Elysium

I opened my eyes, and stared at the curved ceiling above me. A dull throbbing pain was passing between my temples, and I found myself closing my eyes once more in an attempt to reduce its annoyance. Several moments passed by. I felt the pain in my head lessening and opened my eyes again. Above me, the curved ceiling seemed somewhat welcoming, though I was uncertain just where I was.

As I looked on at the ceiling above, I started to notice a gentle oscillating movement. It was a very subtle effect, I felt one side of my body dipping slightly lower for a few seconds, before the other side started dipping slightly lower for a few seconds. Confused, I sprang out of bed.

I found myself in a cabin on a large ship. The porthole opened out to daylight, and I could see the horizon in the distance bobbing slowly up and down. I knew it was a large ship because of how slow the movement was. Not knowing how or why I was on board a boat like this, I looked about me and saw a chair nearby. Grabbing it, I sat down and surveyed my surroundings.

The cabin was small but neat. In the corner was a bed that I had been lying on for quite a bit as I was nursing that headache that seemed to have reappeared. Unlike a regular bed, this one seemed to be bolted into the ground with nuts as thick as my thumb. At the foot of the bed was a white lock box that was also bolted to the ground. My gaze moved on clockwise past a heavy steel door that served as the entrance to the room and on to the other side, where there was a bolt-on metal wardrobe, all white as well, and another strong box, except this time it looked more like a cabinet than a box, and was larger than the one at the foot of the bed. There were three shelves above it, but they had small guardrails about them, typical I would think, given that we were on a boat at sea after all. The strong box ended at the wall of the hull, and immediately next to it was the port hole that I was now looking through at the horizon.

I rested my hand on the bolted table in front of me. I knew where I was, yet simultaneously I knew now where I truly was. It was baffling, to say the least---I had never been on a boat in my entire life, and yet here I was on a cruise to somewhere with no knowledge on how I got there. There did not seem to be any danger at the moment, and so I just sat there and mulled over my position.

I had no idea how long it was before there was the distinct sound of a bolt being shifted from the door to the room. Shaken out of my day-dreaming, I turned around to face the newcomer.

The white metal door opened inwards slowly, as though someone was taking great care to not hurt anyone who was unfortunate enough to be behind the door. At the doorway, I saw a narrow corridor lit by yellow sodium lamps, and the newcomer. He was standing there in a tuxedo and a maroon bow tie, his greying hair immaculately combed backwards. He had the face of a seasoned steward, with one hand on the heavy bolt that he had just shifted, and the other skilfully holding up a covered tray of what I could only imagine to be food. With a slight tip of his head, he stepped into the cabin noiselessly and placed the tray on my table.

``Monsieur's lunch. Boiled lobster and clam as thou have ordered.'' With that, he removed the cover from the tray. I peered at the spread on the tray---the steward was true to his word. A most beautiful display of lobster and clams were arranged on the tray, with a small dipping dish of sauce to go with them. A knife and fork were discreetly placed on the tray as well, and I looked at the luxurious spread in amazement. The steward took a small bow, and started backing out through the door.

``Wait!'' I suddenly said, finding my voice. ``Where am I? Am I imprisoned on a boat?''

``Monsieur, imprisoned?'' The steward said with mock horror on his face. ``No no no, thou art on the cruise ship Elysium. Methinks monsieur may think he is imprisoned by the heavy bulk doors and bolts, I assure you it is for the safety of the cruise ship in case of exigencies. Is there anything that I may help you with, monsieur?''

``Elysium?'' I said out loud.

``Yes monsieur, the Elysium. The cruise ship of ideal happiness, named after the wonderous afterlife first thought of by the immortal poet Homer himself.''

I silently thought to myself. There was only one cruise ship called Elysium that I knew, and it was the metaphorical place that I had told everyone I would go on the moment that I had passed on.