by Rick Potter
Sam thought of a quick answer. He didn't want them to know it was an idea he heard from their nemesis. "I don't know, I think I just followed a popup ad on the internet. It seemed like a good idea at the time."
"You must be the only one who clicks those things," Maddie snickered.
Conversations continued with laughter and future plans. It was a pleasurable diversion from their present reality, 'It doesn't get any better than this,' he thought.
A moment later, Jake yelled from the bow, "I see a boat!"
'It just got better,' he thought, twisting toward Jake who was pointing out to sea.
Sam, Maddie, and Emily rushed to Jake to see what he had spotted.
They clustered around the bow. "See it?" Jake said, still pointing.
Maddie scanned the horizon. "I don't see anything."
"Over there" Sam said.
"I see it now," Maddie said.
Sam peered through the binoculars on the starboard side at two o'clock, giving a play-by-play description of what he saw. "Looks like a bunch of kids dancing and drinking. They're on a Catamaran, maybe fifty, or more feet long." Then he paused.
Maddie, Emily, and Jake waited for more information, before he added, "They're probably a few miles from us. I wish the radio was working."
"What about the flares?" Emily suggested. "They'll be sure to see them."
Captain Kent had told them that was the only thing they needed to purchase. "That's what we forgot to buy," Maddie said. "We were in such a hurry to rush out of the store."
"Let's catch up to them, then," Jake suggested.
"That's a big boat. It's probably much faster than ours," Sam replied, then peered around the boat. "I've got it, follow me."
Sam ran ahead and stood in the cockpit. "We'll take the dinghy. It's lighter and probably faster than our boat."
"Good idea," Jake said.
They lowered the dinghy into the water behind the stern. Inside, was a tackle box with two fishing poles and a set of oars strewn across two benches, and a five-gallon plastic gas container beside the small outboard engine.
Sam climbed in the dinghy and examined the outboard. "It's got four horsepower, that's plenty." Then he hopped back into the cockpit.
"Cool. There's just enough room for all of us," Jake said.
"I don't think we should all go," Maddie said. "It'll be too heavy and slow it down."
Sam thought a moment. "Yeah, you're probably right. You go, and the kids and I will stay here."
"I'm not going out there alone. You and Jake go. We'll be fine here."
Sam and Maddie discussed who should go. Sam didn't like the idea of leaving them behind with Carlos and Andrea, and Maddie didn't want to be in the middle of the ocean in a small inflatable dinghy. "We better hurry and decide something," they're not getting any closer," Emily sounded.
"All right," Sam finally said. "I'll go. But let's check on them first." He was referring to Carlos and Andrea.
After listening for noise with his ear against the door, Sam unlatched and cracked it open just enough to peer inside. Carlos and Andrea lay in the same positions they had put them in. "Everything looks fine," he whispered to Maddie, standing behind him.
Maddie and Emily helped Sam with his life vest. "Dad, I think I should go with you," Jake said. "I discovered it."
Sam chuckled. Jake's offer didn't surprise him. "That's okay buddy, you stay here and protect your mother and sister. I won't be long."
"I agree with him," Maddie told Sam. She knew he still had an aversion to water, and didn't like the idea of him being alone in the middle of the sea in a small raft.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yeah, Just hurry back."
"Okay, hop in," Sam told Jake.
Maddie tightened Jake's vest and slipped the binoculars around his neck. After receiving their hugs and kisses, they climbed down the swim ladder into the boat. Jake perched at the bow, while Sam positioned himself next to the small outboard. "Do you know what you're doing?" Maddie asked.
"How hard can it be?" he replied. "Just like starting the lawnmower," then a thought flashed to him, and added, "That we used to use."
"That's what I was going to say," Maddie remarked. "Do you remember how?"
Sam pulled the choke, then yanked the cord. After a few attempts, the engine started.
Jake detached the rope from its hook and dropped it in the water, while Sam revved the engine. "Make sure you follow behind us," Sam said to Maddie.
"Okay. You two be careful, and hurry back."
