I check the shore, then glance over my shoulder to the wreck of the ship. My stomach churns, but this time it’s not due to the peaks and troughs of the gentle waves. We must have left at least two hours ago but we’ve only covered a little over half the distance. I drink sparingly from the first container and hand it to Reuben. ‘Lucky for us Spoons made something to carry water, this is hard work.’
Reuben takes the water. ‘It would help if we could keep it down.’
I grimace. ‘I feel a bit better, but you still look a bit green.’ I take the left oar from Jared’s hands as he slides over to the right.
Reuben stands to take the seat at the front. ‘Perhaps it’ll help if I can see where we’re going.’
Spoons had recovered, becoming like his old self and quickly fashioned a raft from the sledges. A crate sits in the middle to carry back supplies we hope to find. In front of this is the navigator’s seat, behind sits the bench with two slots for the oars made from the long tracks of the sledge, and lastly, we’re grateful he’d fixed material from the spare overalls to the handles. It took us a few minutes to figure the best way to move the raft was to sit facing away from the direction of travel. But it’s going to take longer to adjust to the motion of the raft – too much of our precious rations have already ended up overboard.
Reuben calls back. ‘Noah, ease off your oar, we’re drifting to the left again.’ I leave the oar in the water and hold it still as Jared pulls hard. The heaving water wants to take us sideways and at first, I’d peered over the edge of our raft, convinced we’d ended up on the back of a large beast below. ‘Okay, that’s enough, we’re back in line.’ I check Jared and fall in with his rhythm and feel the vessel lurch, then drop. Reuben confirms what we don’t want to hear. ‘Err… the waves are getting bigger.’
Jared grunts. ‘Great. Just what we need.’
I look for the shore, now a thin, grey line with a smudge of mountains behind. I think of Rebekah – I’ve never been this far from her, even in the worse times in the ship, I wouldn’t have been further than a short walk or climb. Before we’d left, they’d already found a patch of thin soil. While it wasn’t like the soil used in the farm, Beth felt it would be sufficient – if the sun could provide enough light and warmth. But the first sun has skimmed around the edge of the sea and is now hiding behind the mountains with only the top showing.
The raft surges, then dips over the next wave, leaving my stomach at the top. ‘Keep straight on, still on course.’ Reuben’s confidence is welcome.
My thoughts drift. I lose myself in the repetition of moving the oar as I’d done at my workstation. Little workers. I grin. If… no, when we get to the warmer lands we’ll need more people if we’re to survive. Rebekah and I would have to do our duty, and I’m thankful Beth is with us. But who would she choose? Perhaps Zach would have been her obvious choice, but now he’s gone…
‘Time to change.’ Jared stands without waiting for agreement. I slide along the bench and take hold of his oar and wait for Reuben to take mine before releasing. We’d just avoided a disaster earlier, when one had slipped from its bracket, but luckily hadn’t dropped over the edge. Reuben takes hold and I assume my position to the right.
Jared stumbles forward as we slide down another wave. ‘Dear Moses, Reuben. You didn’t mention they’re getting even bigger ahead.’
Reuben answers to me. ‘I didn’t want to worry you.’
Jared grunts. ‘And you didn’t mention those clouds.’ I swivel. My heart leaps in to my throat. Out to sea, a bank of dark clouds climb up from behind the waves.
Reuben shrugs. ‘Clouds? I thought it was night coming.’
Jared stands. ‘Night? Haven’t you paid any attention to Rebekah! It won’t be night again for months. You idiot, that’s a storm.’ I shiver in the sudden cold air as Jared’s words invoke the wind. He falls back and grabs the edge of the seat. ‘Keep moving! We have to go faster.’
‘We should turn back.’ Reuben stares back to the apparent calm of the shore.
‘But…’ I check the ship, rising higher from the choppy waters, untroubled by the disturbance at its base. I shout over the wind. ‘We’re closer to the wreck, we’ll be safer there. Perhaps we can reach it before the worse of this hits.’ Jared yells his support for my plan, but I see the flaw. If we make it, how do we get on board? If there’s no damage to the hull at sea level, we can’t get a foothold. Spoons had made a rope, but if the raft is being tossed back and forth, we’re in danger of being smashed against the ship, and we’ll come off second best.
‘We’re going sideways! Noah, stop. Reuben, pull hard.’ But it’s useless. We can’t fight the force of the storm and the beast beneath. I look up. The clouds roll overhead, hurling its cold rain at our backs.
‘I can’t pull any more.’ Reuben slumps over his oar.
