Quoted By:
Emerging from the bowels of the ship like a very confused groundhog, you shield your eyes on impulse as the sun’s rays shine down upon your skin and warm it to the touch! As you bask in the gentle island heat, a ship’s horn blares across the docks signaling the Ferry’s imminent departure!
“Shit, we gotta’ hustle…” Mutters Officer Marsh as he leads you across the drydock! “Just stay close, kid, they ain’t gonna hassle ya…”
The docks are all but cleared of partygoers now, though emergency workers continue to flit to and fro like worker ants. Making your way to the ship, you’re intercepted by a familiar skater idling next to the water’s edge like a lost dog!
“Ahoy, bro! Ready to, like, shove off, and stuff?”
Yea, you stammer, still not fully-recovered from your last conversation, but what the hell is he still doing here anyways?
Raj stares at you as if you’d just turned into a rabbit. “... I was waiting for you, dude… don’t want my bro to get stuck here!”
You don’t deserve this man, but you sure do appreciate him! Giving the skater an appreciative ‘<span class="mu-i">thanks, dude,</span>’ you let him join you on the trek to the ferry’s gangplank!
“<span class="mu-s">WAIIIT!</span>”
You oblige the familiar voice, of course–you couldn’t leave its owner behind even if you <span class="mu-i">tried</span>. Smiling as a familiar redhead rushes over panting like she’d ran a mile, you greet Pepper with open arms as she full-on <span class="mu-s">TACKLES</span> you!
“Ho… holy <span class="mu-i">crap</span>...” She wheezes as she looks up at your face with red cheeks and sweat in her hair, “I… these dumbasses nearly dragged me back to their stupid <span class="mu-i">boat</span>, sandcrab! Kept spouting some bullcrap about my <span class="mu-i">ID</span> not going through?”
Shooting an interrogative glance at your police escorts, the girl leans in close to your ear…
“<span class="mu-i">They were totally gonna ‘disappear’ me, weren’t they? I ain’t dumb, chief!</span>”
It’s fine now, you reply, let’s just… let’s just go home, alright?
“Yep…” The girl sighs as she lifts her arm stub up and down a few times, “And then to the <span class="mu-i">hospital</span>... yaaaay.”
“<span class="mu-s">FINAL BOARDING CALL, KIDS!</span>” Shouts the ship’s mate standing at the gangplank, “Unless you wanna swim home!”
Exchanging a glance, you and your pals make your way up to the ship… and by extension <span class="mu-i">home</span>.
Turning to get a load of the island one last time, you spot a familiar old man tipping his hat at you amidst the emergency workers… no rest for the groundskeeper, you suppose. Returning his farewell with one of your own, you give Hauser Island one last look as the ferry’s engine roars to life!
As the ship lurches beneath your feet, you flip the bird at the island retreat and grin–nice try, bitch… but not today!
>CONTD.
