Knockdown

by Brenda Beem

  “Dylan, stop! Nothing happened,” I cried.

  “She’s only sixteen. Sixteen!” Dylan bellowed.

  “We didn’t do anything,” Takumi yelled back.

  I crawled across the bed until I was close to Dylan. “Look at us. I’m wearing two pairs of sweats and three pairs of socks. Do we look like we just had sex?”

  He shoved me aside, his eyes glued on Takumi.

  “Stop it, Dylan.” I grabbed a handful of cards and started flicking them at him. “We,” flick, “were playing cards,” flick, “and fell asleep,” flick.

  He batted the cards away. “Knock it off.” He was calming down.

  “I left the door open. Jervis closed it,” Takumi said.

  Dylan glared at me and then Takumi. “If you go near her again, I’ll….” Dylan held his fist in the air.

  “Dylan!” I yelled.

  Takumi stood directly in front of Dylan. “Look. I care about Toni. I know this isn’t the time or place to risk, to risk, you know...”

  I was relieved. Takumi understood.

  Dylan closed his eyes. His shoulders slumped and he turned and walked away. I didn’t know what to think.

  For the next few days Takumi and I played cards, read, and kept each other warm. The door was always open. Dylan clearly didn’t like it, but never said another word.

  We were making good time. Dylan insisted we stay far out from shore. It meant we couldn’t see the coastline and we didn’t know exactly where we were. He guessed we were around the middle of the Oregon Coast.

  It was so cold at night we could only stand three-hour shifts. During the day, however, we could handle six hours at a time. None of us got enough sleep, but without the barbecue fire, we couldn’t have done it at all.

  As least once a day we dropped our sails to pick up supplies of wood. I often started the engine so we could charge the batteries. I only left the engine on for fifteen minutes at a time, but we were able to turn on the furnace for those few minutes. Jervis made sure some of the dirty laundry was washed and hung the pieces over the heat vents to dry.

  We took turns charging our phones when the engine was on, too. Fifteen minutes wasn’t much, but if we kept them mostly off it was enough. Dylan and I had our own chargers. Everyone else had to share Mom’s universal charger. Somehow Zoë’s was always the first one being charged.

  Since Angelina was out of it, I started monitoring the radio whenever we had power. The first thing I did was to call the channel Angelina had called for the Coast Guard Commander. I hoped maybe they’d help us. But no one was monitoring, or at least responding to it anymore.

  The first week, the President’s message was the same one we’d heard after the tsunamis. The second week, the President announced that some cell towers were up, Mexico had closed its borders, and refugee camps were being erected in the southern parts of the U.S. and along the border.

  Americans were being shot sneaking in to Mexico. Scientists disagreed on how long the sun would be blocked. The northern states were becoming a frozen wasteland. The cold was spreading south.

  The only good news was that some cell towers were up. I wished she’d mentioned where.

  Takumi brought out fishing poles and we all tried fishing. Makala loved to fish, although all she caught was seaweed. Takumi praised her and saved the seaweed to add to his meals.

  On the second day, Takumi hooked a couple of small cod. We cooked them over the barbecue that evening. It was the best meal we’d had since we’d shut off the fridge.

  Angelina grew stronger every day. “I think it’s time Makala and I went back to our cabin. We’re in the way here on the floor.”

  I had to smile and nod in agreement. But, inside, I was devastated. I loved the alone time with Takumi. I loved sleeping wrapped in his arms. Who knew when we’d find a place to be alone again.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Ice, Three Days to Island

  The seas grew rougher and rougher. I ordered Makala to stay below. Boots had to be leashed or held. We attached long ropes from our life vests to the lifelines. Sea spray covered the deck and froze. Icy snow blew in our faces, making it hard to see.

  Every once in a while we got a glimpse of land. Steep, high cliffs poked through the dark mists.

  Dylan drove us out, further away from the mainland. Angelina and Makala moved back into my bedroom. I stayed on deck a lot.

  I’d come off shift feeling like a Popsicle. My body wouldn’t stop shaking. I climbed in bed with the girls and tried to coax Boots into snuggling with me. He wanted none of it and ran around the bed, staying just out of my icy reach.

