by P. R. Garcia
Viedma was the capital of the Rio Negro province and contained a population of around fifty thousand inhabitants. It would be their first large city to encounter. And their first possibility of meeting surviving humans, who may or may not be friendly. They debated about driving into the San Matias Gulf and scour the shoreline for possible boats, but that would devour their limited fuel. If they didn’t find any, they’d really be in trouble. Although the danger was greater, they decided to stick to the Space Station team’s plan and headed towards Viedma.
It was an eight and a half hour drive to the city. As Gayle and Lachlan took their turn at the wheel, they carefully monitored the fuel gauge. It was dropping faster than they anticipated. When the reserve tank hit the half-way mark, they refilled the main tank with the three five-gallon containers of fuel that had retrieved on Beaver Island. Hopefully, it would be enough to get them to their destination.
An hour out from Viedma, they caught the smell of death on the wind. It was blowing across the land and out over the ocean, carrying with it the scent of burned houses, dried blood and decaying flesh. They each covered their faces as before, wondering why the smell was still so prevalent. Nine months was more than enough time for the rains to wash away the scent. Even if the majority of scavengers had been wiped out, the flesh should have dried up by now like with the four sailors. Was it possible that the number of dead was so great that the earth was permanently saturated with the sweet, sickening smell of blood and rotting flesh? If so, what must the larger cities of New York, Chicago, London and Paris smell like? They moved closer.
Max halted their approach just outside one large marina. He surveyed the boats tied to the docks and anchored in the bay, trying to determine which ones had the best chance for fuel. He deduced that boats with a visible water line would be low on fuel, while those with their line under the water would probably contain fuel; the fuel made the ship heavier and sink lower in the water.
The young navigator debated his options. The vessels tied out in the harbor would be safer, but there were a number of sunken and half-sunken vessels scattered throughout, making their approach harder. Those tied to the dock offered a quicker fueling but came with more danger if humans were around. Picking the safer of the two options, Max stirred the boat towards the vessels in the harbor.
Max spotted a large whale-watching vessel to the left of their position. It appeared to be ensnarled amongst several sailing ships. More than likely, during some storm its lines became free from the dock, and it was thrown into the other ships. He saw no water line and surmised it should have a full tank in preparation for a voyage that never occurred. Although reaching it would be a little tricky, he felt it was their best chance to obtain the needed amount of fuel. He cautiously maneuvered their boat, steering around floating debris and sunken ships. Gayle and Lachlan stood on each side of the vessel shouting out directions and using wooden poles to move floating debris from their path. When they reached the whale-watching boat, Max saw what held it in place. Another sailing ship had sunk, pinning it against another boat and locking it in place. While it would keep the boat steady for him, it also prevented him from getting as close as he needed to be. He would have to get as close as possible, then jump the rest of the way. His hope was that aboard the other ship he’d find something he could use as a plank, such as a board or table, to walk back across on.
Once in position, Max stepped back and ran as fast as he could, making sure to clear the small railing and landed just short of his mark. He felt the cold salty water surround his legs and thighs as he fell into the ocean. Grabbing out with his hand, he was able to grasp the side rail and stop his fall. Pulling himself up, he crawled onto the deck. Thankfully, this time there were no dead bodies. Standing motionless, he surveyed the deck and listened for any sounds. It appeared to be deserted, yet he felt uneasy, like someone was watching him. He scanned the boats around them and the docks further away, but there appeared to be no one. Cautiously, he walked to the bridge, ready to run back to his own ship at a moment’s notice.
This time his luck did not hold out, and there were no keys in the ignition. He’d just have to siphon out the fuel and see how much there was. Calling over to Dr. Q to throw him the fuel line, he grabbed the hose and pushed it into the fuel tank. When it hit the bottom of the tank, he pulled it back up and was relieved to see a wet mark almost immediately. As he hoped, the tank was full.
“Okay, Dr. Q, turn on the motor,” he yelled, instructing the doctor to start the suction. As the fuel flowed from one ship to the other, he said a silent prayer of thanks to the powers that be for giving them their ship. Whoever had stocked it had put aboard everything they would possibly need to survive on the open ocean including a fuel siphon. It was a piece of equipment he never thought of.
After thirty minutes he could hear the tube starting to sputter and spit. They had reached the bottom. Dr. Q turned off the motor and pulled the hose back onto the ship. Max found a long wooden board and laid it between the bow of their ship and the stern of the other. Although very wobbly, he was able to walk across it without falling back into the ocean. Thinking they might need the board again, he and Gayle pulled it aboard. He ran up to the wheelhouse and checked the fuel gauge; the reserve tank was full and the main tank registered just under three-quarters full. Not bad. He steered the boat away and headed toward the next potential donor. His second and third choices were useless, having almost no fuel in them. Max wondered if they always kept their boats that low of fuel, if a leak allowed the fuel to drain out, or if someone else had already taken the fuel. The last two made him very uneasy. A tank leak could mean the bay was highly volatile. And the thought of someone else taking the petrol fueled his uneasiness. He started to see people hiding everywhere, just waiting for their chance to grab and steal their boat.
