The moon’s fluorescent light softly reflects off the surface of the water. The air is cold, and there’s a certain stillness that can only be experienced in the absence of all life. Tragedy has struck the calm cool waters of the ocean. A large vessel glides across the water. The ship is elegant; perfect. The curved white sides of the magnificent cruise ship make not a sound as they glide through the air. On the deck of the ship, everything is in place, as if it has never been subjected to the recklessness of mankind. The lawn chairs that people may have once sat in were now empty. The pool sits untouched, and the surface of the water sits perfectly still, with exception of the small ripples created by the occasional breeze. An exceptionally warm breeze floats across the wooden deck, but not a soul is there to feel it. The deck lights are all on, and the cruise boat shines like a beacon in the calm darkness of the night. There’s a stagnant energy on the boat, as if there is an invisible human presence trapped there.

On the inside of the boat, a man stirs in his small cabin. He is dressed in formal wear, a three-piece suit, and, just like the rest of the ship, his appearance is perfect. His shirt is without a wrinkle, his tie is straight, and his hair is perfectly made. Even the bed he now lays on is perfectly made. He awakes and sits up on the side of the bed. When he tries to recall where he is or why he’s there, he finds no memories or answers, only confusion. He is holding his head as if he has a headache. He rises to his feet and slowly staggers towards the door. When he enters the long, narrow hallway, it is empty. All of the lights are on. It soon becomes clear that the man is not familiar with the layout of the ship. He meanders through the extravagant lobby. The shops and restaurants still look strangely alive. Throughout the ship, there is music playing so softly that one would not notice it unless they took the time to listen for it. The man strolls through the dining rooms, the auditorium and eventually the ballroom. Again, every room is empty, but every light is on. He doesn’t appear to have any sort of purpose or direction. He never stops to look at a map or any kind of directions. There is no reason to.

He finds himself in a lounge on the top-most deck of the ship. It is an elegant and energetic room, with a large window stretching along the perimeter. The window overlooks the deck of the ship and the ocean. There is a short bar with a long row of bar stools. Behind the bar, there stands a bartender. His presence is warm and his smile is beaming. The bartender addresses the man as he sits down at the bar.

“Welcome to the Sky-Deck Lounge. What’ll you have?” he asks, still smiling.
The man looks up at the bartender but says nothing. He is tapping his fingers nervously on the bar. Despite his silence, the bartender makes him a drink and sets it down in front of the man. The man takes the drink, and as he sips, the bartender walks into a back room. He never returns. Once the man is finished with his drink, he finds himself thirsty for more. He jumps over the bar and pours himself another drink. He removes his jacket and loosens his tie. It isn’t long before he has poured himself several drinks. Eventually, he stops mixing drinks and begins to drink straight from the bottle. He is drunk now. He feels tired, but he continues to drink more and more. His mind is hazy and he feels numb. He likes the feeling of warmth that the alcohol gives him. When he vomits, he makes no attempt to keep himself clean. It ends up on the floor, in his lap and on his shirt. When he passes out, his head strikes the bar with a sickening thud.

The man awakes on a perfectly made bed. He is wearing a three-piece suit. Everything about his appearance is perfect. He sits up on the side of the bed, holding his head. He begins the trek towards the door and enters the hallway, and again, he is gone off to explore. The ship continues its voyage to a destination it will never reach.