by Nicole Ryan
I was in only my white undershirt and my underwear, I was thankful I’d worn black panties but my bra was white, and didn’t have much for cups. I tried not to think about it. The door closed tight in front of me and I looked out the large porthole at Chief and the others, my breathing picked up as I anticipated the cold water, but mostly because I hated being in small closed spaces, I always had.
Chief stepped up to the port hole and yelled to me though it, I could barely hear him but his face was reddened with the force he used to say it.
“Hands on the glass!” He pointed with his fingers and raised his eyebrows at me as if asking if I understood.
I nodded vehemently and stepped up to the porthole placing both of my palms on the glass in front of me. I took a few steadying breaths through my nose, my chin quivering as I released them through my mouth. I could hear my breathing as if it were amplified around me in the still lifeless room.
“Okay,” I whispered, inhaling through my nose deeply “It’s okay, it’s only for sixty seconds.” I told myself.
The water suddenly burst out all around me; it stung my skin and made me scream as it thundered out around me and drenched me in less than three seconds. My hair was quickly ripped from its careful bun, and my shirt was whipping around me, tearing at my flesh with the force of the water that soared out of the pipes around me. I bawled as the cold sank into my bones. Chief pounded on the glass with his knuckles. I looked at him and he made a circling motion with his hands and pointed to his mouth. I began to move my palms in a circular motion over the glass, and stated my first and last name, then my social security number, my breath hitching and making me sound like a small child recovering from a tantrum.
I did this over and over again as the freezing water hammered against my skin and poured down over my face, the salt water stinging my eyes. I cried out again and began to jump up and down as my toes lost feeling, just after my hot tears began mixing with the freezing water it shut off. I wiped my trembling hands down my face, my rock hard nipples digging into my forearms as I pushed my soaking wet hair back and the door opened. I stepped out, shaking uncontrollably, my jaw chattering; Cross and Smith covered me with towels quickly, and rubbed their hands fast and hard up and down my arms and legs. I stood there shivering and quaking as I looked down at my toes which were almost blue. Cross wrapped a towel around my hair as Smith brought a blanket to wrap around me; I sat down as Jessica stepped into the first bin.
She was stripped quickly and they went through the motions of scrubbing her, she wore blue and white panties that had a smiley face on the bottom. Tyler winked at her and she grinned, it quickly evaporated as she stepped into the chamber and the door closed behind her. We all took a turn at the scrubbing station and stripping station, everyone got a turn in the chamber, and everyone learned how to turn the valve on and off. By the time we were finished, the day was nearly over so Chief dismissed us early again.
“We’re crossing the equator tomorrow, so the pollywogs we have will be becoming shell backs.” He said and pointed two fingers at Jessica and me. “That means you ladies.”
“I thought you’ve been on deployment before?” I asked.
“Yeah, but I didn’t participate in the ceremony before.”
“It’s optional?” I asked.
“Yes.” She said a sly smile spreading across her lips.
“What’s that smile for?” I asked, I couldn’t keep my own smile from my face as we walked to the Galley.
“Well, we aren’t supposed to talk about it but…”
***
The door to our birthing hit the wall with force as it was thrown open.
“Male on deck!” Someone hollered.
“HT’s out of your rack!” Another yelled.
There were two HT females in our birthing, and I heard low voices and quiet sounds as they made their way out of our birthing and seconds later the door burst open again.
“DC’s! Get out of your racks, right now!” I heard Smith bellow. I grinned as I rolled from my rack and pulled on my sweat pants and tennis shoes, I put my hair up into a pony tail.
Jessica came around the corner of my cubicle and yawned.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Yeah. Are you sure we should do this?” I asked as we walked into the head and brushed out hair, and splashed water on our faces.
“I’ve passed it up twice and both times I thought I was stupid for doing so afterward when I heard the stories.” She told me.
I nodded, a grin splitting my face. We walked out to the front of our birthing and saw Sawyer and Smith waiting for us in their Shellback attire.
“Fireman Carlson!” Smith bellowed at me, trying to keep a smile off of his face.
“Yes Shellback?” I asked.