He debated about leaving without completely filling the main tank or the gas cans. But if they got it all now they wouldn’t have to stop until they reached Brazil. Decisions, decisions. Confident that his uneasiness was just paranoia, he looked around for another boat. The only one that appeared accessible was closer to one of the docks. He decided to go for it.
Slowly and carefully, he meticulously inched his way around the various boats to the large yacht with a helicopter on its top deck. Surely if any boat had fuel, it would be this one. He hopped on board and quickly located the gas cap only to discover it was secured by a heavy lock. Knowing it was probably hopeless, he ran to the bridge in case the keys were there. They were not. Determined not to let a lock beat him, he hurried around the boat trying to find something to use. A yacht this sophisticated should have all kinds of tools. Down below, in the maintenance area, he found a small acetylene torch. As he ran back upstairs, he once more had the uneasy feeling that something, or someone, was watching him. He quickly looked around and saw nothing. He turned on the acetylene and struck the wires, producing a small flame.
“Are you trying to blow us up?” a concerned Dr. Q asked when he saw Max put the flame down to the gas cap.
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” Max shouted back. “I need you two to keep your eyes and ears open. I think we’re being watched.”
“I told you,” Max heard Gayle say. Now he was really sure they were in danger.
As soon as he cut off the lock, he began the refueling. They were almost done when he heard shouting. He looked up and saw five men running down the nearest dock towards them, assault rifles in hand. Without even stopping the refueling, he jumped back onto his boat and gunned it, speeding away while dragging the hose full of fuel behind them, spilling the fuel out into the bay. He was going so fast, weaving in and out around boats and sunken debris, that Lachlan and Gayle could barely hold on, let alone haul in the dragging fuel hose.
As he swerved around the whale-watching boat, he saw two boats approaching; one from the right and one from the left. Ahead of them lay an island of broken boats and debris. They were trying to pin them in and cut off any escape to the
open ocean.
“Doc, I need you to turn that siphon back on, but this time I want you to pump the fuel out into the bay,” Max yelled, his heart beating hard in his chest as he formed a plan.
“Are you kidding?” Dr. Q asked.
“Not today. Trust me.”
Trusting that Max had a plan to get them to safety, Lachlan did as requested. He began to pump the fuel from the reserve tank out into the water. Max swung the boat around, spilling the fuel across the island of debris.
“Turn the siphon off. That’s enough fuel. Do either of you have a lighter, I hope?” Max yelled.
“No, but I have some matches,” Gayle replied.
“Even better. Light one and throw it into the water,” Max ordered.
“Are you crazy?” Dr. Q asked. “We’ll be trapped inside.” Max just stared at him. “I know, trust you. Go ahead, Gayle.” Gayle pulled out a match and lit it, tossing it overboard. The flame extinguished before it hit the water. She pulled out another one holding it over the side and closer to the water before striking it. Once it lit, she dropped it into the oiled water. The moment the lit match hit the water, the entire area went up in flames synching her hair. The flames spread rapidly across the water engulfing boats and the island of debris. Max did a hard one hundred and eighty-degree turn, throwing his companions to the deck. He then pushed the throttle as far forward as it would go, racing towards the island of burning debris as the two other boats zoomed towards them. Feet from the blazing island, they were suddenly airborne, sailing over the flames, catapulted into the air by a ramp submerged just beneath the water that Max had seen on the way in. Following in pursuit, the two boats watched in disbelief. They had no idea the ramp existed or where it was located. The closest boat did not have enough time to react and slammed into the burning pile, exploding on impact. Burning debris scattered across the water, making it impossible to follow. As our three scientists fled, they could hear fuel tanks exploding as more and more boat caught fire. When Max was sure they weren't being followed, he stopped the ship and hurried back to the others.
“Are you two okay? Max asked. “Did either of you get hurt or hit by one of those bullets?”
“Luckily, I think the men on the pier were too far away,” Lachlan stated as he helped Gale to her feet. “How about yourself?”
“Just a few cuts and bruises from slamming into the side of the boat when I did that sharp turn,” Max replied. “Guess we got the answer to the question of whether man has learned anything or not. I would say that’s a big no. He’s still as big a jerk as always, ready to take whatever he wants.”
“I think it might be in our best interest to stay away from the coastline and big cities,” Lachlan said.
“What about fuel and supplies?” Gayle asked. “We’re going to have to go onto land sooner or later. We can’t make it all the way up the east side of South and Central America on one tank of gas and a few boxes of supplies.”
“Maybe luck will be with us, and we’ll find a few boats drifting in the ocean or washed up on small, uninhabited islands,” Max said.
And their luck did hold with them, for over the next three days they encountered two vessels floating aimlessly, both of which had sufficient fuel in their tanks. They were even able to add to their food supply. The first boat had some field rations, a case of canned peaches and three cases of bottled water. The second boat had something else they needed – fresh clothing. And soap. Unfortunately, neither vessel had the other item they were in desperate need of – guns. None of them had thought to grab a few assault rifles when aboard the Hercules. After what happened at Viedma, it was an omission they greatly regretted.
