‘Well, we knew that,’ said Richard, returning to his ropes. ‘Come on, let’s turn back before—’
There was a jolt and Richard fell face first onto the coil of rope. Josh and I steadied ourselves on the cables. The bow of the boat had suddenly twitched to starboard, as if yanked by an unseen rope.
‘Christ,’ said Richard, getting to his feet, ‘what was that? Did we hit something?’
‘I didn’t feel anything. Are you OK, Maggie?’
‘I’m fine, but I think this wheel is trying to tell me something. It wants to go that way.’
The bow twitched again. We were moving.
‘It’s a current,’ said Richard. ‘Look.’
He pointed to the water as he made his way back to the helm. The calm surface was riddled with twists like eddies in a brook.
I turned to Josh. ‘Stay at the front, Josh, will you? Tell us what’s ahead.’
He nodded and took his place at the bow while I followed Richard back to the cockpit. He had already taken the helm from Maggie’s hands.
Another twitch. Maggie fell, crying with pain as her shoulder hit the bench. Dani helped her up.
‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes,’ she said, wincing, ‘but are we picking up speed?
‘Damn right we are,’ said Richard, glaring ahead, ‘we’re caught in it. Shit.’
‘Land!’ Josh shouted from the bow. ‘Loads of it.’
We were being dragged into the archipelago, thrown between the currents that encircled each island. The inhabitants looked up as we passed, stopping whatever they were doing – shifting timber, rocks or fish – and watching us, half-naked and scratching their heads from their shore. With each one we passed we seemed to gain speed and lose more control, until it felt as if we were helplessly navigating a river’s rapids.
Richard attempted a starboard turn, but a dull thud travelled up through the deck.
‘No.’ He centred the wheel. ‘No, we definitely hit something that time. I can’t turn, we don’t have enough space.’
‘Try the engine,’ I said. ‘Put it in reverse, see if we can slow down.’
Richard turned the ignition and the engine spluttered awake. He pulled the throttle back. The motor strained but the current still pulled us on.
‘It’s not powerful enough.’ He switched off the engine. ‘We need to use the sails. Here, take the helm.’ He pointed at Dani. ‘I need your help, come with me.’
Dani scrabbled after him.
‘What do I do?’ I called.
‘Just keep us as far away from the islands as possible. I’m going to try and use the mainsail to slow us down. Josh, keep a look out, Dani, help me untie this sail.’
As they went to work on the fastenings, I stiffened my grip on the helm, trying to quell its spasms as the water coaxed it from port to starboard. A heavy thud rocked the hull and for a second I lost control of the wheel, but Maggie jumped up and caught it. Together we drove it back to its centre.
‘Josh,’ I cried, catching my breath, ‘how are we doing?’
‘I don’t know. It looks like we’re heading into … it’s like an alleyway or something.’
Two taller islands appeared ahead with a thin strip of water between them. Their high banks formed a gulley into which we were being dragged. We passed through its entrance and into the shadow of its walls.
‘Stop,’ I called to Richard and Dani, who were still unfastening the mainsail. ‘We’re slowing down.’
They both stood and looked up in awe at the eerie mud-faced cliffs through which we were now passing. The current still pulled us, though less violently now, and we followed its slow bends left and right.
‘We could turn here,’ said Richard, ‘and I think there’s enough wind to sail us out, especially if we use the motor too.’
‘We’d still have to negotiate that current again. I say we keep going.’
Richard hesitated, eyes dotting around the boat. Then he looked back at me.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘Your call, skipper.’
Chapter 18
The gulley ran for miles. I stood at the helm allowing the soft current to carry us between its crags while Josh watched for obstacles at the bow. It felt like we were in deep water again, no thumps or cracks from the keel. A light wind blew from the stern but we kept the sails down.
Richard disappeared below deck to scour Staines’ maps for a possible position. Dani helped. Maggie brought me black tea.