"We'll be back soon with help," Jake said.
Emily turned toward the wheel and spun the boat around at full power. "Good luck, guys," she yelled.
When the dinghy sped, leaving a wake in Maddie's path, Carlos opened his eyes and moaned.
Chapter Thirteen
The sea was as calm as a lake and the sun shone through clear blue skies. It was a perfect day for recreational boating. It was the kind of weather boaters dreamed of. Carlos and Andrea had been subdued and bound, his family was together again, they had survived the stormy night, and he and Jake were on their way to their rescue boat. 'Everything is perfect. What could go wrong?' Sam thought.
Under power, Madeline could cruise between four to six knots, the four horsepower outboard could travel around 10. Madeline's bow was left in the distance, as the dinghy gained on the Catamaran.
Sam admired Jake's posture at the bow. He was like a veteran sailor in a crows nest peering over the sea in search of land. He expected him to cry out, "Land ho!"
He told Jake about the discussion between Maddie and him, and how they were going to do everything with each other. Jake spoke about his baseball team, and how he was determined to show-up his teammates this year. Sam promised to attend all his games. Sam told him about the camping trips they'd go on, and promised to teach him how to catch trout using night-crawlers, and bass using lures. They spoke about girls, but Jake made it clear they were a waste of time, stressing his desire to focus on baseball instead. It was a father-son moment. Not the first they had, but the first that gave hope for a brighter future.
"You know, Jakester? Despite everything that's happened, I'm very proud of you. You've really proved yourself on this trip."
"Thanks, Dad. You know? When you jumped in after Em, I was so scared. I thought for sure you and her were gonna drown. You were really brave to face the danger of the sea."
Sam hesitated, then said, "Perils of courage. If I would have thought about it, I probably wouldn't have done it. The longer you think about fear, the more difficult it is to overcome. Do you know what I mean?"
Jake gave it some thought, then said, "I think so. It's kinda like what Nike says, Just do it?"
"Yeah, like that, but it's more complicated. It's the ability to manage fear, rather than overcoming it." Sam sounded like a motivational speaker and was ready to change the subject, but Jake persisted.
"What do you mean, manage it?"
Whatever he said right now, Jake would remember his entire life, and probably pass on to his kids. He had to choose his words carefully. "Fear is only an emotion. As humans, we're programmed to think of the worse things that can happen," he said. "Does that make sense so far?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"You need to practice reinterpreting situations, and reprogramming yourself to think of the positive things, rather than the negative things."
Jake was puzzled.
"Let me give you a little example. When I was younger, my friends and were jumping from a waterfall. Everyone was screaming, laughing and having fun, except me. I was afraid of heights. It didn't look that high from the water where we were swimming, but once I was looking down from the top, it seemed like a mile drop."
"What did you do?"
"At first, I just stared down, letting everyone go ahead of me. The more I thought about it, the more scared I got."
"Did you finally jump?"
"My friends kept yelling for me to jump,
but I froze."
"What did you do?"
"I thought about how much fun they were having, and the good feeling I'd have splashing in the water and swimming. So I backed up so I couldn't how far down it was, then ran toward the edge of the waterfall and jumped."
"Wow. Did it hurt?"
"Not a bit. In fact, I did it several more times, and spent the afternoon having fun."
"So, you overcame your fear of heights?"
"Well, not exactly. I still have the fear, but I manage it, thinking of only the positive things, rather than the negative things. Understand now?"
"Yeah, I think I do. So, instead of spending time thinking of the bad things, think of the good things, and just do it."
"That's right, Jakester."
"I can't wait to try it."
A sense of relief came over Sam, so he continued. "Another way to manage fear, is not to put yourself in a situation that will create fear, but sometimes we don't have that choice."
"Like, when Emily was thrown in the water."
"Yes, exactly like that. I didn't have time to think about the fear, I just jumped, knowing I had to save her."
Sam's story was true, except it was his father who told it to him when he was a child.