Once they felt they were far enough away from their attackers and it was safe, they paused for a few moments to wash the sweat and dirt from their bodies. Lachlan and Gayle bathed in the ocean while Max stood guard. They were more fearful of pirates that any creature from below, but he kept a watch for sharks too. After they had bathed, Max jumped in, delighted to feel clean again. With a clean body, fresh clothes and a belly full of fresh tuna that Max caught, they were on their way once more.
As they neared the equator, the days became shorter and the nights became longer. Fearful of stopping, they continued moving through the night. Thankfully, the ribbed boat from the Hercules had come equipped with two pairs of night-vision goggles. Before they had abandoned her, they had removed the goggles and anything else of use.
On their fifth day out of Viedma, they encountered their first real rainstorm. The wind blew across the water, churning it up into six-foot waves. They crashed over and against the boat as it rolled over the crest of each wave and down into the trough, then up again. All three were extremely sick, unable to keep any food down. They had had no need of Dramamine at the Ice Station, so it wasn’t included in their first aid kit. Unfortunately, whoever owned the boat either didn’t get seasick or didn’t think the medication was necessary either, for there was none on board.
As far as they could see, the storm surrounded them. The rain was relentless, coming down in torrents. The ship was taking a beating, and several times they feared it would capsize as a wave caught them sideways, rolling the boat almost over onto its side. As night drew towards them, they wondered if they would survive until morning.
A massive bolt of lightning lit up the darkening sky. In the brief flash of light, Gayle thought she saw an island not far behind them. Of the three, she had the best eyesight, so neither Lachlan nor Max doubted her. Even though it was in the wrong direction, Max steered the vessel toward the location of the possible island. When another bolt erupted, he was surprised to see the small island less than a mile away. Had they been a few miles further east they would have run aground.
The island was no more than the top of an extinct volcano poking its head out of the water, but it appeared to have a small cove in which they might be able to weather the storm. There was no life on the barren chunk of rock except for five palm trees that were bending under the strain of the blowing wind.
Using the night vision goggles, Max was able to bring their boat inside the small bay. It was shallow, and he could hear the keel scraping along the rocky bottom. Once again, luck was with them, for the lagoon was on the leeward side of the island. The water was calmer, with only small waves rippling across the water’s surface. Although not a big island, there was just enough height to also cut down on the wind. They tied the vessel to the palm trees and secured their anchor on the beach. Once they were sure the boat would not move, they each collapsed onto a bed, chair or the floor, too exhausted and too sick to eat.
The storm raged on for two days. Although safe from the waves and the wind, the rain beat mercilessly onto the boat. They were able to look out over the ocean and were amazed at how tall the waves had grown. Had Gale not seen the shelter, they would certainly have capsized and drowned.
The third morning they awoke to a blue sky with no sign of clouds. They walked out on the deck to see two of the palm trees lying on the ground, blown over by the gall forces. Scattered about were coconuts knocked out of the trees, an excellent addition to their food supply.
Realizing the condition of the boat was their number one concern, the three colleagues jumped down off the back of the vessel. They were amazed to discover the water was only waist deep, certainly too shallow to move the boat back out into the ocean. Had they escaped drowning only to die on a lifeless island? Pushing the thought aside, they inspected their vessel. It had some pretty bad scratches and a few bumps, not no breaks or leaks. She had weathered the storm. While examining the ship’s outer hull, they notice the small lagoon was filled with a variety of fish. And three large lobsters apparently washed inside and trapped like themselves. Lachlan and Max were able to catch the three crustaceans while Gayle gathered palm fronds and some driftwood that was scattered along the beach. Before long, they had a kettle of water boiling over an open fire. They knew it was dangerous, but none of them could resist the thought of a lobster dinner
. For days they had eaten nothing but canned food and field rations. The idea of a real meal with taste and texture was too much to pass up.
While Max cooked the lobsters, Lachlan and Gayle walked the perimeter of the tiny island. Its shores were littered with all kinds of debris washed ashore by the force of the storm. They sifted through the rubble, looking for anything that might be of use. The variety of items led them to believe the debris was from the mainland, probably Brazil, meaning they might not be as far away from the coastline as they thought they were. If that were true, they were in jeopardy of being discovered and needed to get off the island sooner rather than later. With their boat sitting in the bay for anyone to see, a pirate boat passing by would surely spot them. After the incident at Viedma, they knew they’d have no chance.
They informed Max of what they discovered, including the location of the four boats stuck in the shallows. Like his colleagues, Max realized they must be closer to the mainland than he thought. Perhaps he had miscalculated Brazil’s physical location. Gratefully, lobsters do not take long to cook. As soon as they were done, Max immediately put the fire out, burying the embers in the sand so as not to create any smoke. Too worried to eat, he excused himself and went over to inspect the floor of the lagoon. Maybe he was just missing the solution to their problem.
