by Lee West
Mike motioned to Joe and Meg to come to the lifeboat, getting their attention immediately. Brett and Nancy were right behind them.
Frank glanced up at them and paused. “Listen up! I’m going to get the boat in place. Once I do, we need to all load in quickly and then I’ll drop us down. I want the entire evolution to take less than three minutes. Got it?”
He looked at each person, confirming a willingness to follow the plan. The last thing he wanted to do would be to get the boat into place and then have someone waffle trying to decide whether going was the right call.
Tightening his grip on the cradle arm, Frank began pulling back the lever. The lifeboat silently swung out of its nesting spot and was suspended in midair over the ocean. Next, Frank slowly lowered the boat. The cables whined as line was let out in a smooth movement, bringing the boat level with the deck.
“Mike! Get the rail and door!” shouted Frank.
Just as Mike moved to the suspended boat, a man emerged on the deck.
“We have company!” said Joe in a panicked voice.
“Shit. Get under the other boats and hide. Quickly!”
Frank watched as the small man walked slowly toward them. He wasn’t security but seemed to be checking each lifeboat as he passed.
“What the hell is he doing?” said Frank, motioning to Mike.
“Raj?” whispered Mike to himself.
“Who’s Raj?”
“My roommate. I think that’s him.”
“Oh shit. Did you tell everyone? Can we expect the tooth fairy next?” said Frank.
“I didn’t say anything to him at all. You and Joe are the only two people who I talked to about our plan,” said Mike.
The man continued his slow walk toward them. As he approached, they could hear his whispered calls, “Mike? Mike?”
“Oh brother. Looks like your date is here,” said Frank sarcastically.
“Hey, Raj, what’re you doing out here?”
“Looking for you, man. I know you’re leaving, and I want off this ship too. The whole place is deteriorating, and there’s only enough food to feed everyone for another day. Maybe two days if we’re lucky. Can I come?”
“Yes, you’re coming!” interrupted Frank before Mike could answer. “Let’s get a move on before another patrol comes through!”
Frank made sure the lifeboat hung securely on the cables as Mike opened the guardrail and lifted the hatch on the boat. The others moved forward toward the boat.
“Okay. I’ll go first. Hopefully, I can get the lights working. If they don’t, then we should grab a different boat because the engine might be fried.”
Frank jumped into the dark lifeboat. The boat swung from his weight and movement. It tapped the side of the ship as it swung back and forth on the cables.
Although the interior of the lifeboat was dark, it had reflector strips on nearly every surface. The strips picked up the light from the ship and his flashlight, giving Frank just enough visual cues to maneuver through the dark interior.
The persistent guard patrols prevented him from being able to check the boat’s mechanical fitness. For all he knew, the EMP could have taken out the lifeboat’s engine and lighting system. If that were the case, they’d have to try other boats until they managed to find one in working order. The other possibility he worried about was that none of the boats were actually in working condition, leaving them to fend for themselves on the ship.
Moving to the middle of the vessel, he quickly located the command console used to drive the boat. The control panel and steering were four steps up above the level where the passengers were to be seated. The height allowed the pilot to look outside through the windows situated around the seat.
He climbed the steps and sat in the captain’s chair and flipped the switch for the lights. They flickered and then shone throughout the small vessel. Next he turned to the engine with fingers crossed. Lifeboats did not utilize ignition keys. Rather, the ignition was initiated by depressing a single button. Exhaling, he said a silent prayer and pressed the red ignition button. The engine did not respond. He tried again. Nothing. Pressing the button one more time, his mind scrambled with the lessons learned during their safety drills. He couldn’t help but think he was missing something. Finally, it occurred to him that he needed to lift the locking device. He was in such a hurry that he forgot a step! He quickly moved the flashlight into place, giving more light to find the lock. His hands shook as he moved them over the panel.
“What’s going on? Is it dead?” asked Mike inside the boat.
