by Watts, Russ
“It’s real,” muttered Chelsea.
I said nothing but watched in awe as the Megalodon tossed the orca into the air and then rose up out of the sea to devour it. The monster’s jaws clamped around the poor orca and I saw red rivers of blood run down its body before it was dragged down under the water. The foamy waves turned a crimson red and I saw the rest of the pod scatter. They were trying to escape but the shallows had them confused. I didn’t know whether the shark had forced them into it or if they were just unlucky, but what followed next made me feel sick.
The Megalodon exploded out of the water again, this time smacking two orcas into each other. The shark ripped its teeth into the first one, biting a huge chunk out of its body. The other floated motionless on the surface, either stunned or dead. The shark circled around and then took a massive bite out of the floating orca. By now the ocean had turned red. There was so much blood it was hard to believe it was real.
“I can’t watch this,” whispered Chelsea.
Pippa took Chelsea’s hand and led her away, probably relieved to have an excuse to leave. The carnage was incredible. Ava kept a firm grip on my arm. I had no words. The pod was decimated as the shark circled around and around them, keeping them contained as it picked them off one by one. It didn’t even eat them all. It was as if it was satisfied with just the killing. Perhaps the act of murdering them was all it needed.
“What kind of shark is that?” asked Manny. “Jesus, what… what is it?”
I glanced at Ava who met my eyes with a look of fear.
“Megalodon,” said Weir plainly. He looked at Ava and his icy stare forced her to remove her arm from mine. “It’s nothing. Just another big fucking fish that wants to eat us. Get back to work.”
“What the hell is a Megalodon?” asked Manny.
As Ava reluctantly sidled away from me to follow Weir, Manny looked at me. “You know about this?”
“Back in New York. I thought… I don’t know. It’s—” I had no idea how to explain it. The shark was bigger than I had imagined, bigger than I remembered; the way it was killing the orcas was impressive and yet sobering. If it could do that to powerful beasts like that, to killer whales, then what would it do to our little trawler?
Another plume of water blasted out of the ocean and I saw the massive shark pick out the calf. Whilst I had no knowledge of whales, its size suggested it was still very young, perhaps only a few weeks or months. The orca was thrown into the air and the shark followed it. The orca was swallowed whole.
I felt weak, numb, and unable to accept what I was seeing; yet it was so vividly and undeniably real. The ocean current was bringing the blood toward us and I heard Weir urging Jonah to turn away.
“This changes nothing,” I heard Jonah say. “I need to check on Kath. We keep going south.”
CHAPTER 10
“Has it gone?”
It had been almost an hour since we’d left behind the decimated pod of orcas. I’d spent much of that time watching the ocean for the tell-tale fin of the Megalodon, in case it was following us. Nothing broke the surface of the water apart from clumpy seaweed and debris that I assumed had floated out from the mainland. There were a lot of plastic bags and bottles, rubbish and flotsam that the ocean had swallowed only to spit back up. There was precious little visibility that mankind used to rule the planet, but our mark was everywhere.
“I think so. I think it’s long gone.” I looked at Chelsea and Pippa. They had been shaken by the events we’d witnessed and I had to admit I was too.
Pippa shivered and wrapped her arms around Chelsea.
“Why don’t you go back down?” I suggested. “There’s nothing you can do up here.”
“No way. We’re staying where we can see what’s coming.” Pippa gripped Chelsea tighter.
“So that was one of those things? A Megalodon?” asked Chelsea.
I looked out at the ocean. The wake we left dispersed quickly and there was no sign of the huge shark. It had stayed to feed on the whales and apparently not noticed us. “Yes. That was one.”
Pippa sighed. “Where are we even going, Luke? We don’t know this Kath. We should ask Jonah where he can drop us. He must know a safe place where we can get back on the mainland. There has to be somewhere we can live. One of his traders, perhaps? We can find a new home. All of us, I mean. We shouldn’t be out here. This isn’t us, Luke. This isn’t our home and it never will be.”
