Swept Into the Sea

by Sheila Seifert

The cousins followed him. Luke and Aris did too.

  Once again, Patrick and Beth found themselves in front of Julius.

  Paul told him, “I had a dream. The Lord told me I would stand trial before Caesar. He said the lives of everyone on this ship would be saved.”

  Julius frowned. He said, “I’m not interested in listening to dreams, Paul.”

  Paul said, “You should have listened to me earlier. We should have stayed the winter at Fair Havens. Don’t make the same mistake now. Whether we live or die is your decision.”

  Julius looked into the storm.

  “Patrick,” Paul said, “tell the centurion what you saw.”

  Patrick took a step forward. “Sailors have lowered a small boat into the sea,” he said.

  Then Paul said in a loud voice, “These men must stay with the ship, or you won’t be saved.”

  Julius looked at Paul. “Demetrius, take a group of men,” he said. “Cut the ropes to the lifeboat.”

  Demetrius pointed to a couple of soldiers. They left with him.

  Beth knew the soldiers would obey Julius’s orders.

  “Now,” Paul said. “It’s time to eat. No one has eaten in a long time.”

  Julius seemed annoyed. “Everyone is seasick,” he said.

  Paul said, “They need their strength. My God has told me that not one person will die. But the ship will be harmed.”

  Patrick’s eyes grew large. Would the ship be wrecked? he wondered.

  Julius said, “You children, do what he says. Have the people eat. Then we’ll lighten the ship.” He nodded for soldiers to go with them too.

  “How can we lighten the ship?” Beth asked Patrick. “Everything has been thrown overboard.”

  “You’re right,” Patrick said. He thought for a moment. Paul had told them this was a grain ship. He said, “He’s going to dump the grain.”

  “Oh,” Beth said.

  Paul headed back toward the center of the ship.

  Patrick and Beth followed.

  The rest of the passengers were starting to wake up.

  Patrick thought it had to be near dawn. The night had to be almost over.

  Soldiers brought bread to Paul. Then sailors, merchants, passengers, and soldiers gathered around him.

  In a loud voice, Paul prayed, “Thank you, God, for this food.”

  Paul tore off a piece of bread. He began to eat it.

  Others came forward and took bread from the soldiers. They started eating too.

  Patrick took a piece. The rain made it soggy.

  Beth ate also. “It feels like something is about to happen,” she said.

  “I have the same feeling,” Patrick said. He took a bite. “Paul said we’d need our strength.”

  Patrick took another bite of wet bread. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon.

  Narrow Passage

  Marcus joined Beth and Patrick. “It’s a good thing I like soggy bread,” he said.

  Aris held two loaves in his hands. “Which one should I choose?” he asked. “It’s such a tough dough-cision.”

  Marcus laughed.

  Others smiled.

  Beth swallowed a chunk of bread. It stopped her stomach from growling.

  Julius walked up to the group. “Bread, please,” he said.

  A soldier gave him a loaf.

  Julius started to eat it.

  “We’re eating with a centurion,” someone said.

  Several people laughed.

  The meal felt like a large picnic. Beth saw a mighty wave rise above the ship.

  “Even the waves cannot dampen our mood,” Aris said. “Only our bread.”

  Beth shook her head. But she smiled.

  Aris laughed.

  Julius smiled. That made others smile.

  Julius finished eating. The mood immediately turned serious.

  Beth felt the change. She swallowed a final soggy chunk of bread.

  “Release the grain,” Julius said. “The ship must be lightened. The anchors can only hold us for so long.”

  Sailors and soldiers left together to carry out Julius’s order.

  “Look behind us,” Patrick said. “Dawn has finally come.”

  Beth turned. She saw the glimmer of light on the horizon. Perhaps the storm was almost over. She turned back. Were her eyes playing tricks on her?

  “Is that a beach?” she asked. She blinked. It was still there.

  “That’s land!” Patrick said.

  The people around them raised a cheer.

  Marcus gasped. “I know this place. I recognize it,” he said. “My grandmother lives here.”

