h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

[The river is at F1786219?thread=434973.]

*a storm upstream has caused the river to swell. Rotten tree limbs and smashed-up ferry parts cluster near the banks at a bottleneck*

*on one of those pieces of timber, the ferryman is unconscious*

*A mermaid is on routine patrol when the detritus rafts through Oane. She clears some of the debris, but stops in her wake when she sees the ferryman.*

[Mermaid]Posiedon!

*She blows on her conch horn for assisstance, and guides the unconscious man safely to shore. Meanwhile, she has attracted the gate guard's attention. The captain steps to the front as soon as she reaches the river's edge.*

[Captain] Medic! What happened here?

[Mermaid] He came floating down with the debris- I think it's the ferryman!

*More men arrive with a stretcher.*

[Captain] Get him inside! Hurry!

*The men roll the ferryman onto the stretcher, and carry him to the healing hall.*

[Captain] Thank you, miss!

*The mermaid delivers a wry grin, before diving back off into the river, taking care to splash the captain's face as she swims.*

<>

*A small merchant boat from the east docks at the ferry and a tall dark horse clops off with its rider*

*The lone warrior looks about for a few seconds and unnravals a peice of parchment. He sighs softly to himself and rolls the parchment back up and slides it back into the saddle back*

*The horse and rider thunder off*