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Chapter 18: Ship Out of Control
Separated from the group, Sylvester Rycroft and Joshua Parkinson remained behind to find their sons who got washed away by the raging water after the ship shifted dramatically to the stern. Now the bow is out of the water’s surface, but it’s unknown how much time they got left.
Parkinson is shouting his son’s name through the cavern of steel corridors, so as Rycroft shouting for Jett. Both walked further the sloped corridor, the volume of rushing water was everywhere, the shifted position made everything flow the other way around, reaching more places to flood more. The lighting fixtures under their feet continued to flicker, Parkinson still has his given flashlight as he beams through the semi-dark halls of storage.
“Sasha! Jett!” Both shouted.
They were nearing the end until finding a pile of dead bodies of crewmen half-floating by the agitated water beneath their feet. Just then they hear loud coughing around a corner. The pair stopped as Joshua flashed a light at the coughing figure, it was Jett. He didn’t notice the flashlight beaming at him. He coughed heavier, letting out seawater from his mouth.
Rycroft kneels at him close, “Jett, are you okay?” He was worried.
“Oh, god, I’m think gonna be sick.” He hugged his sick stomach.
“It’s okay, Jett.” His father helps him to stand up. “Anything broke?”
“I don’t think so.” His coughs got lesser, recovering quickly to his surroundings.
“Jett, have you seen Sasha?” Parkinson asked.
“Sasha is missing, too?” Jett realized.
“If you’re alive, then so as my son.”
“I don’t know, but that rush of water was really violent, those empty boxes cushioned my impact on the walls,” Jett remarked.
“Let’s get a move on,” Rycroft said, “Jett, stay with us and find Sasha.” Jett nodded.
At the engine room bow, Kershaw ripped a square frame of the ship’s deck plans. With Officer Snowdon injured, he must take care of this with his bare hands. He analyses any possibilities to stop the rogue propellers. Rico Marrero climbed up to the tunnel and inspected the opened hatch, the sound was so unbearable, reminding him of his hurricane seasons in his home country. The blow of wind entering inside the hull felt like as if the ship was taking a lungful of fresh air. Rico climbed down, but he was already caught by Maxwell.
“What you were doing? We cannot get out through that.”
“I was just checking.” He excused. “It doesn’t make sense; I think both propellers are blowing at each other. I think one of them is malfunctioned, doing the contrary instead of blowing one side as it supposed to do.”
The rest of the group are gathered near with the injured Snowdon, Carolyn using a rag she found to stop the bleeding on Snowdon’s face. He was breading normally but a little weak when inhaling. He was also muttering under his breath.
“How’s he doing?” Aubrey asked.
“He’ll be fine, but I think he needs medical attention.” Responded Carolyn.
Snowdon took a breath, “How long I was out?”
“Not too long. You now need some rest, you had done your duty as Officer, we’ll soon figure this out on our own.” Aubrey said.
“How I’ve been?” He asked.
“You have been amazing, Officer.” She stated.
Another breath, he replied with, “Thank you, a woman loves a man in a uniform.”
“Hey, Red, come here!” Kershaw shouted.
“We gotta hurry.” Red ran to the older lion-man. “We don’t know how much the ship can last.”
“I wanna show you something.” Kershaw continued; he can barely hear through the howling blow of wind. Red walked up to him where one side of the room is flooding with foams of water and a vertical ladder where Kershaw is standing. “Here. Take a look at this.” He shows him the deck plans; a layout of the bow section for crewmembers. “The control room for these engines is down this ladder and through about we have to get there and shut them off.”
Red realized the deck plans shown is farther than it really is, it’s one deck and two to reach the said control room. He disagreed, “No. No, look, we’ll grab a bunch of this junk, right? We throw it up into the props, and it’ll jam everything up.”
“But the propellers are turning the wrong way. It’ll kick everything back in. Red, we must shut them off.” Kershaw finalized.
Back at the storage corridors of Third Level Basement, Jett, Sylvester, and Joshua continued their search for Sasha. Jett just recovered from his disorientation from raging water from earlier, he and his father and Parkinson kept on shouting through the corridors.
“Sasha!” Each one of them shouted. Water was up to their waist.
One more shout for Sasha, they received a reply from a distance, “Hey, over here!”
The three stopped, this was a deep voice, “Who’s there?” Rycroft shouted.
“Dad!” That voice was definitely Sasha. “I’m in here!”
“Who’s with you?” Parkinson shouted. It was then he had shown up. The three stopped right there at the unexpected sight. The shepherd dog-man beamed his flashlight, he was not wearing an undershirt but his shredded trousers and evening shoes still. All soaked from his ordeal from his journey to the bow section. “Wolfson! You’re alive!” Joshua was in shocked and same for the other two tigers.
