FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 5: Watership Down

The horizon is nearly visible with the moon shinning the dark-blue, glass-like sea. The natural planetarium in the skies is ten times amazing to see in person. Away from the rustling and bustling cities' skylines obstructing the natural night light. The Poseidon transpacific liner is still miles away from shore until arriving the sixth day of her journey. Chief Officer Nadir is in charge of the bridge at this time, he patiently, routinely check the ship's radar. He didn't mean to bother Officer Seabridge every time he checks on it. Still as always on the screen: clear, in their middle of nowhere with a few ships close by. The closest ship is over 80 miles away. And in a few more miles the Poseidon will soon pass the Tropic of Cancer in three or five hours after midnight. The interior of the bridge is rather dimly dark for better view outside forward and both sides. The crew is calm and confident, but not in the mood for New Year's Eve celebration.

“Should all acquaintances be for…" Second Officer Greyson was signing but was then shushed and glared.

“Quiet, Grey, please." Shushed Chief Officer Nadir. “Kennedy, report." The husky dog-man asked the Sixth Officer, a brown-haired human officer.

“Chief, the cargo ship Southern Tropic, is reporting a series of swells coming from the southeast." Announced Kennedy. After listening, Nadir slowly walks to the port side wing, staring at nowhere in front of the glass window, mostly darkness. And stars. “Sir?" Kennedy asked.

He turned back to the crew, specifically to Kennedy. “Give me the latest status, Kennedy, I want to be sure." He said. The second highest rank on the ship, still have the captain's license, Hunter Nadir could have never been wrong in his 34 years of his career. “Seabridge, radar!" He asked the seagull bird-man.

“Clear as always, sir. No trucks around." Seabridge announced.

“Shore, the weather!" Nadir asked the penguin-man fourth officer.

“Wind: 2 miles per hour. The sea: flat as a mill pond." Reginald Shore reported. “Never in my life have I ever seen such a calm ocean like this, sir."

“Chief, I have a full report from the Southern Tropic's weather condition." Kennedy announced.

“Put it on speaker." He ordered. After a beep, “Southern Tropic, this is Chief Officer Nadir of MS Poseidon. Can you give me information of a series of swells from the southeast? Over."

A static followed, “This is Southern Tropic_. Swells are over 20 feet tall, maximum as 30 feet. Coast Guard and Hilo Seismographic Station are not reporting any subsea earthquakes anywhere on the open. We're over 80 miles from your position at southeast. One wave struck our cargo container and we're immediately changing our course. Over."_

“Any assistance needed? Over." Asked Nadir.

“Negative. We're sailing at our own power. We'll be all right. Over." The Southern Tropic replied.

Hearing enough, Nadir said, “This is Poseidon. Thank you for your information. Out." He turns to Third Officer Holmes, “We all battened down, Mrs. Holmes?"

“Tight as a button, sir." Said Holmes.

Five minutes left for midnight. The guest are getting excited for this grand moment, tension is getting high. Some icemen placed an ice sculpture in the middle of captain's table which Carolyn quickly identifies it as the one being displayed in the atrium. “So, that's the deity this ship is named after, huh?"

“That's right, Mrs. Rycroft." Said Captain Whiteford. “The Greek God Poseidon. Also God of storms, tempest, earthquakes and other miscellaneous natural disasters. Quite an ill-tempered fellow." Since 1932, the line has been naming their ships after Greek gods and goddesses. Historically speaking, Poseidon is the third ship of Royal Trident to bear the name. First one launched in 1935 as an ocean liner; the second in 1975 as a cruise ship; and now the third, one magnificent ocean liner carrying the legacy for many years to come. Captain Whiteford glances his watch: four minutes to go. “Will you all excuse me? Duty calls. Mr. Rycroft, will you take charge of my table?"

“Sure do, Captain." Said Sylvester. “It's all on me!" He jokingly raised his cup to everyone and the fellow diners laughed.

“Oh, you…" Carolyn responded.

“Sasha, where's your hat?" Joshua asked.

Before Sasha could reply, Jennings quickly arrive on time with a hat, “Here you go, young man! And here's a party horn!"

“Thank you, sir!" Sasha said and the steward left in a swift to the kitchen with his colleagues.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Your attention, please!" Captain Whiteford on stage announced. “It's two minutes for midnight!" The crowd finally cheered and clapped, it's about time. “All please stand and fill your glasses!" Some hurriedly went back to their tables and prepare before going back to the dance floor. Everyone wearing silly hats and tiaras, holding confetti cannons and streamers.

“Jett, it's almost midnight, get up!" Stephanie started, but Jett's reply is blowing the small party horn and raspberry her the long colorful paper roll like a snake's tongue. “Oh, you…" She glared.