‘You suit that wheel,’ she said, placing a mug in the cockpit’s holder. She pulled a tobacco pouch from her shawl pocket and deftly rolled a cigarette with her one good hand. Colin sprang from her shoulder and began clambering between the ropes.
‘I don’t know about that,’ I replied. ‘I do like the feeling, though. There’s something, I don’t know, real about it.’
‘Real? How so?’
I paused, trying the trick of thought before speech.
‘I’m steering the boat, but only by so much. There’s no illusion that I’m in control. I’m just doing my best.’
She lit her cigarette and took a long drag.
‘Spoken like a true mother,’ she said on the outward breath.
‘Dani seems … strong,’ I said.
She raised her eyebrows and tapped her ash. ‘She’s always been her own person, even when she was little. Fierce. I used to call her my warrior.’
‘Was it always just you and her?’
‘Mm-hmm. Her father doesn’t know about her.’
‘Who was he?’
She shrugged. ‘Some soldier. English. A bad idea, like I said. He was only in the barracks for two weeks before being shipped off to Afghanistan. Never came back.’
‘Doesn’t she ever wonder who he is?’
I sensed a bristle of irritation. ‘Why would she? I raised her, did everything for her, made her the woman she is today.’
She looked away, and I decided to stop talking.
‘What about you?’ she said after a short silence. ‘You’re separated from your husband, no?’
It was my turn to bristle. ‘Not exactly, we’re just not in the same place. He couldn’t get on the boat. Bryce thinks—’ I stopped. ‘Actually, it doesn’t matter what Bryce thinks. I just want to get to my children.’
I kept my eyes ahead, but I could feel her watching me in that unabashed manner that only children and people over fifty-five can manage. Those ages inhabit some realm of unlearned wisdom, I’m sure of it. Something else happens in between.
‘You’re a brave, strong woman, Beth. And take it from me, you can do what you’re about to do without help.’
I glanced at her.
‘What is it you think I’m about to do?’
‘Rescue your children. Find a safe place for them. Raise them on your own. Am I wrong?’
The words crept over me like the mist.
‘Not easy waters, I’ll grant you,’ she went on, ‘but you can navigate them without the help of a man.’
The hatch shot open and Richard’s long frame emerged. He brandished the map.
‘I think we know where we are and how to get where we’re going.’
Maggie gave me a flat look. ‘Well, that was unfortunate timing.’
‘What?’ said Richard, looking between us.
‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘Tell us where we are, number one.’
He gave me a curious look and spread the map on the cockpit shelf.
‘Here.’ He pointed at a hill range north of Cadiz. ‘I went over it several times with your daughter, Maggie – she’s quite the stickler for detail, by the way – and we both agreed … finally … that we absolutely have to be between the summits of these two hills. It’s the only thing for miles that resembles this gulley, and there are – were, at least – tonnes of wind farms along this coast. If we’re right, it means that if we follow the current then we’ll leave it about five miles from what used to be the coast. All we need to do then is take a rough bearing and head out
into the Atlantic.’ He glanced around the map, rubbing his stubbled chin. ‘I think.’
‘That doesn’t make sense,’ I said. ‘How can the water be so high around here when it was only, what, ten metres in Gibraltar?’
Richard looked at me. ‘I don’t know how much you experienced of Britain, Beth, but we saw a lot when we ran through it. Crumbling coastlines, craters that stretched to the horizon, canyons where cities used to be. Those things tore the country apart, and from the looks of it they did the same here; there’s every chance this coast sank.’
‘Sank? Is that even possible?’
He looked grimly back at the map. ‘It would explain the tsunami that took the Unity. If continents are breaking apart at the edges then anything could happen.’
I chewed my lip. ‘OK, well, we don’t have much of a choice now anyway. We follow this and then head south-west. We can try to find our bearings again when we’re out in the Atlantic.’
‘Good idea.’
I looked at him. ‘Is it?’
‘I don’t know, Beth. I know a bit about sailing, but next to nothing about nautical navigation. I’m sure we’ll work it out, though. Someone had to once, right?’
‘No manual.’
He smiled. ‘No manual.’