“Yeah, I’m alive!” Ryder Wolfson said. Jett has a billion of questions to ask but he doesn’t have time for that. All they know he’s genuinely alive and well. “Come on! I’ve found your son trapped behind a grating fence.”
Three followed him, back to find the young dog-boy, he’s still shouting for his father like when he had nightmares when he was a pup. Ryder leads the way, throwing away empty boxes and floating debris accumulating around in circles by the currents. Following his cries, the four men face the trapped young shepherd.
“Sasha!” The father cried, placing his hands on the grated fence and shakes it with a rattle. “How did you get in there?”
“I don’t know but the water brought me here.” Sasha weep.
“Sasha said there’s a door behind him but it’s stuck,” Ryder said. “I checked there, but there’s a lot of debris blocking it, we have to clear it up.”
“I cannot open it!” Sasha cried. He slipped his hands from the grating and submerged.
Parkinson panicked, “Oh, god, he’s gone under!” He popped up back from the surface and taking a big breath. He holds back onto the grating and whimpering in fear. “Sasha, stay still! They will get you out, okay?”
“Show me where it is, Wolfson!” Rycroft ordered. “Parkinson, come on!”
“No, no I don’t wanna leave him alone!” He protested. “Take Jett with you. Here, Jett, use it.” Joshua gave Jett his flashlight.
“Dad, I wanna help. I’m not dizzy any more.” Jett remarked.
“Alright, come on. It’s by down his alleyway.” The wolf-man pointed the flooded one.
The three left the shepherd alone, separated between by a floor-to-ceiling grating fence, probably warehouse storage for equipment. “Sasha, look at me.”
“I can’t stay up.”
“Yes, you can.”
“I can’t stay up, Dad.” Sasha kept on crying.
The two tigers and the wolf-man took a deep breath and swam under the flooded alleyway. It was a mess of pile of junk thrown by the water’s currents, the said door was blocked by some furniture still in plastic wraps. They first moved a portable table with its legs folded in. Jett kept on providing lighting at the two as they pushed the table off, then a stacked of five chairs wrapped in plastic wrap was removed away, it was not easy by the laws of physics when underwater, everything was half sinking and half floating around. All cleared away, they surfaced from the water for another breath and then swimming back in. Rycroft pulled the level knob smoothly up, but it didn’t budge. It was stuck right in its position from moving. Rycroft cursed underwater by letting out his air supply out from his mouth. They have another problem.
Back at the engine room, Gwen Kershaw just heard her father and Red’s conversation and she isn’t pleased about it. She begged seriously, trying to change their minds, but it was Kershaw who is planning to swim towards the control room below. She lioness kept on, “But no one can swim that far! It’s too deep to get there… We’ll find another way.” She was on the verge of crying.
Kershaw approached her and gave her a fatherly hug and kissed her forehead, “You know how much I love you.”
The father and daughter separated their brace, “Yes, but don’t do this!”
“You’re not gonna make it, sir. You just won’t! I mean, come on, it’s ridiculous. It’s too far, and you know it. But… I think I could do it on one breath.”
“How would you get back? You’d be already out of air.”
“Gwen, I’m used to be a lifeguard, one of us has to do this, all right? It has to be the one that has the best chance of making it, and that’s me.” Russell Westwood looked right in the eye on Kershaw. “I can do this for all of us! Tell me I’m wrong.”
“Dad, no!”
After a beat, Lionel Kershaw gave him his answer, “You’re not.”
Gwen walked away from the two and fell to her knees, not minding the cold seawater slowly filling the room. Red was about to talk to her and comfortably calm her down when Kershaw said to him, “Russell…” Red turned back at him, “…thank you.”
“Yeah…” Red was ready to go, but first, he wants to hear his fiancée something he wanted to remember. He kneeled along next to her, “Baby, I need to you to tell me that you love me.” She looked at him unwilling to say goodbye to him she kept one hand on her muzzle. “I need to hear it. It’s all that matters.” Red had shown courage since he started his career as a lifeguard in San Francisco, it was something he had always dreamed of ever since when he was a kid and one time he was caught on a current and taken away from shore and saved by a lifeguard on duty. That was so long ago that he faintly remembers. Helping others was his duty, but he was taken a little underestimated by Kershaw after he had gotten himself pinned by a girder at the disco, yes, he was hurt, but he didn’t let some scratches on the knees from impeding his strokes when swimming underwater. He was confident that he can do this, his final mission. