A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought. A young man, tall in stature and dark in demeanor, walked along the deck of a cruise ship, wrapped in warm layers of clothing. It was viciously cold—so cold it made your ears burn, and your face stiff. The forecast had predicted as much.
Koryn Vael moved along the deck with a phone pressed to his ear, eventually settling near a guardrail. His conversation continued.
"Well, Koryn, are you coming over for Thanksgiving this year?" his younger sister asked expectantly.
"Is Dad gonna be there?" Koryn replied, his breath misting in the air as he shifted his weight against the rail.
She sighed. "Yeah, probably. But it's been so long—can't y'all just put your feelings aside for a day?"
"No, I don't think I can," Koryn said with a quiet chuckle.
"Come on... it's been a while since we've seen you. Mom misses you. Ace misses you."
"Yeah, right. He misses the treats I used to give him," he said, his tone sarcastic.
"No, seriously. He lays in your room all day, waiting for you to come back. And Mom could really use an extra hand in the kitchen."
Koryn pictured his dog curled up in his room, waiting. Then his mom, moving around the kitchen alone. The images made him a little depressed.
"Please," she added softly.
Koryn's face twitched. That word always made it harder for him to say no. She knew it, too.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Pleeease," she dragged out, more insistent this time.
He hesitated. He hadn't gone to Thanksgiving last year either, and he had felt guilty about it that time, too.
Koryn sighed. "Alright. I should be back in the States by then... but I'm not promising anything."
"Yes—okay, I'll let Mom know. See you later." She hung up before he could respond.
Koryn rolled his eyes, already used to how fast his sister moved through things. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and let his gaze drift out toward the water.
It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from the fixtures lining the ship. Without them, he wouldn't have been able to see anything.
He exhaled slowly, watching his breath form and disappear. Then he turned back toward the deck, idly observing the people around him.
There were all kinds, fewer than during the day, but still enough to fill the space with life. Some parents were being dragged along by restless children, while others had claimed chairs for themselves, having settled comfortably into their solitude.
But Koryn's mind was elsewhere. He never would have imagined himself on a cruise in October, I mean, who even does that? He was supposed to be in a college dorm, half-warm under cheap blankets, dreading an early class the next morning.
Instead, barely a month into his second year, he had to change his plan. Depression had hit him hard, and in a moment of desperation to escape it, he filed for a leave of absence, dipped into his savings, and booked a month-long, all-inclusive cruise.
He barely gave his family time to react.
Reckless as it was, though... he couldn't deny that he'd been enjoying himself. No roommates. No responsibilities. More than enough food.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to peace.
Thanksgiving, honestly, any holiday involving his family, was complicated. He didn't hate being with them. Not really. It just felt... wrong sometimes.
Mostly because of his dad.
Their relationship had always been rough, teetering on the edge of something worse. They'd nearly fought each other on more than one occasion.
They just couldn't see eye to eye. Every decision Koryn made outside of his purview was met with criticism, picked apart until there was nothing left, and he was made to feel like garbage. And it didn't help that his dad was also a raging narcissist.
Koryn had never been the type to stay quiet about it, either. He called him out—openly, bluntly—and his dad hated it. So, Koryn distanced himself.
For a while, that meant spending most of his days and nights at his ex's house instead of his own. That was part of why he was now halfway across the world instead of anywhere near home. He didn't really have anywhere else to go.
His thoughts drifted again, wondering what he'd do for dinner, maybe heat up some of that lasagna he had in the fridge. He liked lasagna.
His thoughts were cut off by a sharp scream that made him involuntarily jump.
"What the fuck?" Koryn frowned, turning his head toward the source.
There was a crowd gathering around a lady on the ground screaming at them to do something; to get help, she was frantically pointing at the water.
He tilted his head over the rail, eyes locking onto a figure thrashing in the water.
Without thinking much, he sprinted toward the crowd. "Did anyone tell the crew?" he said as if on cue, sirens started blaring, a voice over the loudspeakers advising people to clear the area. The crowd was still gathered around the lady, and she was still screaming.
"Someone help my daughter please she doesn't know how to swim," she screamed
He looked back over the rail, watching her kid struggle to keep her head above water. it was already cold on deck; he couldn't imagine how cold it was in the water. He looked back at the crowd, all of them were waiting for the others to do something.
"Shit" not giving himself the time to think any further, he took off his shoes, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the water. plunging into the dark waters he resurfaced and swam toward the little girl. The shock of the cold water was muted by the adrenaline. He reached her, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her above water.
"I got you" he said teeth chattering. He forgot to grab a buoy. He thought about something else, something for a situation like this. He got it. He turned to the girl clinging to him, "Hold on tighter." He turned his attention to his pants and started taking them off.
In one quick motion he got them off, tying the ends in a knot, he began pushing air into the other side. the pants started to inflate. When they couldn't inflate further, he scrunched up the opening and put the little girl in between the legs. He had just made a DIY life vest. "Hold on to this he said handing her the scrunched up end.
His legs were getting numb trying to stay afloat. He looked back toward the ship they had stoped now and he could make out some people trying to get to the rafts on the side of the ship.
Thank God he thought.