by Nikki Lewen
Leaving the area, they keep an eye out for any submerged obstacles and continue up the coastline. Almost missing the last gap between the main island and the smaller second, Sadie asks Jose to adjust course. They’ve kept a safe distance from shore, but without signs of hazards, Jose’s comfortable moving closer. When the landscape shifts and becomes familiar to Sadie, she takes a deep breath and relaxes just a touch, intrigued by the effect of seeing it.
Jose increases speed and they travel with the sun in their eyes. Nearing the southwest point, the conditions change as the wind picks up and the water turns choppy. They expected the western side of the island to have rougher waters, since it’s fully exposed to open ocean, but it’s even rougher than thought. Veering north, they catch the full force of the wind and a five-to-six-foot swell that’s rolling the sea. Jose makes adjustments, mandates lifejackets, and assigns both Sadie and Caleb emergency tasks. They scramble around, securing latches and equipment before returning.
Even though all the boat’s gauges display normalcies, and his confidence in how the vessel responds grows, a bit of nervousness develops within Jose. At his direction, they stay alert, keeping watch while talking about possible options: either they continue or turn around. Realizing they may need to return south and anchor near the tail for another night, they weigh the pros and cons.
Continuing could mean risking worse conditions and arriving later, in possible darkness, in waters rough for negotiating the coves tricky entrance. On the other hand, staying on course could be the only window to arrive home safely before it gets worse, since, the swell may be building. Because there’s plenty of daylight left, the conditions don’t seem to be worsening, and a rising tide favors them, they decide to continue, at least for another hour. Any longer than that will put them past the halfway mark and then their only option will be to force the vessel ahead.
Traveling, while wrestling with the decision, is nerve racking and each of them second-guesses the choice, especially as the ship crests a larger wave. It’s eerily quiet between them, except for an occasional utterance of checks as they monitor gauges and conditions. Sadie operates the radio, trying to contact the ladies on the homestead who should be within range. The lack of response only adds to their anxiety as Caleb points out a rogue wave while scouting ahead. Jose, nervous, maintains his composure, reassured by his vessel’s capabilities. He knows she’s designed to handle much worse, and—up to this point—there haven’t been any real problems.
When a transmission from Clara comes over the radio, Sadie quickly responds, reports their status, and requests an update on conditions near the homestead and cove. The old woman sends Anna out to check and by the time the girl returns, the sea has calmed slightly and the crew’s decision to push on is unanimous. As the sun sits lower on the horizon, the ship reaches the northwest point of the island where the ocean, still wind-blown and rough, becomes difficult to navigate. The swell’s direction hits the boat portside, causing Jose to continually adjust the bow to take the waves head-on.
Nearing the sea stack at their cove, they discuss strategies and how to safely time entry with the crashing waves. The final push will put the waves at their backs, making it difficult to monitor the sets. A wave could catch the boat and send it into the jagged, rocky sea stack or the massive cliffs, that soon will nearly surround them. Making their situation even more hair-raising is the fog that starts drifting in. Sadie, who’s been timing each set and counting waves, waits for a lull and then gives the go-ahead. Jose maneuvers and adjusts the boat’s speed as Sadie and Caleb take their stations. Their timing is going to have to be near perfect and if they don’t get it on the first attempt, they’re not guaranteed a second.
Taking the current and tides into account, Jose slows, briefly reverses the engine, and then idles the boat. The ship’s angle, possibly off, causes Sadie and Caleb to tighten grips on their pole tools as the sea stack nears. The two are tied in with safety harnesses that are getting their first real field test. The vessel adjusts, barely missing a jagged section, and Jose can feel his breath quicken. As the Intrepid II drifts, he gives it a three-second burst of propulsion so the boat’s angle aligns properly. As the ship gets positioned between the stack and the opposite cliff, the first wave of a set catches them.
Jose, prepared, feels the push and reverses the engine again. He does it again with the second wave and then quickly drops anchor. The maneuver stops them from smashing upon the cliffs as the wave’s energy catches and spins the vessel about. He yells, and they drop a secondary anchor. As the boat stabilizes, it sits almost directly behind the stack and inside the cove.
