Impossible+Adventures

Too much surprise did I wake upon the sodden, metallic decks of the Adamantium. Peeling my eyes open, I squinted at the brooding grey mass of the heavens above, as little droplets of rain fell sporadically against my cheeks and occasionally in my eyes, forcing me to blink. I arched on my side to see a break in the clouds and Angelo’s gleaming light shine through. I was still on Terra and that was enough for me. Stumbling to my feet using my knee as a crutch, I took a good look around. The spray from all the rain forced me to bend and hold my hand to my brow and as doing so I noticed that we were flying! The last I recalled, the Admantium was a navel vessel, but having seen this, there can be no doubt that the Adamantium is an airship of sorts. It was as if we were plummeting, head first into a swirling vortex of water and wind. I looked away towards the stern and gazed in wonder at the enormous, swirling blades that formed the propellers and main form of propulsion for the Adamantium. Away from the propellers led a twisting, hexagonal shaft to the engine room located beyond the rusted, red door that my eyes now laid upon. Fighting the spray, I made my way across the drenched steel of the deck towards the door and pressed hard against the iron handle. The door lurched open with an aching squeal of unoiled gears, presenting me with a damp, narrow corridor lined with dimly lit lamps that oozed a dull yellow glow. I forced the door behind me and eased into the tunnel. A dank, stale smell slithered up the corridor to meet me. I followed the trail of lamps until I came to another door, opening that of which led me to a large can shaped room emanating a cool, blue glow. The framework and supports to the ship cast foreboding shadows against the metal walls. There were various doors leading left and right, each with a battered sign above them reading: Crew’s quarters, Engine room, Mess hall and Bridge respectively. There were stairs leading up to the door titled, bridge. Making my way towards the stairs, I suddenly noticed a strange sound, like that of a smith’s hammer hitting the anvil. The noise vibrated throughout the decks and hull of the ship. It was coming closer and closer, until nothing, it was quiet again. I cautiously pressed my ear against the cold touch of the door, listening intently. I could just about make out the sound of breathing, followed by a succession of locks, but before I could pull away, slam! The door burst open, hurtling me backwards till I met the metallic grating of the floor. In the feint outline of the door stood a tall, dark silhouette of a man. His iron, alien limb struck the floor beside me. Beginning at the floor, I studied his prosthetic leg. Being very narrow, like the tip of a fountain pen, it rose to a metal rod encompassed in a complex assortment of gears and pistons, finally ending in a pivot clamp at what would have been his knee. The device showed years of abuse, as the rust ate away at the once polished edges and the piston hissed with every step. Moving away from his leg I studied the rest of him. His uniform was a sad reflection of the grandeur it once bestowed, being worn and rough, with the fibres coming loose at the seams. It was a dull, navy grey and the blue glow of the lights did it very little favour. However, his epaulets still retained their golden hue, yet when I looked to his face I was reminded of a horse that had run too many races or a dog that had surely had his day, a long time ago. It was a hard face, a cold face, a face that mirrored the ship itself, grey, dull, like a statue whereby the sculptor had slipped with his tools more than once. His eyes were set deep within their sockets, giving him a discerning look, although the shadows from his officer’s cap covered much of his upper face. Of his lower features, I noticed scars and signs of a man who cared little for the way he looked. He smiled, sending deep creases across his cheeks and from his eyes. It was a cheeky smile, confident, unsettling. He crouched down next to me and I caught his eyes, icy blue, like a Siberian river, clear as the alluring sky in the height of summer, but mysterious, as if they were damming years of pain and unparalleled experience. His breath was stagnant and heavy; I imagined a bowl of sweat, ash and alcohol, a tin bucket turned foul by the decay of cigarette butts, festering in the toxic cocktail. “Might I ask what you’re doing on my ship?” His voice was coarse and harsh, like rubbing a stone over uncut glass. I hesitated. In all honesty I didn’t know and what I really wanted to know is how he lost his leg. The Captain sighed. “I’d be Captain Jonas. Now then, start by telling us your name aye” “Oscar” “Oscar, ey” “Oscar Scorsese”, I exclaimed. The captain smiled again. “Well Oscar, the right man in the wrong place can make all the difference you know?” I failed to see what game the captain was trying to pull. “You see, it just so happens that we’re needing of an extra pair of hands round ere. You my boy are just what we’re looking for.” I suddenly felt even more uncomfortable than I previously did. “Well, how ‘bout it ey? Join my crew” My stomach dropped into the abyssal depths of my nervousness whilst my tongue shrivelled up and crawled down my throat to join it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about sir. Besides, I have no experience of a sailor”, I reluctantly stated. “Ha, well then, let me give you a choice” The captain brought his face dangerously close to mine and making a balancing gesture with his hands spoke prophetically. “On one hand, you can simply refuse my offer and go back to reality or, you can take my hand and come with us on a journey through space and time.” I tried to refrain from making a puzzled expression, whilst contemplating what the captain had just said, making sure I hadn’t miss heard him, I was about to ask him to repeat himself, but he spoke before I had a chance. “I can show you unimaginable worlds, worlds where anything is possible, worlds where you can do by mere thought alone, worlds where time ceases and dreams become real, worlds where entire kingdoms can fit on the length and breadth of a hair, or worlds where one can witness the birth of stars on it’s horizon, even worlds where the very essence of life is born. Come, let us show you” This man is crazy, I thought. Suddenly the captain grabbed my arm vigorously and dragged me to my feet. “Follow me”, he said with a quiet demeanour. I followed him unto the bridge and closed the door behind me. M.Wasiniak
 * The Impossible Adventures of Oscar Scorsese **