  Julius walked over to Marcus. “Tell me all you know,” he said.

  Marcus stepped forward. “This bay leads to a sandy beach,” he said. “And there is a village not far from here.”

  Beth turned to Patrick. “We’re saved!” she said.

  “Perhaps,” Julius said. “This harbor is our last hope. The ship won’t survive another day. It may not last another hour.”

  “It won’t be easy to get to shore,” Marcus said. “There is a sandbar reef beneath the surface. There is only a narrow passage through it.”

  “Hoist the foresail to the wind,” Julius yelled. “Untie the rudders.”

  Beth nibbled her bottom lip. Could this large ship make it through a narrow passage? she wondered.

  “Our chances don’t look good,” Patrick said.

  “Our hope is not in what we see,” Paul said. “Our hope is in God alone. It always has been.”

  Julius stood at the bow. “Brace yourselves,” he said. His voice carried across the deck of the ship.

  “Cut loose the anchors,” Julius said. “We are going through.” He paused. Then he said, “May Paul’s God guide us.”

  The ship burst forward. It sped directly toward the beach.

  Patrick saw the land grow closer.

  We could be there in minutes, he thought.

  Crashing water from one direction slammed into the back of the ship. The front of the ship jerked to the side. It hit the reef.

  Patrick was thrown onto the slippery deck. “Ow!” he said.

  Beth fell beside him. So did everyone else.

  But Patrick jumped up quickly. He looked toward the shore.

  Beth stood.

  It’s only three soccer fields away, he thought.

  Marcus yelled, “The front of the ship has hit a sandbar.”

  The ship didn’t move.

  “We’re stuck,” Julius said.

  The wind and waves smashed against the back of the ship.

  Crack!

  A large section of the stern broke off.

  “We’re going to sink,” Patrick said.

  The ship’s deck tilted.

  “I thought your God was going to save us, Paul!” a voice said.

  “God said our lives would be saved,” Luke said. “He didn’t say the ship would survive.”

  Waves pelted them. Wood from the ship flew into the sea.

  Paul moved toward Julius.

  Cold greenish-gray water swirled around the ship. Rain poured from the heavens.

  “The sea is going to tear the ship to bits,” Beth said.

  Thunder rumbled.

  The Roman soldiers moved closer together. They started whispering.

  Patrick heard Demetrius say, “Wait for the next wave. Then draw your swords.”

  Patrick looked at them. How would that stop the ship from falling apart? he wondered.

  “Why should we draw our swords?” a young soldier asked.

  “To kill the prisoners,” Demetrius said.

  “You can’t!” Patrick yelled.

  The soldiers glared at him.

  Demetrius growled.

  Patrick’s heart beat faster. “Beth, they’re going to kill the prisoners,” he said.

  “No!” Beth exclaimed. “We’ve got to get to Paul,” Beth said. “Or Luke, or Aris. We have to tell them what’s going on.”

  A w
ave began to form. It rose high above them.

  Patrick saw Paul by Julius with a group of prisoners.

  Patrick said, “We have to tell Julius!”

  The wave fell on them.

  Demetrius and the other soldiers drew their swords.

  Lightning flashed. It reflected on the steel blades.

  “Julius!” Patrick screamed. “Save Paul!”

  “Protect Aris!” Beth yelled.

  The soldiers charged.

  Prisoners around Paul shrieked.

  “Halt!” Julius yelled. He drew his sword.

  The prisoners hid behind him.

  Paul and Aris stepped forward.

  Demetrius stopped. The other soldiers stopped too.

  “You will not harm Paul,” Julius’s voice thundered. “Or any of the prisoners.”

  Demetrius kept his sword raised. “Rome will kill us if a single prisoner escapes,” Demetrius said. “It’s us or them.”

  A Long Swim

  Julius glared at Demetrius. He held his sword steady.

  “Paul is a man of God,” Julius said. “Do you want his God to be against us?”

  “Where has his God gotten us?” Demetrius said. “We are shipwrecked. Many will die.”

  “No one will die,” Paul said. “Only the ship will be destroyed.”

