Rifts From The Sea (EMP Crash Book 8)

by Kip Nelson

  “I'm sure this would be interesting, but these are men we're talking about, not lab rats, and we can't afford to keep them around just because it would be interesting to talk to them,” Mack said, getting irritated by Freddie's rambling.

  “How would we decide who we keep anyway? This crime is almost too big for us to punish. We're not equipped to deal with it, not on an intellectual level, or a moral level. I'm not going to lie to you, I'm at a loss here, guys. We've already said that we're not going to impose the death penalty on anyone, but sending them back out into the city doesn't seem right, and we can't keep them here. Hank, you're right when you say that never would work. There was a time when I thought they could be valuable additions to New Haven, but we must turn them away. It just doesn't seem right to allow their stay when they've done so many bad things.” Mack added.

  “Whatever you do, I doubt it will be worse than what their consciences already are doing to them. When I confronted them about it, they all hung their heads in shame,” Grace said. “I think now that it's out in the open, they'll have to confront what they've done. They can't hide anymore, or deny that it happened. Don't forget, Tristan and the others as well, were left behind under false pretenses, and then kept against their will.”

  “I know,” Mack said, but it was clear he was wrestling with this decision. He inhaled deeply as he tried finding some guidance. “I have to go talk to Flint,” he said.

  “Are you sure that's wise?” Hank warned.

  “There are still things I need to know, things I need to understand.” And with that he was off.

  All the sailors were locked up where they had been before. Mack went in and had Flint brought out so they could have a private moment together. To his credit, Flint still walked with his shoulders back and his head held high, still a proud captain, even though his crew's shame had been exposed.

  “I've been trying to work through this, but it's just too much for my mind to grasp. Can you explain this?” Mack said.

  “What is there to explain? We've committed one of the worst crimes any man can commit. I told you we faced the darkest parts of ourselves. We were out there for months. Our ship was dead. There were no communications, no signs of other life. As far as we knew, we were the only souls in the world. We'd worked out how long it was going to take us to get back to land, and it was too long. All the cargo we were transporting was industrial.

  “The food we had wasn't going to last us the whole way, and then we found out that rats were on board and had gotten to the supply. The sea was barren where we were, and we weren't a fishing vessel, so we didn't have any nets to catch fish. We just were on a big hunk of metal, waiting to die. When the food started running out, all of us knew the possibility. It was either all of us died, or some of us had to live with the burden of doing it. It never was easy. We never enjoyed it. We did it because it had to be done so the crew could live.”

  As he spoke, a strange look came across Flint's face, as though he only now was realizing the gravity of what they had done. “How did you decide who was...who was chosen?” Mack choked out.

  “We drew lots. Every man. Even me. We all were equal. It became a ritual. We knew we were turning into monsters, but none of us wanted to die, yet we all were ready to give our lives to save each other. Maybe some of them wanted to be eaten because that was easier than living with the guilt of what we'd done.”

  “And why did you take my people captive? Were you planning an attack here?”

  “No,” Flint said, smiling as he bowed his head. When he raised it again Mack saw that his eyes were glistening with tears.

  “This place is wonderful, Mack, it really is. I only wished that we would have been able to find it sooner. We held them against their will because we couldn't risk anyone finding out what had happened. We were worried and scared, and didn't know what type of people you were. We were going to sort it out, but then Oliver talked to you and we weren't ready. I understand that you need to punish us, but please, just take me. Do whatever you like to me. You can string me up as an example, you can do anything to me. I'm their captain, and I should be punished. I was the one who gave the ultimate order. I did what I could to get the majority of my crew to shore, and I should be the one to face the consequences.”

  Mack looked at him and saw the desperation in the man's eyes, and he was filled with pity. Ever since he first had met Flint, Mack had seen that they had a lot in common, and part of that was a devotion to the people they led. Mack wondered if there was any part of him that could have made the same decision if he was pushed as far as Flint had been. But as much pity as he felt for the captain, he was cold in his reply.

  “I can't let any of you stay in New Haven. I'm going to talk to my council, and I'll come back later with our decision.” Flint was taken back to his cell, while Mack went back to the people he trusted the most.

  They debated for a long time about what to do. Not all of them agreed with the plan that Mack wanted to put in place, but none of them could come up with a good alternative. So, in the end, none of them walked out of Mack's office not entirely satisfied. The sailors were brought out before the people of New Haven as the council stood by them. Mack stepped forward and delivered their sentence.

  “In this world, we are faced with many challenges, and we must choose what we think is best to ensure the safety and survival of the people we love. I cannot in any way condone what these men did to the people they sailed with. I also cannot come up with a fitting punishment, and one that wouldn't be a drain on our resources as well. But I also know that the weight of what they have done is going to stay with them for the rest of their lives. Every time they look at each other, they will have to remember what they have done to the other members of their crew. In some ways, that's the most horrible punishment of all. The council and I have agreed that we have no choice but to exile you from New Haven. You are men of the sea. I suggest you get back on your ship and sail far, far away from here, and never darken this part of the world with your presence again.”