“Do you solemnly swear to never talk, repeat, or share anything that happens on this ship on this day of crossing the equator?” He asked holding up his right hand, a silly fake pirate hat hung lopsided on his head.
I lifted my right hand. “I do solemnly swear.” I said.
He turned to look at Jessica, “DC3 Johnson, do you solemnly swear to never talk, repeat, or share anything that happens on this ship on this day of crossing the equator?” He asked her, she held up her hand.
“I do solemnly swear.” She said her huge teeth gleaming as she smiled at him.
They turned and led us down to the second deck, once they dogged the water tight door down, Sawyer produced two lengths of Oakum, a soft rope we used for shoring and patching, from his pocket and handed one to Smith.
“Down on the floor wogs.” Smith ordered as he strung the rope around Jessica’s neck.
Sawyer took my rope, and grinned at me as I sank to the ground fighting laughter. “Turn over, crab walk.” He said, still smiling like an idiot. I laughed at him and then clamped my lips together to keep my glee at bay.
I sat back and placed my hands behind me on the deck and lifted my rear up, the rope trailed down my front, in between my breasts and between my legs where it led up and wrapped around Sawyers hand. He tugged lightly and Jessica and I began crab walking down the passageway, following their lead and trying not to giggle. As we made our way down the galley we saw other pollywogs that were also being hazed; one girl kneeled in front of the salad bar, holding a highlighter to it between her nose and lips, her hands behind her back while she sang Yankee Doodle. Three guys dressed as pirates stood around her laughing and trickling lime green sea water down her back, it turned her white t shirt see through making her bra conspicuous as she squirmed under the trickling water and tried not to laugh. There were groups of different divisions, all of the shellbacks were dressed in goofy clothing; some dressed in old tattered clothes they’d decorated with paint, and others were more extravagant, dressed as sea fables like mermaids and sea sirens. Everyone was having fun around us and I couldn’t believe that a day like this could exist on the ship, especially while at sea. It was usually so dull and depressing.
As we approached the male birthing I felt a strange vibration on my hands, Jessica tipped her head back and looked at me with one of her signature silly grins on her face. The pose made her esophagus very distinct, the tan colored rope clashed nicely with her fair skin and hung loosely from her neck and trailed down the front of her body to Smith’s hand.
“Are you ready?” She asked me.
I couldn’t keep myself from laughing, “I guess so.” I said.
“Hush. We are about to enter the inner sanctum. You are not to speak until spoken to. Got it?” Sawyer winked at me and tugged the Oakum again.
I began to crab walk again, following Jessica as Smith opened the hatch, the male birthing was dark, all of the lights were off except for the red lights. When Smith dogged the water tight hatch down I noticed that a thick piece of black cardboard paper was covering the glass porthole. The vibration I had felt before was coming from a large amplifier as one of the guys, dressed in cut off long pants that hung in jagged edges to his knees, played an elect
ric guitar. He was shirtless and wore thick black Vans on his feet. He had a large black boar mask over his head the tusks protruding on either side of a large metal rung hanging from the nose. It was difficult to make out who it was, and probably would have been impossible had I never seen him naked, but the tattoos told me immediately that it was Tyler. He moved his foot along a pedal board, adjusting the feedback of the guitar expertly as he bowed his body and head in rhythm to the dark, melodic sounds he was creating. I couldn’t keep the huge grin from my face as I watched him, his light eyes crinkled at me from beneath the mask and I could tell he was smiling at Jessica and me. Cross was to my far left, he sat on his heels, in sweats and also shirtless, holding what looked like an emergency glow stick from one of our repair lockers balanced on his clavicle, his hands behind his back, grasping his ankles.
“Sit down.” Sawyer said, and as I did so he removed the oakum from around my neck.
Chief was sitting to my right in a dark shadow, the red lights made it look deep and menacing. He had his left heel propped on his right knee, dressed in all black. He waved a finger at DC1 Lewis, who took the glow stick from Cross’s chest.
“Bring forth the Pollywogs.” Chief bellowed, his charismatic grin splitting his face.
“Crawl to King Neptune!” DC1 Lewis ordered us.
