| General Fiction posted July 23, 2023 | Chapters: |
1 -2- 3... 
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Is anyone there?
A chapter in the book Four Horse Island
Searching the Ship
by w.j.debi
| Background In Chapter 1- Ava freed herself from debris. |
My morning had been fruitless. Well, perhaps not. Didn’t Thomas Edison say something about each time an experiment didn’t work he eliminated a wrong option and learned something?
So, what had I learned? After crawling out from the debris that trapped me this morning, I had an unquenchable thirst. I stopped at every ice and water station I came across.
A deck-by-deck search revealed that the common areas of the ship were abandoned. The swimming pool was empty. That must have taken some jostling of the ship. Books in the library were scattered all over the floor. The gift shop looked like someone had vandalized it.
All 103 passenger cabins were unoccupied. Luckily, this was a hybrid cargo and cruise ship. I can’t imagine how many cabins I would have had to check on one of those big luxury liners.
A handful of cabin doors were locked or jammed shut, most stood ajar, and the rest opened easily with a slight nudge. Luggage and possessions were scattered everywhere inside the cabins. A few items had spilled out the doors and into the walkways. People must have been more concerned for their lives than for their things when they abandoned ship. Still, I called, “Hello. Anyone there?” each time I opened a door.
A quick trip around the balcony on the bridge deck gave me an overview of the lower decks and the surrounding land. The ship was surrounded by land? I shook my head in disbelief. I had assumed it was still on the water since the decks seemed level.
Cliffs rose on one side; the ocean was a few hundred feet away on the opposite side. How did the ship end up here? The last I remember we were nowhere near land. We’d been told to stay in our cabins because of the storm. But, no, I was feeling so seasick that I felt a need to visit the infirmary. Dumb idea. I should have toughed it out. Then maybe I’d be with the others. Wherever they were.
Did Cozette make it off alive? Did she look for me? Why did I let her talk me into this cruise? I frowned. I know why. After her recent divorce, she wanted to get away. None of her married friends would come and I was the only single friend she had.
Well, at least being surrounded by land accounted for the lack of rocking, which I hadn’t noticed until now.
No one was on the bridge. One window was broken and several others were cracked. As far as the radio, either it was too damaged or I didn’t know how to work it. My “Mayday, S.O.S. this is Ava Revel asking for help,” pleas went unanswered.
What else could I do? This was the French Caribbean where they spoke French or Maori. On board German and English were options, but did that hold true for the whole area? Maybe no one understood what I was saying. Or maybe the mike I was using was directed to the engine room or some other section of the ship.
I slumped in a chair. After searching eight decks, my feet and legs were starting to ache from stair climbing and walking. There were two elevators, but I ignored them. The last thing I wanted was to be trapped in a confined space if the power went down. No, I’d take the pain. Stairs were safer.
A glance at my watch confirmed it had been over three hours since I emerged from the debris on the main deck. No doubt I was running on adrenaline, fear, or hope. Maybe all three contributed to my overwhelming sense of urgency.
Logically, I knew I needed to rest and recharge. I’d been drinking a lot of water, but it would be a good idea to eat something. Panini and snacks were available in the bars on several decks so I wandered down to the next level to see what I could find.
Air-conditioning welcomed me as I entered the bar area. Heading straight behind the bar, I turned on the panini press and slapped together a sandwich. While I waited for the press to finish warming, I reached for a bottle of juice from the refrigerator and placed it against my forehead. I rolled it on my cheeks and neck. Ah, it felt good. Funny how we take electricity for granted.
After a quick lunch, a search of the crew quarters and the area set aside for local travelers yielded the same results as the passenger cabins had. No one.
Yet, something compelled me to keep looking. I climbed down the stairs to the cargo levels. Call it intuition or inspiration or whatever you want, but I believed in following ‘a feeling.’ Okay, at this point, maybe that feeling was desperation.
“Hello. Can anyone hear me?”
A sound to the right seemed to be a response. Did I really hear it? I held my breath and strained to listen. Nothing. Was it wishful thinking? Was I hearing noises I wanted to hear?
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
This time the reply was louder. It didn’t sound human, more…equine. A horse?
“Hello?”
The responding neigh was louder. Another neigh echoed over the top of it. My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t alone and more than one horse was answering my call.
“Hello!”
Again, the sweet sound of neighing answered.
Tears welled in my eyes and a huge grin enveloped my face. I couldn’t help it; I started laughing.
“I’m coming!” I yelled. Then I hurried in the direction of their excited responses.
~~~~~~~~~
 Recognized |
I have not failed 10,000 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work. - Thomas Edison
Not necessary to the story, but if you are interested:
Although the cruise ship in the story is fictitious, it is based on the Aranui 5 which is a combination cargo ship and cruise ship. Flying supplies in to the French Caribbean was attempted for a time but was not cost effective so the islands depend on cargo ships to deliver goods monthly.
The Aranui 5 is first, a cargo ship. All activities are scheduled around the ports it visits to make deliveries. Tourists are encouraged to visit the islands, but be aware of the shipping schedule so you don't get left on an island. Some ports take only a few hours to deliver goods. Others may take a full day or two.
There are 103 cabins for tourists. There is also an area for locals that are traveling from one island to another.
I will post other details about the ship as they are relevant. If you are interested in learning more about the Aranui 5 on your own, here is a link:
https://farandawayadventures.com/aranui-5/aranui-faq/
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Not necessary to the story, but if you are interested:
Although the cruise ship in the story is fictitious, it is based on the Aranui 5 which is a combination cargo ship and cruise ship. Flying supplies in to the French Caribbean was attempted for a time but was not cost effective so the islands depend on cargo ships to deliver goods monthly.
The Aranui 5 is first, a cargo ship. All activities are scheduled around the ports it visits to make deliveries. Tourists are encouraged to visit the islands, but be aware of the shipping schedule so you don't get left on an island. Some ports take only a few hours to deliver goods. Others may take a full day or two.
There are 103 cabins for tourists. There is also an area for locals that are traveling from one island to another.
I will post other details about the ship as they are relevant. If you are interested in learning more about the Aranui 5 on your own, here is a link:
https://farandawayadventures.com/aranui-5/aranui-faq/
Artwork by nikman at FanArtReview.com
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