“I’m going to release you, so don’t do anything rash” he said. “Then you can release the other woman.”
“Ok” she replied, feeling slightly confused.
“Sally!” Michael cried as he rushed into the room.
“Michael. I’m so happy to see you AND Constance too” she whispered with tears in her eyes as she hugged him first then Connie.
Sally untied the older woman and whispered to her, “It’s ok, they’re friends.”
“They gang raped her repeatedly, after they murdered her husband and son” she mentioned.
“We have to leave now, the other men could be back at any time” urged Vijendra.
“This is Dayang and Vijendra” Michael said, introducing them.
The woman was a mess and covered with dried blood. She had cuts and bruises everywhere and she could hardly walk, so Connie and Sally helped her down the steps and along the path. There were deep rumblings beneath their feet as the six of them started back on the main trail back to Wologai.
“The volcano’s woken up” Michael said.
“We had better hurry then” added Vijendra. “The other eight crew members won’t be too far behind us.”
A loud boom like an explosion followed by an endless deep rumbling made them turn around quickly. They could see orange-red boulders being ejected from the crater, before crashing into the side of the mountain and rolling further down. Flocks of birds took flight; trying to escape the volcanic ash cloud which would soon follow, so they turned and tried to walk as quickly as they could.
“Ahee” the woman screamed, pointing the way to go.
Two more explosions sounded in the background followed by deeper louder rumblings.
“We really have to move; it’s going to blow” Michael shouted.
All The residents of Wologai were wandering haphazardly in the street, but Vijendra found two women the older woman knew. She hugged Sally and bowed to us as if to say ‘thank you’, before being taken away. The five of them didn’t want to wait around, so they ran as hard as they could, back towards the schooner. Vijendra knew they would be tailed by the crew off the Vega, if they were still alive.
* * *
The group had just made it to the beach and they were pushing out the longboat when they heard people somewhere behind them. There were only five crew members off the Vega left alive and they were mad.
“We’ll have to fight our way out of this” announced Vijendra, his mind racing furiously trying to work a way out of this.
The men came closer and then stopped; just observing them standing there with their captive.
“Do you recognize me?” Vijendra asked them, hoping his name would put fear into their opponents.
“The White Ghost!” tall baldy shouted. “Why are you here?”
“We came here to take back one of my crew. You don’t disagree with me, do you?” he said with conviction.
“Er…No” he stuttered, knowing the legendary Vijendra could wipe them all out. “You can leave safely.”
“No, after YOU” he stressed.
The five of them watched the pirates push their longboat out of the creek and into deeper water where they jumped in and started rowing. Vijendra followed in his longboat, but the four of them rowed tiredly and they were overjoyed to reach the Mabuhay in one piece.
“Get the longboat up on the davits; raise the anchor and the sails. We have to leave straight away. The volcano’s going to blow” he stressed to George.
“Yes sir” he said with glee; just happy to be sailing again.
“Whatever happened to Marcus?” Michael asked.
“They just murdered him when he refused to go along with their plans. I think all he really wanted in the end was to get me back as his wife” she sadly mentioned to him and Connie. “He wasn’t really that bad.
Chapter 14
After surviving 30 knot winds from the south-west and high seas for seven hours, the schooner finally stopped in an exposed bay on Pulau Besar. The winds had begun to die down and this place appeared to be the best anchorage around here. The captain knew that plenty of locals would want to sell them fruits and vegetables, shells and carvings and they needed to get some more fresh water, but that would have to wait until tomorrow, or even their next destination, Bali. The moon was almost full and it lit its path across the water, but as the crew was looking at it they noticed a strange sight just to its left. The stars were red and it looked like the tail of a dragon behind them. The crew thought it might be a comet, but Michael knew it was either the lava flow or fires burning on the side of the Kelimutu volcano. Constance, Sally and Michael worked furiously trying to get things back in order in the kitchen as well as cooking dinner, but the boat’s motion changed from easy over to very rolly. As the evening progressed, the winds picked up again to 25-30 knots from the west.
Mabuhay left Lombok at 5:30 am the next morning and for the first few hours the schooner had fantastic winds of 25 knots and the current with it, but just before midday the wind died and Mabuhay was almost becalmed. Unfortunately, they spent the rest of the day with very little wind and a counter current, but they had a great beginning. Gunung Agung, Bali’s ‘highest and most revered mountain’, has a perfect volcanic cone, which is more than 10,000 feet high and quite imposing. As night fell, the almost full moon provided backlighting for this magnificent mountain.
“Did you know that all of Bali's mountains are volcanoes, some long dormant and some still active? At 10,308 feet, magnificent Mount Agung dominates the landscape of East Bali. Much more active is Mount Batur, which permanently lets off steam and periodically produces a large bang and plumes of ashy smoke as pressure is released from within” Michael mentioned to Sally as they sat together.
“No” she whispered as she looked me in the eyes and held his hand. “How do you know all these facts, Michael?”
“I seem to remember everything I’ve been taught at school” he replied.