  “Will you go against Caesar’s law?” Demetrius asked. “Do you want him against us?”

  Julius paused. Then he said, “I’ll take personal responsibility for the prisoners.”

  Demetrius glared. The rest of the soldiers behind him sheathed their swords. Finally, Demetrius did too.

  Beth looked at the prisoners. They looked relieved.

  The grain ship trembled on the waves.

  “Watch out!” Beth said. She pointed to a piece of wood flying toward them.

  Patrick and Beth dropped onto the slimy deck.

  Luke and Aris fell flat beside them. So did Paul and Julius.

  The board flew over them. But it hit two soldiers. They grunted in surprise. But they weren’t hurt. Their armor kept them from harm.

  Beth hopped up. “The ship is being torn apart,” she said.

  Patrick, Aris, and Luke stood up.

  Aris said, “I’ve never seen a plank fly before. Butterfly, sure. But not wood.”

  Julius raised his hand.

  Everyone was quiet.

  “Swimmers,” Julius said, “jump into the sea and get to land.”

  Immediately passengers and prisoners flung themselves into the waves.

  Beth knew how to swim. So did Patrick. But Beth remembered how the sea broke the large mast in half. What would it do to them?

  Paul walked to the edge of the ship. “It’s time to go ashore,” he said. Then he climbed the railing and jumped into the water.

  Aris went next. He jumped off the ship and pretended to run in the air.

  Luke laughed. He tied his medical pouch tightly to his body. Then he dove into the waves too.

  Beth looked over the edge of the ship.

  Each of their heads bobbed above the surface. The men started swimming to shore.

  Marcus came from behind them. “You two are next,” he said. “I’ll follow.”

  Beth gave Patrick and Marcus a brave smile. She climbed the railing and jumped into the sea.

  “Keep your eyes on the beach,” Marcus yelled.

  The water was freezing. The salt stung her eyes. Beth began to do the crawl stroke. Her face was in the sea and then out for a breath. She forced her feet to kick.

  The crawl stroke worked in swimming pools. But here she didn’t have the same power. The waves were too strong.

  What am I going to do? she wondered.

  Patrick reached into his pouch. He took out his swimming goggles. They would keep the saltwater out of his eyes. He looked for Beth in the water.

  “There she is,” Marcus said. “May your and Paul’s God guide you both.”

  Patrick leaned against the ship’s railing. “And may He guide you,” Patrick said.

  Crack!

  The railing gave way.

  Patrick fell. He had time for one deep breath. Then he plunged into the sea.

  The icy water stung. The saltwater poured over his lips and into his mouth.

  Patrick pushed back to the surface and spit it out. He put on his goggles. Then he tilted them to dump the saltwater out of them.

  Patrick tried to swim ashore. But his foot was caught. Patrick took a breath and ducked underwater. Tall seagrass had wrapped around one of his sandals. His goggles helped him to see it.

  He pulled the seagrass away from his sandals. Then Patrick pushed back to the surface. He gulped in air. But he was turned around. He was facing the ship.

  Marcus jumped into the water. He landed close to Patrick.

  A wave crashed into them.

  A plank swooshed by them.

  Patrick dodged it.

  Marcus rose to the surface.

  “Something’s grabbing my feet,” Marcus cried. He took a deep breath and went down.

  Patrick ducked underwater too.

  Marcus’s feet were tangled in seagrass. The more he kicked, the more trapped he became.

  Patrick tore at the seagrass. He almost had Marcus free.

  But Marcus started to sink. He was drowning!

  Patrick freed his friend from the seagrass. He pulled Marcus to the surface.

  Another plank floated by.

  Patrick grabbed it. He draped Marcus over it. Then he held on to the plank and kicked toward the shore.

  Waves kept crashing into Beth. She saw Patrick and Marcus behind her.

  What is Patrick doing? she wondered. He was holding on to something. It was a plank from the ship.

  That’s what she needed. There were pieces of the ship all around her. She had been dodging them.