  Makala had gone back to dressing him in the scarves Zoë had given her and was pretend-reading picture books to him.

  Angelina slept through all the activity. I realized she’d been sleeping most of the day. In the dim light, her cheeks looked flushed. I reached over, felt her forehead, and flew out of bed.

  “Angelina has a fever,” I whispered to Jervis, who huddled in his sleeping bag.

  “A fever?” Fear flashed across his face.

  We stared at each other. My heart thumped in my chest. I found the thermometer in the first aid kit. Angelina had a temperature of a hundred and two. She had an infection. She needed an antibiotic. She needed a doctor.

  I glanced at Zoë and Dylan’s closed cabin door. “Zoë has to have something in that bag of drugs that can help Angelina. I’m going to see what kind of medicines she has in there.”

  Jervis rolled out the sleeping bag, dampened a washcloth, and hurried to Angelina.

  The boat listed. I hung on tight to the overhead hand rail. Hand over hand I made my way through the main cabin to the v-berth that was Zoë and Dylan’s bedroom.

  I was surprised how clean and organized their room was. The bed was even made. I began opening cupboards and closets. Finally, in an overhead storage bin, I found the pillowcase of pills.

  I dumped the bag out on the bed. There was container after container of prescription drugs. I picked up one and read the label. ‘Xanax.’ I recalled seeing TV commercials about it but still had no clue what it was for. I was about to read another label when I felt a presence.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Zoë stood behind me with her arms crossed tight across her chest.

  I glared at her. “I think you’re the one who owes us an explanation. You’ve been holding out.” I pointed to the containers on the bed. “Angelina has a fever. I came to see if you had anything that might help her.”

  Zoë threw a bottle of Tylenol at me and brushed past me.

  I caught it and put it in my pocket. “You know as well as I do that a fever means an infection. Do you have antibiotics in here?” The boat tilted and I fell into the closet.

  Zoë held onto the door frame. “What? You think I would withhold medicine from Angelina?” Her eyes narrowed as she fought to regain her balance.

  “Well, what’s all this?” I gestured at the pills on the bed.

  “You think I’d hide drugs that could help Angelina?” Zoë’s lips quivered. She spun around. When she turned back, her eyes were angry slits and her fists clenched. “Get out!” she whispered. “Get out of my bedroom.”

  “This is my parents’ bedroom, not yours.”

  “I said get out!” Zoë stepped forward.

  “Every boat you came to, you searched the medicine cabinets. Why did you do that?”

  Zoë shoved me. Hard. My back hit the closet frame. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

  I gritted my teeth and glared at her. My back was starting to ache. “And why do you get your own private room. No one else has an ounce of privacy. You’re wearing my mom’s clothes. I don’t even know what was in her closet before you took over.”

  “I share with Dylan. It’s not my private room.” She picked up the empty pillow case. “And do you want to know why I was looking for drugs? Because everyone on this boat expects me to be some kind of miracle healer. I grabbed every pill I found. I migh
t need them someday.” She started shoving containers back into the case. “It’s none of your business, but I was also hoping to find birth control pills.”

  “Birth control pills?” My voice squeaked.

  “Yeah. Feel better? You found me out. It’s probably too late anyway.”

  “You might be…?” Oh, Zoë! I’m sorry.” I collapsed on the bed. “Does Dylan know?”

  “Of course he… that’s none of your business. I said, get out. GET OUT NOW!” Zoë grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

  “But what about Angelina?”

  “OUT!” She pointed to the door. A tear ran down her cheek.

  I stood and moved to leave. “We have to find something to help her?”

  Zoë started jamming the pill bottles in so hard I worried they’d break. She paused with her back to me, waiting for me to leave.

  I closed the door behind me. My legs were shaking. I veered into the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and slid the door shut. The boat rocked back and forth. I held onto the towel rack. My head pounded. What if Zoë really was pregnant? And Angelina? If Zoë didn’t have any antibiotics, how could we help her?