I turn to Jared. ‘We have to stop. We’re exhausted, we’ll have to wait for this to pass. We have no—’ A glistening wall of green surges up behind Jared. I yell. ‘Take hold…’ The raft lurches as we climb the steep side. Reuben slips. I shoot out my hand and grab his wrist as the raft tilts almost vertical. I scream. ‘Hold on!’ We reach the top, I look with dread at more to come, before we hurtle down the other side, throwing Reuben back towards me. He smashes against my chest, knocking me from the bench.
He yells in my ear. ‘Get the rope!’ I clamber off the deck. Jared is already binding himself to the crate.
I grapple for the end of the bench, shouting to Jared. ‘The rope, throw the other rope!’ He hears, but shakes his head. His eyes are wide with fear as he secures his knot. I stumble forward with half an eye on the next wave, surging our way. The spray stings my eyes but I can clearly see darker skies beyond the approaching wave.
My mouth drops open; I taste salt and my fear. It’s not sky. I yell at Reuben, jabbing my finger to the front. ‘Dear Moses!’ Rising higher and higher, dwarfing the wave in front, an arching mass of black water, topples forward blocking out the wind. I snatch the rope from the crate, lash it around my middle and the bench, a wrap my arms around Reuben’s chest and haul him close.
We climb the first wave. My stomach lurches as we reach to top and crash sharply down the other side. I shut my eyes. I can’t see it, but I sense its malice. The raft levels, but then seems to sink lower than should be possible as the sea is sucked away from beneath us. I clutch onto Reuben and yell at the sea.
I sit on the highest branch as it sways in the breeze. The sun feels good on my face and I blink in its light at Rebekah. She’s leaning over, her arms wrapped around my waist with her head nestled under my arm. I hold her tight as I watch the white clouds pass across the blue sky as if they have all day to get to their destination. I could sit here forever. At the top of a tree, with the sun on my face, and best of all, with Rebekah in my arms, I couldn’t ask for more. I stroke her hair but my fingers get stuck in the knotted, dry strands.
I sit up and retch, coughing up salty water.
‘What the…? Ouch!’ Reuben pulls my hand from his hair. We both stare at each other as we try to remember how we ended up in each other’s arms. I recall my scream cut short by a wall of icy water slamming into my eyes, ears and mouth, and crushing my bones onto the deck – then nothing.
I look past Reuben. The raft is still, the sky above is blue and the sun has climbed a little higher as it makes its way back across the sea. I try to move, but the rope that saved me now cuts in to my middle. But I’ve twisted in the storm and can’t see the knot. I turn as far as I can to get my bearings – then I wish I hadn’t. The wreckage of the ship is just visible over the horizon, but land is nowhere to be seen. With growing dread, I realize we’ve drifted further out to sea, and by some distance, perhaps almost as far from the ship, than it is to the shore on the other side. I look to Reuben. ‘Can you untie me?’
Reuben coughs, then croaks. ‘Sure, and thanks, you know… for saving me.’
I nod. ‘Saving you?’ I gesture to the wheel of the ship. ‘From what? We’re stranded in the middle of nowhere.’
Reuben rubs his hands and wriggles his fingers. ‘Would you believe it? We didn’t lose the oars. We can still get to the ship.’
I look up. ‘Where’s Jared?’
‘Who cares? With any luck, he’s at the bottom of the sea.’ Reuben bends and pulls at the knot. ‘Just as well you got this on in time, we’d be down there with that sniveling turd, if you hadn’t—’
‘Leave that.’ Reuben spins around. Jared gets up from behind the crate rubbing his neck.
Reuben stiffens. ‘Give me one reason why I should do as you say?’
Jared grins as he opens the bracket and picks up the oar. ‘Because this sniveling turd has a weapon.’
Reuben springs up. ‘What the—?’
Jared jabs the oar at Reuben’s chest. ‘Get away from Noah, and stand over there, by the edge.’
My shoulders sag. So, it wasn’t a dream – he had tried to bury me in the snow. I clench my jaw, annoyed for not trusting my memory. I strain at my rope. ‘Are you mad? What are you trying to do?’
Jared ignores my question, choosing to watch Reuben back away. ‘That’s it. Keep moving. Now there, stay there where I can see you.’ He turns his attention to me. ‘Let’s just say I preferred being a Prefect. I don’t like taking orders from anyone.’
His grip tightens on the oar. I glance to Reuben, then back to Jared. ‘Not even Rebekah?’
‘Shut your mouth!’ He waves the oar near my face. ‘Don’t mention her name, you’re not fit to speak her name. Say it again and you’ll lose your teeth.’
‘He has gone mad.’ Reuben shuffles forward.
Jared turns on him. ‘Not a clever thing to say to someone with a big stick.’
Reuben clenches his fists. ‘I’m not scared of you.’
‘You should be.’ Jared takes a step towards Reuben; he raises the oar.
I yell. ‘Wait!’ Jared stops. ‘What are you doing? Can’t you see we need each other if we’re to get back to shore?’