Removing the whistle, “Can you take a joke?" Jett said.

On the other table, “You guys ready?" Rico asked.

“We're ready, baby!" Ryder cried. A stewardess quickly fills everyone's cups.

“Don't be by yourself, Marrero. Stand next to us." Kale said.

“Pues claro." He said.

Whilst at the other table, “Here we go, Malcolm! One last toast! Let's get rid of this blasted old year!" Portia said.

“You can say that again." Malcolm said.

Everyone on the promenade hall and atrium on deck 2 and others overlooking on deck 3 are gathered up and screaming, cheering ecstatically while watching the billboard sign counting down to zero; “One minute!" Cried Miss Blake.

The disco lounge is the same as everyone onboard, a lot of tension going on. Ready to welcome the birth of the New Year. The youngsters quickly filled their drinks of champagne to even spill it on their hands.

“Careful, Spencer! You're spilling." Megan cried.

“Sorry, sorry! Everyone filled up?"

“Yeah!" They replied.

“I'm good." Said Clover with her non-alcohol drink.

Back in the filled ballroom, the cheers are getting fuller than ever, Captain Whiteford started to shout, “Fifteen second! Fourteen…"

“THIRTEEN!" Everyone followed! Chanting.

“TWELVE!"

“ELEVEN!"

“TEN!"

“NINE!"

“EIGHT!"

“SEVEN!"

“SIX!"

“FIVE!"

“FOUR!"

“THREE!"

“TWO!"

“ONE!"

From a bird's eye view, the liner blares her horn out the open. Welcoming the New Year: 2021. “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!" The entire ship cried of happiness. Confetti, streamers, gold and silver balloons released from the nets on the ceiling raining lightly down to the ground. Glass cups with champagne striking one another continuously. Countless cheers, whistling, kissing, hugs, and hand shakes spread in seconds. The biggest emotion of happiness, the biggest moment to move on the New Year is here, right now, this is the new beginning. The unforeseen futures are just ahead.

Aubrey, Whiteford, and Snowdon cheers with glasses together and happy new year to one another. Sylvester and Carolyn kissed under their funny hats. Same for the Maxwells too. Ricardo hand shakes or hugs his fellow friends and saying it in Spanish, “Feliz Año Nuevo!" Kale and Ryder kissed with not even a care in the whole world. Sasha jumps to his father and hugs him. The stewards and kitchen staff privately celebrate their little brake with champagne on their glasses and cheering the continuing phrase “Happy new year". The crowd in the promenade hall felt the same way, filming live on their social media accounts and sent it to their families and friends. Same for the disco lounge as Pricilla and her friends sent their short Happy New Year message video to their families back home, wishing for a happy time and many more years to come. Russell and Gwen takes selfies of them kissing with the entire crowd on the dance floor behind them. Aubrey started to sing Auld Lang Syne and the entire crowd in the ballroom followed the lyrics together. This is definitely the best night of everyone's lives on this big cruise!

On the bridge, quiet from the party going on. They know is already midnight. “Happy New Year, everyone." Declared Officer Nadir.

“Thank you, sir, same to you." Said Greyson.

“Nadir, there's something appearing on the radar." Mr. Seabridge announced. The husky dog-man walks to the radar screen with Officer Seabridge. Inspecting it, a long strange crescentic, faded-looking curve line is moving at unusual speed. “Is it some kind of glitch on the machine, sir?" The seagull-man officer asked.

“I'll go and check. Greyson, get the binoculars and take a sharp look at the port side wing." Ordered Nadir.

“Yes, sir." Greyson fetch one and quickly moves from the center to the port side wing. Placing the pair of binoculars in front of his face on top of his muzzle and adjusting the lenses for his sight.

Not too long, Officer Kennedy receives a call on the radio, he startles by the loud monotonic but panicking voice. “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is the Southern Tropic calling! Poseidon_! Please! We're declaring an emergency!" _ Following a loud bang, screeching, crashes, then disturbance of screaming men, and static was left hearing.

“Southern Tropic! Can you read me? Over." Nothing came. The crew on the bridge heard it too, but are now waiting for an order from Hunter Nadir. What to do next?

“Oh, my god…" Greyson said, taking off the binoculars from his sight. “Shit…" He grumbles, turning back to reality and started to shout to Nadir. “Large wave off the port bow!"

“Hard to port! All engines full astern now!" Nadir shouted all the top of his lungs. The helmsman take action and spins the wheel to the left. “Bow thrusters! Full to port now!" Nadir turns to Officer Kennedy, “Kennedy! Send a mayday!"

Kennedy grabbed the speaker, pressed the button and inhaled, “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This the MS Poseidon!" He lets out the latitude and longitude location to any ship or shore to whoever answers.

Nadir turns to Holmes, “Holmes! Sound the general alarm!"

