by Robert Lyon
The captain sat there enamored with the spectacle of low swirls of clouds and crashing white caps, rolling waves and shattering
sea spray, all from the vantage point of a wind sheltered harbor of wet sand beaches with a fresh water mist in the air. He chuckled and laughed at having survived that storm, the end of the storm they had experienced had only been a temporary break in the weather, likely one of the swirling arms of a typhoon fifty to one hundred miles off. They had been spared a fatal encounter with a severe storm, made land fall, and had a safe vantage point to the fury of the sea all under the stewardship and command of
Captain Dave Artimus. He felt he had brought them the greatest gift anyone could imagine and in their repayment they would find great reward. Work is its own reward, it gives purpose and meaning, social station, fulfillment and when properly applied it yields a fruit; but for Dave it was a cliché he had held others to regardless of its meaning, it was just the American way.
As cabin boy built the lean-too, Dave went out looking for a straight stick, for a navigational circle, he would do it himself and this time there would be no mistake.
Smity saw the stick the captain the captain was putting up and he looked back at the sails, then he tore off one of his sleeves and handed it to the captain saying, “Here sir.” Artimus asked
“What’s this?” Smity responded, “Well it may be tattered sir, but it’s not an off white color like sails. It’s the best I can do.”
Artimus replied, “Hmmm…” and nodded while looking at the dungaree shirt sleeve then turned back to Smity and said sincerely, “Thanks” and then he wiped his forehead with it and put it in his pocket. Then he traced as clean a circle around the stick as he could. Mike woke up in the boat and headed out.
Atrisia asked as he passed, “How the hell did you sleep through that.” Mike responded, “The rocking always makes me sleepy.”
Mike saw the captain trying to make a navigational circle and walked up to him. Artimus asked, “How’d you make it before?”
Mike replied, “We’ll need some twine.” Smity overheard that while forging nearby and spoke over his shoulder, “I already gave him a flag asshole.” Artimus looked up at the stick then pulled his new handkerchief from his pocket and looked at it and chuckled, “Well, just call me flag Dave.”
Eric walked up at a brisk pace and said, “Sir, it’s a tiny island no water, some leeches, some coconuts, and something I think is tomato. Artimus looked over and said, “Tomato? If there’s tomato then there’s water. Let me see one of the tomatoes.”
Smity brought up some coconuts and added, “Well, I hate to be the hillbilly here but that over there is wheat.”
Wildly added, “Well, the island is smaller and has tomato and wheat. Almost as though this would have been a better island to end up on the first time but so few trees we wouldn’t have a ship.” Artimus added, “Were just staying the night.” George interjected, “That new sail will take longer than overnight.”
Atrisia walking back with arms full reached the group and tossed down some sticks and a few coconuts said, “I think the water here is bad, how much do we have left in our still?” Mike replied, “The still has been making fresh water not storing it and we need more charcoal.” Artimus said, “Just use the wood.”
Mike interjected, “The charcoal burns hotter and cleaner they built that one smaller, the cleaner helped because it was in the ship, but I pretty sure the hotter part is necessary.” Artimus looked at him and said, “Then please handle that.” Mike replied,
“Yes sir.” and went to collect more sticks.
The island was a spit of land that looked like it might be the only portion of an atoll to still be above sea level. Artimus noticed that while strolling down the beach and returned to his stick in the sand and he looked down at the circle. If they had been blown into an atoll then there were things to be considered. A
reef with poisonous reef fish was the first thing Dave considered; Atrisia had apparently found water but thought it to be bad, so it was at least stagnant. There was no sign of any wild life, though the absence of birds could be the storm.
Wildly’s work on the lean-tos wasn’t going well, there wasn’t much building material and the wind occasionally gusted.
Blowing over what he had built. The more the Captain was able to focus on the island rather than the storm the more he considered it to be not much more than a sand bar, but it did have some plants.
Dave stood in deep contemplation over his sense of impending doom, he shifted his stance scratched at his balls then folded his arms. He said, “We just need to fix the sail, and get more wood for the still, collect some food….and, there’s something else.”
He looked around and realized he was talking to himself.
Everyone else was working on food or shelter.
George Johann had been in the navy for fourteen years and had always sucked up to the right people, stolen credit where he could get away with it, but there was something else…there was his ability to take credit for something that appeared to be a positive earning him brownie points but when it was revealed to be a lie or a negative development the blame was deflected onto someone else. Win or lose George steals the prize.
Atrisia took Smity to the water she had found. Smity said, “I hope you don’t expect me to let you suck my dick.” Atrisia looked at him and said, “Thought you would have figured it out by now, you not my type because of that dick.” Smity laughed and ask, “Too big for ya?” Atrisia replied, “Ya...ya… cause there’s no lips, no opening, and it’s huge compared to what I’m into. And you think like a man, which is so…” Smity turned pale having just realized what she meant. Smity said, “Ya this
water smells like a dirty twat and it just rained.” Atrisia replied,
“ya, it’s mouthwatering but being that it’s water I’m pretty sure it’s bad.”
