“We’ll get off, I promise you. Where are you now?”
“I’m still in the auditorium, we’re in the dressing room and someone or something is trying to get through the door”.
“Is there another way out?”
“The emergency exit, but it’s locked, I don’t know which idiot locked it, but we’re trying to break it down before whatever is on the other side of that auditorium door breaks that down”.
“Have you barricaded the door?”
“We have. Laksh, I’m terrified. I don’t know if we’ll make it out alive, but I want you to know I love you, tell our son that mummy always loved him too”.
“Don’t talk like that! I’m coming for you! Just sit tight!”
“You’ll get yourself killed!”
“I’m not leaving you to your fate, I’d rather die trying!”
“I don’t know what I’d do if something happens to you”.
“As would I you, that’s why I’m coming for you”.
“Okay, but be careful, don’t take any unnecessary risks, do you hear? I’d rather you go back or save yourself than risk your life”.
“I’m not leaving you behind, our little trio is one for all and all for one”.
“I love you”.
“So do I, I’ll be there as soon as I can. If you manage to get out, text me, don’t call me, it might attract attention”.
“Okay, see you soon”.
Laksh hung up. He stood in the galley, bolted from the inside. Nothing was getting in or out.
“You’re not planning on going out there are you?” The sous chef Frederic asked.
“I am, the mother of my son awaits and I’m not planning to let her down, nor will my son hear tales of how his father did nothing to save his mother”.
“That’s crazy, you heard her, the rumours were true, those freaks are everywhere!”
“That isn’t going to stop me”.
“You’re nuts”, one of his other colleagues replied, “the fuck if you’re getting me out of those doors for anyone”.
Laksh started looking around the galley for makeshift weaponry, large knives, a butane torch, and oil-proof thick gloves. He grabbed pots and pans.
“Armour me up!” He ordered, looking at the galley full of bemused chefs and waiters. “What are you waiting for? Armour me up I said!”
“You’re nuts, but you’ve got some serious balls, I’ll give you that”, Frederic replied, “Come on guys, let’s armour up this homme fou”.
Grabbing anything they could find to tie pots to his body, they armoured him up and 10 minutes later he looked pretty indestructible, albeit ridiculous.
“Open the door!” He ordered, my wife’s knight is coming for her!”
They did so and cheered as he stepped out into the open.
“You go get your lady, you crazy love-struck fool, we’re here supporting you every step of the way!” Frederic proclaimed.
Lakshman pumped his fist, albeit awkwardly and set off to rescue Rohini.
CHAPTER 18 - MARTHA, PHOTIS & EDWARD
3:00pm - 8 hours, 13 minutes since outbreak in London.
1 hours, 50 minutes since outbreak aboard MS HotS.
. . .
. . .
An hour had passed and Martha had heard not a peep from anyone. What could have happened to them all? Not knowing how any of them were doing, what was going on around the ship and being stuck in this small confined space feeling the gentle rocking of the ship in increasingly miserable weather, was driving her stir-crazy.
She had tried Christine’s phone multiple times and on every occasion reached her voicemail, which of course only served to fuel her greatest fear, that her daughter was dead. To add to her woes, Edward wasn’t picking up either, but at least he was simply hanging up on her, most likely not in a position to talk.
Frustrated and trembling with fret, she tried the one remaining person she could contact, a person she rarely if ever spoke to and couldn’t recall the last time she did. As she glanced down towards the last call made, it pointed out that the last time they spoke was well over a year ago.
She tapped on the call icon and held the phone up to her ear.
“Nan?” She heard her granddaughter whisper.
“Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I don’t really know, there’s a group of us here, I’m with Lori. The place is swarming with those infected people, they’ve been killing people… so much blood…”
“Okay, stay calm. Are you safe?”
“For now, I’m whispering so those things don’t hear us. Nan, they ripped people apart like they were just butcher’s meat, it was… I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m terrified. I don’t think I’ve ever been this terrified, I feel physically sick and I’m sweating like… I don’t even know. I don’t want that to happen to me”.
“Dear, are you in a secure location?”
“We are, I think it’s a staff room or something, we didn’t really check before we ran in, we were being chased”.
“Okay, is the door secure?”
“We put a shelf in front of it”.
“Hmm, I guess that will have to do for the time being, is there another way out?” There was silence for a moment as Rachel surveyed her surroundings.
“Just a vent”.
“Okay, worst case scenario, you’ll need to use that as a means to escape”.
“Where are you, nan?”
“Hiding in the bathroom next to our cabin”.
“Oh yes, dad said”.
“Don’t worry about me, I’m safe for the moment, but I’ve heard nothing from your mother or father”.
“How much battery power do you have?”
Martha glanced down at her phone display, before returning it to her ear.
“Sixty-two percent”.
“Okay, I have eighty-six. Try to preserve it, nan”.
“I’ll keep trying your parents, you try that vent”.
“Okay nan, speak soon”. Rachel hung up.
Martha sighed, things were a great deal more difficult and dangerous than she could have possibly anticipated.
3:03pm - 8 hours, 16 minutes since outbreak in London.