Jake drew his shoulders back, and grinned. "Thanks, Dad." Then he looked puzzled.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, expecting to delve deeper in his explanation.
"Do you hear music?"
One hand on the throttle, the other holding binoculars, Sam gazed at the Catamaran. The crew were still dancing and drinking, but coming in much clearer view now. "We're getting closer," Sam said.
There were an equal mix of guys and girls, probably college students. 'Daddy's boat no doubt,' he thought.
Jake screamed and waved his arms. "Hello, we're over here. Help."
"Don't think their gonna hear, buddy. Sounds like they got the music turned up pretty loud."
Despite his father's words, Jake called out several more times. "Hey, over here! Help us!" then asked, "What are they doing?"
Minutes later, a young man strolled to the starboard side, holding a cell phone. Sam guessed it was his father who owned the boat. His clothing looked preppy and expensive, with a gold chain around his neck, and an expensive looking watch.
Jake continued waving and screaming, when the young man darted through his friends into the cabin, and returned with a pair of binoculars. From a distance, they were eye to eye. "Hello! Help us!" Sam yelled, waving his arms. "They see us," he told Jake.
The young man smiled and waved. Sam surged from his seat, knocking the gas container over. "Please, we need your help. Stop."
The young man placed his thumb and pinky to his mouth like drinking from a mug of beer. Then he performed a wobble like he was drunk. "He doesn't know what we're trying to say," Sam said.
One of the girls approached the man. She looked angry. 'The girlfriend,' Sam surmised.
Sam could see he was trying to tell her about the dinghy, and even tried pointing, but she'd slap his arm down. She pointed her finger at him, then shoved him back. He yelled something to her, then she grabbed his arm and pulled him back toward the others before disappearing into the cabin.
Shortly after, Sam noticed the Catamaran's wake increase in size, pulling away from the dinghy. "They're going about twenty knots now," Sam mumbled. "We'll never catch them."
"What happened?" Jake asked.
"I don't know. It looked like he was trying to tell her about us, but she was angry, maybe wanting to get home faster."
"Keep going, maybe they'll see us, again."
Sam took his seat and reached for the gas container to stand it back in its place. It was lighter than it should have been. Curious, and with no effort, he lifted the container over his head toward the sunlight. It was empty. He glanced at the fuel indicator, it was in the red.
###
The inside of the bedroom cast a foul odor of singed hair and scorched skin. Damp bedding from the leaking hatch roof added an odor of mildew. It was a smell certain to have an effect on one's sinuses. Finally able to keep his eyes open, Carlos tried to move, but the excruciating pain radiating through the surface of his scalp forced him to stop. He felt the restraints around him and a body next to his. He guessed it was his sister. "D? Are y-you awake?"
His hair had been burnt down to his scalp, revealing blisters the size of his knuckles. "D?" he said, again. "W-Wake up. Are you okay? M-My head hurts r-really b-bad."
His slight movement awakened her. "What's wrong?" she moaned. "Where are we? Are you all right?"
"M-my head hurts. I w-was on f-fire. I'm sc-cared."
Andrea's body ached. She was infuriated. No so much at the thrashing she received from Maddie, but by her lack of awareness of allowing them to get the jump on her.
While in prison, she learned to anticipate an attack before it happened. Prison women weren't sharp when it came to concealing their intentions. They didn't have to be, there was nowhere for an inmate to run. They'd stand in groups and stare at their victim, or approach them with their arm tucked behind their back, an indication someone was about to be stabbed.
"What do you mean, on fire?" she asked, sniffing the foul odor lingering in the room.
Carlos sounded like he was ready to cry. "Th-They lit m-me on f-fire," he repeated. "They b-beat me."
Andrea couldn't believe what she was hearing. She hadn't seen him get a beating since they lived with their mother and father as children.
"How did they do that?" she asked. She was becoming angrier.
"I d-don't know. Th-They just did."
Andrea tried to move, but the ropes tightened. "Can you work your hands through the rope?"