“I’m not sure yet! Give me another minute. If I can’t get it going within a second or two, we need to move to a different one!”
Finally, he located the switch and turned the lever to the on position. “Here goes nothing,” he silently muttered as he depressed the ignition button one last time. The powerful diesel engine flared to life, lifting his spirits.
“Let’s go! Get everyone in!” he shouted as he turned on more of the interior lights.
He chose not to turn on the exterior running lights until they were safely away from the ship.
“Watch your step! You need to step down! Quickly!” shouted Mike to the others.
“Crap! The entire boat is wobbling! We’re going to fall!” yelled a panicked Nancy.
“He says it’s fine, Nanc, just keep going!” yelled Brett as he moved into the boat.
Frank watched as the crew slowly made their way into the vessel. He was anxious to get them lowered and away from the ship. It was only a matter of time before another patrol or other passengers moved across deck eight.
“Get your lifejackets on and strap in!” he shouted in a loud whisper.
In the distance he heard, “Hey, you! Get away from that lifeboat!”
“Shit! We’ve got company. Raj, your turn!”
“Coming!”
Raj was the last one to pile into the boat. His excited jump to the boat caused such a violent swing in its position that several of them shouted out. Although the boat was secure in place, the movement unsettled Frank as he recalled a story he’d heard about a lifeboat drill disaster, which killed several crewmembers on a different cruise line. Something the cruise industry didn’t advertise.
“Close the damned hatch!” shouted Frank, no longer quiet.
Mike slammed the hatch into place and clamped down its locks, making the vessel watertight.
“Here we go! Hang on!” shouted Frank.
He pulled the lift brake governor and lowered the boat through the cold night sky into the waiting inky sea. The movement of the cables created a high-pitched screaming sound that unsettled everyone, including Frank. It had the pitch of a cat screaming. The sound added to the tension on board.
“You do not have permission to leave! Halt or we’ll shoot!” someone on the deck above yelled.
“They’ll shoot? You don’t think they’d dare, do you?” asked Nancy to no one in particular.
“This is ship’s security! Stop or we’ll shoot! You do not have permission to take the lifeboat! The Coast Guard has been notified!” the faceless man yelled into a loudspeaker.
“Shit! I thought the Coast Guard was MIA?” shouted Meg. “Shit! Should we be doing this? Maybe everything was fine!”
‘They’re bluffing. The coasties aren’t coming. And there’s no way they’d shoot!” said Frank as he sped up their descent. The whining sound from the cables intensified.
Just as he spoke, the sound of metal pinging on metal could be heard through the boat in various locations on its roof.
“Shit! They’re shooting!” yelled Joe.
In a panic, Frank let the lift brake governor out the entire way, dropping them the last twenty feet in a rapid run to the sea. Shouts from the small group were deafening in the confined space. Just as they should have hit the ocean, the boat jerked to a stop and the nose of the vessel dropped to the ocean, pitching them at a steep angle toward the sea.
“What the hell is going on?” shoute
d Meg.
“Something is wrong with the rear cable! It’s jammed! We need to free ourselves or we’ll get killed here!” shouted Mike.
Frank knew the situation was dire and that Mike’s assessment was correct. They needed to fix the cable fast. Bullets continued to ping off the top of the boat as they swung helplessly in the air. The side of the lifeboat crashed into the side of the cruise ship, with every swell violently bouncing them from side to side as they hung facedown.
“I know what to do! I can fix this! It happened during one of our drills! I just need to realign the rear cable! Frank! Pull the front cable up! I’ll go out and deal with the rear one!” shouted Mike.
Frank pulled the cable lever up, attempting to lift the front of the boat. The lever wouldn’t budge.
“It’s stuck! I can’t get any slack in the line!” he shouted.
“Alright! I’m heading out!”
Mike started to open the hatch, when Raj came to his side.
“No! I’ll do it! I know what to do too! You have a family, kids that need you! I should go!” screamed Raj in broken English as he pushed Mike out of the way.