  It was perhaps the most merciful punishment they could have been given. Although some in New Haven would argue they needed a more brutal form of punishment, they couldn't argue with anything that Mack had said. Each person in New Haven had done things they hadn't been proud of, and they could see how the sailors would be haunted by their past. In silence, their restraints were removed and they were shown to the gates of New Haven, where they were escorted out. The sailors walked into the city, never to be heard from again.

  Chapter Ten

  A little later, in the evening, when the Moon hung high in the sky and the stars sparkled beside it, people were settling down for their evening meal. They were sitting in a circle and a fire crackled in the middle of it. All the couples were together, except Grace and Luis, who were sitting on opposite sides of the fire. Silence was all around them after the events of the day, and each of them had much on their minds. Most of them didn't have much of an appetite given what they had learned, but Saul was eating heartily.

  “I don't know how you can eat at a time like this,” Luis said. Saul paused for a moment to look at Luis and shrugged, then continued eating.

  “They must have been so desperate,” Anna said. “I wonder what it was like on that ship.”

  “I can't even imagine,” Freddie said.

  “I can,” Maggie replied. People were stunned into silence.

  “I think we all can. Think about everything we've been through. Weren't there moments when you were faced with death and you knew you'd give anything to make it through? They were on a ship with nowhere else to go. It couldn’t have been an easy conversation, but it was one they had to have.”

  “I wonder if Flint had to order any of them to be eaten if they resisted,” Mack said.

  “I guess we'll never know now,” Anna said.

  Freddie set down his plate and leaned forward. “It makes you wonder what other people out there are doing, people who weren't as fortunate as us. Sometimes
it's easy to forget that billions of people all over the world are trying to survive, and not all of them will make it. I doubt Flint and his men were the only ones to turn to cannibalism. It makes you think about what we'd all be willing to do to survive.”

  “I'd be willing to do a lot, but I don't think I could eat you guys,” Grace said, and this brought a round of laughter. “How's Tristan doing?” she added.

  “He's okay, I think, as okay as he can be, I suppose. He was glad for a change of clothes, and he's warmed up now. I think he's just shaken again. That boy has seen way too many things. It's funny, when he was younger I used to make sure he didn't watch any late movies, but now he's seen things I couldn't even imagine. I just hope he can cope with it all,” Maggie replied.

  “I'm sure he will, he's a strong kid,” Saul said. Maggie smiled, appreciating the comment.

  “I'm really sorry for what happened as well. I never should have left him there,” Grace said.

  “It's okay, you couldn't have known. And he did really like ships, although I'm not sure if he will now,” she said. The group laughed again, and the tension was beginning to be released as they relaxed in each other’s company.

  “Well, no matter what we're pushed to do I'd like to think we all would make the right decisions. That's what's gotten us this far,” Mack said.

  “And what's next for us?” Anna asked.

  “I honestly have no idea, but we're going to have to sort out the food situation. I'm sorry for not being stronger about the sailors. I should have given them more restrictions. I just wanted to make this place a welcoming destination. I got so caught up in what I thought New Haven should be that I lost sight of what it actually is. I need to make sure the people in this settlement come first, and anyone else who comes here will have to understand that or suffer the consequences,” Mack said.

  “I think we all wanted it to work,” Hank said, “but there are two sides to being hospitable. You have to be a good host, but the guest has to make sure they are grateful for the hospitality as well. I can see now why the sailors were so eager to throw themselves into the food that we had to offer. However, in future we'll have to make sure people pull their weight. I'm just sad we had to send Oliver back with them.”

  “That was a hard call,” Mack said, “but I think it was the right one. He'd never forgive himself, and if he was here, other people wouldn't let him forget. At least he's with people who can understand what they're going through. Now that they've had their secret exposed they might actually be able to work through it.”

  “Where do you think they're going to go?” Luis asked.

  “They have to be finding somewhere in the city to stay, surely. If I were them, I'd never go back out to sea,” Anna said.

  “I wouldn't be too sure about that,” Mack replied. “Those men live to be at sea. They'll either go back on the Southampton or find another ship to take out. This time hopefully with a way to get more food, then they'll go out there and explore the world.”

  “You almost sound jealous,” Freddie teased.

  “In a way, I am. I always liked the idea of being a sailor in the exploration age, never knowing when you're going to come across land or what's going to be waiting for you when you do arrive. It's going to be like that now. We've only been in this city, and think of all the things we've seen already. Imagine what else is waiting out there, what other people are doing. One of the great things about the Internet is we could see what was happening all over the world, but now we've been plunged into darkness again. We're probably never going to know what's happening in Europe or Russia. Hell, we may never know what's going on in even Mexico or Canada, but I suppose we'll have plenty of adventures around here,” Mack said.