* * *
Just after dawn the crew had another surprise, literally hundreds of local outriggers came racing home from sea after a night of fishing. What a colourful sight. The lateen sails on these little boats look like brightly colored spinnakers. It was another very special moment, but the wind was up again and Mabuhay finally made it to Lovina Beach by 4 pm. It was a great day and a great feeling to finally reach Bali and the captain ordered the anchor be lowered in 25 feet of water. Bali was, of course, a must-stop destination for every sailor. The predominantly Hindu culture, landscape, and vibrant economy are so different from the rest of Indonesia.
The Hindu temples of Bali are just beautiful. They are everywhere and their beauty is hard to describe and they were first on Vijendra list of places to visit. The group found out they had to be appropriately dressed with a sarong and sash to enter any temple. Generally the entrance is always on the kelod axis point of the compound and is usually a gateway of some nature. This leads into the jaba which is the domain of humans and all things earthly. The jaba contains only minor shrines and it’s where some celebratory dance performances take place, during special ceremonies. Vijendra, Constance, Sally and Michael were allowed to visit this part of a temple. A gateway called a candi bentar, leads into the central courtyard which is called the jaba tengah. This is the intermediary point between our earthly domain and the realm of the Gods, and this is where daily offerings are prepared in an open pavilion called a paon. The jaba tengah also usually contains a large pavilion called a wantilan, which is used for special dance performances. The kori agung gate leads into the jeroan - the inner sacred area. This houses the most important shrines to different Hindu gods and deities and is where serious rituals and prayers take place. Shrines are many and varied but usually include a padmasana, the throne of the supreme deity Sanghyang Widi Wasa. The large pavilion in this section is called a gedong pariman, which is always left completely empty to allow the gods to visit during ceremonies.
Away from the coast, Bali is largely lush, green and fertile, and rice pad
dies are the dominant agricultural feature of the island. In some areas, paddies take the form of dramatic sculpted terraces which efficiently utilize every available acre of land for cultivation. Especially beautiful examples of terraced paddies can be found in the centre of the island north of Ubud and in east Bali around Tirta Gangga. Elsewhere, gently rolling rice fields make for very pleasing rural scenery. The graceful hand movements of beautiful Balinese dancers with long black hair and costumes of woven gold silk mixed with other vibrant colors was another vision that Michael would carry with him forever, as well as the intricate masks and costumes of other dancers. Bali is certainly a place like no other that he had visited and, as the Mabuhay sailed further and further away, he wondered if he would ever visit another place so surreal and beautiful.
The schooner was making great time this morning and they would be passing between two islands and into the Java Sea by late afternoon. Mabuhay will continue to sail all night and all day tomorrow to reach Bawean Island. After staying a day in Bawean, they will head on to the Karimunjawa Islands north of Java. Vijendra was hoping to spend about four days there before traveling on to Sumatra. The Captain had fully stocked the larder with fresh produce, dried foods, rice and fresh water, while they were at Bali.
The seas and winds settled with the setting sun, but that is also the same time that Mabuhay passed between some islands about 70 miles from Bali and entered the Java Sea. So Vijendra didn’t know if the change has caused the seas to settle and the winds to die down. The schooner sailed reasonably fast, but then the wind changed to be directly behind them and dropped to about 7 knots. Vijendra decided to alter the sails to a gull-wing style. They were sailing now with one main sail out one side and another one out the other side, but there was a half knot of current against them. The schooner was averaging about five and half knots and if Mabuhay could keep that up overnight, they would arrive at Baweana Island before noon tomorrow.
* * *
Mabuhay finally made it! They arrived at Bawean Island, after sailing the 212 miles from Bali, just after 4pm that afternoon. After dinner Sally and Michael sat on the top deck, away from the rest of the crew, and gazed up towards the heavens.
“Can I be honest with you?” she asked, looking deeply into my eyes and reaching out to hold my hands.
“Ok” he whispered, a little unsure of what she was going to say.
“I hate to say this, but I felt I had to say something. Over the last few days I’ve seen you laughing and you have had a good time, but your eyes still appear to be sad. I suppose, what I really mean to say is I’m your friend. If anything has happened to you, no matter what, you can tell me, ok?” she whispered.
“I…I’m fine” he replied. “It’s just that I remember things sometimes; from my past. Do I really look sad?”
“It’s not really a big deal, but just remember, you can talk to me about anything and I’ll listen to you. I might think you’re a little weird or crazy, but I’ll still listen to you; like a friend.”
She left him to go to her bunk and sleep, but Michael stayed there to ponder his thoughts.
“So…Um, Michael, How are things going with you and Sally?” Constance asked him when she noticed he was sitting alone.
“Fine!” he replied.
“I’m your friend too and you can trust me to keep a secret” she suggested.
“It’s alright between us. Sally was just tired, that’s all, but I just wanted to stay out here a little bit longer. I appreciate your concern, but there’s nothing wrong” he mentioned.
“Ok, but I’m here to help if you need help; please don’t forget that I’m here” she added, before she left for her bed in the captain’s cabin.