Before Mike could protest, Raj scrambled out of the lopsided boat and onto its top.
Frank swiveled in the captain’s chair and watched as Raj moved with quick measured movements across the top of the boat. A large swell hit them broadside, causing the lifeboat to swing uncontrollably in a wide arc and then ram full speed into the side of the cruise ship.
Bullets continued to rain down on the boat. Frank hesitated and then flipped on the rear exterior lights. He didn’t want to draw attention to Raj but knew the man would need more light in order to realign the cable.
Frank watched as Raj grappled to hang onto the lifeboat’s deck-mounted handrails. His slight body was no match for the roaring sea. Miraculously the man made it to the back of the boat and began to realign the cable in order to free them. Frank pulled on the lift brake, trying to move the winches and pull the boat back to a parallel position. Just as he thought the force of his hand on the lever would snap it, the cables started wheezing again, pulling the boat even with the sea.
Glancing back at Raj, he watched as the small brave man clung to their lifeboat, desperately trying to make it back to the open hatch. A wave hit them again, causing Raj’s legs to come out from under him. The man’s grip on the handrail did not fail as his legs were swung over the edge of the boat. Frank could tell that Raj knew he only had seconds before the next wave. The man’s legs were kicking against the side of the lifeboat as he tried to get a foothold to bring himself up to the top of the boat again. Frank watched helplessly as the man grappled to save his own life, unable to offer any assistance.
The next wave came quickly. The lifeboat was thrown against the side of the ship, catching Raj’s body between the massive ship and the lifeboat. A bloodcurdling scream escaped from Raj’s lips as the boats violently clanged together, slicing him in half. The man’s face went slack, his eyes wide with fright as his hands unclenched, allowing his body to slip away to the dark ocean.
“Raj! I have to get him! He needs help!” yelled Mike.
“NO! Shut the hatch! He’s gone!” shouted Frank.
Mike stood stunned, incapacitated for a moment.
Frank yelled again, “SHUT THE HATCH! We’re hitting the water!”
Joe quickly unclipped his safety harness and ran to the open hatch. He pushed Mike out of the way and slammed the lid closed.
The lifeboat hit the water with a sudden jerk and then bobbed with the ocean’s movements. As the lifeboat moved to a low spot in the swells, a large red chunk-covered stain became visible on the side of the cruise ship, revealing what had occurred. Seeing the gore, Meg lurched and then vomited onto her shoes.
Once they landed in the water, Frank activated the hydrostatic hook release and freed them from the ship. He threw the boat into gear, revved the engine, and pulled away as quickly as he could from the cruise ship.
— 20 —
Joe held Meg’s trembling body as the boat moved fast over the waves. The sea was much rougher on the small boat than it had been on the large cruise liner. They were thrown around by the relentless and powerful force of the water as the diesel engine ground away noisily.
“I’m going to be sick again,” said Meg in a slight whisper.
The sound of her dry heaving made Joe feel as though he would also be sick.
“You’re okay. Just breathe slowly through your nose, you’ll be fine. Everything is fine. We’re safe,” he said, trying to soothe her.
“Safe? Did you see what happened to that poor man? And we just left him! What if that were you? Or me? Would we just be left too? I can’t believe I signed up for this!” she shouted.
Brett and Nancy eyed them and shifted in their seats, clearly uncomfortable with what had occurred during their escape from the ship.
“There was nothing to do for him. None of us could have saved him nor should we have tried. An attempted rescue could have cost other lives,” said Nancy with stony logic.
Mike removed his harness and moved to their side of the vast lifeboat, gripping the rails tightly as he carefully maneuvered toward them. The lifeboat was equipped to carry thirty passengers. It also contained a plethora of survival equipment. Mike lifted the seat cover across from Joe and began removing items from it.
“Under each seat, you’ll find a thermal blanket, water and an energy snack bar. I suggest everyone bundle up in his or her blankets. We can’t afford to freeze out here.”