"It's hard. My n-neck is t-tied, too." With each tug and twist of his hands, the rope dug deeper into him. "Stop," she said. "Do you still have the pocket knife I gave you?" She had taken a Swiss Army knife from glove compartment of the car with the child seat. She thought it would be a nice gift for her brother, and help take his mind off her being gone for so long.
"Yeah, I th-think so. It sh-should be in m-my p-pocket."
"See if you can reach it."
He struggled to get his hand in his pocket. He worked the knife to the top of his pocket, then grasped it. His fingers were too large and clumsy to open the blades. I c-can't open it."
"Let me try," Andrea said.
Andrea fingered the knife from Carlos's hand, but was only able to use her touch to feel which blade she was opening. She opened the fingernail file, then a screwdriver and bottle opener, all of which she retracted. Then the scissors sprung open, but the blades were too dull. The next blade was the knife. She ran her thumb across the blade, it was only a little sharper than the scissors, but it would have to do. She wrapped her hand around the handle of the knife, then in an awkward movement, ran it over the rope, a quarter of an inch both ways. "See if you can rock a little," she told, him.
###
Carlos continued to rock back and forth as Andrea held the knife pressed against the rope. A few minutes later, another strand had snapped. "How l-long do I have t-to d-do this?"
"Not much longer," she answered, concentrating on keeping the knife steady. "We're almost there."
Several minutes later, the last strand snapped free. Andrea felt the sudden release of pressure, as the rope unraveled between their wrists. "Got it," she said, then cut Carlos's hands free and unwrapped the rope from around his neck and feet. When she was able to turn toward him, she noticed his head. "What the hell?" she said. Then she muttered words in Spanish.
A part of her wanted to kill the family for what they did to her little brother, the other part told her this was their last payment before beginning a new life. "What did they do to you?" The burns had to be at least second-degree.
Carlos tried to touch his head, but the sting was too great. She had never imagined someone would ever get the best of him. "Let's get some water on you."
"W-what about you?" He cou
ld see his sister had been beaten. Andrea's face was swollen with cuts, and dried blood.
"Don't worry about me," she said. "Let's take care of you."
Carlos dropped to his knees in the bathroom, then hung his head over the sink. "This might sting a little," she said, "but it'll make it feel better."
After soaking his head in water, she asked, "How's it feel?"
"It still hurts, b-but better."
Andrea found a towel and wet it. "Put this on your head."
"Th-That f-feels nice," he said, then seated himself on the bed.
"Do you think you can bust the door open?" she asked him.
He rose and tapped it with his knuckle. "N-No p-problem."
###
Sam made a u-turn back to Madeline. About two miles ahead in the distance, Sam could see the bow heading toward them. "Dad, we can't go back yet, it's just a matter of time before they turn around and come save us."
"Jake, we can't risk it, we're almost out of fuel. If we keep going and they don't see us, we'll run out for sure."
"But Mom and Emily will catch up to us. What do we have to lose?"
Jake had a good point, but Sam feared leaving Maddie and Emily alone on the boat for so long with Carlos and Andrea. He had to act responsible this time. He'd never forgive himself if anything happened to them.
"Just sit tight," he told Jake. "If they see us again, they'll turn around and come back."
Jake remained on the bow, scanning the sea. Sam maintained full throttle hoping they had enough gas to get them back. Soon, Madeline drifted to port side. Unable to detect a wake behind her, he knew she had become adrift. Sam wasn't going to mention anything to Jake, but he turned behind him and noticed the same thing. "Dad, what's going on? Why are they going in a different direction?"
"They're drifting," he mumbled.
"I don't see anyone," Jake said, then grabbed the binoculars.
They were about half mile away when Sam asked, "What do you see?"
After a few seconds, Jake answered, "I don't see Mom, or Em."
A hundred yards from Madeline's port side, the small outboard sputtered. "Are we running out of gas?" Jake asked, just before the engine cut out.
In desperation, Sam pulled the choke then pulled the ripcord several times. It only tore a thin layer of skin from his fingers.