Jessica, Cross, and I crawled to sit at Chief’s feet, Cravats, who I had been friends with in school, came to sit beside me.
“King Neptune!” Smith and Sawyer called, and everyone in our division took a knee and bowed their heads to Chief. After he flicked his finger they all stood, he dragged his finger along the top of his lip as he looked around at everyone, his handsome smile shining even in the dark shadows where he sat.
“King Neptune, we present you with four humble offerings, in sacrifice for smooth seas, safety and good fortune on this deployment.” Tyler called from behind me.
“Very good,” Chief said. “And what are these soft little pollywogs willing to sacrifice for this voyage?” He asked us.
“Anything, King Neptune.” Cross and Jessica said.
Chief turned his gaze to me, “And you?” He asked me.
“Anything Your Majesty.” I said, locking my eyes on his. Cross looked over at me, and I looked down to the ground. Fuck.
“Oh? Very good.” Chief said as he stood and walked over to Cross. “Stand up Seaman and be rewarded for your urgency to please me.” Cross stood and Chief clapped him on the shoulder as he walked over to Cravats and also lead him to stand beside the others. Jessica and I sat on our knees, looking at the deck while Chief walked slowly behind us; I looked over at Jessica when I felt her eyes on me. She was grinning and winked at me playfully. Something was happening, and it seemed like I was the only one who was in the dark about what it was.
“It used to be that women were not allowed on Navy vessels.” Chief began, pacing before Jessica and me. “Women were believed to bring bad luck to the men on board, and were usually tossed overboard as an offering to the Sea Gods, King Neptune in particular.” He smiled at us, turning on his heel and continuing.
“As sailors grew tired of being at sea for months on end without any fair maidens to… occupy them, they began to welcome women aboard again. After a time it was even said that to have a bare breasted woman leading a ship was a sign of strength, and a successful voyage. But, of course things would happen, and with the bad luck continuing, the women would be removed from the ship, and new women brought aboard in each port.”
Chief’s fingers trailed along the back of my neck as he passed me and came around to Jessica. “As time went on, experimental rituals were practiced, and tossed out, until a tradition came to be. With each crossing of the equator, both men and women aboard the ship must make an offering to King Neptune, to appease the lust of the Sea Gods and keep the rest of the crew safe.” He grinned down at Jessica, who smiled up at him, his fingers rested under her chin. “What are you prepared to do for King Neptune fair maiden?” He asked her.
“Anything, Highness.” She said, lowering her eyes in capitulation.
Chief turned his steely eyes to me, and slowly sauntered over to me, placing his fingers below my chin and tilting my head up to him.
“What about this dark, exotic beauty here,” He said, stroking my bottom lip with his thumb. “What would you do to appease the Sea Gods?”
“Anything Majesty.” I said, my breathing was picking up and I shifted anxiously on my heels.
“I believe you mean that, my Lady.” He said.
“I do.” I said, my eyes still cast down.
“Anything? That is a very broad answer, anything for men who have been at sea for months without tasting the fruits of women?” He asked, taking my hair down from the pony tail and letting it fall down over my shoulders.
“Yes.” I said; I closed my eyes and swallowed hard as Chief walked away from me.
“Let’s see.” He said taking his seat in the shadows again. “In old times, when a maid was to be cast overboard in sacrifice to the gods, she had a chance to escape her captors that would deliver her to her watery grave. Both of you stand.”
Jessica and I got to our feet, Cross, Harlow, Smith, Sawyer, Cravats, and DC1 Lewis stood in a half circle around us, and it suddenly dawned on me what was going to happen. My stomach tightened in realization, and was replaced with anticipation.
“Jessie, come and sit with me.” Chief said, when I looked at Jessica her eyes were wide and she looked almost frightened, she quickly joined Chief, who positioned her on his lap. “Watch.” He told her close to her ear, his charming smile making its appearance again.
My blood was thundering in my ears, I still kept my eyes on the ground, shifting my weight from one foot to the next, trying to remain agile and not freeze up in my eagerness.
