Hell over high water

Pem forced a smile. "My child, faith is the one thing I do have plenty of. Faith in the Almighty."

 

She kept her mouth shut and sat at the furthest corner of the sofa. She knew what she wanted to say, but she knew she didn't want to be rude to them. She had been taught "When you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Even as a grown woman she kept to that policy.

"Maybe keeping together is all we really can do." she said faintly.

 

Armel walked the lower decks. His pace slow and violin in hand. It felt as though that thing was following him, touching with probing thoughts and horrid visions. He moaned aloud. Good lord the head ache he had was getting worse. He was doing his best to avoid the other passengers they seemed nervous, he didn’t need that right now.

Armel hurried he had to get to his room.

 

"I, I'm sorry reverend. I just know that you're scared. And I'm scared too."

 

The veranda door was shut, and heavy curtains concealed the view to the small deck outside the room, but suddenly they heard a scratching sound against the glass. It was a heavy, penetrating sound that sent Ms. Bequem into the preacher's arms.

Mouse stood frozen, not wanting to see what was on the other side of the glass.

"We should leave the room at once," Pem said. He headed for the door with Ms. Bequem, but as she listened to the screeching sounds grow louder, Mouse still could not move.

 

The reverend and little girl had left, leaving Roger and Dana alone with the American, the man with glasses, and the shaken first-mate.

"Hey," said Roger, looking up at the others, "Who's driving this thing?"

 

"Hey, who's driving this thing?" asked the boy.

Cain frantically ran towards the wheelhouse, throwing open the door. He cringed, half-expecting something horrible to attack him. When nothing evil immediately assailed him, he opened his eyes.

There was no one at the wheel, but there was a trail of blood leading to the window, which was smashed open. The body must have "walked" out of the room by smashing through the window, Cain reasoned.

He looked around and saw an unopened bottle of beer. He took it and gulped it down, feeling braver already. Standing in front of the wheel, he gripped it with both hands.

"This can't be too hard, can it? I mean, it's just...turning..."

But Cain realized he had no idea where he was going.

 

Ms. Bequem took Mouse back to their room. Once he heard the bolt slide, Reverend Pem quickly retraced their steps. Everyone else was accounted for except the violin player. Pem began to search the lower decks.

 

Armel Ackart stumbled. The pain between his eyes was growing and the hallway was starting to spin. "Almost there. Just a few more steps." His eyes screwed shut as another wave of pressure struck his head. His knees buckled and he was falling.

A hand grabbed him by the shoulder, jerking him up right. The stranger’s touch seemed to release the pressure in building in Armel’s skull.

Pem easily read the cold, animal fear in the young man’s features. Without letting go of his shoulder, Pem said, “It isn’t safe for any of us to be alone. Come on.”

 

Armel half heatedly complained as Pem led him uo the stairs. Soon the young man gavce up the fight completely as his headache returned whenever he managed to wiggle free of the Reverend's bony fingers. As the pair neared the lounge, Pem heard a fimailiar voive say, "I mean, it's just...turning..." as the ship luched drunkenly to the side. He tightened his grip on Armel and ran towards the wheel house.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Pem.

Cain looked over and shrugged. "The first mate's still shaking like a leaf. Someone has to steer the ship."

Slowly, nervously Armel and Pem looked at the blood pool. "Cain, " said the Reverend, "could you take a step closer to the wheel? Try and put as much distance as you can between yourself and the Captain's blood."

Armel shook his head. "No .... get me out of here."

Pem began chanting in Latin.

Armel struggled in the Reverend's grip. Pem sank two fingers into the soft flesh behind the voilin player's collar bone. Armel shook in pain. Without taking his eyes off of the pool, Pem said, "Cain no matte5r what happens keep steering."

Cain nodded, "Not a problem."

Pem's voice grew louder as he resumed his words. The blood began to swirl and bubble slowly.

"Rever ... Mordecai?" asked Cain.

"Just keep steering, " said Pem his voice strained

"Stop it," said Armel as he renewed his struggles. The Reverend wrapped his entire fist around the struggling man's slender collar bone bringing Armel to his knees. "I said," shouted Pem ,"no one leaves."

More complex Latin phrases. A line of spittle flew from the Reverend's mouth. Small waves rose and fel in the boiling blood. Armel dropped to his knees as he stared at the scene. Cain's knuckles turned white on the wheel. Pem was shouting now. His voice nearly gone as a miniature storm raged over the Captian's blood.

Pem shouted the final words and all was silent. Only Armel's whimpering and the waves beating against the side of the ship could be heard.

Then with a loud blub, a huge bubble lazily rose from the gory mess. As its surface peeled backeveryone stared at the Captain's face. With a wet sucking sound, the Captain slowly pulledd his one armed body from the bloody pool. He looked at each one in turn and smiled. "Now, the real fun begins, "said the thing that was wearing the Captain's flesh.

