Strange Sounds
by George Miller

Sharky was could not be sure, but he thought he was hearing voices. He knew from past experience that he wanted to be really positive before saying anything to anybody. He knew the trouble he was in with Admiral Nelson and Captain Crane when he had reported seeing the leprechaun.

He was rushing down the corridors, trying to locate the source of the sounds. “Why does this always happen to me?” he asked himself. “Why am I the only one who ever hears any of these sounds?”

He began to move faster towards the sounds. It seemed to be coming from the air ducts. He stood with his ear against the screening. He only hoped no one would come by and question him on what he was doing.

He thought that perhaps the sounds were actually voices. They were getting fainter and fainter. He thought them to be coming from the aft portion of the Seaview. He hurried down the corridor towards the missile room, stopping at each air vent to listen.

He felt he was getting closer. He could hear it better now. “Yes” he thought, “they are voices. I just can’t make them out.” He added the thought... “This better not be someone playing a joke on me!!! If so... they will pay!”

He turned the corner and nearly knocked down two sailors. He noticed the look they gave him, but did not have the time to be concerned with them now. He rushed past them, trying to appear normal. But, the sounds were driving him totally crazy.

He must find out just what is going on! As he approached the missile room, he noticed he could hear the sounds a lot clearer in the air duct. He looked up and down the corridor and around the corner... no one was around. This would be his only chance...

He reached up and removed the cover to the air system and hoisted himself up into the air duct. The extra few pounds he’d put on recently created a small problem though. He could hear the sounds a lot clearer now, but he had got himself stuck halfway into the duct.

“This is a fine mess,” He groaned to himself. “It would just be my luck to have someone see me here like this...”

As if his thoughts had made it so, Kowalski just came around the corner and saw the Chief stuck in the air duct. He ran up to Sharkey and while trying not to laugh he called out, “Chief... are you all right?”

Totally embarrassed now, Sharkey called back from the vent, “Do I look all right? Get me out of here”

Kowalski could not help but laugh out loud as he saw the Chief trying to pull himself from his problem. He got a hold on Sharkey’s legs and gave a quick pull and dropped him to the deck.

“Chief, Sir... what were you doing in there?”

Sharky slammed the cover back on the air vent with the command to Kowalski, “Not a word about this to anyone! Do I make myself clear?”

Pulling himself together, Kowalski responded simply with, “Yes Sir!”

Sharkey knew this would not be kept a secret... He had to find the sounds now, before the whole ship thought he went crazy...

While stuck in the vent, he was able to pinpoint the sound from a storage room just behind the missile room. He slammed his way through the door, ready to confront whatever or whoever was behind all this...

What he saw had him stand there in utter silence... One on his men, Patterson, was sitting propped up against the wall in the storage room... he appeared to be totally drunk...

Paterson saw his Chief barge into the room and gave a quick look around and said...”Hey Chief... How are you? Come on in. Come in and have a drink with my new little friends...”

Chief Sharkey had seen a lot of things on the Seaview, but how was he ever going to explain this the Captain???”

Patterson’s little friends were sitting all around him... repeating Bud.... Weis... Er....

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