Man overboard

Wiping knifed under-captain off my hands.

I was out in the dark at the front of the boat smoking a silkstring cigarette (I got a taste for them in Albonia) when the under-captain (whose name was Krasp) came up behind me and punched me in the kidney.

I went down like a sack of shit and he kicked me hard.

"Who's a big fat fuck now you little cunt?"

I wanted to say something clever but was too surprised and hurting so just said fuck off.

He kicked me again. Bastard. Then he got his knife out. I saw it glint.

"I could stick you now, and fuck you off over the side. That'd be the end of you. Get up." And he pulled me to my feet, holding the knife close to me. "I'm going to push this into if you make a noise."

I still couldn't think of anything clever to say so I head-butted him full in the face. He went back flailing his knife, blood gushing out of his nose. I followed him inside his swing and hit him in the throat, one short jab, and brought my knee up quick into his balls.

Then it went into migraine mode, where the light comes on and things start looking sparky and grainy.

I took his knife and, wrapping my arm around his head, my fingers pulling into his left eye, forced the knife between eyeball and nose until I felt the crackle grind of bone, and then pushed harder. He went limp. I took his weight and waltzed him round and over the side.

A little splash, small against the grumble of the engine and white sea noise.

And then I see the little red glow of my dropped cigarette, so I pick it up and take one last drag before flicking it after the phosphorescent scumble, last sign of his passing, fast receding.

The migraine thing starts to go, and so I light another cigarette.

Man overboard.

I feel a tingle up the back of my neck and turn round. There's someone there, standing very still, breath held, looking at me.