“That was gnarly!” Caleb exclaims, unhooking his harness and hurrying to rejoin the kid. “Nice job!”
With adrenaline still coursing through their veins, they wave to Clara and Anna on shore and cheer, celebrating the success. When it wears off, the reality of not being able to get ashore takes hold. They’re confined until the boat can be moored safely, which requires constant manipulation and possibly calmer waters. Waves, curling around the stack, keep rippling through the cove impeding the vessel’s progress, and soon, it becomes obvious, they’ll be forced to spend another night aboard. When it grows too dark to see, they settle below, hoping tomorrow getting to shore won’t take too long.
Keeping the mood celebratory, Sadie makes dinner, and afterwards, surprises them yet again. She’s planned for success and brought something else along, just in case. Relishing the rich, earthy aroma, Sadie closes her eyes while passing it under her nose. She cuts off an end, strikes a match, and takes several strong, controlled puffs. With the cigar lit, she passes it first to Caleb, who sits dumbfounded.
“When did you start smoking these?” he asks, before taking a puff.
Sadie laughs and shrugs her shoulders. Getting the cigar back, she takes another drag.
“Ohhh,” she replies exhaling, “only on special occasions,” she looks at Jose, “very special occasions.” She hands the stogie over to Jose. “And this, is definitely special.” Finishing her sentiment, she adds, “Congratulations…Captain.”
His eyes shoot up to Sadie’s and then back to the cigar. He’s never smoked anything before, but between being called captain and holding the cigar, he begins to feel grown-up. The feeling fades quickly, as Jose nearly chokes on the smoke. Coughing furiously, both Sadie and Caleb laugh hysterically.
When Jose’s able, he joins in on the laughter and tries again—only, this time much more cautiously. He pulls gently and lets the smoke waft around his tongue and out of his mouth. After another puff, the effects go straight to his brain, making Jose feel light-headed. Looking a little pale, he sits down and passes it back to Sadie, who offers some insight.
“It’s an acquired taste,” she says, taking another puff. “Hopefully…” she pauses, “we’ll have more celebrations to help with that.”
FORTY-THREE
When the Intrepid II returns safely, a huge relief washes over Clara and Anna. However, with the success of the trip, come new worries. Sadie, challenging Jose, pushes his abilities by drilling and practicing for an entire week aboard the boat. She’s adamant about his ability to operate the vessel completely solo, including safely departing and returning to the cove. There’s improvement with each of his attempts and when it finally happens, the empowerment fuels Jose; but the celebration is brief, and unfortunately, serves only as a reminder of the seriousness of what could lie ahead. With time concerns pushing her, Sadie transitions everyone to the next phase of the plan and departs with the boys for final preparations.
With them gone, Clara and Anna continue cleaning, organizing, and planning. Anna’s home is getting a thorough makeover, one room at a time, as the young girl decides the extent of change she’s ready to handle. Building courage, she leaves her parents’ room for last. Opening the door, Anna steps in, deeply inhaling their lingering scents, making it even more emotional for her. Remaining motionless, she sits on their bed and after some time, decides to star
t with the dresser.
By the time Clara checks, the girl has everything in the room sorted into various piles. For the rest of the day, Anna makes trips carrying items between her own bedroom and her parents’. While moving things back and forth, Clara inventories and organizes all the supplies recently brought to the homestead. The old woman, impressed with the quantity of goods, sorts through everything carefully.
For both, working helps keep their minds off the looming absence of the others. It’s difficult enough for Anna, struggling with the loss of her parents, let alone, with the additional new worries of potentially losing those now close to her. The anticipation of Gus’s arrival, accompanied with the knowledge that Sadie and Caleb plan to leave, adds even more stress. Anxiousness gnaws on Clara’s and Anna’s insides, but they recognize that, at least, they’re together, providing support and helping alleviate some of each other’s worry.
At the clearing, there’s also an underlying hint of anxiety, accompanying the daily grind of work and preparations. Jose, grateful for every task Sadie assigns, battles his nervousness when too idle. The boy’s responsibilities are tremendous. He listens intently and each night, as Sadie updates work details and reviews strategies, Jose grows a little more comfortable. Tonight, however, Sadie has something different organized, and the boy looks on with curiosity while trying to control his nerves.
