[center][h1][color=a187be]A D E L I N E     C L A R K E[/color][/h1]
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The smell of the port was disgusting. Trash and refuse, rotting kelp, stagnant water, cigar smoke that issued from the mouths of the sailors that walked up and down the gangplanks. Luckily, that overpowering stench of uncleanliness and pollution didn't follow them out to sea. If it had, it would most likely have been Adeline retching over the side of the ship, rather than the old governess that had come along with an upper-class family. From her spot near the prow, Adeline watched the older woman cough and groan in misery, her pale, doughy face beaded with sweat. It was an unfortunate and quite unappealing sight, and Adeline quickly turned her attention back to the horizon, peering out over the sea and scouring it with narrowed eyes for any sort of anomaly. There was nothing, of course. Just the gray sky and endless sea with its choppy, white-capped waves and deep cerulean depths. 

[color=bc8dbf][i]He was probably just drunk,[/i][/color] she thought to herself in an almost bitter fashion, absentmindedly adjusting the ribbon that tied her hat beneath her chin. The wind tugged at the loose ends and caused strands of hair to slip from her updo, fluttering in the breeze and tickling her cheeks. [color=bc8dbf][i]Another drunk sailor who saw some sort of wildlife and said it was a mermaid.[/i][/color]

The previous week, Adeline's father had found a supposed lead: an old sailor, deep in his cups and spouting garbled nonsense about merfolk, claiming to have seen them out at sea near the eastern coast. Within hours he had booked her a spot on a ship headed towards the area and sent her off with the simple command to "find them". The memory of practically being shoved out the front door by her father with nothing but a half-packed suitcase and third-class ticket still stung slightly, causing Adeline to let out a small huff of displeasure. Why did she always have to be the one to go out and chase after these maritime mirages? She would much rather be at home, studying the new insect specimens that had arrived from overseas recently. 

[b]"Pardon me, but I recommen' you two ladies get inside,"[/b] a male voice said, and Adeline turned to see a member of the ship's crew. He was addressing both her and the old governess, she realized. [b]"Those clouds mean a storm's comin'."[/b]
Looking back out over the side of the ship, Adeline could clearly see that the shiphand was correct. The low clouds that had gathered together were the color of slate, dark and gloomy, and she could just barely taste electricity on her tongue. The wind, which had been a mere nuisance before, had risen quite considerably, causing Adeline to clutch at her skirts in an attempt to keep them from copying the actions of the ship's sails.

In all honestly, Adeline would have loved to be above deck during a storm. She had never witnessed a storm while at sea, and her natural curiosity and inborn scientist was eager to see if there were any stark differences from storms on land. How would the waves react without a shore to mercilessly beat against? What direction would the winds take? How would the crew manage the ship during the storm? Unfortunately, she would most likely only get in the way of all of the sailors if she were to stay on deck, and Adeline resigned herself to spending the rest of the day and night in her stuffy, grimy cabin.

[color=bc8dbf]"I understand,"[/color] she stated with mild reluctance, turning to follow the governess who, albeit with much wailing and moaning, had already headed towards the door that lead below deck. [color=bc8dbf]"Thank y-[/color]
A sudden gust of wind, so strong that it staggered all three of the group, swept down. Before she could stop it, the gale had snatched at her hat and tossed it into the air, its ribbons fluttering like tiny silken banners. Damn! That was her best hat! The woman reached out to catch it, her fingers desperately grasping for some sort of purchase, but the wind was too strong, spiriting her hat out of her reach. The sensible thing to do at that moment would most likely have been to give up and accept the loss of the hat but, for some reason, she wasn't feeling very sensible that day and continued reaching for it. Standing on the very tips of her toes and straining out her arm, she leaned over the side of the ship. Without even thinking about it, Adeline jumped, attempting to close the space between her and the hat. It was only when her fingers grabbed ahold of the ribbons that she realized her mistake and, by then, it was far too late.

As she tipped over the side and plunged towards the water, she could just faintly hear the shiphand yelling for help. She opened her mouth, perhaps intending to reassure him that she was able to swim and everything would be just fine if they could [i]please just throw something for her to hold onto[/i], thank you [i]very[/i] much, but before she could speak she hit the surface of the water. It was cold, so cold that it made her heart skip a beat and her entire body tense up in a desperate effort to conserve body heat. Salt filled her mouth and nose and eyes, burning like acid. She made a brief attempt to swim, but she didn't even know which way was up and by the time she had righted herself she was too far down to do much of anything at all.
 
[color=bc8dbf][i]Well, this is problematic,[/i][/color] she thought to herself as she drifted downwards, her waterlogged skirts becoming an anchor and pulling her into the depths of the sea. [color=bc8dbf][i]Embarrassing, even. Death via hat.[/i][/color]
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