06/02/2025
Drowning in Silence
The MV Horizon Voyager was more than just a ship; it was a world unto itself, sailing across endless oceans, chasing horizons that never ended. Its crew—seafarers from different lands—called it home. They sailed through storms, scorching heat, and freezing nights, witnessing the world's wonders. Yet, despite the beauty they saw, something darker lurked beneath the surface, unseen by most.
No one saw them drowning.
The Voyage
From Singapore to Rotterdam, from Cape Town to Valparaíso, the Horizon Voyager carried cargo and dreams alike. The crew—Captain Elias, Chief Mate Rafiq, Engineer Miguel, and the deckhands—worked tirelessly. They braved the roaring waves, the loneliness of the sea, and the exhaustion of endless hours.
The world saw them as adventurers, men and women who had escaped the monotony of land life. But few knew the truth.
No one saw how exhaustion weighed them down.
No one heard the silence that filled their cabins after long shifts.
No one noticed how they drowned—not in water, but in solitude.
The Silence Beneath the Waves
One night, under a starless sky, Deck Cadet Amir stood by the railing, staring at the black abyss below. He had always dreamed of the sea, but now, it felt like it was swallowing him whole.
He hadn't spoken to his family in weeks—bad internet, expensive calls. His hands ached from work, his mind from isolation. He was surrounded by people, yet alone.
Chief Mate Rafiq passed by and stopped. "Thinking about home?"
Amir hesitated. "I don't even know if home remembers me."
Rafiq sighed. "I know the feeling."
Silence.
The ship rocked gently, indifferent to their thoughts.
"I used to think the sea would free me," Rafiq continued. "But some nights, I feel like I'm sinking into it."
Amir turned to him, surprised. "You feel it too?"
Rafiq nodded. "We all do. But no one talks about it."
The Drowning No One Sees
Over the next few weeks, Amir began to notice it more. The exhaustion in Miguel's eyes, the way the cook stared at old photographs during his break, the long, heavy sighs of Captain Elias in his office.
They were drowning in silence.
The world only saw the adventure, the stories of distant lands. They didn't see the birthdays missed, the children growing up without them, the loneliness that settled deep in their bones.
One evening, Amir spoke up in the mess hall. "Why don’t we talk about it?"
The room went quiet. Eyes flickered up from plates of rice and fish.
"Talk about what?" Miguel asked.
"This. Us. The silence we drown in."
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Rafiq leaned back and exhaled. "Maybe because no one ever asked."
Finding Their Voices
They started small. Sharing stories. Writing letters together. Leaving small notes of encouragement on cabin doors. They started checking in—not just about work, but about each other.
It didn’t change the sea. The waves were still high, the work still hard, and home still far away. But now, they weren’t drowning alone.
And sometimes, that was enough to keep sailing.
The World Still Doesn’t See… But They Do
The world will always romanticize the seafarer's life—the adventure, the freedom. They won’t see the isolation, the longing, the quiet struggles.
But now, aboard the MV Horizon Voyager, the crew saw each other.
And sometimes, that was enough to stay afloat.
