Phantom Scars

PHANTOM SCARS

Chapter 1 - Stowaway

It was there again.

Ever since we had left the German port, I could smell faint traces of flowers in my quarters. I had heard rumors once that this ship was haunted, but there had been nothing mentioned of women in the tale, and this definitely smelled of a woman. I pushed the thought out of my head. I was the first officer of the ship, and I had a lot to do. I needed to focus and ignore the soft lingering scent.

I dragged myself out of bed, throwing on my clothes. I looked at the clock and saw I would be late if I didn’t hurry, and so I started hopping to the door, while I shoved my foot in my shoe. I knocked over my table and cursed, as I rushed out the door, not having time to straighten it.

I didn’t know what had gotten into me, but I had been sleeping deeper than I ever had since we’d left on this run. Maybe I was being bewitched into a deep sleep. I shook the silly thought out of my head and reported for duty.

The day was long, and when it was time for me to take my lunch, I was not looking forward to it. I usually took it in my quarters to get a break from my shipmates’ rowdy banter and have a few minutes of calm. But I knew the table I usually ate on was knocked over, leaving a mess I would have to clean up, shortening my thirty-minute lunch even more.

I rushed to my quarters, ready to work quickly. When I opened my door, I was surprised at what I found. The table was upright, and the pile of papers I had scattered was sitting neatly straightened on top of it. I looked around perplexed, as I was sure I had knocked the table over this morning, but in my looking around, I noticed the clock and knew I would not have much time to eat.

I sat down, grateful to my phantom, who had given me enough time to enjoy my meal. I smelled the soft floral scent again and looked around, as I stuffed my face as quickly as I could. Nothing else seemed out of order. I glanced at the clock and saw my lunchtime was up. I dumped my tray in the small empty trashcan, only feeling slightly guilty for wasting half of my ration, and hurried back to work.

Later that evening, I came stumbling into my room and crashed on my bed, thoroughly exhausted. Being first officer on the ship was really taking it out of me this go around. I closed my eyes, not even bothering to fight off sleep long enough to take off my shoes and pull my blanket up. I breathed in the mysterious floral scent on my pillows deeply and sighed, relaxing as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I awoke covered, and without my shoes. In fact, my shoes looked freshly polished. I glanced over at the little shoeshine kit I had, but it was still in its place.  Was I sleep-shining my shoes?

I stood and stretched, noticing my belt was undone, as well as my pants button. I glanced at my clock and realized I had overslept again. I wasn’t late yet, but I would be if I didn’t hurry.  I threw my clothes off hastily and redressed in a clean uniform, hopping into my pants and my shoes, yanking on a fresh shirt, as I stumbled out the door.

By lunchtime, I was already worn out. I set my tray on the little table and looked around my room, as I took a bite of my lunch. I noticed the clothes I had kicked off all over the room this morning had been picked up and neatly put in my laundry duffle. I glanced at the bed and found it made as well. I was pretty sure I didn’t have a maid, but it sure seemed like it. I would have to ask the captain about it.

Thirty minutes just wasn’t enough time to finish a whole meal.  I dropped my half-eaten lunch into the trashcan again and headed back to the bridge. I took my position beside the captain and looked around, noticing most of the others were still off for lunch. “Captain, we don’t have a maid, right?”

He turned to me and laughed. “No, Son, were you waiting for one to come and pick up after you?” he asked amused with my question.

“No,” I said backtracking and muttered, “Just wondering.” He looked at me curiously, but let it go.

The rest of the month went pretty much the same, me sleeping way too well and leaving my quarters in a disaster, only to return at lunch to find them straightened. I had checked over the few personal items I had on the ship, and none were out of place. Whoever was cleaning up after me was not a thief.

I brought my lunch in and was about to eat it, when I was called back to the bridge before I could even get a bite. I dumped the wasted food in the trash and hurried back to work. The captain let me know a couple of men had become ill, and they suspected it was food poisoning.  They canceled lunch for the day. Everyone would just have to wait until the kitchen was sanitized and dinner was made.

Later that night, I made it to my quarters at a reasonable hour. I was looking forward to getting some good rest. When I opened my door, I stood there stunned for a moment. On the floor, in the middle of my room, was a small ball of a girl. I rushed forward and picked her up. Her skin was burning up. I set her on my bed, looking down at the small light-haired creature. I wondered if she was my phantom maid.