“Whenever you are ready my Lady.” Chief said as he rested his mouth on Jessica’s exposed shoulder; I hadn’t noticed he’d taken her top off until now; she grinned at me, her eyes bright with delight. I took a deep breath and glanced around me, Cross was staring at me intently, his eyes carefully regarding me, and the others. Chief’s eyes were locked on mine, dancing blithely as if he knew exactly what I would do, he brought his lips to Jessica’s shoulder and closed his hand around her throat as he bit down, making her jump, and her nipple harden instantly.
“Now.” I said.
In a second the guys were all over me, hands grabbed at my waist, and my arms, and legs, pulling at me in the opposite direction of each one I tried to turn to. I raked a hand off of my left arm and broke free for a second before Cross seized both of my arms behind me and drug me down to the ground on top of him. He laughed as he locked his legs around mine, his hands pinning my arms behind my back against his front. Tyler reached down, the mask still over his face as he pulled the front of my shirt open, and then yanked at it until it tore down the middle. I bucked against Cross and freed my hands, I shoved his chest down as I ripped Tyler’s mask off of his face. He looked down at me playfully, while he still pawed at my clothing before he pulled me up to him by the middle of my bra and kissed me violently before tearing it off of me with a grunt, and tossing it to the floor.
I was pulled back down against Cross, he held an arm across my waist, as he lay beneath me and I struggled against him trying to stand again. Smith and Sawyer each grabbed one of my pant legs and pulled, I tugged my feet toward me, bending my knees and bucking against Cross as I tried to fight them off. When my sweat pants broke free they easily tore my panties to shreds, Smith and Sawyer both removing my socks and shoes. Cross brought his legs up and wrapped them around my waist, hooking his legs over the tops of my thighs, and wrapping his ankles under my calves. I started to grow tired of struggling and let my head fall back on him as he spread my thighs nearly too wide before his hand slid down my front and began to play with my clitoris. I arched against him, moaning once before trying to free myself again though the effort was only half hearted as I felt waves of pleasure rippling through me.
“Like that baby?” Cross asked at my ear. I nodded, my eyes closed as I reveled in his touch, my fingers kneaded at his inner thighs.
When Cross released me, I opened my eyes again and saw Sawyer, Smith, Harlow and Cravats were naked and Chief had Jessica bouncing up and down on his lap; her face twisted with pleasure. Sawyer was walking toward me, I marveled at his sculpted physique as he brandished his large cock in his big hand, he wrapped his free arm around my waist and hauled me to my feet, pulling my breasts against his chest. His large hand captured the side of my neck and gently pulled me to his lips. He dipped his tongue into my mouth and kissed me until my head swam and I thought my knees were getting weak. He slid his hand up slowly and captured my breast; I felt his dick pressing against my stomach before he spun me around and slapped my ass, hard. I cried out and smiled back at him, he swatted it again before spinning me back to face him again. His eyes closed, he was placing small kisses along my jaw and collar bone as he backed us up until I felt one of the card tables resting on the backs of my thighs.
Sawyer shoved me down so I was lying on the table; I put my feet up on the corners, as he kneeled in front of it and spread my knees wide. He dragged his tongue from my ass to my clit in one hard lick. I jumped at the unexpected contact, and then he shoved his tongue into my hole, my head fell back, and hung off of the card table. Cross was beside me in an instant, and I captured his pretty pink cock in my hand, turned my face to him and opened my mouth. He looked down at me smiling and rubbing himself for a second before he came close enough for me to take him. Smith and Cravats came to the sides of the table and Smith took one of my breasts into his hand, molding it to fit his palm before he smacked it with his other hand. Cravats looked uncertain of what to do, and stood watching wide eyed at the entire situation.
Sawyer was lapping at me luxuriously holding my knees as far apart as they would go, grunting and groaning as if he were eating a delectable dessert. He took his four fingers and pulled them down my soaking wet flesh before he stood up and tugged on his cock a couple of times. As I watched him, I stroked Cross’s cock with my hand and I nodded at Sawyer, I took my free hand and began to circle my fingers around my clitoris for him. When he entered me I gasped as he stretched and filled me, I had never been with anyone as large as he was, and the sensation was foreign, almost uncomfortable.