Neils was drenched.

He didnt know why he rescued this man, considering the

man was basically dead anyways. Perhaps it was that Neils could use some
helpful hands on board. A friend to talk to wouldnt be too bad, either.
A wheezing noise left the mans lips. Neils looked down into a pair of dreadfully
bland eyes, dull and emotionless. But the man himself was far from emotionless.
Thank you, thank you sir. Youre too good, the man stammered. I dont know
where Id be if you didnt come along and save me!
Neils flushed, shaking his head, raking his fingers through his dripping hair.
Sir, youre too good a person. The man paused. Ill promise this: wherever
youre off travelin to, Ill be as much help I can be. Where you goin?
Hawaii.
The man grinned. Neils couldnt help but twitch uncomfortably at the sight of it.
Very well, Ill help you! Teach me how to fish, sir, for Ill provide some delicious
meat.
Neils nodded. It was a rather brilliant idea, actually.
Im Neils, Neils said.
The man grinned again, making Neils shiver a bit. Good to meet you, Neils sir!
Days passed. Neils ended up having to fish, because the man turned out to be
no good. Somehow, he never managed to catch any. Several times, he came
close, but the fish flopped away again. The man was good for other things,
though.
One day, it was both rather stormy and foggy. Neils was sure he put his compass
on the wooden box on deck. When Neils went to look for it, however, it was
gone. The winds mustve blown it off, he thought. Yet he searched and he
searched, and could no longer find the metal contraption.
Anxious, he called for the man to help, and so the man did, the two of them on
their hands and knees, desperately crawling around, patting the decks. The man
was on the verge of tears, he was.
Im so sorry, Neils sir, I shouldve been keepin an eye out for it Whatre we
going to do, now? I promised to get you to Hawaii, didnt I?
Neils shook his head. No worries, I know the route. Its simple, almost a straight
line.
The man frowned, but nodded, still anxious.
More days passed.
Too many days. They shouldve arrived by now, Neils thought. There was no way
he couldve made a mistake; the route was as simple as the ABCs.
This was a problem. Their storage of bait was rapidly diminishing, and Neils
could see the man starting to fear for their lives.
Itll be alright, Neils convinced the man. More like he was convincing himself.
Neils faded away, eventually. He was optimistic until his last breath.

A couple of weeks later, Spencer decided to sail his boat from Vancouver to
Hawaii, alone, with an excessive supply amount of both worms and excitement.
Midway, however, he found a man floating on a life raft, barely alive.
Spencer considered his options. Should he save this man? Might as well;
Spencer could use some helpful hands on board. A friend to talk to wouldnt be
so bad, either.
Spencer rescued the man, dragging him on deck, both of them drenched.
The man woke, his eyes boring into Spencer. They were dreadfully bland eyes,
dull and emotionless.
Thank you, thank you sir. Youre too good.