I went to my small sink and grabbed a washcloth, wetting it lightly and setting it across her brow. I continued to do this long into the night, until it finally felt like her fever broke.  I looked at the clock. It was well after three o’clock in the morning, and I would have to be getting up soon. I looked at my narrow bed, knowing we would not both fit. I grabbed my laundry duffle and leaned it next to the bed, so I could rest my head on my mattress next to her.

I was awakened by a small squeak and looked up to see the tiny girl sneaking through the grate into the air vent. I quickly closed my eyes, so as not to let her know I knew where she was hiding. Once I heard the grate click the rest of the way into place, I opened my eyes and stretched, looking around the room. The place was spotless as usual, and the rag I’d used to cool her was hanging next to my sink.  I looked at the clock and realized it was time to get up and get dressed.

I was still thinking of the small girl, as I made my way to work. When I stopped for lunch, I wondered if she would come out. I sat at the table and looked at my clean room. I wondered for a moment what she had been eating, when I realized she must have eaten the food from yesterday. I got up and looked in my trashcan to see it was empty.  I had never stopped to realize I had yet to empty it of my leftover meals.

The poor girl was eating out of my trashcan. 

I set aside half of my lunch on the table and took my empty tray back to the mess hall. I hoped she would appreciate not having to dig in the garbage for it. I worried about her, as I worked the rest of the evening. She was so light, just a slip of a girl. If she had only been eating my discarded lunch leavings, then she must have been starving. I slipped an extra roll from dinner and a piece of chicken into a napkin and stuffed it into my pocket. I would leave it out for her in hopes that she would eat it.

I set it out on the table and decided to leave her a note.

Dear Phantom Maid,

I’m worried about your health and hope you are feeling better. Please eat the food I have left, as I saw how thin your form was. You have nothing to fear in me.

Your friend,

First Officer Devin Clemens

I left the note and food and readied for bed. Getting to sleep tonight would be difficult, but I did finally doze off, anxiously dreaming of the girl in the grate.

Chapter 2 – Dinner Companion

When I woke, I looked over at the little table to find the napkin empty and smiled. I was glad she had eaten. I looked at the note and saw there was something written under my words.

Many thanks for caring for me when I was ill. The food was wonderful. I have not had a friend in a long time, it’s nice to know I have one now.

Phantom Maid.

I was intrigued. She obviously spoke and wrote English, which made me believe she was not originally from Germany. I was curious about her, her life and what had compelled her to stow away on the ship. I was also curious what her age and name might be. I thought as a friend, I should at least know them. I quickly jotted down another note.

Dear Ms. Phantom Maid,

I do truly consider you a friend and wish as a friend to know your name and age. In good faith, I will give my own in return. I was christened Devin Michael Carter and was later adopted, changing it to Devin Michael Clemens. My age is an old rickety twenty-four. Please gift me with the knowledge of yours.

Your friend,

Devin

I read over the note one last time and smiled to myself. I hoped the little personal information I had given her would encourage her to open up. I set the note aside and hurried to work, wondering if I would have something to read at lunch.

I made sure to grab an extra-large helping of food and rushed back to my quarters. I smiled widely, when I saw there was writing again under my own.

Dear Devin,

I am nervous about giving you my name. I’m afraid you will think I’ll bring trouble and want to dispose of me when you find out who I am. I will share my age. I am seventeen and will be eighteen by the time we reach the shore of the U.S. I hope this puts your mind at ease a little. I am not a runaway.

Your friend,

Phantom Maid

I looked over the note a second time. The young girl was seventeen. I thought for sure she must have been lying, because she had seemed so much smaller, when I had held her in my arms. Surely the small slip of a girl could not be that age. Of course, it didn’t make sense for her to lie to me about her age and not her name.

I decided it was time we met in person.

Dear Ms. Phantom Maid,

I would very much love for you to join me for dinner. I will bring it here to my quarters and hope to find you here waiting.

Your friend,

Devin

I set the note next to the lunch I left for her and hurried to work. I did my best to focus on the tasks at hand, but I was often distracted with thoughts of the small girl hiding in my room. I made my way to the mess hall, loading up a tray of food and excused myself from the captain’s table, feigning exhaustion, and hurried to my quarters.

When I opened the door, I noticed the small girl standing by my sink looking worried. I smiled, trying to calm her, but she continued to twist her fingers nervously.

