"C'mon. We don't have all day. Let's go harass some firemen."
Chapter 25 ~ One Way Out
As difficult as the hallway was to maneuver, the stairway was far more challenging. There were two things working against them. The storm was growing. They were only on the fringe of it now, and with each passing moment they moved closer to the center of it. They ship was at its mercy. Without any means to move away from the storm, or even to stabilize itself against the growing waves, it was little more than a top-heavy cork being punched from every side. The further they climbed the stairs, the greater the angle of heel they experienced. The lower section of the boat would be the most stable as it wobbled back and forth. The higher up they went, the greater the swing from one side to the other.
Both Holly and Garrett had the worst thoughts running through their minds. No matter how big a boat was, there was always a thought in the back of every passenger's mind that something could go horribly wrong. We've all seen Titanic. It's the kind of thinking that only takes place upon a boat or an airplane. Sinking or crashing. Returning to ground level either too fast on a plane, or too slow on a sinking ship; settling on the ground under the water is a terrifying thought to passengers on ships and planes.
They didn't feel like things were improving the higher they climbed, but the thought of staying low in the belly of the boat felt more dangerous. Like being trapped in a bottomless pit. Images of rivers of water rushing through hallways and submerged rooms kept them climbing.
They exited the stairwell onto one of the lower decks. Moving past the main dining room, they dodged tables and chairs sliding across the dance floor. Crew members tried to secure heavier items before they became deadly projectiles. Higher decks looked like a better option from here. Just a few more flights of stairs to the muster deck with the lifeboats.
Just a few steps from the deck, they both stopped simultaneously. Breathing hard, they sat together on the steps. The stairwell was narrow enough that they buffered each other against the sides.
"This wasn't quite what I had in mind when you mentioned the possibility of a reconciliation," Garrett said. "I had a feeling it was going to be a challenge, but this seems a bit much, don't you think?" He was trying to lighten the mood. "I mean, I know we've been through some pretty stormy weather, but this really takes the cake."
Holly looked back over her shoulder at the last few steps, and the door leading to the outer deck. They could hear the wind and rain howling and hammering outside. "I don't want to go out there. I really don't."
"We can't stay down here."
"I know, but here at least I feel somewhat protected from the elements. It's a thin layer, I know, but at least here we're not feeling the wind and the rain."
"We'll get through it. It'll get worse, but eventually it'll get better. That's what we have to keep thinking."
"I don't see how a little lifeboat can be better than a massively big ship. As bad as the waves feel from in here, won't they be even worse in a little lifeboat?"
"I don't know. Probably ... but at least the lifeboat is designed exactly for a situation like this."
"Is it? Isn't this boat supposed to be built to withstand anything?"
"Without power, this thing is just a big useless box of steel. Lack of maneuverability puts it totally at the mercy of the seas. Unfortunately, right now it's looking like the seas are really pissed."
"I'm so sorry. Sorry for all of this." Holly tried putting her head in her hands, but the boat moved abruptly. She braced herself as Garrett slid into her, pushing her against the side of the stairwell.
"Don't even think about it. You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. Whatever happens was meant to be. All we have to do is deal with it the best we can."
"Right." Holly nodded in agreement. "And sitting right here is not getting us any closer to where we need to be." She pulled herself to her feet, and Garrett with her. "Time to go face this mother head on."
"That's the spirit." Garrett smiled. They hesitated for a moment, catching each other's eyes. They stared, and for a brief second, the boat seemed to right itself. Holly leaned in to kiss Garrett, and for just a moment, everything else around them floated away. For the space of a breath, the world was a better place, and then the boat moved again, and they almost lost their footing. Reality can be a rude interrupter.
"We're going to get this right when we get home," Garrett said. "Whatever it takes."
Holly smiled. "So, all it took was a near death experience to get you to see my side of things?"
"This isn't near death. Not even close. You want to see near death, let's go through that door."
Through the door they went, and while no one died instantly, it was as chaotic as a New York City rush hour strapped to a roller coaster. Anything that wasn't bolted down was sliding across the deck, including a number of passengers. Deck chairs, tables of all sizes and assorted drink glasses were all bunched together on the low side of the boat. The side that was currently leaning towards the water. People were moving as quickly as possible given the state of the ship.
Although every passenger was assigned to a specific lifeboat, none of the crew seemed to be checking the passenger ID wristbands.
"Number twenty-seven," Garrett said. "That's what he said, right? That they'd stocked extra fuel on lifeboat number twenty-seven."
"Right. It's way down at the end."
There were people moving frantically up and down the deck. Many seemed lost. Some wanted nothing to do with the lifeboats that were hanging from steel supports called davits; ready to be lowered several decks to the water. Most people stuck to the inside of the deck, away from the railing. Garrett, however, moved to the edge for a closer look at the water below.
"What are you doing?" Holly yelled at him over the sound of the wind as they clung together.
"I want a better look." He peered over the edge as they both held as tight as possible to the rail. "I don't understand why the captain's ordering everyone to abandon ship. We don't seem to be sinking."
"He must know something we don't. It'll take a long time to get this many people off the boat."
"The storm doesn't seem that bad yet. This boat should be able to handle it."
