“The only good thing I can see is the wind is going away from us. The steam and smoke are all blowing southwest now, so even if it did erupt a little, we’d be fine, wouldn’t we?”
“You know I think you’re right on that. Good observation.”
Nicholi, Sam, and Lillian looked a little relieved.
“I’m sick of camping!” Marie whined. “I just wish someone would come get us. Bears, the volcano erupting, no food, and I stink!” She started to cry.
Lillian nodded in agreement. She was completely covered in fish scales, and fish guts were drying on her pants. Her hands were all chapped from the hard work, and her face was covered in splotches of mud. On top of it all, she had nothing clean left to wear.
“Problem is, it’s really late now. It’s getting darker, and both Patrick and I will need help to move up the hillside. There might not be enough time. I think we better clean up all the food that we can now, pack up our sleeping stuff early tomorrow morning, and then work on moving to the cabin. Let’s make sure where we sleep is clear of food. Wash the tin cans good too. If our bear comes back looking for a snack, I don’t want him looking in our bed. Hopefully he won’t snoop around us or the fire pit.”
Everyone looked from Helen to Patrick and back to Helen.
“Steam,” said Lillian with smiling enthusiasm.
“I heard that, Lillian,” said Helen. “Yeah, we’ll take a steam bath tomorrow.”
Marie took a dirty shirt and used it as a broom on the girls’ side of the tent to clean out all the crumbs she could see. Sam did the same on the boys’ side. Then they moved Patrick and Helen back into the shelter for the night. All cooking sticks, crumbs, and fish bones and skin were tossed in the fire. The bowls and spoons were rinsed out so they were clean of fish. Finally they straightened up the shelter so it wasn’t such a disaster area and all settled down to sleep for the last night.
“So glad move,” said Lillian with a sigh of relief.
“I heard her! I heard Lillian! She’s glad we’re moving tomorrow,” said Marie.
“We have to be good listeners and observers to understand each other, Marie,” said Helen. “I know that if I hadn’t been paying attention, I would’ve missed really knowing each of you. And what a loss that would have been! I’m so grateful to have you all for my friends.”
“Lub uu oo” (Love you too), said Sam as he reached over and gently touched Helen’s arm.
The gesture brought tears to her eyes, and she lovingly smiled back at him.
“Sweet dreams, everyone,” said Helen.
As darkness settled over the camp, light snoring soon pervaded the shelter filled with dirty campers.
Chapter 21
News Report
“Stay tuned to get the latest update on the volcanic eruption of Mount Saint Augustine,” the television news reporter pronounced.
Auntie frowned while watching KBER TV News again. “Oh, crap, now it’s erupting! When is this nightmare going to end?”
A long advertisement for depression medication came on the screen.
UGH. I don’t need your stupid pills, she thought aloud. The advertisements are enough to make me depressed! She stood up and started pacing around the room.
Finally Matilda James came on screen and announced, “Mount Saint Augustine erupted this morning and sent up a huge cloud of ash south toward Kodiak Island. Flights in and out of Kodiak are canceled until further notice. People from Homer watched the plume of ash and smoke rise early this morning and drift away to the south.”
Scenes were shown of people peering at the mountain with their binoculars and spotting scopes while standing on the Homer Spit. One man said, “So glad it’s going to miss us. I want to go dip netting today, and the ash certainly wouldn’t be good to breathe, not to mention for my boat engine.”
Other people made comments, but all Auntie could think of was her two nieces injured and struggling to breathe in a cloud of ash. She started to cry. Eventually her sobbing slowed down, and she looked at the TV with disgust. “Maybe I do need some of that depression medication—No, I know what would make me happy! Get the thirty aught six and shoot the damn TV! That’ll take care of my problem,” she said with enthusiasm.
Laughing at herself, she stopped for a long moment and then prayed more seriously, “God, please take care of my girls and the rest of the kids. Please, God, watch over them and protect them. If they’re still alive, they really need you at their side.”
Chapter 22
Moving Day
Everyone woke up to the sound of jets flying over their campsite.
“I hear jets. Someone should run out and wave at them,” said Patrick.
Nicholi rolled off the tarp and looked toward the water where he thought the jets were flying. Everyone watched him, but he didn’t move any farther.
“Well, go,” urged Patrick.
Marie climbed out of the shelter and looked, but she too stopped. “It’s something else. There’s a huge grey cloud over Augustine. It’s getting larger and larger, even as I’m watching it. There’s lightning.”
“We must be hearing the thunder. It’s time to move right now, everyone,” said Helen. “Pack up all your things in your duffles now!”
The panic had Sam, Nicholi, Marie, and Lillian stuffing their clothes and belongings into bags as quickly as possible.
Patrick rolled and worked his way over to the edge of the shelter and managed to take a look. “It’s blowing away from us, Helen. We’re okay for now.”
“Oh, good. Still we need to move as soon as possible.”
“Yeah, the wind could change any moment,” said Marie.
“She’s right on that,” said Patrick.
Relaxing a bit, Helen looked at her wild, bed-headed, unkempt camping partners and laughed. “You guys are a mess. Look at yourselves. Maybe it’s a good thing we won’t be rescued today. No planes are gonna fly this way anyway, but we’d scare the pilots if they did. We all need a steam bath. Right, Lillian?”
