Cursed Waters

“Cursed Waters” by Stanley Nesbitt is about a young 16-year-old named William. Having spent the last years scraping up what work he and his younger brother could manage just to keep their mother and siblings fed, William is left feeling bitter about the confines of his home, his town and what seems to him to be a drab future. When a ship pulls into port prior to departing on a grand adventure, William stows away, telling himself (and his family) that he is doing so for his family—to earn a better living. Is he truly leaving on a long journey to provide for his family? Or is he merely taking the opportunity to escape the confined, cramped life he’s resented for too long? read more