“Please, come and sit.” I offered her the chair in my quarters, setting the tray down and sitting on the bed next to it. She moved forward nervously and blushed when her stomach growled. I set down the silverware, picked up a dinner roll and leaned back on my bed.

She sat down and looked at the food and then to me. I waved her off. “Go ahead and eat your fill, this was my second tray as it was,” I lied.

She nodded nervously and started eating the food.

“So, you’re seventeen?” I asked.

She looked at me with scared eyes, but nodded yes.

“You’re awfully small for seventeen,” I commented.

She just shrugged.

“So, is there any chance you’ll give me a name to call you, or will you forever be my phantom maid?” I asked teasing her lightly, hoping she would loosen up.

“Emma,” came out in such a soft whisper I almost missed it.

“Emma?” I repeated smiling, and she just nodded yes.

“Well, Ms. Emma, it’s nice to meet you. I have to say, you’re a wonderful maid. I was sure this place was haunted until I found you. I hope you’re feeling better.”

She blushed lightly and nodded yes.

“That’s good to hear.”

I let her finish eating, taking in her form. Now that I had a better chance and was not so worried about her health, I could see her body a little better. She was hunched forward, as if trying to hide in herself, but still, I could see the curve of her breasts. It looked like she really could be seventeen.

“So, Ms. Emma, when is your birthday?” I asked.

She looked down at the calendar on my desk and then pointed to Thursday.

“Really? So soon?” I asked.

She just nodded and looked confused. She finally spoke, but again, her words were soft whispers. “I told you I’d be eighteen before we docked in the U.S.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s so, and we’ll be docking in two weeks. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

She just shrugged and wiped her face on the napkin. She was done with her meal, even though she’d barely eaten half of what was on the tray. I got up to clean up the tray, and she flinched and shot across the room at my movement. Her eyes were wide and scared. “Hey, I won’t hurt you, I promise. I was just going to take the tray back to the mess hall.”

She watched me closely, as I picked up the tray then left the room, and my heart broke a little that she feared me. Someone must have hurt her to cause her to jump in such a way. When I returned to my room, I was not surprised to find she was gone. 

The next two days, I left notes in the morning, at lunch and at bedtime, along with food. I asked her simple things, such as her favorite songs, foods and other personal yet impersonal questions, hoping to get to know her better and gain her trust.

She had answered every question, but still, I had not seen her again. It was the day of her birthday, and so I left a note at lunch, asking her to please join me for dinner. I found an emergency candle and shoved it in my pocket. I overfilled my tray and headed to my room in hopes for some dinner company.

I smiled, when I saw her standing timidly by the sink again. She was wearing the same brown shirt that looked much too big and some baggy pants I assumed had to be tied on her to keep them up. They were rolled several times at the cuffs, obviously much too large for her. I pulled out the chair for her and smiled.  “Happy birthday, Ms. Emma,” I said and lit the candle, sticking it in my cup of pudding. “I’m sorry we don’t have cake or even birthday candles, but I figured you could still blow this one out for a wish.”

She smiled softly, and her eyes sparkled lightly. “Thank you,” she whispered.

I had been wracking my brain on what to give her for her birthday all week, but I had come up with nothing until just now. I smiled, as I slid open the drawer in my little side table and pulled out a sewing kit, so she could alter her clothing. She was watching my movements closely. I could tell she was nervous. I hid the little kit in my hands and then moved it into her reach. She moved back a little, looking at me nervously, but to her credit, I could tell she was doing her best to keep herself from darting across the room.

“I know it’s not much, but I thought maybe you’d like to have this,” I said smiling and then opened my hands to show her the gift. Her eyes lit up with relief, and I wondered what she had thought it was.

“It’s a sewing kit. I know it isn’t much, just a little pair of scissors, a few buttons and a needle and some thread, but maybe it’ll be enough to help you get your clothes to fit a little better,” I said.

She looked down at her clothes and then to the kit, smiling softly. “Thank you.” She made no move to take it, though. I set it on the table next to her and moved back on my bed, and then she reached out and took it, sticking it in her pants pocket.  She finished her meal and then blew out her candle.

“So, what did you wish for?” I asked. She smirked and shook her head.

“What? You can’t tell me?” I teased.

She giggled, shaking her head. I loved hearing her giggle, it was a beautiful sound, and I hoped I would be graced with the sound again.