zahir and Amira in Stateroom 1 which was a single bunk cabin.

Faith and Nazly were in Stateroom 4. He was one of the first to pick a girl and disappear. Faith went out to smoke a cigarette and sat down in the veranda drinking a Bacardi. The bar was closed. He saw some shirtless guys climb the deck. He remained uninterrupted. Those guys vanished behind the veranda from the opposite side and he could not see them.

One of the Pinoys opened the door to Stateroom 4 which was left unlocked. He saw a girl lying naked on bare bums in the bright light, facing the far side, one leg straight and right leg hooked over a pillow. A tall girl with curly big hair, gold on her body and silver on the hip. Pinoy advanced slowly holding the knife, checked the bathroom, the closets, behind the bed and withdrew after making sure that she was alone and fast asleep.

There came a faint tap on the door and Mannan thought it was Muja. He wiped with a towel and wrapped. Huda entered the bathroom. He felt a stagger and figured he was stoned. He opened the door.

A shirtless Pinoy pulled his knife under his chin, “Indáy!” He stepped in at once and spat on his face.

“Why?” Mannan wiped his face.

“Where is the girl?” he stabbed the knife so hard it pricked him.

“Ouch!”

Pinoy kicked the bathroom door which was not locked. He grabbed Huda by the biceps and drew her out. Huda tumbled on the bed wrapped in a white towel. He abruptly turned to Mannan, “Nigger!” The lights went out.

When the lights went out, the Pinoy darted to the door and peeped into the corridor. It was dark and faintly those emergency lights created a gloom filling the cabins and the corridor. Pinoy stepped out, holding his knife, his back on the wall advancing towards the Staterooms.

Mannan looked behind and there was no sign of Huda. He whispered, “Where are you? Huda! Huda!” She did not reply. He checked the bathroom. Abruptly, a loud cry and noises came from the corridor. He rushed to the door.

He saw the Pinoy kicking and boxing Samir until he fell on the floor. He heard a scream of a girl from that cabin. Another Pinoy threw a canister into the cabin and shut the door. The corridor filled with smoke gleaming in the emergency lights that kicked in.

Mannan locked the door and grabbed his pants, “Huda! Huda!” He pulled on his clothes. A second later, he opened the door slowly and slightly. This whole place was filled with smoke and it got into him. He began to cough. Mannan closed the door and thought of a way to get out. “Huda! Huda!” He was cut and blood pouring down his shirt. He could not feel it because of the drug.

Zahir, a tall dark guy and a Moonlight journalist, lay back in the small bunk receiving an oral massage from his girl with large tits. When the emergency light turned on, he said, “Don’t stop! It must be a power outage. It looks like moonlight.” And he relaxed lazily in the bunk while the girl resumed noisily.

“When are you going to cum?” asked Amira.

“In a minute!”

They were never disturbed that night.

Mannan undid the latch and opened the hatch. He climbed over the sofa, out of the porthole to the deck in the open. It was dark. No lights on the main deck or up on the posts. He chose the nearest exist and that was in the forward. He ran towards the door on the promenade and climbed down the stairs to the Casino. He peered at the door. He saw Sawsan on the floor and two guys trying to assist her. This place was filled with smoke. He could hardly see beyond. Mannan advanced to the exit that was right in front of him and it linked a companionway to the main deck. He staggered down the ladder and ran across the weather deck.

He ran towards the white structure illuminated in the overcast of a moonlit night. It was the forecastle. He was able to mark a low barrier in his way and jumped on it in course to cover the distance. Unfortunately, it was a bottom hold left bare without a hatch. He dropped four storeys down into the pit.