Opening a small crate, Sadie puts on display a small arsenal of weapons, talking about each while doing so. On the underside of the lid, she roughly sketches the clearing and points out locations where each of them will be stationed if Gus lands. They’re already familiar with what she’s saying, but they’re mesmerized by the newest additions, especially since they helped moved the crate without ever knowing what it contained. Looking up, she freezes mid-sentence. Both boys haven’t spoken or taken their eyes off the guns.
“How’d…you get all of these?” Caleb asks, breaking their silence.
“My dad’s…buddy owned a military surplus business,” Sadie answers.
Caleb knows most of the items couldn’t have been bought in any store of old. Tilting his head, Sadie reads his expression and goes into further explanations.
“The two of ’em, spent a lot of time together, trackin’ down…specialty items. At the time, I thought it was a therapy of sorts. A hobby…they both needed. I didn’t know until later…when the Splitters…” Sadie trails off, then aggressively adds more, “When those bastards invaded, I got to see what my dad and him stockpiled, and…exactly what they’d been up too. There was more than enough firepower to take ’em down…and…we did.”
While the boys examine the guns, Sadie grows quiet. Seeing the assortment of killing tools reminds her of those days and of the loss of her father. Forcing the painful memories away and returning to the task at hand, she’s adamant about not being caught off guard, ever again. The plan is to keep everyone safe while taking whatever measures necessary to do so. With the focus back on their defense strategies, she shares her plan, until getting interrupted.
“Sadie. Is…all this…really needed? I mean…we know Gus is friendly,” Caleb says.
“Yeah, but we don’t know what’s changed,” she says, without hesitating. “What if it isn’t Gus who lands, or…he’s under someone else’s control? We’re gonna plan for all possible situations and…be prepared for whatever may come.”
For the next couple of days, Sadie drills them for various scenarios. Each of them has their own responsibilities, depending upon how things play out. As they become accustomed to their roles and more confident handling each weapon, Caleb and Jose see Sadie’s wisdom. She’s meticulous and covers everything, making safety their ultimate priority; yet, with each passing day, they still grow anxious. The helicopter’s arrival is expected, and not knowing for sure which night holds the full moon, means they’re not sure which morning the arranged extraction date will fall upon.
Each evening they hope for clear skies, but the ever-looming fog prevents a moon sighting, and there’s even the possibility Gus’s arrival could be an entire month later. All they know is the window for Caleb’s extraction is open. On high alert, they concentrate for any hint of the copter. Each morning, the routine becomes one of expectance—of constantly straining their ears and looking skyward. Taking a break to eat, the boys laugh and joke with one another. Sadie quiets them and standing with her head tilted, they see her seriousness.
Hearing what she does, all three of them disperse, scrambling to initiate the first protocol. At each corner of the landing area, they ignite small signal fires and take their places. As the noise grows, it intensifies, seemingly, in unison with their accelerated heart rates. Caleb hesitates and when Sadie signals, he strikes a flare. When it doesn’t ignite, he grabs another, it sparks to life, and carefully, the burning stick is waved.
When the wind suddenly gusts downward, they get their first glimpse of the helicopter, and suddenly, things get very real. Jose, feeling his grip tighten and palms sweat, consciously relaxes both hands, steadies his breathing, and takes his practiced sniper position. Lying on his stomach, the boy carefully sites his rifle and controls the panic attempting to overcome him. As the copter lowers, two people are visible, which, according to the plan, requires him to move. Building his courage, Jose gets up and runs to his alternate station. Arriving quickly, he sets back up; keeping a disciplined eye trained where he was drilled to watch.
Sadie, seeing Jose make the correct adjustment, nods. So far, so good, everyone’s in position, and still, only Caleb’s visible as the bird touches down. As Caleb slowly approaches, the pilot loosens his restraints and leans out the open door. It’s obvious he doesn’t want to turn off the engine, and Caleb, barely able to hear, is forced to move closer. He’s excited to see Gus and curious as to whom joins him inside. When he’s within a few yards, Caleb yells, telling him to shut down. Caleb tries calling out, repeatedly, getting louder with each attempt, while cautiously closing the gap, until finally getting an audible response.
