CHARACTER SHEET
NARRATOR: The tops of Tom-Tom boats could be seen from miles away. It was impossible to miss the flowers as they shook in the wind, the sound of peddling muffled by the rowdy waves. The Gorek soldiers stood strong at these threats; the sea gave them time to prepare for what was to come. [short pause]
David sat in his Tom-Tom gear. The wet algae suit he wore didn’t let David sit comfortably in his seat. His gills flaring from a fearful anticipation.
ISSAC: It’ll get easier.
DAVID: Thanks
ISSAC: No I mean it, you get used to dowsing people.
OMAR: I wus meant to be a priest with how ‘any baptisms I got.
ISSAC: [stern] Stop Omar.
OMAR: Boys gonna hear it anyway, ‘sides he’s gonna be baptizing himself ‘oon.
ISSAC: [short] Ignore him.
DAVID: Baptize?
OMAR: Yeah say a lil prayer for em, not sure what good Lord tinks of it. Figure ‘bout a small spot of good in all that ugly.
ISSAC: [short] Enough! Just remember to stick to the mission and the rest will come easy, okay?
DAVID: Uhh, Y-Yeah.
OMAR: Don’t tink about it lad, worse thing yuh could do.
NARRATOR: A whistle could be heard from the top of the Tom-Tom boat.
CAPTAIN: Right! We approach boys, visors on!
DAVID, ISSAC, OMAR: Yes sir!
NARRATOR: The soldiers slipped on their helmets. The uneven slash made it hard to see, yet that was the least of David’s worries in the moment.
CAPTAIN: Remember soak em for ninety seconds, I want the dive to make the time!
DAVID, ISSAC, OMAR: Aye Captain!
NARRATOR: The Tom-Tom boat clamped hard to the Gorek ship. The hooks digging in so deep the operator’s cords almost ripped out of the boat.
OMAR: Member to pop smoke every chance, ain’t just for you.
CAPTAIN: [yelling] Go, go, go!
NARRATOR: David was pushed with the crowd through the tubings, the sounds of bells echoed through the Tom-Toms hulls. He could hear the entrance of the boat, the sound of the cannons being fired was almost deafening. Before David could understand where the sound was coming from, he was being pushed into the Sun.
NARRATOR: Blinded, David closed his eyes before running onto the boat. Letting training take over he began to climb as quickly as his shaking limbs would allow. The Bells now making a terrifying jingle. The jingle swiftly replaced with the sound of pop shots smoking out the ship’s deck. Confused screams could be heard from aboard, with the sound of bodies hitting the ocean not long after. David gripped on the side of the ship unable to think, sightless from the smoke, deaf from the sound. He would have gripped on the side of the boat forever if he wasn’t thrown around the deck by the roaring waves.
NARRATOR: From the safety of the boat he sat before a dance of swords. It didn’t take long for someone to notice David. A Gorek soldier came running after him. Panicking he began to run, fidgeting with the trigger of the pop shot. Before he got to the edge of the boat, his legs were swept to the floor.
NARRATOR: Unable to run he turned and quickly popped smoke. For a moment the world was silent. David wasn’t willing to wait for the smoke to pass to go back to the world of noise. Wildly he kept running for the lip of the boat.
NARRATOR: At the lip of the boat he saw a man in uranium armor. It was too late to pivot, all he could do was tackle the man off the boat if he wanted to escape his attacker. David tackled people plenty of times in training, this was different.
David stared down the ocean preparing for a fight. He was so focused he forgot to restrain his target, he didn’t feel the po-up club strike his skull. David was struck twice more before they hit the water.
NARRATOR: The water’s frigidness made every action exhausting to do. In a daze David grabbed the man by his shoulders to disarm him. The man thrashed hitting David several more times, each swing becoming less effective then before. Weakening quickly David began to wrestle him to the point of being unable to move without a struggle. David held strong as the man thrashed around his hold. He could hear his muffled cries in the water as the man began the process of drowning. His cries became quicker as the water engulfed his lungs. His head convulsing in agony as the salt stung his organs. His head swung wildly seeking air.
NARRATOR: Shorter and shorter breaths became desperate heaves for air. The fighting was replaced with weak pulls. David still held strong remembering to count to ninety. His gills sat calmed, most of the work over. A silent prayer was strung by David as he heard the fine final breaths he studied about. David let the man go, his corpse sinking below him, the brilliant green placed against pale skin. David completed his first baptism. [short pause]
NARRATOR: Taking a moment he calmed himself before returning to the surface. As he swam he saw Gorek men fall above him. All processes of drowning happening before him. He ignored it the best he could, preparing for his next target. When he broke water the Tom-Tom soldiers were cheering. Climbing back on the boat he could see the Gorek Commander being drowned in a ceremonial bowl. The Captain’s foot placed on the Gorek Commander’s head.
CAPTAIN: [shouting] We, we are men of honor! God has seen what we have done today, and he is proud!
NARRATOR: The Captain pulled a hammer from his satchel holding it over his head.
CAPTAIN: [shouting] We! Are! Victorious!”
NARRATOR: The Gorek commander’s body was no longer flailing. The only sound being the echoing of bells in the water… [long pause] David was now a proper Tom-Tom.