"We're only on the edge of it. You know what it's like when those tropical storms hit North Carolina. It doesn't start off that bad, but eventually gets damn scary. Can you imagine trying to load and launch these lifeboats in a full-blown hurricane?"
"We don't know that this is going to be a hurricane."
"It sure feels like the start of one."
"Everything seems more intense when you're out on the ocean. The storms are always stronger out here."
They moved from the rail, and started making their way down the deck again. "Isn't that Damien down there?" Holly pointed to a group of people waiting near one of the lifeboats, getting their life jackets on.
"Who?"
"Damien. The boy that told us about the EMPs. That looks like him with his parents. We should take him with us." Garrett looked at her questioningly. "He helped us. Told us about the EMPs ... what was really going on. We owe him. Those must be his parents with him."
"We can't just take everyone with us."
"I know, but we can take a few more. I already feel guilty as hell watching these people getting into these boats. They don't know what they're getting themselves into. They don't realize that no one is coming for them. They're going from the frying pan into the fire."
"That's not necessarily true. There's no guarantee for any of us. Those guys could have been totally full of it, or maybe even outright lying about the extra fuel. We could all be adrift for weeks."
"Don't say that! You don't know that for sure. We have to remain positive." She put her hands on either side of his face and pulled him in close. "Remember. We have a daughter, and she is on her own in New York City. We have no idea how far this disaster has spread, but I'm sure as hell not giving up here. Not when we still have a chance to get to her
. You hear me?" Garrett nodded in agreement, and together they made their way down the treacherous deck.
Amidst all the chaos and confusion, Holly and Garrett managed to get Damien and his parents in line with the group boarding lifeboat twenty-seven. They all had their life jackets on, and were next in line to get into the lifeboat. The boat hung from steel davits that were designed to hold the boat secure above the deck when not in use. To deploy the boat, hydraulics moved the boat over the railing, lowered it to the ocean five decks below. Fortunately, there were very few windows on the covered boat, so passengers who were afraid of heights wouldn't have to see how far they were suspended above the water. Today, it was an extra good thing, considering the unstable conditions. One thing was for sure, it wouldn't be an easy descent from the deck to the water.
Chapter 26 ~ Day One
It was Casey's first day as a fireman in New York City, and the first time he'd ever puked three times in one day. At least the first time that didn't involve alcohol. He was ecstatic about being on the job. Ecstatic and nervous as hell. He wanted to make a good impression with the guys. It didn't look like he'd get that chance. They'd all left him behind with the made-up responsibility to watch the station. They'd told him that someone always had to stay behind in case other emergencies came in, or someone tried to break in and vandalize the place. With the power out, there was zero chance of a call coming in, and the one backup generator that still worked was off limits. He was instructed not to use it unless it was a life and death situation. He didn't believe any of it for a minute.
He was left behind because he was green. They'd all left for emergencies in the neighborhood or patrol duty. Casey thought for sure he'd be able to do patrol duty. Since all the communications were down, the captain decided they should do checks around the neighborhood on foot. Simple, right? No, not even that. The guys were adamant about him staying behind. Maybe they were right. With all the puking he'd been doing, maybe it was better to sit the first day out. It might be the right thing, but it didn't stop him from feeling guilty about it. He should be out there helping people. That's what he was trained to do. It's what he had wanted to do for as long as he could remember. Just then, Becky and William came rushing into the station, all out of breath.
"Thank goodness you're here," Becky said to Casey, while trying to catch her breath. "We need help. Our boss is hurt bad, and trapped up the skyscraper."
"Wait. What? Which skyscraper are you talking about?"
"Over on Broadway and 57th Street. It's only partially completed," William said. "There was a major accident with a helicopter crashing into the building when all the power went out." Casey's eyes grew wide. "Our boss, Wayne, got trapped under some of the wreckage, but we got him out. He's hurt real bad though, and we couldn't get him down."
"The stairs aren't finished, and there are big gaps we had to leap over," Becky said. "There was no way we could have taken Wayne with us. We'll need a bunch of people to go and get him. Medical supplies as well."
Casey just stared at them, taking in everything he'd just heard and trying to sort out in his head what the best course of action was.
"Where're the other firemen? Paramedics?" William said. "We'll need a bunch of people to get him down those stairs."
"It's just me here now. Everyone else is out on emergencies or patrol."
"Just you?" Becky said. "Fine. Then you'll have to come. We can help." She looked at William, who nodded in agreement. "What do we do?"
"We'll need the emergency basket." Casey started reciting things out loud, heading to the trucks. "First-aid kit, trauma kit, crash ..." He stopped and turned back to Becky. "What sort of shape was he in? Was he conscious?"
"Kinda," Becky said. "He was drifting in and out of it.
"Blood? Was he bleeding?"
Becky looked to William. "Was he?" William shrugged his shoulders, unsure. "Shoot. We should have checked for that. Damn. It's the first thing you always do, right? Stop the bleeding?"
"We didn't see any blood," William said to Casey, then turned back to Becky. "I'm pretty sure. We would have blood on ourselves if there was. You would have for sure. You pulled him back from under the beam."
"The beam?" Casey asked. "How big was this beam?"