  Beth saw a plank the right size. She swam toward it. Her arms pounded the water. Her legs kicked with force.

  Another wave came. She dove toward the plank. She grabbed it and leaned on it like a paddle board. She began to kick.

  Julius’s voice came from behind her. “Abandon ship,” he yelled. “Grab a plank. Use it to help you get to shore.”

  Beth looked at the beach. Someone had started a bonfire. She kept her eyes on the flames.

  Kick. Kick. Kick.

  Finally, one of her knees hit sand. She could touch the bottom. Beth let go of the plank and walked to shore. Then she fell onto the wet beach.

  Thank you, God, she thought. She lay there for a moment to catch her breath. Finally, she sat up. Where’s Patrick? she wondered.

  People from the ship were dragging themselves through the shallow water. Some were already lying on the beach.

  “Patrick,” Beth yelled. She scanned the waves.

  “Come to the fire,” a woman’s voice called.

  People walked toward the warmth. Villagers passed out food and drink. They put blankets around shivering people.

  Beth saw Luke walk toward the fire. She saw Demetrius move toward it also.

  “Patrick,” Beth yelled again. Her voice sounded small.

  Then she saw him. He was farther down the beach.

  Beth forced herself to stand up. Her legs felt shaky. But she started running toward Patrick. She had to be sure he was all right.

  Patrick stumbled out of the water. He was dragging someone with him.

  Deadly Bite

  Patrick pulled Marcus out of the water and onto the beach. He threw off his goggles. Then he dropped onto the sand.

  Beth reached Patrick and dropped onto the sand next to him.

  Julius came out of the water behind them. He knelt by Marcus.

  “He’s swallowed too much seawater,” Julius said. Then he turned Marcus on his side and slapped his back. “Go find Paul’s doctor.”

  “He’s by the fire,” Beth said.

  Patrick ran toward the fire. “Luke,” he yelled.

  Luke was on the outside of the crowd. He stood next to
Paul and Aris. Luke and Paul turned toward Patrick.

  “Marcus needs help,” he said. Patrick pointed in Marcus’s direction.

  Luke and Paul looked cold and tired. But they hurried toward Marcus.

  Luke untied his pouch as he ran.

  Aris didn’t move. He reached out an arm to Patrick.

  “I need help,” he said. “My spirit is willing, but my body is weak.”

  Patrick put Aris’s arm over his shoulders. But he didn’t take him to Marcus. Instead, Patrick saw Demetrius warming himself. Patrick brought Aris closer to the fire. He helped Aris sit down next to Demetrius.

  “Get warm,” Patrick said.

  Aris gave Patrick a grateful smile. He extended his hands toward the flames and looked at Demetrius.

  “Are you ready to hear about Jesus?” Aris asked softly.

  Demetrius cleared his voice. “I’m a man of my word. I shall listen,” he said.

  Patrick smiled. He ran back to Marcus. He passed Julius on the way.

  Julius was heading toward the fire.

  “Is Marcus okay?” Patrick asked.

  “He’s breathing,” Julius said.

  Patrick gave a sigh of relief. He kept running. Soon he was by Marcus’s side.

  Luke was putting a vial back into his pouch. He turned to Patrick.

  “Can you help me take Marcus to the fire?” he asked.

  “Of course,” Patrick said. He turned to Marcus. “We can ask the islanders about your grandmother.”

  Julius’s voice boomed across the beach. “I need volunteers to gather more brushwood,” he said.

  “I’ll go,” Paul called.

  “Me too,” Beth said.

  Patrick put Marcus’s arm over his shoulders.

  “There used to be more brushwood that way,” Marcus said softly. He pointed down the beach. “Be careful of vipers.”

  “He means snakes with venom,” Luke said. He put Marcus’s other arm around his shoulders. “Venom is like poison. But it’s pushed into the body by the snake’s fangs.”

  “There is no cure for their bite,” Marcus said. “Be careful. They look like sticks.”

  Patrick and Luke started walking toward the fire with Marcus.

  Patrick watched the ground. He didn’t want to step on a viper.