Voyage (Powerless Nation #2) (12 page)

He grasped the equipment and, after checking to make sure it was attached outside the raft, threw it overboard.

“What was that?” she shouted.

“An anchor so we don’t flip!” he shouted back.

Sena decided that wasn’t even a little bit reassuring. The smell and motion were really getting to her and she was afraid she was going to vomit. The thought of throwing up in the raft and having it tossed around on everyone was almost too much for her, and she unzipped her tiny window again, hoping the fresh air would settle her stomach.

She wished she could see outside so she could anticipate when to brace herself. It was like riding a roller-coaster in the dark. Her muscles ached from gripping her handholds so tightly, but she couldn’t relax when she had no idea when the next wave would hit.

It was a long, cold, miserable night, and by the time the sea grew calmer and the orange fabric of the canopy began to glow with early morning light, Sena was exhausted. More than that though, she was cold. Though it was late June, the water temperature of the north Pacific probably wasn’t over fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and she was soaked with it.

“We’re too cold,” said Claire, speaking for the first time since they boarded the raft.

“I’m cold too,” said Lydia. “And I could really go for a cup of tea right now.”

“No, I mean we’re
too
cold. I don’t want to alarm anyone, but if we can’t get warm we aren’t going to last long out here.”

Sena didn’t think people should say they didn’t want to alarm you and then say something completely alarming.

“What do you mean we won’t last?” asked Kade. He’d found another plastic bailer and was helping Danny toss water outside.

“If your core temperature drops more than a few degrees you’ll get hypothermia. It means your body is losing heat faster than it can warm itself up. If it’s allowed to go on, it can be fatal.”

Sena glanced at Charity. Ted was holding her on his lap to keep her up out of the water and help her stay warm. Her chest rose and fell with the rapid breaths passing between her blue lips. Sena’s heart clutched in her chest. They had to help her.

A small wave crested outside the entrance to the raft and spilled inside, flowing around their legs and feet. She was already so cold and wet, the new water didn’t make much difference. Lydia probably couldn’t feel anything with her bare feet, which must be numb by now. 

If only there was something to sit on to get them up off the floor of the raft. She considered her life vest, but there was no way she was taking that off.

She leaned back and was surprised to realize she was still wearing her backpack. That would be perfect to sit on. She pulled it off, and then noticed everyone watching. “I wear it so much I forgot I had it on,” she explained with a shrug and a half-smile.

Sena unzipped the pack and looked inside. Although most of her things were soaked a few were only damp. “I don’t think the library is going to want these back,” she said, handing two ruined books to Kade. “Maybe someone can sit on them.” 

She also had her school uniform, a couple of extra shirts, five pairs of socks and underwear, a swimsuit, and the real treasure — a fleece-lined windbreaker with a hood. “Here, put this around Charity,” she said, passing the jacket to Ted.

The outer pocket of the backpack was full of the batteries Kade had given her, useless now since the book light had been ruined by the water. She fingered it sadly before putting it back in the pack. 

She also had a pack of tissue (ruined), a deck of cards (probably ruined), and her laminated map of the ship (not ruined, but useless). Next she pulled out a pair of cheap binoculars. They’d been on the suggested packing list, and her foster father had let her bring an old pair he no longer used. She thought that might be it until she took one last glance in the pack. Her eyes widened. The list also suggested they bring a hat, scarf and gloves. She’d shoved all three items in the bottom of her pack and promptly forgotten about them.

She felt like she had struck gold.

They used the scarf to sponge up the water on the floor, and then Sena passed around the clothing. Pretty soon almost everyone had either socks or mittens on their hands. Lydia put the socks on her feet and Sena wore the hat. 

They were still cold and wet, but the waves had calmed and they were slightly better off than they’d been a few minutes ago. More importantly, they were more optimistic. No longer having to sit in a cold puddle was a huge boost to morale.

