Chapter 680: Difference of Lost Lives-I

The boy picked himself and quickly rushed out over the ship. In mere seconds, his day became busier as more courier came to the ship for him to carry despite the heavy loads, the boy didn't let a qualm about how tired he was even though his entire posture had spoken volume of his tired body. 

Hallow wondered why the boy had to work this hard. He had seen the siblings' circumstances but he didn't see how their life was lacking. Maybe the money for his sister's medicine was what he needed? If that's the case, then the boy should be working on the sole reason for his sister. What a noble goal but also a sorrowful one, assessed Hallow. 

Hallow didn't know why watching the boy was fascinating to him. Regardless, he watched him like how he used to when he actively worked as a grim reaper. 

Hallow then heard shuffling behind him, noticing the other four men who looked at each other as they whispered in a hushed tone. Their eyes went back and forth from the boxes they held on their hands toward the boy once and over and over again. 

Hallow who got irked by the constant share of glance stood from the place he had made for himself to the men, catching them speaking. 

"That's the one?"

"He won't be able to withstand it…" whispered the other. "The head crew is very cruel. He is still young."

"He had agreed. Foolishly agreed to the head crew's proposal when knowing the man is full of bullshits," said the other man who looked away from the boy. "He should know his life is more precious than whatever money that bastard offer to him."

"But does he know…?" The other man asked. "Does he truly knows where he is going?"

Hallow frowned at this, as he could tell a danger was about to come to the boy he had been watching if he continue to stay in the ship. The men saw the head crew coming back to the ship. His large body and tall stature scared the rest of the crew who quickly dispersed from the place, fleeing as they were scared of the daily work abuse where the head crew would mercilessly beat those who stand to oppose him. 

"Leave if you have nothing else to do here!" Shooed the head crew, stopping one of the men who was about to go toward the boy and warn him of the danger of riding the ship they were standing at. 

But with fear, the men left. It might be seen as a cruel act to others but to the people like them, they had no privilege to speak up as they could barely protect themselves. 

"If you are done, you should stay in this ship until we reach our destination. Once we arrive, you would be standing here and guiding the couriers we have on this ship," warned the man and the boy quickly straightened his back as if to answer that he understood. 

The man gruffly rubbed his jaw before walking away. The boy's eyebrows furrowed when he saw the head crew had gotten off the ship even though the time was soon for them to leave the harbor.

"You won't come, sir?" The boy questioned politely.

The head crew frowned but showed the boy a quick narrowed gaze. "Whatever I do, you are in no position to demand answer from me."

The boy nodded and quickly turned his face behind to roll his eyes.

The ship moved after another ten minutes. The boy waited to see for the head crew to come back after he left the ship. But after the man walked down the stairs, he never came back. 

As the boy was ordered to stand on the body of the ship, standing on the open surface which was far from the captain's room, he decided to enjoy his time by sitting at one of the wooden boxes. Hands crossed, he looked at his hand and a smile came upon him. 

Hallow knew the reason for the boy's smile as it started when this afternoon the boy had went to the pharmacy. He found out that his sister's illness was in fact a curable illness and she wouldn't succumb to it if the right medicine was given to her. 

He was a bit down as he didn't have enough money to buy the medicine consecutively for a better result, but with this small extra change, he was certain the medicine would soon be on his hands and his sister would once again be as lively as she always does before her illness forced her to rest on the bed. 

The boy stared at the sky when he noticed how quickly it had turned dark. Drops of water begin to drop down to the back of his palm for him to notice how rain had started. 

The rain, however, grew worse as if the entire sky was grumbling in anger, throwing tantrum just like a child would. Darker clouds forming on the sky was a sign of further and worse rain that was soon to come and a growling anger coming from the sky shakes the boy's eardrums. 

This was no longer rain! It was a storm!

The boy, in haste, quickly made his way out of the open surface. He knows for one, despite being an illiterate, that to ride a boat in a storm was dangerous as the possibility for the storm to sweep the ship and drown them to the bottom of the ocean was high. 

Finding the captain of the ship was the first thing that came to his mind, so he could express the danger and turn back to the harbor. They were far from the harbor but they would still make it out of the storm if they decided to turn around. 

Running to the captain's room, the boy rushed inside when his expression turned to a stone. The wooden walls beside him was even more livelier in comparison to his currently shocked expression. 

It was because on the front of the boat's round wooden handle, there was no one standing before it. Instead, the boy watched how there was rope on the side of the handle as if it was to stop the handle from moving, making sure the boat would only move forward, in a straight line.

"Forward… to—" the boy was at lost words as he looked at the front of the room's window, seeing the storm that was coming nearer. No— he was coming toward the storm.

On the small house, his sister was sewing a doll, a small chicken doll which she had made as a passing time. Suddenly, she overheard a thunder from across her window, noticing the brief glare of golden passing by the ground, "What a frightening thunder. I hope brother will come home soon."

The boy was panicked and so was Hallow. He can't help but scream, "Do something!" 

The boy couldn't hear Hallow's voice obviously but had said, "I have to do something!"

"But what can I do?!" The boy yelled. He became confused on what he should act on, as he doesn't know how to command a ship, even more alone without anyone's guidance.

The boy kept thinking and thinking why the people would do this to him. He recalled himself to have a pretty well relationship with the people around him. 

How did it goes to this?

The boy didn't know what to do and hastily cut the rope that had tied tightly the ship's handle before catching hold of the wooden handle that spun out of control. 

Shocked, the boy held the handle with both hands tightly before using his entire body to stop it from spinning as he was no match for the handle's strength. 

Like a baby, he was instead, handled by the ship's handle, unable to push it to the left side or right side. 

The boy didn't want to die here! He still cannot understand why had those people sacrificed him. He can't understand the reason for them to sent him to his own death. The fact that he was alone here, directed to the storm had said and proved enough of how much the captain off the crew wanted to kill him.

If he dies… would that man be punished for his crime? Will someone find the truth of his death…?

But of all, the boy was the most concerned about his dearest sister. She was alone, bedridden. What could she do without him?

The thoughts of not wanting to die, became the boy's strength. Using all his might, he turned the steer around. At that time, he was met with a steep cliff while the ship was marching at a horse's speed to rush and slam itself to the side of the cliff. Scared, the boy let go of the steer, fortunately saving himself as the ship moved to the opposite side. 

He was relieved for a good six minutes that was short as in the next second, he saw a whirlpool forming on the surface of the sea, the cavity in the middle of the whirlpool was akin to a beast's teeth, wanting to chew him alive. 

*****

A/N: I'm sorry everyone. I had wanted to make two chapters today but I am terribly sick after days with lack of rest. I will try to update more until we reached the end of the book which won't be too far from here. And also I will try to heal myself quickly. The chapters is rough for me to write so if there's mistake, don't hold back and point it out for me to fix. 

Although it's a single chapter, i tried making it longer^^