“Sounding general alarm!" She pressed the red emergency button without hesitations.

The ship slowly turns to the left. Pushing at full speed to port. With her propeller pods and bow thrusters at full capacity, the sudden movement caused a slight unnoticeable list to starboard. The freak nature of water is spreading at incredible speed, pilling up with another wave forward, curving up, strengthening, rising higher over the horizon, and getting dangerously closer to the ship.

The ship's music gets harshly interrupted by a loud, familiar, learned alarm. Passenger and crew quieted down abruptly of the unexpected. People looks around in confusion until a second later Third Officer Holmes's voice appears, “All crew, report to your emergency stations immediately. This is not a drill —I repeat: This is not a drill. All passengers, brace for immediate and heavy rolls." The voice runs through out the interior.

Confusion, panic, and calamity emerges. The crowd on the promenade hall start to run about on what to do. The rabbit-woman director quickly took the microphone and said, “Please, don't panic! Passengers, brace yourselves!" But too impossible to achieve.

The muted disco lounge is having a horde of escaping stampedes to the two only exits of the lounge. Isaac screamed to his friends to take cover while Russell and Gwen got themselves lost into the rushing crowd, calling each other's names with no sight of one of them to be seen. People on the ballroom are scamping away to the exits of the giant room. Captain Whiteford himself speechless while Snowdon tried to settle the panicking people. Sylvester Rycroft orders his family to be close together and hold on the table tight whilst Kershaw do the same. Sasha's innocence breaks apart and tears leaking out of his bright puppy eyes while his father is holding him for comfort and security-ness. Rico stood there and lost sight of Ryder and Kale, they were nowhere to be seen, he decides to make a run for his life. Zoey looked closer to one of the windows and saw the tides blocking the trillion of stars in the picture until she manage to make up what it was, she immediately takes her husband's hand and drags him through the escaping crowd.

“Fire, life and safety crews, proceed to your muster stations immediately. This is not a drill." Continued Officer Holmes.

The roaring wall of water is approaching, over eclipsing the giant liner. The crew on the bridge were almost petrified by the awesome power of water up curling over them. Nadir hoped to face the wave head on to avoid major damage, but the liner didn't turned around enough to face it. Officer Kennedy continued to send an SOS and Officer Holmes shouted on the microphone announcement, “Brace for impact! It's going to hit!"

The gigantic, up curling, wave created by the oceans' nature phenomenon slams the ship with force to enough to roll it. Roaring, gushing water attacking her superstructure of balconies, flooding instantly, destroying everything in its path. The ship heavily groaned. The bridge tilts aggressively, throwing off the crew off their feet, yelling and screaming, crashing the complicated equipment, holding onto anything or sliding down to starboard. The mass crowd on the promenade hall felt a sudden, violent force. Falling down the stairs, flying over the railings to a resulting thud. Smashing themselves into glass before they realized they're falling by a deck above. Rolling, wheeling, and cartwheeling down. The tensing force pushes couches, tables and chairs and along with people with unintentional relocations in a harsh way. Screaming, high-pitched, yelling, was their answers of their agony and calamity.

The giant ballroom topples to starboard, people being catapulted from their feet and fall to the carpeted floor, pushing one another in the same direction. Aubrey, Snowdon and Whiteford loses their foot and fall off the stage with the musicians hitting one another into a pile, dropping their instruments when the Steinway piano uncontrollably slides out of the stage. Rico got pushed and crashed on top of a table with utensil and China on his back, cartwheeling down and pulling off the table cloth and hits a red-haired woman. The crowd sweeps off and slipping the dance floor that a screaming Zoey scratches intensely with her nail claws, leaving a trail of torture and mutilation on the floor as Killian goes after her. Portia screams for help, being dragged by piles of people under her. Carolyn screams when her husband is being sweep by chairs and people, she holds onto the lion-man and the two embraced, rolled on top the table off to starboard. A bird-woman grabs Joshua's jacket and disappears, Sasha screams and let go off the table and Jett swiftly let go and embrace him, Stephanie screams watching her family sliding away. People holds on the bolted tables and watching everything being swept clean.

The outside pools sloshes out violently and washed off the terrified pool-goers. The disco caught everyone by surprise when a girder with lights snaps its cables and causing explosive sparks, falls apart and tramples many people on its path, jumping, dodging from being caught it heavily dragged almost every one in the inverting lounge. Russell holds on to the bar, watching the wild agony sight from behind him. Security cameras captures every horrific graphic sight with no audio on every fixed angle on the ship, like being dragged by invisibles demons themselves, taking them into the unknown.