I looked at Chelsea to see if she agreed with her mother, but there was no indication either way. Chelsea just looked sad, lost in her thoughts. It was obvious Pippa wasn’t going to adjust to a life out on the ocean. Chelsea could, but she was too young to go it alone. She needed her mother and as much as Pippa would hate to admit it, she needed me too. We were going to have to get back to the mainland and make a fresh start there. I have to admit I felt like it was the wrong decision. I wasn’t convinced that it was any safer on land than it was on the water.
“I’ll talk to him.”
Pippa ran her hands over Chelsea’s head and kissed her forehead.
A laughing seagull flew close to the boat and I watched as its white wings propelled it through the air without even moving. It rose higher against the gray sky, floating on a current, and I felt jealous of its freedom. I had no desire to fly but I would’ve traded places with the bird right then. Its yellow eyes seemed to look at me for a split-second and then it was gone, darting back from where it had come without a sound.
“Almost there,” said Gills, walking past me.
“Almost where?” I asked. “Does this Kath live on a boat like you or does she have a place?” It occurred to me that if she had a home on dry land then she might be open to taking us in, just temporarily.
“She has a condo. Didn’t Jonah tell you? She controls the oil refinery out there.”
I had no interest in the oil, but the fact she lived in a condo was good news. Perhaps there was a chance for us. There may even be an empty apartment close to her. If we could help with the refinery perhaps it was an opportunity to strike up trading again, to find a new home for Chelsea.
As Gills took Manny into the cabin I went to the side of the boat and looked out across the water. Leaving the Tukino so quickly was at odds with what I had begun to expect. I thought we might make a go of it out here under Jonah’s command, but I could see Pippa wasn’t going to come around. I would convince myself that this was the right thing to do. I could tell myself that I was doing the right thing getting Pippa and Chelsea off the boat. Yet I knew deep down in my heart that it wasn’t what I wanted. And I had to realize that part of the reason, hell a big part of the reason that I wanted to stay, was Ava.
Gills and Manny emerged from the cabin carrying guns with them.
“You think that’s necessary?” I asked, as they made their way to Weir.
“Jonah thinks so,” replied Manny. “You saw how messed up that other boat was. They said there was trouble so we have to be prepared, right?”
Weir took a gun as Gills tucked one for himself under his arm.
“Manny, you take one,” said Weir. “I want you down below deck. You’re the last line of defense. Just in case.”
“Right. Okay, well if you want.” Manny took the gun. “It’s been a while since I handled one, but—”
Weir grunted. “If you can’t handle it, then—”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be fine.” Manny looked at me almost apologetically and headed toward the wheelhouse as Jonah came out. He took a gun and waved Manny inside.
“Jonah, what gives?” Ava wiped the sea-spray from her face and approached him. “I can handle a weapon, you know I can. Four guns, four crew members. I’m sure Manny can take care of himself. How come..?”
“I think it best you stay up here and help me,” replied Jonah. “I want you by my side, Ava. Back at the bridge, now.”
“Why?” Ava pouted and put her hands on her hips. “Don’t give me any shit about me being a girl again. I thought we were past tha
t.”
“It’s not that,” said Weir, smiling. “If Lance is there we can’t have you running off on your own with dreams of rescuing that fool. I think it’s really a matter of trust.”
“So, we’re going to Wilmington and that’s it? I get no say in this? My brother is in as much danger as Kath if Mckade has them, so why not let me help? Jonah, why you insist on listening to Weir, I will never understand.”
“Enough, Ava. Weir’s right. I can’t risk you compromising us. There’s too much at stake.”
“Right, and I’m to stay by your side like a poodle. And do what? Wait for Weir to find my brother? He doesn’t give a damn. I may as well be waiting for the return of the Messiah.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Ava had a point. Whatever had happened with Kath meant Mckade and Lance were involved. Ava wasn’t about to stay on the boat and wait to hear.
Jonah glared at me. “Luke, get yourself to the bow. Yell out if you see anything. Gills is monitoring the deck so he’ll be around if you need anything.”