Michael could understand their concerns because they were more mature than he was and, being both women, their maternal instincts would kick in, but Michael couldn’t help but wonder what’s going to happen to him. He’s known them both for a while now and it almost seems too long. Good friends are hard to come by at the best of times, but should he take the next step with Sally and is she ready to love him? He’s really only seventeen years old and she has explained to him that she’s seventeen as well. He’s never really had a steady girlfriend and Michael didn’t really want to take their relationship to the next level just yet, but something clicked between them. She is and always will be a friend, no a girlfriend and it’s probably for the best it remains like that. Someone like her, the Maharaja’s daughter, would never ever be allowed to love a person like him.
Chapter 15
It was a long way from Bali to here; the Karimunjawa Islands. It really ended up being two nights and two days trip from Bawean Island and with lots of salt water spray and fresh rain water falling on the Mabuhay. The decks are usually dry, but on this trip the schooner kept getting rogue waves that splashed over its decks, dumping saltwater from time to time. Then early this morning the heaven’s opened up and they were deluged with tropical monsoon rain. The rain continued all day, so Michael guessed they were in the world of sun and rain and the crew had to be prepared for the rain constantly. The schooner was only three degrees south of the equator and the crew could surely feel that they’re close. The other issue is the heat and everyone felt a noticeable difference in temperature. It has been hot all along, but it is now in the nineties with a rising humidity level. Just moving from one spot to another here caused a severe outbreak of perspiration, but on the afternoon the Mabuhay arrived, the crew began with a series of necessary repairs.
* * *
Michael tipped the glass of rum up to get the last few drops of the fiery amber liquid, which was his answer to conjuring up some Dutch courage. Today seems as if it has been tailor made for oppressive boredom. A thick veil of cloud had filtered the summers sun's rays just enough to take some of the heat out of the air, but blanketed the humidity around them. Here he is with the most beautiful woman in the world, alcohol in his blood stream, an almost perfect night and they’re overlooking the ocean in one of the prettiest places in the world. Michael slowly traced a path from Sally’s face, down the soft swell of her breasts and to her bare legs which were folded at the knees and slightly leaning against his. Her dress was bunched up, not revealing too much but definitely making his eyes wander down there. He turned to his right and faced her, suddenly overwhelmed by a humongous feeling of longing for her. Michael draped his left arm around her back and snuggled up to her, nuzzling the side of her neck yet not really kissing.
Michael woke up some time later, probably about two o’clock in the morning, still clinging to Sally in the same embrace. His arm was tingling with pins and needles from being in an unusual position, so he moved slightly to try and circulate the blood. Sally’s eyes opened slowly and she looked at him with a familiar smile. She was beautiful. They hugged each other again and he was pleasantly surprised to find she didn’t pull away from him. There wasn’t anything sexual with this entire evening, but it was a step in the right direction with their relationship. The two of them knew they should go to their bunks, but they were clinging to the fading remnants of a perfect evening.
“We’re sailing in the morning” she whispered; a statement, nothing more, nothing less.
* * *
The Mabuhay left for Sumatra when the sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky. It was a big evening for Sally and him last night, but Michael felt fully refreshed despite ending up in his bunk during the early hours of the morning. The sea was as smooth as a mill pond and it was a lovely day. He would have liked a bit more wind, but the Mabuhay had a strong current with it and Michael wouldn’t let anything spoil it. The main sails hung limply, filling occasionally by a blurred shadow of a wind across the blue mirrored water. The schooner drifted on slowly, but suddenly there was a rustle and Michael felt a constant breath of wind on his sweaty face. As the morning progressed the wind increased to a point when it became a decent breeze. The coast was now far behind them, so he returned to complete his given tasks for the morning.
&
nbsp; “Tacking” the helmsman called out.
Three booms slammed over and the winches screeched as they tacked. The white-capped waves were everywhere now, attacking them from the north-west. A sudden violent gust of wind came screeching through the rigging and pounded into the Mabuhay’s sails and she went over on her beams ends, before righting again.
“We need to reef the mains before the next one, Cap’ain” shouted Dayang.
The captain issued the order to his men to reduce sail. The eight crew members smashed the mainsails down fast; down to their first reefing points. The ride was less severe now, but the sea kept roaring like a wounded animal. But for now the goal was to just survive the night!
* * *
The dawn arrived and turned the inky-black sky into a pale murky grey. No one had slept last night and everyone’s eyes were sore from salt and a lack of sleep. Another gust of wind screamed through the rigging and then the rain began, misty at first before it came in heavy; a total whiteout. Michael had always worried about falling overboard and now was a good a time as any, so he decided to go below and offer his services in the galley. He had worked out long ago, not to be stupid when there could be a huge risk. Suddenly the Mabuhay slowed, gained momentum before slowing with a sickening thud.
“Come about” the captain ordered, as the noise increased.
Michael had been thrown against the hull as he tried to access the galley and the schooner was leaning over at a sharp angle. The hull shuddered again as another huge wave slammed into the stricken vessel. Big gusts were now tearing into the Mabuhay, making it heel even further. It was as dark as if Michael was inside a whale’s belly, but he could feel little jets of water on his face.
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