Original X-roads-2003

    The crew grabbed the looser of the round and tossed him over the railing and into the sea.
    Jamie walked over and looked, but the crewman was too exhausted from the fight. His injuries had been too great. The crewman began to drown. Jamie rushed in a panic to the side rope they used to rescue sailors who were tossed off board, or fell in a drunken stupor. A piece of floatwood was tied to the end, the person could grab on and be pulled up.
    He threw the end over at the new crewman, but the man went under the waves.
    Jamie tied the end of the rope to the railing and jumped over board.
    Naomi yelled something at him, but he couldn’t make out what she said. He plunged into the water deep so he would fall just past the body. Then he grabbed the man bringing him up and clutched hold of the floatwood.
    The crew pulled the two men up. The ship medic walked over and pushed the water out of the lungs of the drowned man.
    Naomi held Jamie to the deck with her boot heel. She did not look pleased with him and questioned him sharply, “Why did you do that? Did you not hear me order you to leave him? What good is this worthless scab to me? He can’t even survive his first fight, he is worthless.” She waved her hand in the air and removed her boot off Jamie. She loved Jamie like a best mate, and would not have him punished. “You saved his life, he is your responsibility from now on. You teach him to fight, to live, to earn.” she waved her hand in the air the entire time she spoke and walked away from them.
    Jamie looked at the crewman as he coughed out the last bit of water from his lungs. A jolt of happiness spurred up inside him like lightening, the man lived!