Musings of a meandering noggin

Each step Findlay and his fellow soldiers took as they ascended the gangplank, stirred an uneasy mixture of excitement, anxiety and nervous hesitation. He had committed himself to take a bold step into the unknown, but every fibre of his being seemed to register a tremor of uncertainty. Each man felt insignificant beside the gigantic vessel and the seemingly endless stream of troops boarding it. The noise of military cargo being loaded, instructions being shouted and the diminishing bubble of personal space was overwhelming. His first experience leaving the shores of his homeland and venturing into the unknown was juxtaposed with a shrinking living space and degree of personal freedom. As each fellow stepped onto the deck, he was directed along narrow passages and stairwells that led ever deeper into the ship. Findlay’s assigned spot was a hammock in a cramped cabin that accommodated eight men. His hammock was, once again, the top one nearest the stern. Despite not yet having set sai...