He was aboard. He lay there for a moment, chest heaving, rain slapping his face. The rope dangled behind him, swaying in rhythm with the freighter’s groans. He pushed himself upright, gripping the rusted rail for balance. The deck stretched out in both directions, littered with broken containers, twisted cables, and puddles that mirrored the flickering sky.
The ship shuddered beneath him, every sound amplified by emptiness. It felt less like a vessel and more like a carcass, hollow and rotting. Elias wiped rain from his eyes and scanned the space. No sign of movement. No waving figure.