I wanted to stay and argue for Ava. I knew Jonah was just sending me away to get rid of me. “Don’t you think Ava has a right to..?”
“When the Captain gives an order, grease-monkey, you follow it,” said Weir gruffly. He fingered the gun in his hands idly. “Disobedience is taken seriously so I suggest you get gone, boy.”
I offered Weir my best smile and raised my middle finger to him. It was Ava’s turn to chuckle.
“I’m going with Luke, Jonah,” said Ava. “And when we finally get to Wilmington I’ll be sure to trot back here and keep you company while Weir fucks everything up as usual.”
It was a delight to see Weir’s face fall and I took hold of the grab rail to make my way up to the bow. Ava followed me and when we reached the front of the ship I asked her what she meant when she’d said Weir would mess things up.
“He’s just always interfering. We used to have a good deal with a guy in Virginia but Weir took offense to something he said and so that was that. The only reason Kath tolerates him is because she’s sweet on Jonah.”
“I guess we just have to put up with him, right?”
“Nothing else we can do.”
I leant over the railing. The boat was ploughing through the ocean and spraying us with icy salt-water. In the distance, a rainbow was forming close to the mainland. A gentle green slope cowered beneath a black cloud resembling a giant umbrella. I tried to identify where we were, but the landscape gave me little to go on. Across from the green slope was higher ground. Atop it sat a rundown farmhouse flanked by two barns. Long grass grew up the wooden boards of the building and ivy ran along the roof, dripping from the guttering like green rain. A blue car sat silently outside, parked up for eternity until the ocean or the rust claimed it first. Further away I saw more buildings, the facades a light-gray and speckled with holes as if they had been used for target practice. I saw what looked like the first towns leading to Wilmington but there was nobody alive. The coastline was deserted. We began to pass boats, mostly smaller ones, yachts and skiffs, some anchored, some drifting free. It was beginning to feel like there were very few people left. How many had managed to get inland before the waters rose so dramatically? How many had stayed in their homes like we had and not been able to escape when their apartments and houses were submerged? The boat veered toward the coast and I noticed we were slowing. We passed next to some power lines that were protruding above the surface and then carried on past more buildings. I saw rooftops barely three feet above the waterline, some of which looked as if they had been home to several people.
One building rose up taller than the others and as we passed by I spotted words on the eastern wall that had been scrawled in black paint: GO BAcK
A skull and bones had been painted next to the words though whoever had done it must have long ago left. The building was empty despite still being almost ten floors clear of the water. We continued on and we came close to another building, an apartment complex not dissimilar to the one we had left behind in New York. Drapes flapped uselessly from the broken windows and smashed pieces of furniture drifted aimlessly around its base, as if seeking a way back in. There was more painting on the building, this time in bright red letters: MCKADE COUntRY
I felt Ava tense up. “Babylon, this ain’t,” she muttered.
“You’ve been here before?” I asked.
Ava looked miserable. “A couple of times to see Kath and get diesel. We usually come in from the south though. This is weird. I haven’t been through this area before. We must be over the old coastline.”
“You see the signs?” I wanted to know it wasn’t just me that was feeling nervous about going in any further.
“Mckade is full of hot air. Probably just trying to steer people away if he’s taken over the refinery. He was always full of himself. That’s how he convinced Lance to go with him.”