  “Speak for yourself, I could do with a break from everything that's happening. A nice quiet winter would do me,” Maggie said, and the rest of them cheered in agreement. Alison whispered something in Saul's ear, and a wide grin appeared across his face. He picked up the last morsels of food left on his plate and then set it down.

  “Time for us to call it a night,” he said, and nobody was left in any doubt as to what those two were going to be up to. Grace giggled, and even Mack chuckled as Saul walked away.

  “I never thought I'd see him in love,” Mack said.

  “It's pretty sweet when you think about it,” Grace said. “We were talking earlier about how we never thought we'd end up here. It's been pretty incredible when you think about it. All that time we spent in the forest...I didn't think we'd be staying in one place. We were all ready to travel across the country.”

  “Yeah, and it was just a handful of us. Me, you, Luis, and Saul,” Mack said.

  “The good old days,” Luis joked, and everyone laughed again.

  “You know, my father told me something once that always has stayed with me. I was a teenager, and I didn't really know what I was doing with my life, or what the point of any of it was. I was stuck in high school, and I didn't see much of a future for myself and I think he knew that. Well, parents always tend to know what's going on in their kids' minds, even if you think you're being so mysterious. One day he was talking to me about it, and saying that everybody acts like they have a plan for the future, but nobody really knows what the future holds, and there aren't any guarantees. At first that scared me, but then he explained that it meant every day was an adventure, and that life was about the people you hadn't met yet. There were so many unknowns out there. At the time, I never thought I'd meet someone like Anna, or any of you people. I'm still amazed that we've all managed to come together, and I'm so glad for it because now I can't imagine my life without any of you,” he said, reaching over and squeezing Anna's hand.

  Over the fire, Luis and Grace's eyes met for a brief moment. Luis smiled at her, but Grace looked away. The conversation began to die down, and one by one, people began to slip away. As soon as Grace left Luis rose and followed her, reaching out to pull her back by her shoulder.

  “Can we talk?” Luis asked in a pleading tone.

  “Yes, we can, but not right now. Please Luis, I just need some space right now to figure things out. I'm sorry,” she said.

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  Grace merely shrugged, and then walked away. Luis sighed and walked back to the fire, where he sat down next to Maggie. Mack and Anna still were there as well, but everyone else had left.

  “It's going to be okay, you know,” Maggie said.

  “I wish I could believe that.”

  “Hey, even if it isn’t, just remember that you had a life before her, and you'll have a life after her. For what it's worth, I think she'll come around. She's just going through something at the moment. The best thing you can do is give her the space she needs, and when she does come to you, listen to what she has to say,” Mack said.

  “And what if she wants to break up with me?”

  “Then you'll have to respect her wishes,” Anna said, “but don't think that is the only way this is going to play out. Just be patient and focus on yourself. Keep busy and eventually you two will be able to have a discussion, and you know we're all here to help you if you need any advice.”

  “I appreciate that,” Luis said, and was glad to have his friends.

  Elsewhere in the settlement, though, someone else was feeling incredibly lonely. After returning to New Haven, Tristan had been taken back to the apartment. Then he changed into some new clothes, was wrapped up in blankets, and he went straight to bed. He still was shivering, long after he had dried, and even though his body was exhausted, he still found it difficult to sleep.

  The images of those bones sitting in the kitchen could not be shaken from his mind. Every time he closed his eyes he saw them, and then he was back in that room again, with the oil lantern swinging above him. His wrists and ankles still ached from the knots, and although the wounds already were healing, he still could feel them cutting deep into his flesh. His dreams were nightmares and he was in a pot, waiting to be eaten by the cackling
sailors who were waiting to carve him up.

  Tristan awoke in a cold sweat. He hauled the blankets off himself and dragged himself out of the bed. His mom hadn't returned yet, and he didn't want to be alone, not in the darkness, not on that night. He pulled on a jacket and left the apartment, skulking through the settlement to the only person he thought he could talk to. The only person he wanted to talk to. He knocked on the door, and Sharon answered, surprised to see him. They stood there awkwardly, neither of them saying much, before Sharon invited him in. Deborah was there, too, and upon seeing him she turned away in shame. Tristan said hello to her, but she only mumbled in response.

  “I was wondering if I could talk to you?” he asked.

  They had resolved the tension between them, but still were not on entirely friendly terms. Yet, Sharon wasn't about to turn him away. They walked into her room and sat on her bed. Tristan looked around as if to find anything to do other than talk, but then Sharon asked him what he wanted to talk about. On his way there Tristan thought it was going to be difficult to talk to her about what had happened. Yet, once he started it came out in a flood. He told her everything, about what he found, and how scared he was. In the end, it was all so overwhelming that he started crying.