1 hours, 53 minutes since outbreak aboard MS HotS.
Captain Photis had made umpteen attempts to organise a rescue to no avail, other vessels were having difficulty responding to his mayday call in this treacherous weather and for those that had, reaching him was proving a difficult task.
Already losing hope, it didn't help the cause that staff for the past hour were calling in from around the ship panicking and begging for a course of action, but what course of action could he give?
Believe it or not, there were procedures in place for handling terrorist threats, pirates and even epidemics, but an altogether new situation of all three threats compiled into one and spreading faster than he could possibly account for, what the heck was he supposed to do?
It wasn’t even so much the number of panicked calls he was getting that worried him the most, it was the fact that those same calls were one by one dropping off or going silent, which didn’t bode well.
“Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is Captain Photis on the MS Heaven of the Seas, I repeat, this is Captain Photis of the MS Heaven of the Seas. Call sign MSHOS2”, he provided their bearings and continued, “we are in need of immediate assistance, over”.
There was a tremendous amount of static on the line that wasn’t there prior, but someone came through eventually with persistence.
“This is the Captain Murdock of the Lully Empress answering your mayday call, Captain Photis, please state your emergency, I repeat, please state your emergency, over”.
“Oh thank God. Captain Photis of the MS Heaven of the Sea responding, thank you for answering us. We have… an infection spreading on board and need emergency assistance. Several are believed to be dead, several more in danger of death if they are not rescued, please assist, over”. There was a long pause before a rep
ly came.
“Sorry, did you say an infection? Over”.
“Yes I did, one that we cannot identify and spreading fast, over”.
“Have you attempted to contain the epidemic? Over”.
Captain Photis looked towards his crew, his wife Irini in the corner, contain this? Who could contain this?
“We’ve tried and failed, over”.
“Have you been infected? Over”.
“No, none of us in the bridge have, over”.
“Can you confirm that? Over”.
“I can, over”.
“How many of you are there? Over”.
Captain Photis glanced around the bridge.
“About thirty-eight of us here, over”.
Another long pause.
“It’ll probably take us about an hour or so to get to you, even then I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to get too close to your vessel, over”. Captain Photis punched the dashboard in front of him.
“Dammit!”
What the fuck were they supposed to do now? They’d probably be long dead before that rescue ever came. Closing his eyes and leaning on the dashboard, he knew that the next words to come from his mouth could make or break him, but this was no sinking ship situation, maybe he could be forgiven, right?
He lifted the radio speaker to his lips once more and took a breath before replying.
“We’ll come to you. I repeat, the survivors will come to you, over”.
Captain Photis’ crew stared at each other in shock, unsure of what to say or do.
“Do you mean you will turn your vessel and come this way? Over”.
“No… we’ll abandon ship, over”.
“What?” Irini snapped from across the bridge, “No… no, we can’t just leave all those poor people behind! We can’t!”
“Did I hear correctly? You plan to abandon ship? Over”, the other vessel replied.
“Confirmation of that statement”, Captain Photis replied, “nothing more can be done here, the ship has been compromised, over”.
“Are you sure that’s a wise decision, captain? Over”
“It’s the only decision, if we die, no one will be able to help any survivors that remain on the ship. Our extraction is critical to saving lives at the moment, over”.
“Okay, if you insist, but just for future reference, I did ask and there is evidence of that. If you can get onto a lifeboat, we can pick you up. Use the lifeboat radio to stay in touch, over”.
“That can be arranged. See you soon, over”.
“See you soon, Captain Photis, oh and good luck, over”. The radio clicked off and Captain Photis turned to face his crew as they all stared at him in shocked and appalled silence.
“I had no choice, we’d all be left to die otherwise”.
“You had a choice! You chose to be a selfish cowardice son of a bitch!” A crew member snapped.
“I chose your lives, is that so wrong, Tai? I can’t guarantee anyone else is alive and mentally sane on the ship. What would you have had me do?”
“A captain should go down with his ship! You didn’t even provide a PSA to inform survivors they could make it here for shelter!”
“Don’t be immature! This isn’t a goddamn movie! I put out that message and I jeopardise the lives of every single one of you in here! Do you think that was an easy decision for me? I’d never abandon my post without good cause, but I have no choice!”
“I don’t like this either, we’re leaving people to die”, Irini argued.
“I don’t like any part of this either, I’m overwhelmed with guilt at the moment, but if we all die, what purpose would remaining here have been?” Captain Photis replied.
“At least we wouldn’t be fleeing like cowards!” Tai replied.
“I’ve made up my mind, I’m saving the people on this bridge”.
“Well don’t expect me to go with you. I committed to the people on this ship. If any of you agree with me, raise your hands”.
Only three people raised their hands, not including Irini, much to his disappointment. He shook his head in dismay.
“Fucking cowardice pricks… I cannot believe I called you my fellow crew members. I sailed with you, I ate, drank and partied with you, I shared beds, had banter and road tripped with some of you. David, I went to your daughter’s baptism, you’re the fucking Christian”, David remained speechless, staring at his feet. “Marla, I helped your elderly mother to the clinic. Charlie, you and I do everything together, what the fuck man? Only 3 of you guys? Seriously? What about you, Irini?”