Smity replied with a calming gesture of the hand saying, “Okay,
I get it. I was actually joking but saying that doesn’t make it better.” Atrisia smiled like a fifteen year old boy sniffing glue and said, “I’ve forgotten already.”
Cabin boy had the hormonal fever and there weren’t really any bushes around to conceal himself in, and if the captain caught him he’d just join in. So he hid behind a rock and starting stroking his cock until the captain’s flock noticed him away. He spanked it while afraid someday he’d be made for the wanker at play he was. Mike came around the corner and saw him there and asked, “I think the captain is looking for you again.” Wildly let out a piercing shrill as an once of semen was spilled and his hand finally came still.
Mike said, “never mind dude.” Mike was looking for some clay to start building with just in case and he could find any.
Mike thought, “No clay, no water, no boar…we’d have died here.” Mike realized the sail being fixed and the coconuts being gathered was about all they’d get here with the exception of more charcoal.
The swirl of the storm seemed to be closing in on the island. Atrisia looked at the cloud wall rushing by and said,
“Ahh…captain?” Artimus replied, “I’m standing right behind you, I see it.” Milson saw the storms approach and realized like everyone else it was going to hit the island in all of five minutes.
The captain asked, “What kind of shelter do we have?” Mike replied as the others looked around, “There’s a rock with Wildly behind it.” Atrisia guessed out loud, “Behind a tree?” Eric made a fist and held it up in the air and headed back to the boat as he
did a torrential down pour hit directly over them everyone ran back to Wildly’s rock except for Eric. Eric got to the boat and climbed in and prepared to start bailing. Eric was surprised that while in the storm at sea water seemed to pour in but in that down pour nearly none got in the cabin. He decided it must have been much worse than he realized. Artimus climbed in just seconds later he had gotten to the rock and cabin boy was hysterical. He cried out, “Chief Johann was right! We make
> Jesus cry!” It was then that Artimus decided to head for the boat, for some reason that hysterical statement conjured the image of a flood in Dave’s mind.
The down pour lasted all day and night; fresh water was now abundantly available. The Captain and Eric Milson managed to stay relatively dry and warm.
The next morning it was still raining but it had lightened up somewhat. Atrisia flew into the cabin completely nude holding pieces of the tattered sail; once she got in she started making a two piece bikini out of it right away. The captain said, “It’s dryer all the way forward.” Eric smiled at her and said, “Warmer too.” Atrisia glared at Eric as she climbed over the captain to get to the forward end of the cabin. As Atrisia finished her knots to make the sail tatters wearable she said to the captain, “I think you need to go get your bitch sir, he’s terrified.”
Artimus said, “Ya, well I love him like a son.” and Artimus dashed out to go get his crew. In that moment Artimus became the man he had ceased to be because of the corrupt conspiracies of extortion, and political rivalries he thought would get him promoted. He ran through blinding rain toward that rock without doubt or hesitation and renewed manhood resulted in him finding his way with haste.
After he reached the rock he slid on the mud around it like an expert ice skater and despite his age of forty two he swept up his beloved cabin boy in a fireman’s carry and called out to the other crew members in a thunderous voice, “Follow me!”
They ran together through the rain and trees being blown down, crashing with a splash. Jumping over obstacles, dodging debris of palms, brush, and even occasional chunks of mud in the gale force wind gusts the rushed gallantly toward their ship; the Woodenpeg.
Once aboard Smity pulled the foresail and as a tarp covered the ship steering pit and access to the cabin. The ship having been smoked and sealed with glue derived from tree sap made it more sturdy and stout than they would have hoped for.
Atrisia was dressed like jungle Jane and said, give me a few minutes and I’ll get the coconuts. The Captain said, “No I’ll do it.” Dave warmed himself and his cabin boy with warm embrace and calming the shivers was a circulation stimulating massage.
Then once again he braved the storm without benefit of rain gear or any help. In the Woodenpeg the garments made for the journey had only been sampled, now they were being passed out and the stocking caps were dry, other articles had been burned in the fire box of the ships still and what was left had been passed around. Atrisia's jungle Jane appearance had only a stocking cap and shirt vest added. There was on shirt that Eric took and a sash
Smity wore as a scarf.
Dave started throwing coconuts into the steering pit, and the came all manner of sticks and twigs as well as leaves. As
Dave came back into the cabin he asked, “Mike how’d they water proof the sails?” Mike replied, “I didn’t think it meant much but rubbing certain leaves on them left a waxy residue
behind.” Dave said, “That may even be giving more flexibility to the cloth.”
They stayed in the cabin waiting for the rain to subside in near total darkness crammed together, which helped them stay warm, waiting. Normally at least three had to be topside or they just wouldn’t fit. The ship rocked again with fury like the small boat it was. And they waited for days.
Once the rain subsided the winds did not recede. The captain went out to check on the weather and empty the chamber pot they had stowed in the steerage pit. Lifting the tarp relieved them of the smell they had slowly become accustom to. A breathe of fresh air flooded the cabin. And there individual odors became pronounced. Atrisia emerge from the cabin and
Dave said, “Don’t lose you cap the winds are high, we’ve been blown away from the island.” Atrisia took a position near the keel and braced herself with her leg. As Eric emerged from the cabin the first thing he saw was Atrisia’s spread legs and the hairy mound between. He uttered, “Oh god, now I know what bumping ugly’s means” Atrisia just looked away over her right shoulder and pointed when Eric looked she kicked him in the face with her bare foot.