“Do we have any idea where we’re going?” asked Kade.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Danny. “We’re at a place in the Pacific where two currents meet. One circles up to Alaska and the other moves south. It’s hard to say which of them will pick us up.”

“How do you know so much about sailing?” asked Lydia. “Wasn’t this your first time out?”

“It was my first time on the
Duchess
, yes,” said Danny. “I grew up on the water. My dad was a fishing boat captain and when he and my mom split up, he took me out with him when it was his turn to have me.”

“Any chance he’ll come looking for you?” asked Kade hopefully.

“No,” said Danny, ending the conversation.

Sena changed the subject. “It doesn’t look like a very good design for a life raft. There’s no engine or good way to get around.”

Danny cursed the terrorists under his breath. “If it wasn’t for them, we probably could have gotten into a lifeboat. Even if we hadn’t, someone would have been floating in the area and given us a tug. The regular lifeboats have small engines.

“What I want to know is what kind of life raft doesn’t have any water?” asked Kade.

“Of course!” said Danny, hitting himself on the head with the palm of his hand. “There are supposed to be emergency supplies in here. Anyone see anything?” 

Near the entrance there were several pockets with zippers. He opened one and pulled out an orange plastic case. When he removed the socks from his hands, Sena noticed his fingers shook. “Let’s see what we’ve got here.”

He named the items so everyone could hear. “Looks like about eight flares, some fishing gear, a flashlight, mirror, first aid kit, air pump and patch kit, and some food and water, maybe two to three days’ worth.”

“Anything else?” Claire asked.

Danny unzipped the next pocket over and took out a compact orange package wrapped in plastic. He studied it, then a huge grin split his face. “Jackpot! It says it’s thermal gear.” He ripped one of the packages open. Sena heard Claire catch her breath, and turned to see tears on her cheeks.

Claire wiped at the moisture with the back of her hand and smiled wryly. “I guess I really shouldn’t cry out here. Wasting water.”

“We’re going to be okay,” said Ted, patting Claire's shoulder awkwardly in the crowded raft.

Danny showed them what kind of thermal gear they had. “We’ve got hand warmers, space blankets, and a fashionable thermal coverall for each of us.”

“That’s really going to clash with my skin tone,” said Charity, her voice slurred.

“You’re awake!” Sena exclaimed.

“Let’s get this on you,” said Claire.

The thermal outfit was a baggy jumpsuit made out of waterproof polymer and cloth material with a reflective coating inside. They carefully helped Charity get the suit on right over her clothes. She kept her arms next to her body and let the sleeves dangle down empty. It even had a hood, which they pulled up over her hair.

Danny figured out how to open the canopy part-way, and eventually everyone changed into the thermal suits and spread out their wet clothes to dry in the sun. Sena tried not to laugh at the spectacle they made trying to get into their suits. 

They were seamless at the bottom so they had to be pulled on like a sleeping bag. Since it was nearly impossible to stand up on the raft, they had to wriggle and squirm to get them on. Charity cracked a smile at the sight.

Sena knew Ted and Claire were worried about Charity by the loaded glances they kept giving each other over her head. She asked Danny if he’d trade her places so she could sit by her friend. 

Her friend.

If someone had told her before the cruise she and Charity would become friends, she wouldn’t have believed them.

Charity was pale, and despite the chill there was a sheen of perspiration on her face. Her breathing was quick and shallow, and she spoke in short phrases.

“I’m sorry I made you miss… the lifeboat. If it wasn’t for me… you wouldn’t be here.”

“Don’t say that. Who knows what would have happened if I went with the other boat? Maybe you saved my life too.” Sena saw skepticism on Charity’s face and added, “Really. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

There was a long pause, then Charity said, “I wish I’d told my mom and dad… I loved them.”

“You’re going to tell them, because we’re getting you home.”

“You don’t understand, Sena.”

Kade’s voice cracked, “I’ll tell them.” Charity closed her eyes and Sena stared at the endless ocean. 

