The Great Expedition - By Hamoodh Hassan

Written By: Hamoodh Hassan

Category: short story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the compelling short story "The Great Expedition," Hamoodh Hassan takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with adventure and uncertainty. As part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this narrative captures the essence of human resilience and camaraderie amidst perilous circumstances. Set against the backdrop of a challenging sea voyage to the North Pole, Hassan's story explores the themes of survival, friendship, and the unexpected twists of fate.

About the Work

"The Great Expedition" is a gripping tale that immerses readers in the life of a young sailor confronting the perils of the sea. Hamoodh Hassan adeptly weaves a narrative rich in tension and vivid imagery, capturing the raw emotions and stark realities of life on a doomed expedition. The story's poignant exploration of human connections and courage in the face of adversity leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

the great expedition

Original Submission by Hamoodh Hassan

the great expedition

I look out at the sea as a silent sea chanty pushes into my ears, by mates hold guitars and ukuleles as the land of UK silently drifts from my sight as we are sailing of into the abyss, the sun is starting to rise as me and lyden

decide its time to pull the shaft to drift out north”heave ho mate” the captain instructs me.

the sun now is starting to reach its middle point, as we call “the middle of the devil” lyden is the point instructor,he's the one responsible for navigating and giving direction instructions, so he doesn't really get any time off so i’m alone for quite a while, so i decide its time for a little ship exploring, were off to the north pole for a great expedition to middle of earth, well its gonna take a while to get there as the north pole is about a week and a half away from the UK.

i started with the living quarters, “small place” I say to Caleb, the youngest on the ship he was my bunk mate, so i figured why not bond with him, he has a disturbing life story of foster homes and divorced parents and very harsh treatment from orphanages, he's only here for money, money he desperately needed.

i tend not talk about it to him, so I decided to help him unpack his unusually lack of equipment and clothes, as I pulled out his last sheet of cloth a large thud of rock breaks the silence, I rush out seeing Caleb confusingly following behind upon my exit of the living quarters a slight, but serious creak came from the lower deck, where the engine was the captain,Lyden, me and a bunch of others stormed into the crowded engine room to find a large hole blown through the right side corner, within about 30 seconds of entering the room we realize that, that hole was drowning the room with water.

“Abandon ship!” the fiery voice of the captain echoed through the ship, first there was a moment of silence almost as if it was a moment of confusion, then there was rakus every one was every where, gathering belongings supplies and essentials, that included me too, we were all over the place rushing from one side to the other, the captain on the other hand was oddly calm, we ignored his unusual behaviour and docked the life bouts, sturdy thing they were but it did its job.Although I greatly wanted to get off the ship I decided not to, I raced through the now half flooded hallways to the captains head quarters, were to my shock I found the captain, legs on top of a fairly expensive table cigarette in mouth and a glass of whisky in the other with a soft melody playing in the background from the run down gramophone I shout at him that he has to hurry and get off the ship but he just sits there humming to the tunes,the he says I a soft voice “ u see my boy, some people cant leave something they love like leaving a rock in the middle of the road, you gotta give it a moment to say its last words I'm staying with ship no matter the cost” I sighed as I realized he probably lived with this ship so I decided to leave him a ND share his last moments with it.

I dashed out of the ship realizing I might come down with it, I sprinted through the hallways, dodging past sliding furniture, and redirecting myself from any water. A minute later I'm outside the ship and my last resort is to dive into the water and climb aboard a life boat.

I dive into the water, the cold water freezes my inside I'm frozen in fear, waiting for me on the closest boat stands Lynden, waving continuously signing me to hurry, but all of a sudden my vision went blurry then black

30 minutes later were out at sea, the ship still sinking in the distance i wake up with a sharp sense in my right ear and my left ear is just blank, once i came to my sense i realise that out of the 6 boats that docked from the ship only 2 remain, my hearts thumping even harder as i realise we might be stranded…

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates the art of storytelling and poetic expression. This prestigious competition invites participants from around the world to showcase their literary talents. With a focus on creativity and originality, the event offers a platform for writers and poets to share their unique voices and narratives with a global audience.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Hamoodh Hassan for his captivating submission, "The Great Expedition," to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. His evocative storytelling and vivid depiction of a daring sea journey resonate deeply, showcasing the power of narrative to transport and inspire. We eagerly anticipate more of his creative endeavors in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.