Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 3 2018 | Page 114

A Pioneer's Odyssey
Harrow International School Hong Kong, Melwani, Kush - 13
S
atya hadn't realized how hard travel-sickness really was. Nearly sixty days completed, and there were
still 30 days left of this horror. He had always thought you just needed control over your mind, but
now he realized you had absolutely zero control over it whatsoever. His stomach wrenched with
every breath he took and just standing was becoming a very taxing task. He despised the dhow, its constant
rocking on the waves, the strong smell of sea salt burning his throat and the humidity in the air making his
clothes cling to his body like a sloth to a tree. Originally, Satya anticipated it would be a wonderfully
relaxing journey, with the fresh smell of the sea wafting into his lungs, the rocking of the dhow, like a
mother rocking her baby to sleep. He imagined the nights when everyone would play games, like cards and
chess. He imagined the beauty of the ocean mesmerizing him. He imagined greeting his father with a
victorious smile. Now he knew what it was really like.
It really was his own fault he came to