As the boat slowed further, more buildings appeared in the water, tall erect structures that hadn’t yet succumbed to the ocean. I spotted one with balconies beneath every window. Years ago it would have been a modern complex of luxury apartments with ocean-views. Now it was a derelict monolith, no more luxurious than the bunk I slept on in the Tukino. Staring at the upper floors untouched by the ocean I thought I saw movement behind the glass of one apartment. With the movement of the boat it was impossible to get a clear look at it. There were clothes hung out across the balcony, but I wasn’t sure if they were fresh or just remnants of an old life. I stared intently at the glass but saw no movement again. On the balcony beneath it a sheet had been draped over the balustrade and more warnings painted on it: tURN ARoUND NOW
I looked down at the sea below us, my hands gripping the rail. I had to admit I didn’t know what to expect. Had Mckade put up those signs or were they warnings from others who had been here before? The weather was unsettled and now that the boat had slowed down, I was beginning to feel a little on edge. I looked back over my shoulder to check on Pippa and Chelsea. They were talking to Gills but seemed fine, or at least as fine as they could be. Pippa looked sad with her arms hugging Chelsea, and in that moment, I would have done anything to be able to go back and change things. We should have left New York when we had the chance. Maybe then we could be living on the land, living in a real home, growing fruit and vegetables instead of barely surviving and relying on strangers. Pippa thought I had chosen the easy way out by sticking with her, but in truth I just felt responsible for her. How could I leave her and Chelsea alone? Pippa had already seen one man in her life leave and I wasn’t about to be the next.
“Luke, about before.” Ava put her hand over mine. “I should apologize for running out like that.”
I looked at her. I’d only known her for a few days and yet staring into those blue eyes I felt like I had known her my whole life. The feeling was unnerving. I had never had that with anyone before. It felt like she was a part of me, the piece of my life I had been missing all my adult life.
“I want to… I just want to explain.”
Ava tugged on her red beanie, pulling it lower to cover her ears. The cold wind made me shiver too, but I knew Pippa was still watching me. If I made any kind of move toward Ava I could expect another lecture, so I waited to hear what Ava had to say.
Suddenly, the boat jolted and Ava’s hand slipped off mine. It felt like something had hit the bottom of the hull.
“That’s not good. We’ve hit something,” said Ava. She stood up straight and looked around at Gills. “High ground?”
Gills looked confused and turned to face the wheelhouse. “Jonah?”
“No, we’re clear,” replied Jonah confidently.
Weir marched to the stern and looked around. We waited impatiently and after a minute he returned with a perplexed look on his face. “Nothing.”
I followed Ava as she made her way across deck to Gills. “That wasn’t nothing, Gills.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Could be a boat or vehicle that’s w
ashed out?” suggested Ava. She itched her nose and then lowered her voice. “Gills, we shouldn’t be doing this. It isn’t safe. We don’t usually come this way. What if..?”
Another bump caused us all to jump. There was an audible banging sound as something hit the hull again. I almost lost my footing but Ava grabbed my arm and I managed to stay upright. Pippa and Chelsea came to us, and we all converged by the winch for the beams.
“Still getting your sea-legs, huh?” Gills took in a deep lungful of fresh air. “I think I’d better check on Manny down below. Just in case.”
“Mom, maybe we should go too,” said Chelsea timidly.
“You feeling sick again?” asked Pippa. She looked at me, but not before noticing Ava still holding onto me. “You know, it’s probably nothing. Jonah knows what he’s doing, right?”
“Of course. The boat’s fine.” Pippa was looking at me with distaste. She was polite enough to not say anything in front of Ava, but I could tell she was bursting to. As much as I respected my sister she had no reason to be jealous of Ava. “It’s probably just debris. You’ve seen how much is littering the water around here. We’re close to land. It’s probably—”
The next jolt knocked me clean off my feet. There was a huge crashing noise and I suddenly found myself flat on my back. The hard deck knocked the breath out of me and I felt sea-spray splatter my face. A hand reached for me, grabbing my arm and I turned to see Pippa reaching for me. Terror was etched over her face and I took her hand as the boat began to tilt alarmingly to one side.
“Uncle Luke!” screamed Chelsea.
She wrapped her arms around the grab rail and as I struggled to get up I heard Jonah shouting orders, something about having to go back. I coughed and gasped for breath as I got to my knees. Pippa held onto me for her life and together we crawled over to Chelsea. The boat was tilting to port, so we had to climb up to reach the safety railings. Once I knew that Pippa and Chelsea were safe I looked around to find Ava. She had slid across the deck and was hanging onto the cabin door that had blown open. The A-frame loomed overhead menacingly. There were a lot of things on the boat that could hurt us. Even though everything was anchored down it was still unnerving.