“Sorry, partner, no can do…got just enough fuel to get us back!” Gus hollers, then, looking around, begins to ask, “Where’s …”
He doesn’t have to finish the question. Caleb’s downtrodden expression and quick head gesture is enough to convey the fact that only he made it. Gus hates knowing they lost another, but at least Caleb appears well—the man’s cleaned up and sporting a new haircut.
“THERE’S…MORE…FUEL!” Caleb yells fiercely. “SHUT…DOWN!”
Intrigued, Gus hesitates, and then finally does so. As the blades slow, the noise and wind decrease until once again, the forest regains its peacefulness. When the two men emerge, Sadie stiffens. The co-pilot is carrying a gun.
“Oh, shit,” Caleb mumbles under his breath as Gus approaches.
Knowing Sadie’s armed-response time, Caleb’s immediate task is to disarm the man. He shakes Gus’s hand in a warm greeting and then quickly turns to the other guy. Caleb vaguely recalls meeting him once at the colony, but doesn’t remember his name.
As they shake, Gus acquaints them once again, “Caleb…Hank. Hank…Caleb.”
“Think we met…before you left for here.” Hank says.
“Yeah.” Caleb nods in agreement. “Listen…I need somethin’ and fast.”
Hank, looking skeptical, stands nearly motionless.
“I need you to put down your weapon.” Caleb says, non- confrontationally.
“Huh?” Hank’s actions become guarded.
While Hank nonchalantly raises the gun, Caleb reacts, warning caution. Hank freezes, looks at Caleb, and then turns to Gus.
“You got, maybe…” Caleb, growing worried, keeps calm, “another thirty seconds or so. Just set it down…slowly. Please.”
Hank, still suspicious of the circumstances, hesitates. When he takes a step closer to Caleb an arrow strikes the ground right next to his foot. He flinches, instinctively pulling back his leg.
Caleb warns, “The next one won’t miss. But…it’s okay. Just�
�set it down, carefully…then we can talk.”
Slowly setting the firearm on the ground, Hank looks to where the arrow might have come from.
“There are…others…livin’ here and safety is their main priority,” Caleb begins explaining while picking up the gun, “that means…no weapons for visitors. Sorry.” He turns to Gus. “That means you, too, buddy.”
They both know there’s a handgun tucked in the back of his pants. Gus, pausing longer than expected, makes Caleb nervous, but knowing Caleb’s trustworthy and not sensing a trap, the pilot obliges. As Gus hands his over, he too scans the area, looking for who shot the arrow. As they look along the tree line, Sadie steps out from the opposite direction, shocking the visitors.
“Sorry gentlemen for the…less than cordial welcome,” Sadie addresses them, carrying her loaded crossbow and stepping closer, “but…I’m sure you can understand our precautions.” The men are stunned silent. “Any chance…either of you are still carrying somethin’ that…we’d prefer be put aside?”
There’s a prolonged silence, then Gus nods to Hank, who confirms his carrying a second gun. Without taking her eyes off the men, Sadie asks Caleb to retrieve it. While raising one foot slightly off the ground, Hank motions towards his leg. Caleb finds the hidden piece in his boot and sets it with the others.
Sadie, still focused on the men, gives another directive. “I appreciate your cooperation, but we’ll need to verify your…honesty.” She nods to Caleb before continuing. “So, please…hands on the back of your heads.”
Uncomfortably, they follow her order as Caleb apologizes while frisking them; then, he confirms they’re good. Sadie lowers her crossbow and steps closer for an introduction. She’s already given quite a first impression, and both men are flabbergasted by her appearance and beauty. As Sadie reaches out to shake hands, her demeanor demands respect, and they humbly give it. Sadie motions for the men to move before retrieving her arrow sticking in the ground. Wiping away the dirt, she returns it to her sheath, and then Sadie directs them to a large canvas tent, set up solely to accommodate them.