"Pretty big," Becky said. "It was the boom, actually. From the crane. The crane crashed too."
"The crane crashed?" Casey's face grew pale, and he could feel that nauseated feeling starting up in the bottom of his gut. He fought it this time. This is a real emergency, he told himself. People's lives are on the line. There's no time to be weak about this. Buckle up, shut up, and get on with the job.
"A couple of cranes came down actually," William added.
"More than one? Holy jeez." Inside, Casey kept repeating over and over, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. "There could be some internal bleeding." Becky's face grew grave. "Where was the boom lying on him?"
"Umm." Becky hesitated. "Mostly across his legs. He was sort of sitting and wedged between the boom and some other rubble."
"OK, then maybe no internal bleeding. That would be good. Should bring splints though. He's probably got broken bones." Casey saw Becky's ashen face. "It's OK. Broken bones are better than internal bleeding. Bones will heal."
"You a paramedic?" William asked as Casey began to collect the equipment and bring it back to the middle of the floor. Some of the cabinets were locked, and he had to hunt around to find the keys. He placed a basket stretcher in the middle of the floor and started to load up all the supplies.
"Are we going to have to carry all that?" Becky said. "It looks really heavy. You sure we'll be able to do it? It's quite a walk back to the skyscraper."
"We'll take turns. There's three of us," Casey answered.
Becky looked to William. "I don't know if I'm strong enough to hold the end of that for more than half a block. You guys will have to do most of the work."
"Aren't there wheels or something for that stretcher?" William called out to Casey, who had disappeared into a back room. Casey finally came back out carrying two more big box kits with handles. He was running out of room trying to fit them into the stretcher.
"I think we may have to carry this without the stretcher," Casey said.
"Did you hear me?" William asked.
"What?" Casey replied, looking frazzled.
"He asked," Becky started to repeat, "if there were wheels--"
"Right," Casey interrupted. "Yes, wheels. That's a good idea. We're walking anyways, so we can wheel all this there. That'll be much easier." Becky shook her head. "I can carry these two kits, and you two can wheel the stretcher. Hang on." He disappeared into another room, and came back with the wheels and folding frame that lifted the stretcher.
"Have you done this before?" William asked.
Casey popped the stretcher up to full height, and almost dropped one of the kits over the side. He caught it just before it fell. Placing it back in the stretcher, he secured it with a strap.
"Is it that obvious?" Casey said. "It's actually my first day. I am a little nervous. Sorry. But, don't worry. I'm fully qualified. Graduated at the top of my class, and looking forward to my first rescue." Casey did his best to grin from ear to ear, while at the same time suppressing the bile that was trying to force its way up his throat.
There was one of those awkward moments when everyone knows what's supposed to happen next, but no one wants to take the first step. It could be fear, or uncertainty, or a knowledge that what was about to come next would be painful and hard. All these feelings created the same result. Paralysis.
"I'm not actually supposed to leave the building," Casey mumbled. William and Becky just stared at one another.
"What are you suggesting?" Becky asked.
Casey swallowed hard.
"You're not suggesting that we should take this stuff and do the rescue ourselves, are you?" William asked. "That would be insane. You really aren't supposed to leave?"
"You're not just making that
up, are you?" Becky said. "You look scared."
Casey shook his head hard, and said the next words with a tinge of anger. "I'm not. I am absolutely not afraid. I want to go, I'm just saying what my orders were. The thing is ... I know what we're about to get into. I know who's going to be responsible for whether your friend lives or dies. That's a big deal, and it's my first time. So ... don't ever call me a coward. I'm not. I just need a minute."
Casey walked to a big white-board on the wall that had everyone's current assignments. Next to his name was an empty white square. He picked up a red marker, and wrote in the square 57th & Broadway Construction Site, Code 11-18.
"Follow me," Casey said as he picked up the two kits that wouldn't fit into the stretcher and headed out the door.
Chapter 27 ~ Mutiny
There's a saying amongst boaters from all walks of life, be they professional or recreational. You should never step down into a lifeboat. To the uninitiated, at first glance, that may seem an unreasonable statement to make. The reason for saying so is that if you're stepping down into a lifeboat, it means by inference that you're stepping down from a higher position. Most likely, since you're out in the middle of a body of water somewhere, that position is the deck of your mother ship. Through deductive reasoning, one could assume that if the deck of your mother ship is higher than your lifeboat, then your mother ship hasn't succumbed to Davey Jones' locker yet. It hasn't sunk. The point of the saying is that no matter how desperate the situation may be, if your mother ship is still seaworthy and afloat, abandoning it for the sake of a significantly smaller and less capable lifeboat would be foolhardy. Boats are remarkably resilient machines. By some estimates, human beings have been spanning the waters by boat for close to ten thousand years. We've learned a few things about boat design in that time. Human beings, on the other hand, are not always so resilient. Sometimes they let fear get the better of them. There are countless entries in the maritime records where crews have abandoned their boats and were never seen from again. Their boats, however, would be found still afloat days or weeks later. They'd be a little worse for wear, but with repairs, ready for the next voyage.
EMP Survivors (Book 1): Destination Lost Page 13