I turned to Maggie. ‘Maggie, this is your last chance get back on dry land. Shall we drop you and Dani here?’
She gave a flat smile and shook her head. ‘It would appear that I no longer have a choice in the matter. I think we’re coming with you, if that’s all right.’
‘Of course.’
Her smile fell and her head turned. ‘What’s that noise?’
‘What noise?’ said Richard, walking to her side.
She held up a finger. ‘Shh.’
In the distance there was a low humming; a growl drawing near.
Richard turned, his jaw set. ‘That’s an engine.’
My pulse raced. ‘It’s Staines,’ I said. ‘I know it is. How far?’
‘I don’t know. A mile?’
I fumbled with the ignition. Richard swung past.
‘Don’t, he’ll hear it, and anyway, we’re going to need more than that if we want to outrun him. That sounds like a much bigger engine than this lawnmower. Josh?’
‘Yeah?’
‘I need you to raise that jib.’
Josh eyed the two sails.
‘One at the front, Josh,’ I said. ‘You pull the cable at the bottom and lash the—’
Richard broke in. ‘He knows how to do it, don’t you, Joshy?’
Josh went to work on the cable while Richard called down the hatch.
‘Dani, I need your help with the mainsail. Quickly.’ Dani darted out and attacked the cover’s knots. Richard shouted into the now empty cabin. ‘And it would be really fucking useful if you could lend a hand some time, Bryce.’
There was a distant groan. Richard slammed the hatch shut.
‘What do you want me to do?’ said Maggie quietly to me.
‘Er … er … just keep a look out behind, Maggie, please. Tell me when you see them.’
‘OK,’ she said, smiling. ‘Don’t worry, keep calm.’
Keep calm, I thought, as she went back to the stern. How can I keep calm?
I watched the three at work on the foredeck.
‘Josh,’ I said, weakly. ‘How’s the jib?’
But he didn’t hear me. He’d stumbled and lost his grip on the cable.
I could do that, I thought. I know how to do that.
‘Christ, Josh,’ said Richard. ‘Dani?’
‘What?’ She was struggling with a knot.
I’m good at knots. I’ve got stronger fingers than her. I could untie that.
‘Go and help Josh, will you.’
Dani gave a frustrated yell and threw down the knot, stomping over to where Josh was fumbling with the cable. ‘Give it here!’
Josh fell back, lost for what to do. Richard glanced at him.
‘Well, come and help me, then!’
Josh, pale-faced, crawled over the deck and felt his way along the canvas.
‘What do I do?’
‘Just untie that flaming knot!’
I turned.
‘Maggie, any sign?’
‘No, but it’s definitely getting louder.’
I could do that too, I thought. I could do all of this.
‘What’s the wind doing, Beth?’ shouted Richard.
‘What?’
‘The wind! What direction is it blowing in? I can’t see from here.’
‘Oh …’
I looked up at the swinging vane.
‘Getting closer,’ said Maggie.
‘Er … coming from the right, I mean left.’
‘What?’
‘Port.’
‘Right.’
The mainsail was free now. Dani had released the cable and raised the jib.
‘Done!’ she yelled, as a gust of wind pulled us ahead. I battled to control the helm as the boat threatened to swing into the starboard wall.
‘Good, now take this line, Josh and … no, not there, oh for God’s sake.’
With another rasp of frustration, Dani strode over and snatched the line from Josh, threading it through a winch.
‘That’s it, now turn,’ said Richard. ‘The boom’s going to swing out starboard. Josh?’
Josh was crouched against the guard rail, hugging his knees.
‘Fine. Dani, ready?’
‘Yes.’
‘I see them,’ said Maggie. ‘I see them, they’re close.’
‘Shit, Richard?’
‘OK, turn that winch. Josh, we could do with your help.’
The mainsail began to rise. Josh watched it from his self-imposed cocoon.
‘Josh!’
‘They’re gaining on us,’ said Maggie. ‘Looks like they’re in one of those gin palaces we saw.’