Lillian’s smile was gentle as she contemplated a wonderful, burning hot steam bath.
They decided to leave the tarp right where it was.
“Sounds like it’s going to take several trips to move us up the hill,” said Patrick. “I think we should move Helen up first.”
“No, not this time. We need to get you up there first, just in case the wind does change. The ash would be too hard on your lungs. My head hurts, but my lungs are sound. I’ll wait.”
“Then, why don’t they move all the duffles to the bottom of the trail and leave them in a pile there under a big spruce tree? We’d have everything together and every time someone came down the hill, they could just grab one and carry it up.”
“Okay, but everyone has to understand that the most important duffle to get up to the cabin is the orange survival bag. You understand that Marie, Nicholi, Lillian, and Sam?”
“Lillian, where did you put the clam shovel, knives, and the fishing gear?”
She smiled and pointed to the orange bag.
“Where are all the blankets?”
They all pointed to their duffles.
“Good, go ahead and move the duffles to the trail. Then come back and get Patrick. Got it?”
Marie, Sam, Nicholi, and Lillian picked up as much as they could carry. Sam carried two duffles, as did Marie. Lillian struggled with just her own. Nicholi carried both the survival bag and his own duffle. They all soon disappeared down the beach.
“Think they can do it?” questioned Patrick.
“We’ll see. Can you see if they left anything behind? My head’s a lot better than yesterday, but I still can’t move it much.”
Patrick rolled over, grunting and groaning, and finally propped himself up on his elbows. “There are some odd dirty socks and underwear, but all the important stuff is gone. Oh, I take that back—the bear spray.”
“When they come back to get you, make sure you give the spray to Lillian. She’ll be slow reacting if you run int
o a bear, but she’ll stand up to him and be a good enough shot to get him right in the face. Nicholi might just run. Marie almost surely would. I don’t know about Sam.”
“Maybe it should stay here with you since this place smells like food. Billy told me there’s safety in numbers when it comes to bears.”
“Sometimes.”
They waited quietly, thinking about the conversation until the other four returned.
“Marie, hand the bear spray to your sister,” said Patrick. She might need it while we’re gone.”
Marie did as she was told.
“Now, I think the best way to get me up the hill is for Sam and Nicholi to pick up my shoulders and lock their arms together behind my back. Marie, you’ll need to carry my feet. Lillian, you move the chair down the beach and then carry the survival bag up the hill.”
“Are you sure about the spray?” questioned Helen.
“Yeah. I don’t think the five of us could shoot straight enough to do any good anyway,” he said, laughing. “I’ll sing all the way up. Everyone knows I can’t sing on key. No self-respecting bear will dare get near us.”
Sam and Nicholi practiced holding each other’s forearms as directed by Helen until they understood what they needed to do. With Marie and Lillian’s help, they stood Patrick up on his crooked legs and got his arms set. Marie reached down and picked up his feet, which tilted his stiff body back into the arms of the other two. Lillian followed along behind, pushing and dragging the wheelchair.
“If it’s too much for you, Lillian, just leave it,” Helen called. “Patrick can live without it, but I’m sure he would love to have it up there.”
Slowly she disappeared out of Helen’s sight.
Helen grasped the bear spray tightly after the last sound of the others died away. She felt very alone, insecure, and frightened. She knew Patrick was right, but she didn’t want to admit it to them. She was nothing but giant peninsula brown bear bait in that shelter all alone.
Chapter 23
Irene’s Day
The ship had left Sitka and was starting its trip across the open water of the North Pacific on its way to Prince William Sound. Irene was back to normal, and cognitively quite together. They had had a fun day shopping in the little fishing Coast Guard town.
Irene was sitting at breakfast eating when she noticed things were really starting to move around differently. First it was people swaying as they walked around the restaurant. Some of the elderly and even younger people were grabbing at things as if to support themselves, as if they had been drinking. It surprised her when she realized the seaworthy waiters and staff were doing the same thing. She was quite secure in her seat and didn’t think there was any problem until she noticed the tea in her cup was moving though she wasn’t touching it. The ship must be hitting some waves as we leave port, she thought as she watched the room around her.
She was sitting in a dining room on the bow of the ship about five stories above the water. The walls of the room were all glass for observing the beautiful outdoors, and the dining area was filled with white-covered tables of various sizes to accommodate parties of two to eight people. From the ceiling hung large, beautiful, crystal light fixtures, creating just the right ambiance for people eating gourmet meals in the elegant environment.
“Have you heard what the crossing will be like?” Irene said to a waiter who was clearing a table next to her.
“This could be a rough one. I heard thirty-foot seas are predicted.”
“Is that bad?” she asked. She had never been in rough weather and had no idea what was going to happen.
“Last time we crossed in big seas, we all wanted to just stay in bed, and by all, I mean not just guests but also staff.”
“Oh, this should be interesting,” she said with a delighted smile on her face.
“Grandma Irene, don’t you think we should go to our room? I’m starting to feel kind of queasy in my stomach,” said Danielle.
