Wayward Captain
Something is at the door.
This short story was written for the NYC Midnight Rhyming story challenge of 2025.
Rules: Create a 500 word rhyming story in the genre, using the theme and the action.
It’s funny (not really)… the darkness of space,
As seen from the port of dead craft.
Alarms have faltered, with no power on base,
And I, of the crew, single staffed.
I watch the slow spin from wet, bleary eyes,
Still drunk from a day’s worth of swilling.
As I take on the role of the new captain’s guise,
And chug hidden draft, more than willing.
_____________
His stinking corpse lay slumped in the back,
But he lasted much longer than they did.
When the remaining crew perished.
My friend, the captain I cherished,
Left me alone on this space junking rack.
Before this, I was an engineer,
Not one leading bone in my body.
But when meteors struck,
Our ship lost its luck,
Then it was duty to offer my proxy.
_____________
Any other time, it would seem a blessed fortune,
The captain’s position was open promotion.
And lucky for me, I earned the petition,
Yet, not the request of my own volition.
_____________
He’s dead now, you see, and I the last standing.
(If seat-bound and drunk could be thought of as standing.)
His voice is a ghost inside of my head,
And it tells me I’m so wise and cunning!
But now that I’m king of this dying vessel, I fear I am worthy… Of nothing.
It won’t be long when the oxygen wanes,
Leaving me gasping to join all the rest.
Could the shielding bleed dry,
Or the space come inside,
Perhaps it would be for the best.
____________
But wait, what’s this? Is it some lost explorer?
From a window I see the nose of a transporter.
Could be a ship, life raft, or rescue I wonder,
Or just the delusion of my own drunken blunder.
I’d cheer, but I’m afraid I would chunder.
What if it is something out of this world,
Waiting for me to surrender?
I take another swig,
And belch like a pig,
Then steel myself for the offenders.
_____________
They get even closer to docking my ship,
But then I remember his body.
I can’t leave him there, so smart as a whip,
I mustered a strength so godly.
Then tucked him inside,
A closet to hide;
And I hope no one searches too wide.
___________
There was a transmission, and I made it my mission,
Not to empty my bladder.
For what I received, I could not be deceived,
It was extraterrestrial matter.
__________
Before I was sober, they came right on over,
And boarded my inherited ship.
I swayed quite a bit, and stuck out a fist,
To catch myself as I slipped.
I couldn’t believe it was me of all people,
To make that first contact.
And despite my condition,
I straightened my position,
As to prevent it to seem I am feeble.
_________
Here they come, I hope I’m not done,
As the first one entered the cockpit.
It had string arms under a bulbous head,
And color so wan and backlit.
We faced in the cabin,
I then proudly stated,
(I should have waited),
“Greetings, -hic- I am the captain.”
~END