My imagination was suddenly assaulted by the figure of Tony Staines looming somewhere behind me. I turned. In the distance a vulgar, fat boat motored through the mist, and standing on its prow with his hands on his hips stood the man himself.
‘It’s him,’ I said. ‘It’s him.’
Suddenly a gust took us and I turned to see the mainsail billowing halfway up its mast, with Richard and Dani on the deck. In the shock of movement I lost my grip on the helm and it span violently to the right.
‘Port, Beth, port!’ shouted Richard, scrabbling to his feet. But the boat had already found its path and now shot diagonally across a thin section of gulley. Before I could compensate there was a sickening crunch as the boat hit land, where it creaked and stopped.
I froze, hands still on the wheel and staring madly ahead at the patch of soft earth into which we had become lodged. The mainsail flapped uselessly. The pitch of the engine behind us dropped.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, but nobody heard.
Richard had stopped giving orders and grabbed a long hook with which he was attempting to push the boat away from the land. Shakily, Josh wiped something from his cheek and found a hook of his own to help with, leaving Dani in mute struggle with the winch.
‘Beth,’ said Maggie, backing away from the stern.
Staines’ boat had drifted to a stop about fifty metres from us, and he watched us, half smiling from the prow. There were five others visible on the boat, one at the helm and the rest on each side of the deck, guns raised.
Dani had joined her mother’s side. With her eyes on Staines she carefully reached into a seat cavity and pulled out two guns, one of which she gave to her mother. Maggie shook off her sling and the pair crouched, taking aim.
Staines’ voice jarred the silence.
‘You appear to have hit a spot of bother.’
Nobody responded. Josh and Richard struggled with the hook.
‘Yeees,’ Staines continued, ‘extremely big keel, the Salar 40. Makes it damn near impossible to capsize but an absolute bugger to manoeuvre, don’t you find? Of course, if you’d taken this
beast you’d have been right as rain. No sails to worry about, big engine, oh, and plenty of fuel on board too. Quite sufficient for an Atlantic crossing. As it is, you’re stuck with that old bird.’ His tone darkened. ‘My old bird. I do hope you haven’t damaged it.’
Maggie raised her head. ‘This isn’t your boat, Tony. It never was. You stole it, just like everything else.’
‘Maggie,’ he beamed, ‘good to see you as always, but I’ll have you know I paid for that vessel fair and square. It cost me forty-six thousand euros, which was pretty much all the money I had left after that bitch cleared me out. So you might say it holds a certain sentimental value.’
‘We have two high-powered rifles aimed directly at you, Tony,’ said Maggie.
‘And I have four at you.’
‘My daughter’s a crack shot. She could pierce your fuel tank before you knew it.’
He smirked. ‘My men would kill you in a second.’
‘And risk damaging your precious boat in the process?’
His smile withered, replaced by a scowl. They were drifting closer now, and beads of sweat were visible on his ruddy skin.
‘Take it,’ I said.
His eyes flicked to me. ‘What?’
‘You take your boat back and we’ll take that one. Then we go our separate ways.’
Tony removed his hands from his hips. He shifted his weight between his feet and frowned, as if considering the offer – and for a second I honestly thought he would take it – but then a hollow, lifeless look took hold of him and his hands dropped to his side.
‘If only it were that simple, Beth.’
‘Why isn’t it?’
‘Because my boat wasn’t the only thing you took. A few hours ago I had an army, almost two hundred loyal men and women under my command. But thanks to you and that little device of yours they’re all either dead or on the run. You’ve left me with nothing, Beth. Do you understand? Do you know how that feels, to have everything you value taken from you in one fell swoop?’
My jaw tightened. ‘Yes.’
‘Then you’ll know exactly why I’m not of the mind to just let you go. You’ve ruined me, Beth. And I’m taking that very personally.’
He stopped, distracted by something behind us. The men behind swung their guns.
‘Keep two on them, you idiots,’ he hissed, gripping the guard rail.
The End of the World Survivors Club Page 16