“You are? Wow, I feel fine. If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay here a bit longer. You could go lie down if you want though. I promise, I won’t get lost,” she said teasingly but with a face as innocent as an angel. “I’ll stay right here.”
“If you don’t mind, Grandma, I think I will. Please don’t go anywhere,” she said pleadingly. “I’ll come back in an hour or so. Sound okay?”
“Yes, dear. It sounds wonderful.” The little old lady sat calmly holding her teacup in her hand and enjoying the spectacle of people trying to walk like they had lived on the sea forever. Truth was, some people looked a little green around the gills and were holding their hands over their mouths. The stewards were running around handing out barf bags to the people that looked most likely to lose their breakfasts before they ever left the room.
An announcement came over the loud speaker in the room and warned everyone that the seas were supposed to be heavy during the day. Irene smiled. She was going to enjoy this.
She sat there for an hour listening to other people’s conversations and watching the ocean become more and more agitated. The waves were small at first—maybe only ten feet, she estimated. They were hitting the ship a bit to the port side, which seemed to make things rock slightly sideways. As the waves increased, people were walking with a wider stance for balance. When ladies in high heels tried to walk with a narrow gate and wiggle, their feet crossed too far over and they teetered on their four-inch-high shoes as they tripped themselves. Some continued to try to walk with what they thought was elegance, but Irene thought they failed. The smarter women just took off their shoes and walked barefooted while maneuvering the pathways between the tables to return to their cabins.
Irene continued to watch the “show,” as she thought of it. People were throwing up all around her, but to her surprise she didn’t feel the least bit odd. Maybe she would when she got up, but as long as she remained seated, she was safe and happy.
After two hours, she tired of watching and decided to take a walk. She left a note on the table for Danielle,
Going for a walk. Promise to stay on this deck only. I’m fine.
Grandma Irene
Up and walking, she still felt fine. It was a little tricky traversing open spaces, but when she got to the hallways she found handrails were common. She hadn’t gone far before she decided to go back. After all she was 89 years old and had to take care of herself. It seemed that her granddaughter was like a lot of the people on board, probably sicker than a dog. She got back to the elegant dining room and returned to her table, folded up her note, and put it in her bag. A waiter asked if she wanted a new cup of tea, and she decided she did indeed.
“What a glorious day! I feel like I’m on a roller coaster ride.” She giggled as the waiter almost lost his balance as the ship crested and then plunged down the backside of the wave.
“It’s a bit of a wild ride today, madam. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” said the waiter. After he poured her a fresh cup of tea, he retreated into the galley.
She watched with delight as the waves increased in size. Sometimes they splashed way up the side of the ship and then the ship dropped into a great trough before climbing up the side of the next wave.
At lunchtime, a short waiter came by and offered her the lunch menu. He kept his feet far apart for balance as he said, “It probably isn’t safe for you to be walking around the ship without assistance. I can get someone to help you back to your room or is there anything you would like me to bring you, milady?”
“Oh, yes, I think more tea with sugar and cream please.” She smiled happily. The waiter walked off with her old pot and cup. He soon returned with a fresh pot, a place setting of dinnerware, and a menu and stood ready to take her food order.
“I’m feeling a bit hungry. I think I’ll order grilled Alaska salmon, tomato soup and salad, and crème brulé for dessert.”
“Anything else, madam?”
“No, I think that should be enough.”
While the meal was being prepared, sh
e continued to watch the seas. The waves were now breaking, and she could see the water clearly on her deck. After the ship broke through each wave, it followed with a ride down into the trough at the backside. Very few people came to eat lunch that day. There were few waiters, few people anywhere that she could see. She loved having most of the room to herself.
When the waiter returned, carefully balancing a tray with her delicious-looking meal, he asked, “Would you like to join the other table where people are sitting together?”
She looked in the direction of his nod. There were two men, both of whom looked terribly ill, and two women that were trying to act as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
“No, thank you. I’ll stay right here. I love watching the ocean. It’s rather exciting to me.” No way did she want to sit next to the two sick men. They could throw up any moment, and she was quite content, even proud that she wasn’t seasick. If she got next to them, she just might start feeling queasy herself. She smiled happily and the waiter returned to the galley.
Five hours after Danielle left Irene, Nathan came in and walked over to her table. “Danielle is worried about you,” he said.
“I’m fine,” she said happily. “I’ve loved watching this storm get stronger and stronger. “Oh, here comes another big one.”
The ship had been in a trough and was working its way up the side of the next wave. The water broke on the glass windows, swirling white water around, disrupting their view.
Trying to catch his balance, Nathan abruptly sat down in an empty chair. “She called me and asked how I was doing. She’s so sick. She doesn’t even want to see me. Says she looks terrible and has been going between the bathroom and her bed. She asked if I could come and find you.”
“Oh, I’m fine. See, I didn’t get lost. I promised her I would stay put. I have everything I need. Cups of tea have been coming and going all day. There’s a bathroom right there and there’s so much to see. If I go back to our cabin with her, it will be so uninteresting. I think I’ll just stay here. Anyway, it would be rather hard to move me back now that the ship is fighting these seas so hard.”
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