It was so unfair. Charity was supposed to be having fun on a fancy cruise ship, not shot and dying in a life raft.

Then a thought crossed her mind. If the EMP had never happened, Charity would probably still be making fun of her and ordering her around. Even if that was true, she’d take the old Charity back in a minute if she was whole and healthy. Anything was better than this.

A movement caught her eye and she squinted in the bright sun reflecting on the deep blue sea. Was it a fish? The silvery body sparkled and then vanished beneath the waves before she could make it out. 

There it was again.

“Do you guys see something over there?” she pointed.

They turned to look.

“See?” 

There were more now, and they were coming closer. Soon she realized they weren’t fish. They were dolphins.

“Charity has to see this.” She touched her leg through the thermal suit and shook her. “Hey sleepyhead, wake up.”

Charity opened her eyes with obvious effort and stared blankly at Sena.

“Look,” said Sena.

Charity’s eyes widened when she saw the dolphins and she winced as she tried to sit up higher for a better view. They were jumping and leaping past the raft now, hundreds of them. The water was alive with their splashing and their sleek bodies.

“They’re beautiful,” whispered Charity.

Too soon, the last of the pod flashed by and faded in the distance. Charity sighed and began to sink back down when they heard a series of whistles and clicks. A dolphin had his head above the waves and was watching them from the water.

“He’s saying hi,” grinned Kade. Charity’s face glowed with happiness.

The dolphin stayed with them, circling the raft and performing tricks. He was dark gray with light gray patches on his sides, and his chin and belly were creamy white. A dark stripe ran from his beak to each of his intelligent eyes.

He dove down and then soared straight up out of the water, then came back down with hardly a splash. He entertained them with his antics for a long time, before finally leaping away to rejoin his pod.

“Now you can say you’ve swum with dolphins,” said Sena, turning to Charity. Her eyes were open and blank, and she was still, a slight smile on her lips.

Tears filled Sena's eyes and she blinked rapidly to keep them from falling. “She loved dolphins,” she choked out, and then pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead on them to hide her face. She stayed like that for a long time.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

WATER
. 

T
HAT
’
S
ALL
S
ENA
could think about. They had rationed the small cans of survival water, and they were each allowed two swallows every couple of hours. Every time it was her turn for a drink she fantasized about tilting the can up, and letting all of the cool liquid flow down her parched throat. 

Her thirst was getting worse, and each time she stopped herself at two sips it was the hardest thing she’d ever done. She was afraid someday she wouldn’t be able to stop.

She eyed the others, scrutinizing them as they took their turns. Was that three swallows? Were they taking more than their share? She had the smallest mouth of anyone on the raft—shouldn’t she get an extra sip to compensate?

There’d be even less water if Charity were here.

She hated herself for the thought.

The evening Charity had died, they’d wrapped her body securely in the thermal suit. It bothered Sena to think of her bobbing around in the water, but they didn’t have anything to weigh her down. Hopefully the suit would fill with water and carry the body down.

That had been a couple of weeks ago, and as far as Sena could tell, they weren’t any closer to land. Sometimes she wondered if they were moving at all. 

They had more food than water, also rationed. Ted said if they ate a lot of food, their bodies would have to use their own moisture to digest it, so they were limited to a few bites each day.

Sena was hungry, however, the discomfort of her hunger was eclipsed by her thirst.

“It’s so ironic,” she said one day. “We’re surrounded by water and dying of thirst.”

“We’re not dying,” said Danny, ever the optimist.

“Have you ever heard the saying, ‘Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink?’” asked Claire. “I bet whoever made it up was stranded on a life raft in the middle of the ocean.”

“You’re close,” said Lydia. “It’s actually a poem about a sailor. It’s called ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.’ Do you want to hear a bit of it?”

Sena loved hearing Lydia’s accent, her rich voice like warm honey.

“Day after day, day after day

We stuck, nor breath nor motion;

As idle as a painted ship

Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, everywhere,

And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, everywhere,