[img]https://i.imgur.com/nalNq9e.jpg[/img] Boat had gone quiet. Abby knew Pen’s out beachcombin’. Hook an’ the Cap’n was off fishin’. [i]Night fishin’[/i] she pondered on that. Made no sense to the girl how a body might want to toss them sharp hooks about in the dark...sounded like a recipe fer the doc havin’ tah do some fishin’ of her own to pull one out. But she ain’t never held a fishin’ pole or done more’n watchin a few seconds on the cortex, so she decided best not tah judge on somethin’ she ain’t never done. She knew the Doc was about. Cup ‘o’ water an’ two ‘o’ them pills went down the hatch nigh on fifteen ticks hence. “To keep ahead of the pain,” she been told. They’s some feelin’ comin’ back, the girl conjured as she probed about her nethers. Bandage seemed bulky and way bigger’n was needed fer coverin’ a bullet hole. But that, she reckoned, was jest like fishin’. What she don’t know, she shouldn’t judge. No sounds from the upper deck. Chances were ever’body stepped off fer the night. Abby felt fer the Doc, stuck on board with a patient as she was. [i]Perty as she is,[/i] the deckhand conjured, [i]she should be out tahnight...havin’ fun, ‘stead ‘o’ tendin’ my pi gu.[/i] Mebbe she could help that along. Doc had cleared her tah leave medbay. Mayhaps it was time. She give a gingerly push, risin’ up til she’s sittin’ on her left hip, feet danglin’ off tha table. Didn’t feel wunnerful, but weren’t no worse’n the bandage tape tuggin’ at her skin. Abby leaneed back, hands spread fer balance as she slid off, the ball of her left foot touchin’ tha deck afore she let all her weight come down. [i]A skosh wobbly,[/i] she thought. Right leg would take some weight, but everythin’ above tha knee was gettin’ a might stiff. [i]Tolerable,[/i] she decided after a couple steps. Passengers was all gone. She could finally settle in her room. But first come a couple chores. The girl limped slowly out of the medbay, makin’ the turn tah the cargo bay hatch. Weren’t dogged down, but seein’s they’s most like unloaded, didn’t need tah be. Abby swung it open afore peerin’ into tha empty bay. Tha entry bulkhead with its’ personnel door was in place. China Doll was buttoned up. Fer a moment she pondered if Cap’n had handed out the door code...she didn’t know it...but more’n likely he done spread it tah them was leavin’ fer a spell. Her mind set tah ease, she closed the hatch. Ms. Baker...Marisol whatever her name was...done had her bag packed an’ sittin’ on her bed all proper. Abby slung it on her left shoulder. Boat might have a lost ‘n’ found, or they’d hold it til it could be sent tah her next of kin. Either way, she’d keep it safe ‘til she knew which. Typical quarters fer a bottom rung deckhand such as she was usually meant starboard aft, with a bunk laid out behind storage shelves fer linens an’ cleanin’ stuff. As she opened the door, Abby give a smirk. “Them horn-dogs paid double fares each tah stack up in here.” Sorta shrewd on her part...til she ‘membered givin’ Green Haired Girl half fares fer three singles on tha next run. Cap’n might fire her fer that’n…’less he felt all sympathetic like over her catchin’ a bullet. Mebbe she should prettify herself afore breakin’ that piece ‘o’ news. Room was long an’ narrow...deckspace mebbe five foot wide. Right bulkhead was straight as any wall should be, but tha left, bein’ aft as it were, had a curve went out and up like tha boat’s hind end. The reg’lar shelves was laid in tah take advantage an’ offer deeper storage. T’was here she placed Ms. Baker’s bag. A minute later, after retrievin’ her duffel and the Mosin, she laid’ em at the foot of her bunk. Doc wasn’t lyin’. Abby felt weak as a kitten. She gazed on the bunk, sheets an’ blankets all tousled from whichever horn-dog won tha coin toss. Not like she never slept on another person’s dirty sheets afore...when she’s little, Uncle Bob an’ Aunt Lupe let her crawl in twixt them when the scaries come at night...but that was safe. Thought ‘o’ lettin’ her skin touch same sheets been pawed over by one ‘o’ them perverts wouldn’t stand. Wore out as she was, Abby still pulled fresh beddin’ from tha shelf. Her hip was tinglin’ a bit as she finally slipped inta clean sheets on her bunk. [i]It’s alright,[/i] Abby thought as she lay on her stomach. [i]It’s alright.[/i]