Round and Round

There were seven survivors in a lifeboat built for 10, but Captain Kanemochi had ordered them to leave the others and so they had. “Our survival is all that matters,” he’d said.

They drifted for weeks without food until hunger drove them to the horrible yet commonplace conclusion. 

“Draw lots and leave it to God,” said Father Damasare. Captain Kanemochi prepared six long straws, one short, and Father Damasare drew the short one. First Mate Kuroshio got his knife. 

Passengers Shimin and Tetsuo were next, before the rest noticed Captain Kanemochi had secretly marked the short straw so that he never drew it. 

They would have killed him then, but the Captain promised First Mate Kuroshio his money, a medal, his daughter in marriage, if he’d kill the other two. Kuroshio used his knife. 

When even that food was gone, the two men sat facing each other in the bobbing boat. The knife was on Kuroshio’s lap. “No hard feelings,” he said to the Captain. “But I need the strength to sail home. Can’t be far now.”

Captain Kanemochi just smiled. “You should have studied navigation,” he replied. “Haven’t you noticed? We’re trapped in the ocean gyre, the current’s been pulling us round and round in circles. We’re a thousand miles from anywhere. There’s no getting off or sailing home.”

In despair Kuroshio used his knife one last time, and when he lay dead Captain Kanemochi drifted on. Round and round. Round and round and round.