Artimus said to them, “I think that island was a part of a large atoll, or island chain; we need to put the sail up as soon as the winds recede to what we think it can handle.”
After the winds subsided the next day, Smity brought out what appeared to be a roll of cloth but once in the light of day it appeared to be just some extra material. He said, “Captain I don’t think they finished the extra sail.” Mike said, “That’s a fishing net.” Smity in his frustration threw it at mike and yelled
“Then use it!” Mike looked at him with a homicidal look on his face and then smirked and said, “I’ll tell you what…” The
jumped up and lunged at him and knocked him down and beat him, and kept beating him.
Atrisia jumped back pulling her thin legs to her; due to being emaciated she had a definite hour glass appearance. They look on her face was of terror. She had been maintaining such a butch demeanor they had forgotten she was a woman.
Artimus snatched the net and said, “I’ll do it.” Smity struggled in the small steerage pit and was continuously struck in the face by mike’s fist. As Atrisia and the Captain unfolded and unrolled the net, Smity broke away; and crawled up to the bow and with his nose bleeding and his lip split. Mike stood there in the steerage pit, with a small amount of blood coming from the corner of his mouth. Starring at Smity like a hungry wolf.
Dave deployed the fishing net and told Smity to tend the sail as they hoisted it. Mike struck below and searched the crevasses of the deck and bilge for any scrap of food.
The Captain said, “As we tow the net we should catch something!” More the once the net tugged so hard it pulled the boat off course. Eric said, “That has to have torn then net. That’s the third time.” Dave said, “Haul it in as though you expect fish in it.” and he gestured to Mike and Smity. They hauled in the net and had caught about twenty pounds of fish. It was sushi time.
Dave said, “Don’t eat anything that looks like a clown fish…too many colors could mean it’s poisonous.”
Dave said to his cabin boy, “Hey, see if you can find a way to cook this” Wildly took about ten pounds of fish below. He returned about ten minutes later and handed some to Dave with a smile. Dave said, “You couldn’t scale it?” Wildly replied,
“Pull the fish from the skin honey.” Dave laughed and said, “Ya,
I’ll do that then.” the look in Robert Wildly’s eyes when he
reassured his captain gave Dave a twinge of the heart as well as an erection.
Dave looked around the ocean with that just eaten satisfaction and noticed there were definite patterns to the water, there was apparently a shallow water ridge he was betting was the chain of the islands. He announced, “Okay see where the water is choppy and where it is smooth? I want us to follow the smooth water to the next island in the chain.” George asked,
“Isn’t that just the wind?” Dave replied, “It’s a course…follow it.” Atrisia snapped, “Aye sir.” and everyone repeated it after her.
As the days passed the fishing remained successful enough and they began rationing. They used the branches and twigs for fuel to distill the water and the Captain had taken some aside for a sextant. They had been so long without electricity that living in the dark and being water logged was something they became accustomed to. Sun bathing became their pass time. It was a way of briefly experiencing dryness.
In the islands history it was about at that time Hudlow was forming his hooligans to put down what had become a social tyranny of elitism on the militant side of the island. Deckly and
Brosuer had a rivalry based on their social groups that at the time seemed to be based on a lot of things, but in retrospect it boiled down to chiefs and officers, referred to as khaki because of the color of their uniform, versus the E-6 and below referred to as blue shirt’s for the same reason with some chiefs landing in the blue shirt category.
The majority of Hudlow’s f
ollowers wandered a certain section of the beach and spent their time in a delirium of fantasy, dragons and sorcerers, kings and presidents, fairies and mermaids, unicorns and rainbow bridges, were common themes.
They discovered magical things like plants that grow and rations left out for them like dogs. They knew with the
‘winningest’ football coach gone the game had changed.
Hudlow started making up new games like trivia and hide and seek; and eventually whack a mole. One day Hudlow walked up with his whack a mole scepter in hand and announced, “Okay, I’m the king now” Everyone looked at him dismayed and Gillis ran up to calm him before violence broke out again and Clarkson yelled, “Shut the fuck up you idiot!” As
Gillis approach Hudlow signaled for him to stop be didn’t and
Hudlow said as he approached, “By order of the king…” and
Gillis rushed at him so Hudlow cudgeled him in the head and
Gillis went down, Hudlow continued his announcement, “…I’m the king now.”
They broke into fights trying to subdue Hudlow and his
‘Merry men’ as he called them. They pleaded with him to see how crazy he had become, “Hudlow you’re out of your mind, and we’re the navy!” Clarkson yelled. Hudlow replied, “Since when? Did you do something ‘navy’ that stopped the ship from sinking?” Clarkson replied in anguish, “None of that could have been foreseen!” Hudlow retorted, “Ya, you and the rest of the navy right. Okay, I’m the king now.” Hauldbalm said, “Hudlow!
What are you planning on doing with McCree?” Hudlow said,