gone

i wake
the boat is lazily moving with calm ocean waves
– you sure are dead
Sunderland is sitting on a box-seat opposite the bunk
– sleep like you’re dead, don’t move – open your eyes slow like nothing ever happened
i sit up expecting authorisation pulses from a Wireless Interface
– you equipped?
– no
he stares
Sunderland gets up and goes into the next room
he comes back with two short blacks
hands one to me
the cups are slightly larger than standard, made for seafaring
i stare at it
– what do you know
i ask him
look up
he’s staring right at me
– nothing
still looks afraid
– nothing’s going to happen to you
i sip
– i’m dead remember
he drinks some of his coffee
exhale
– i know… knew – that you were dead. and Kyoto
a pause
– the others disappeared, now you’re here
we drink in silence for a while
– did you want to dive?
he asks me
– i can pull-in somewhere with decent equipment
i shake my head
– no
he straightens up slightly
– you disconnect?
i drink again
the coffee is good
– yeah
Sunderland is the only other person i know to totally disconnect
i don’t know what he does for a living
courier maybe
he might even fish
i drink the last of my coffee
Sunderland reaches his hand out, i hand him the cup
he finishes his coffee
gets up again
comes back with two glasses of water
– is it a problem
i ask him
– me being here?
he sits down
– no
we drink
– are you going to ask me why i’m here?
his eyes narrow, then relax
– same reason i am – to get more lost than you can on land
if he had known anything about what had happened, he’d tell me
disconnected as he is though, it isn’t surprising that he doesn’t
– i’ll need to pull in for supplies now and then
i nod
– you can stay as long as you want, i can keep us moving
i stare at my glass of water
Sunderland gets up and moves about the boat
– did you have anything in particular in mind?
i don’t answer him
– Venice,
the first time i’ve heard my name in years
i look up
he’s leaning back into the cabin
– how did you find me?
– i don’t know
and i don’t
– i just did
silence
– i’ll keep us moving