The port side cargo crane breaks lose, swings to starboard, crashing rows of bay windows into the library lounge, wrecking it, embedding it. In the Kitchen, glass shattering and breaking crockery, bounding and rebounding to every cook thudding on the bulkhead before sharp utensils rain down upon them. Foxley hangs on the fixed table but let's go before he could be crushed by a heavy refrigerator, falling in to the service door, sparing him. People on the second level falls from the port side balconies overlooking the ballroom —hitting hard on the floor or tables with breaking results. Engineers struggles to hold on in the engine room, but catwalks's bases rips loose, spilling a few men into the air before landing on the hot surface engines. The monster wave splashes the entire frame of the ship, moaning, groaning, and tortured like a dying leviathan in defeat. Cascading all over her superstructure, sparing her two tall resisting funnels until it simultaneously, with along the ship's starboard side, crashing underwater with spectacular waterworks. The indoor pool's glass covered ceiling shatters with explosive watery, attacking the trapped ones. A blow of breach breaks out into the bridge, sending the crew with powerful jets of white cold water through the entire width of the bridge, flooding before they could have taken a breath. Deck 7's windows implodes without warning, catching running passenger and crew on its way, before letting out a cried of help. Falling vertically, a car model in the promenade hall break lose from its base and falls through the pub bar, Lani jumps away from it before it penetrated the lounge with a destructive crash —followed with screams.

The ship swings down underwater, creating streams of suction, taking and claiming many drowning victims with it. Reaching close to 180 degrees of no return, the starboard wall in the ballroom with piles of human, beast-men, chairs, tables, and other, falls three decks high to the ceiling but only to be barred by the underside of the upper level balconies. It wasn't enough to stop them from falling when the ship continue to move further, sending rag dolls flying everywhere all over the ceiling-floor and sliding rapidly down to the other wall with more piles of trash crashing on them. Confetti and streamers are still falling all over endlessly. The grand piano falls apart every each hit with terrible multiple keys tones with loud mixes of slam, crashing, and ominous tunes. The twin staircases breaks from the base and together crushed into the ceiling-floor with the middle balcony with it collapsing completely. The red Christmas tree splits in two, leaving the lower half on the floor-ceiling while the green tree (still hanging) swings in circles, dropping its ornaments off. Red falls from his hold and slides with other horrified people before he fell into a slope and hit his back and crash to the sidewall, out of nowhere, a spotlight girder plunges on top of him, crushing and killing people with it, sparks ignited upon impact. One of the glass elevators in the atrium breaks free, taking rail tracks with it which nearly missed the tall statue hanging on the new ceiling, the elevator gets caught on stuck, shattering the glass case, dropping its occupants into the well. A screaming yellow-gown gazelle-woman high-pitched her fall into a dreadful thud into the glass dome before water bursted inside.

The ship barrel-rolls further to the surface, rising her starboard side in a mutilated form of an injured beast from a battle, crying for help. Floating in an unrecoverable position. Explosive sounds jerks the ship, a fireball spreads through the crew members' corridors, running, screaming and flailing until they got thousands of degree of burns, eating their fur away to roast.

Unable to float back, the ship rolls down, submerging into the lightless watery grave that's waiting for her. The ballroom, once again, piles of screaming livestock falls back to the new floor, spreading back everywhere to the flickering ceiling. Shocking they are now, people hanging onto the bolted tables on the new ceiling. Shrieks, yelling, shoutings, and hysterical screaming, they are struggling to get up, but they lose their grip. One-by-one: a human steward let's go, wailing down and thuds; a puma-woman wildly flails in the air with the most realistic scream of a puma; a otter-man gives up with a strained yelling; a black-gown woman fails and the table top breaks with a crashing thud with the chandelier. The last one, an Akita dog-man in a tux loses his grip without looking back, plunging into the glass covered skylight between the two chandeliers. Shattering bits of glass flying everywhere with his own body, electrocuting him. The room flickers in and out until a loud explosive roar rocks the inverted ship into darkness.

Underwater, topside down and bottom up. The bridge flooded with no signs of life but the breathless corpses roaming peace-less inside. Water flooded every part of her superstructure until it reached deck 7. Anyone who where from deck 14 and 7 perished away. Her external lights flicked in and out to shut down. Muffling screams slowly faded to a dead, submerged, silence. Detecting absence of main power; emergency generator kicks in: football-field lights flashes the ship in a green scenery surrounded with submerged debris of bodies, ripped wood, long chairs, bubbles, and escaping life-rafts to the surface.

The red coated hull fully exposed to the night sky and surrounded with floating debris emerging from the surface near. Standing like office fans, propeller pods slowly halts to a heavy moaning stop. Silent hissing water from the escaped bubbles until inflatable life-rafts breaks the silence, drifting freely with no occupants in it, instead, bodies floated by without reach. The capsized ship lay there like a dead goldfish in a bowl. All hands are lost.