  Through the closed door, I heard Zoë talking to Jervis. “Angelina has a high fever. Her wound might be infected. I put the last of the Neosporin on it, but she probably needs antibiotics. Some of you may think I have some, but I don’t.”

  I closed my eyes and groaned. I didn’t know what to do.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Ice Storm, Two Days to Go

  I kept sliding off the toilet lid and finally just sat on the floor.

  Dylan yelled down into the cabin. “We need help up here. Wind’s too strong. Can’t get the sails down.”

  I welcomed the distraction, washed my face with water from a bucket of melted snow, and left to go up top. As I passed by the girls’ room, I saw Zoë in with Angelina and Makala. Jervis had already gone up.

  The wind was unbelievable. Takumi helped me strap into a life line harness that clamped onto the boat.

  Jervis and Nick were tugging on the small jib sail on the bow. It was covered in ice and it took both of them, yanking as hard as they could, before it finally began to wind up.

  “Take the wheel and head into the wind!” Dylan screamed at Takumi and me.

  Takumi and I fought the wheel together. The wind was too strong and over powering the main sail. The boat leaned over so far the rails dipped in the water. The side of the boat became our floor. I jammed a foot against the wall of the cockpit and leaned into the wheel. Takumi stood behind me. Together we finally managed to right the boat and turn it into the wind. The flopping main sail made a terrible racket. Ice chips fell over the top of us like rain.

  Dylan unclasped the lock on the line that lowers the giant sail. The sail dropped down about three feet, then stopped. It was stuck.

  “I need help!” My brother bellowed as he tugged on the sail with both hands.

  The jib was all rolled up and Jervis handed the jib line to Nick to tie off. He moved to help Dylan pull down the huge main sail. No matter how hard they pulled, the sail would not slide down the track on the mast.

  Takumi and I held the wheel steady, keeping the boat heading into the wind, taking the pressure off the sail.

  “Can you handle it alone?” I asked.

  “Yes, but be careful,” Takumi widened his stance.

  I climbed over to the mast and checked the lines. None seemed tangled. Then I studied the tall mast.

  The metal track the sail was attached to was covered in ice.

  “Dylan, the track is frozen over.” I pointed up at the mast.

  A strong sideways gust came out of nowhere and pushed the boat over. I slipped and wrapped my arms and legs around the mast to keep from falling.

  Nick fell and flew across the stern and smashed into Takumi. Takumi lost the wheel. Both guys slid across the deck. Takumi grabbed the rail and Nick’s hand, just as Nick flipped over the side.

  “Takumi!” I screamed.

  Dylan and Jervis scrambled to get to the wheel, but kept falling and sliding on the ice-covered deck.

  The boat started to right herself. Then another strong gust hit. I held on tight to the mast and prayed we wouldn’t go over. We didn’t have the boards that sealed the cabin in. If the cabin filled with water, we’d sink.

  I held tight and screamed. It swung far to one side, then the other, going over further with each swing. Then I heard a deafening crash. The mast and sail, with me holding on, hit the icy water.

  The water was numbing. The salt burned my eyes. All I could do was clutch the mast and hold my breath, knowing I was about to die.

  The mast bounced back up and broke the surface. I gasped for air. Sea water poured off the sail, off the mast, and off of me and onto the deck. The water from the sail was flowing into the cabin. My legs held tight, but my hands began to slip.

  The boat righted herself further. I slid down the mast to the deck below. Dylan had control of the wheel. Jervis sprawled on the deck holding Takumi’s feet. Takumi was leaning over the side.

  Dylan screamed at me to lower the sail. I tried to stand. My cramped legs gave out and I collapsed like a puddle at the base of the mast. I couldn’t do anything but shiver.

  Jervis pulled Takumi back onto the boat. Then both of them tugged on Nick’s lifeline. It seemed to take forever before Nick’s head showed above the deck line. I heard a thump as Nick banged against the hull of the boat. Jervis reached down to yank Nick up by his life jacket. Finally, the three sprawled on the deck, gulping air.

  “What in the hell is going on?” Zoë appeared on the stairs.