“Sorry… I want to, but…” Irini replied, struggling to say anything without revealing the relationship between her and Photis.
“You know what, I get it. Well seeing as we’re just flinging shit now. David, I slept with your sister, that is all”.
“What? You little rat!” David snapped, suddenly having something to say. He was held back by another crew member.
“Oh look at that, so the cat don’t got your tongue after all”. He turned back to the captain. “So what now? You just skip into the sunset together?”
“It’ll take some time to lower one of those lifeboats into the water, in the meantime you could put out a PSA, any survivors who make it to us before we abandon ship I promise to take with us”. Captain Photis pushed himself away from the dashboard.
“And the ship? It just keeps on sailing?”
“No, we’ll shut down the engines and let it drift. Someone will decide what to do with it. I can’t risk it reaching western soil, it would be a pandemic the likes of which the world never knew before, a pandemic we could have stopped when we had the chance, that chance is now. If you’ve been keeping an eye on the chaos in London, you’ll know that once it starts spreading, it’s nigh impossible to stop. This morning it was just a secluded incident, a single terrorist attack. Last I checked, London was ablaze and the military were recently called in. We may not have a home to return to, that’s the truth. So Tai, don’t take my words lightly when I say that any life I can save is a life enough. I do this with no ease of mind or heart. Begin cutting off the engine, if this ship must continue, we’ll make sure it crashes somewhere where no people are”.
The crew members sprang to action, disregarding Tai. Shortly thereafter, they had carried out all the necessary procedures to leave the ship and everyone else behind.
“Go on then, just fuck right off! I hope the next time I see you lot is in court, if not the fucking pearly gates. I’ll personally give you your first class tickets to the express to fucking hell!” Tai shouted as they made their way off the bridge and down to the lifeboats.
3:13pm - 8 hours, 26 minutes since outbreak in London.
2 hours, 3 minutes since outbreak aboard MS HotS.
Edward hid at the corner of a corridor, keeping his head down low and taking cover where necessary to avoid the twitching erratic people prowling the corridors.
Getting to his wife was taking a great deal longer than he had anticipated, but she couldn’t be too far away now… if she was alive.
He took shelter in a storage closet as two crazies, gurgling and muttering something to themselves passed him by. This was all too much, he couldn’t believe he was hiding in a storage closet to avoid being eaten alive by crazy cannibalistic people.
The corridor walls and floors were painted with blood, human remains littered the floors and sanity seemed a rare commodity, a polar contrast to the normality of yesterday. He was just waiting for this nightmare to end. He was still hoping and praying that he had consumed far too much alcohol last night to think rationally, that this was just a part of his drunken delusions and if it was, he’d promise himself to never fucking drink again.
But how could it be a nightmare? He could still hear the screams of people ringing in his ears and see the look of mindless rage from that man who attacked him back in the cabin. If this was all really just a vivid nightmare he couldn’t escape from, he questioned his own sanity to conjure up such a thing.
His heart was pounding, one false move and he’d have that horde all over him, an idea he couldn’t even begin to fathom.
There was a click as the intercom speakers activated and there came a voice, different from that of the captain’s.
“Survivors on board, this is Tai Amihan, former crew member of the captain, I say former because the captain and several others have taken it upon themselves to leave you to your fates. Like cowards, they fled and are boarding a lifeboat to abandon ship as we speak. Had I not informed you, you would never have known that, now you do. However, all is not lost, there are still lifeboats and I want to rescue as many of you as possible. Make your way to the bridge if you can where we will be making our last stand and together we’ll get off this dreaded ship. I repeat, make your way to the bridge. We’ll be awaiting your arrival”. The intercom speaker clicked off, leaving Edward staring at it in disbelief.
The captain fucking fled? What the fuck? He actually fled? Simply abandoned them to their fates? What the hell was that about? Who did that? Who could just up and leave the moment things got a little too hairy to handle? Was he not supposed to stay on the ship and go down with it if needs be?
Edward couldn't believe what he had heard, it was still taking its time to register, but after his initial anger subsided, he tried to look at the situation objectively, would he flee if he was in that situation? Probably.
Either way, if there was any chance whatsoever of their survival, he needed to rescue his family and get to the bridge as quickly as possible, every second of his precious time spent hiding here just lessened the probability of their survival.
He poked his head out from behind the door to survey his surroundings and the corridor was quiet, he could probably make it over to that open door at the end of the corridor, but he’d have to be quick.
He ran over to the door taking cover inside the cabin beyond ìt, as two crazies passed him by. It appeared to have been broken into, not unlike his own cabin door. Distracted by noisy thoughts and fluctuating feelings, he didn’t even notice the person lying on the bed behind him, as he peered through the peephole to see if the coast was clear, he didn’t hear the person clamber off of the bed and begin walking towards him.
Cryptophobia | Book 2 | Hell & High Water [Fear The Unknown] Page 19