Jared shrugs. ‘Two will be enough, well, until we get closer.’ I grab the rope and tug hard. Jared laughs. ‘I’ll give you that, Noah. You can tie a good knot. That should keep you in place to row, but don’t worry, I’ll untie you when we get close enough for me to do the rest.’ Jared takes another step towards Reuben. ‘Rebekah will be so upset to hear you were both lost at sea. I’ll tell her I tried so hard to save you, but the sea was too rough and you were too weak to hold onto my hand.’
Reuben peers behind at the sea and edges closer to Jared. ‘You wouldn’t dare. Amos will know you’re lying, he’ll soon—’
‘Meet with another unfortunate accident.’ Jared raises the oar.
I have to stop him. ‘Think about it, Jared! It’s not worth it.’ I catch Reuben’s eye. He reads my thoughts. I shuffle in my seat to face Jared. ‘Just think this through before you do something you can’t change.’
Jared shakes his head. ‘But why would I want to save you two?’
Reuben takes another step. I try to hold Jared’s attention. ‘Our chances of survival are better if there’s more of us. What do you hope to gain by…?’ I sigh - it’s obvious.
Jared grins. ‘Just me, Rebekah and Beth. Only three mouths to feed and,’ he raises an eyebrow, ‘all those long hours to do… well, whatever we like. What is there to—?’
Reuben leaps. Jared spins around but has no time to swing the oar before Reuben crashes into him. I strain at my rope but I’m still held firm. Jared stays on his feet. Reuben grabs the oar with both hands and they grapple for control of the weapon. But Jared is stronger and taller. He jerks the oar to one side, then the other, pulling Reuben off balance. Jared twists the oar so Reuben’s arms cross over. Jared laughs as he sees his chance. He swivels the oar. Reuben cries out as his wrists bend and he has to let go. He staggers back, the surprise lost, and without a weapon.
Jared extends the oar and nudges Reuben’s stomach, pushing him back. ‘Well, that was a waste of our time, eh?’
Reuben holds up his hands, keeping one eye over his shoulder. ‘Jared, please.’
‘Too late. Over you go.’ Jared lunges, striking out with the oar, catching Reuben in the chest.
‘NO!’ But my plea hangs in the air as Reuben staggers back and topples over the side, splashing into the sea. I yell as loud as I can with my parched throat. ‘Jared! Get him, pull him back, it’s not too late.’ I yank at my rope but my red-raw hands are too weak. I rise as far as I can from the bench but see no sign of Reuben. I turn on Jared. ‘Get him. Please… you can still save him.’
Jared turns his back on Reuben and shrugs. ‘Why should I? Now it’s just you and me. Just like the time we spent together in Re-education.’
I scream at him. ‘And at the wall, don’t forget that. I beat you in a fair fight.’
He smirks. ‘Who said anything about fair? Counts for nothing now, eh.’ He places the oar on the deck and sits beside me on the bench. He punches my shoulder. ‘How’s your arm? That green stuff must really hurt, I’ve seen people say anything to end the treatment.’
I twist away, but he grabs my chin and pulls me back to face him. ‘You think you’re so clever. Just because Rebekah likes you doesn’t make you better than me.’
‘But I never said—’
‘I see you and her sneering at me, but guess what, she’s got no choice now.’ He stands and peers towards the broken wheel. ‘Good, no clouds. We’ve got a tough day ahead, but you won’t be needing all your water ration, just as long as you can pull on that oar, until we’re close enough to land.’ He ruffles my hair. ‘Then you can go looking for your little friend at the bottom of the sea.’ Jared stands. ‘Right, you take the…’ he spins around, ‘where’s that oar?’
‘What? This one?’
My heart leaps against my chest. ‘Reuben!’
Reuben swings the oar, landing the blow on the side of Jared’s head. I wince at the crack. Jared spins on the spot, his eyes rolling back up into his skull. He groans, raising a trembling hand to his temple. He takes it away, staring down at the blood on his palm as if surprised he’s bleeding. Reuben flings down the weapon, horrified at what he’s done. He opens and closes his mouth, then tries to catch Jared as he stumbles forward. But it’s too late. Jared trips head-first into the sea. Reuben rushes to the side.
‘Leave him! You’ll only end up at the bottom with him.’
Reuben slumps to the deck, shaking his head. ‘I… I only wanted to stop him.’ He looks down at his hands. ‘I didn’t mean to kill him.’
‘Don’t worry about it. He had it coming. He was happy to see you die… and me.’
Reuben stands and peers in to the water. ‘You’re right, but still, I never wanted…’ He turns away from the water. ‘Better get you untied, then we can get back to…’ His hands cover his mouth. I don’t have to ask what’s wrong – I see the bloodied oar floating away from the raft.
.