The body then slumped over and relaxed. No one moved waiting for something to happen. Tears of blood trickled from Armel's eyes as his mind finally shut down and granted him the release of sunconsciousness. Pem sprinkled scotch on the corpse. "It has to be burned."

 

Jean stopped before entering the room, and looked at Mouse.

“We’ve left the poor trembling first mate alone.”

The ship gave a jolty turn and they looked at one another and nodded. The went at a quick pace, running for the dining room. They opened the doors and the First mate looked at them, the color seemed to be back in his face.

“You need to steer this ship before something bad happens.” Jean said. They both helped him to his feet, and they ran for the Wheelhouse.

 

"Or," said Roger, "We can toss it overboard and not risk catching the whole bloody ship on fire."

He tried to sound firm, but his voice shook with fear. He shifted closer to Dana and closed his eyes, sighing. How did he get himself into this?

Dana patted the smaller boy's greasy, red hair and smiled sweetly.

There's nothing to worry about. None of this is real.

 

The first mate drew in a sharp breath as they reached the wheelhouse. At first Mouse couldn't see what he was staring at, but as she and Ms. Bequem caught up with the man, she saw. It was the Captain's body lying in a pool of blood on the floor. His vacant eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling of the room and his bloody stump oozed red.

Reverend Pem was about to burn the corpse when the first mate spoke up.

"No, wait. Not inside the wheelhouse," he said, taking Cain's place at the helm. He began checking an assortment of different instruments as he spoke. "I can't possibly steer the ship with so much smoke in the room."

The reverend gave him a dark look. "Sir, I don't think you understand. The body must be burned where it has come to rest. If it is not, the evil spirit will grow in strength. It is in the ancient text." Pem said, lighting a match.

The first mate quickly strode to where Pem was standing and blew out the flame before he could toss it onto the corpse. "I don't care what the ancient text says. I cannot, I will not take the helm of this ship with a burning body lying in this room. Do you understand me reverend?" The first mate spat.

"You don't know what you're saying, you don't understand the consequen--"

"I believe I do reverend," the first mate interrupted. "Now get it out of here."

 

Relectantly Reverend Pem blessed the body, and with Cain's help, tossed it overboard.

 

Mouse watched as Cain and the reverend tossed the body overboard. The wind was picking up now and Mouse noticed dark thunderheads in the distance. They were headed in the direction of what looked to be a very nasty storm.

Reverend Pem said a prayer for the captain and then turned to Cain. "God be with his soul."

Mouse ran to him then. "Reverend, what you said back there about the spirit getting stronger, is that really true? Will it be stronger now?" She asked with a worried look.

 

Pem watched as the body disappeared into the depths of the sea as he considered Mouse's question. "That rather depends on what we are facing my dear."

 

Mouse followed the reverend's gaze. The waves were becoming bigger now that the storm was approaching. They crashed angrily against the sides of the ship, sending spume into the air. By now the sun had vanished behind the dark clouds rolling in, and the temperature was beginning to drop.

"But how will we fight it reverend?" Mouse asked, trying not to sound frightened.

Ms. Bequem joined them then and Mouse ran to her.

 

Jean walked away from the spectacle, leaning against the side of the ship. She flinched at the sound of the body hitting the water and sadness rushed over her. His family would never get to say goodbye to him. They'd never get the closure they deserved. Just like herself. She shook her head violently.

No. She thought. No more sadness. Mouse needs you.

She walked towards the group, and Elizabeth came running at her. She bent over and hugged her, and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"It'll be okay." she said. It was more of a reflex to say that. She didn't know if it would be okay, but she'd try with all her might to make it okay for Mouse.

 

"Ms. Bequem, do you think the reverend can help us? Do you think anyone can?" Mouse asked.

 

She bit her lip, and looked at the child. No. She thought they were doomed, their fate was chosen but she wouldn't say that.

"I think... God can help us." she lied.

"There's always hope." she added, though this was something she found true.

 

Mouse looked out at the storm, listening as low rumbles of thunder punctuated flashes of lightning in the distance, and wondered if they would survive this.

"Ms. Bequem, what do you think we should do?"

 

"Reverend." Clare walked up to Pem, her brow furrowed into a deep frown. "May I have a word with you please?"

 

She didn't like the sound of the storm, that was for sure.

"I say, we go back to our room. Get some rest." she said. She took Mouse's hand.

"If that's okay with you love?"

 

"We need to turn this thing around," said Roger. He stood a few feet away from them, staring at the reverend. Dana stood close behind him, gazing absently at the oncoming storm.

"We haven't been out here long," the shorter boy went on, "If we turned back now, we could be home by morning, right?"

Why am I asking this geezer?

 

Pem brought Clare to a quiet corner. "Yes?"