Each of them stood, removing the seat covers and accessing their gear. The blankets were thin but made from a heat-reflective material. Once Joe placed the blanket around himself, he began to feel much better. The shaking in his legs began to slow and then stop as his body warmed. He hadn’t realized the extent to which the damp harsh cold had crept into his bones, making him feel sick. Meg also looked slightly better.
“Here! Take these!” said Mike as he handed something to Brett.
“What is it?” said Brett, unsure whether he should accept the pills.
“Seasickness pills. Everyone needs to take them right away,” said Mike.
“We don’t need them. We’re fine,” said Nancy, waving her hand.
“It’s standard lifeboat procedure; everyone takes seasickness pills. Once one person gets sick on the lifeboat, it can cause a ripple effect, making everyone else sick. Believe me, we don’t want to be in here if there’s a breakout of hysterical vomiting. Please take the pills,” said Mike kindly.
Brett put his hand out and said, “We’ll do it. Better than the alternative. Thanks.”
As Mike moved across the narrow space to them, Joe noticed for the first time how weary he looked. A sadness accentuated by deep exhaustion and stress changed Mike’s normally friendly face into one Joe barely recognized.
“You okay, man? Sorry about your roommate. He seemed like a nice guy. That really shouldn’t have happened,” said Joe.
“No, it shouldn’t have happened, but it did. I was just about to go out there and he stopped me. He volunteered to go for the sole reason that I have kids counting on me. I just can’t get over the fact that he knowingly did something so dangerous so that I wouldn’t have to,” said Mike.
Tears freely ran down Mike’s face as he stood swaying with the boat.
“We’re all very grateful to him. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn’t gone out there and freed us? We all owe him a great deal,” said Joe solemnly.
“I can’t help but feel like I could have done something to save him. Maybe if I had been out there too?”
“Cross decking with two vessels side by side in heavy seas is one of the most dangerous things we did in the Navy. Accidents happen during those maneuvers all the time. There was nothing you could have done to save him. Really, there was nothing you could have done, except maybe get yourself killed too.”
“Thanks, man. That makes me feel a little better.”
Mike
moved slowly away from them to his own seat. Joe checked Meg’s harness to be sure it was secure. She had finally succumbed to the heavy sedation caused by her seasickness and had fallen asleep. Her head lolled side to side with the movement of the vessel; however, the over-the-shoulder harness kept her firmly in place as she dozed. He covered her and kissed the side of her head then unclasped his own harness.
Mike made walking in the lifeboat during such heavy seas look easier than it was. Joe grabbed onto the overhead rails with a strong grip, trying to steady himself as he slowly moved to the command console.
“Frank! You okay up here?” said Joe.
“I’ve been better, but mostly okay.”
Brett moved to the other side of the console, joining them. The glass surrounding the pilot’s console afforded one a three-hundred-sixty-degree vantage point. He looked at the night sky with stunned amazement, like a child on Christmas morning looks at a pile of gifts.
“Wow! It’s dark out here. This is really amazing! Even the slightest constellations are visible without the lights of the cruise ship to interfere. Do you know which direction to move in? Do we have any navigational equipment to use?” said Brett.
“I’m just trying to get us away from the cruise ship as quickly as possible.”
“Good idea, but what direction are we heading in?”
“I have us pointing due west. If the captain had us going out to sea, then we were going due east. I figured I’d go in the opposite direction,” said Frank.
“Good plan. I’ll grab my telescope and notes. I should be able to get us back in the direction of Port Lorraine. It might not be spot on but close,” said Brett.
Brett moved away from the command console toward the bags he and Nancy had brought with them.
“How far can we go with this boat?” said Joe, turning back to Frank.
These are equipped to travel continuously for twenty-four hours at six knots,” shouted Frank over the diesel engine.
Discussing their plan or directions in any detail was nearly impossible with the roar of the engine.
“That’s farther than I figured it would go!” said Joe.