Life in Paintings

Chapter 23 - A Clipper at Sunset

Chapter 23 – A Clipper at Sunset

I expect pain and death and blood for the next painting. I had it easy in the last two. I had it good.

I can't believe the entity behind this curse would grant me a third enjoyable painting.

But when I open my eyes and I'm greeted by one of the most beautiful sight I've ever seen, I think that whoever's in charge is gone to the bathroom for a loooong number two because I'm watching a sunset in the middle of the ocean and it's breathtaking.

I don't even know why but my eyes fill up with tears. Maybe it's the smell of the salty water or the fresh breath of wind blowing my hair or it's the rich colors of the sky that's almost on fire in front of me.

Maybe that's it. Maybe the sky is actually on fire.

Maybe I'm sailing in hell.

I doubt it though. The sky isn't that red. This sunset probably isn't even the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. I might have exaggerated. I'm sure at one point I saw a more colourful sky and it rivalled the sight before me right now.

But I never saw it in the middle of the ocean, on a sailboat. I've never been on a sailboat. The last time I was on a boat I drowned. It doesn't feel like this one is about to sink though. It looks sturdy and fast.

So yeah, I've never seen one on a boat before. And I've never stopped to appreciate one either.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, the salty air warming my chest.

"Aye girly, where you coming from?" someone ask and I open my eyes to an old man with a long white bear standing in front of me.

I decide to play dumb. "What do you mean sir? I've been here all along."

He narrows his eyes and stares at me for a good minute. And then he shrugs and walks away mumbling, "I really ought to tell William to stop picking up strays..."

It's too easy. It's can't be this easy. But somehow, the seamen don't seem to be concerned with me. They move around me, ignoring me for the most part. I can't help but wonder, if I'd been antagonizing, if I'd tried to pick up a fight with the old man if I'd be walking the plank right now.

Maybe playing the game, acting the part I should be acting is the way to not get eaten by sharks.

Whatever it means, I try to enjoy it. I go by the edge of the ship, leaning on the wooden rail around it and look at the sky. I remember watching the sunset on top of the mountain a few paintings back. It was different then. For some reason, this is better.

"It's the clouds, you know."

I turn around, confuse. "Excuse me?"

The sailor points at the sky, smiling a little. "It's the clouds that make a sunset beautiful. A sunset without clouds can be nice, but if you want to see textures and shapes and depth, you need clouds."

I look back at it. "I guess you're right..." I trail.

I had never thought about that before. I'd never really stop to appreciate sunset before if I'm being honest. I never had time to enjoy a simple pleasure like that. I was too busy, too caught up in my un-extraordinary life.

It's the clouds that make a sunset beautiful...

Gustave would have a field day with that one. I wonder if he'd agree. He probably would. It's probably something he already knows. He notices things around him. I don't.

I should.

The sun drops under the skyline too quickly for me to fully enjoy it. It ends too quickly. It kept changing, evolving, the colors becoming warmer and I never had the time to really take it all in.

I look around me at the men working the boat, shouting directions to each other. I don't see any women. Maybe they're hidden under the deck. The men all seemed to be focus on their jobs though. They know what to do and exactly when to do it.

Lanterns here and there are lighted.

The sky becomes darker and darker. There's barely half a moon in the sky and it makes the night incredibly black in the middle of the ocean.

I should probably ask where we are specifically and where we're going. Oh and also when we are. I don't really mind though. These things seem unimportant out here where time stands still in the dark night.

Some of the seamen go under deck probably to sleep. Other stay on deck.

Nobody bothers me.

The boat is rocked by the moving sea. I can hear the waves hitting the hull but it's nothing alarming. The sea appears to be calm.

I find a corner on the deck where there's a bunch of ropes and I lie down on them, using them as a makeshift bed. I don't want to sleep though.

I want to look at the stars.

I'm a little disappointed that there's a bit of a moon. I wonder how many more stars I could be seeing without it.

I can't deny it though, even with the moon, I've never seen as many stars. I've never seen a more beautiful starry night.

I try to find the constellations but that was never my forte.

Instead I just look at the sky and I enjoy it, with no agenda, with no goal or purpose. I just stare at the stars because I can. I just look at something beautiful for the sake of my own enjoyment.

I fall asleep with a smile on my lips.