  “Take the wheel. Keep us into the wind.” Dylan hurried to the mast. Salt water was melting the icy deck, making it even more slippery.

  Dylan handed the sail line to me. “Make sure the line doesn’t get tangled. Now. Move!” He pulled on the sail.

  I crawled to the cockpit, wedging myself between the mess of bricks, charred wood, and the fallen barbecue.

  At first the sail didn’t budge. Then it moved a tiny bit. Then a bit more. Melting ice freed up the track. The sail finally slid down until it was an untidy mess on top of the boom.

  Nick and I dripped and shivered uncontrollably on the floor of the cockpit.

  Dylan managed to tie the messy sail down on the boom and took the wheel from Takumi. I was shaking so hard I could hardly stand. Takumi pulled me up and into his arms.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as I sloshed water all over him.

  I nodded. My teeth chattered.

  Dylan locked the wheel and motioned for us to go below.

  My legs refused to work. Takumi scooped me up and carried me below. I didn’t protest.

  Dylan followed and put the boards in to seal us up, just like Cole had done for the tsunami.

  We shed our wet outer jackets and pants in the galley and tossed them in the head. With my soaked outer gear off, I felt stronger, but still shivered uncontrollably.

  Zoë and Dylan disappeared into their cabin and closed the door.

  Takumi helped me into the girls’ cabin. Nick was already wrapped in a blanket alongside Makala and Angelina.

  “How is she?” I took off my pants and shirt and pulled on my dirty but dry sweats. I didn’t care anymore what anyone saw.

  “She’s burning up,” Nick whispered.

  “I’m fine,” Angelina muttered.

  Whistler tipped over again. Takumi and I held onto the door frame. Whistler rolled from side to side.

  I didn’t hesitate. The moment the boat righted herself, I rushed to Takumi’s bed. He followed, wrapped me in blankets, and held me as I continued to shiver.

  Across the cabin, Jervis mopped water off the floor and cabinets. He raised his eyebrows at us, and then climbed into his sleeping bag on the mattress on the floor.

  The wind howled. Whistler rocked and rolled. We closed our eyes, expecting at any minute to go completely over.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

 
; One Day Late to Meet Up

  “I’m hungry,” Makala whined as she passed by on her way to the bathroom. “Why can’t I wake Takumi up?”

  “Hush,” Nick whispered.

  But it was too late. Takumi and I were awake. I checked the clock. It was two. I’d lost track of time and wasn’t sure if that was a.m. or p.m. The sky was always gray.

  Takumi kissed my forehead and climbed out of bed. The boat was gently rocking. The storm had passed. We hadn’t suffered another knockdown.

  Jervis lay on his back, staring wide-eyed at the skylight above him. Takumi filled the tea kettle and turned on the stove. He was stirring pancake mix when Makala came out of the bathroom.

  “You woke up!” she squealed and hugged Takumi.

  “How’d that happen?”

  “Boots must’ve woken you.”

  “That must have been what happened.” Takumi smiled. I loved his smile.

  “How’s Angelina?” I propped myself up in bed and groaned as I felt the bruises from the night before.

  Nick’s eyebrows cinched and he shook his head. “Feverish. We need to go ashore and find a doctor.”

  He was walking stiffly, too. He had to be black and blue all over. I was.

  Dylan opened his bedroom door. “Is everyone okay?” He noticed me in Takumi’s bed and looked away.

  Takumi put the bowl in the sink. “Nick was in with Angelina and Makala. It was a rough night.”

  “Whatever,” Dylan said.

  Jervis chuckled. Makala jumped up and down on his mattress.

  Nick grabbed Dylan’s arm. “Angelina needs a doctor.”

  Dylan shook his head. “I don’t know where we are and I’m not sure we can still sail. If we put up the sails, they might freeze to the mast again. We came close to losing it last night. If the sails had filled with water—”

  “We could motor.” Nick took a cup of tea from Takumi.

  “We’d use up all our gas and still not make it.” Dylan gripped his cup.

  “What if we drop the sails every couple of hours. Maybe we can keep the track from freezing over,” Takumi suggested.