Instructions for a safe crossing [for Cities and Memory]

Awakening to an unfamiliar place.
Your touch lingers on the sticky armrest, the salty air hinting at the vast expanse beyond.
You find yourself aboard a ferry, the gentle sway beneath you a stark contrast to the turmoil within.
As the realization of your seafaring journey sets in, a flood of memories washes over you.
Your voice, a beacon in the midst of the churning waves, recounts your return to be near your mother. Each farewell, each departure, etched in your mind, a haunting question echoing in the depths of your being: "Will this be the last time I see her alive?"
The sea spray dances around you, a cold reminder of the uncertainty that lies ahead.
With no answers to offer, you close your eyes, surrendering to the rhythm of the waves and to the reassuring cadence of the voice from the loudspeaker reciting the safety measures for a safe crossing.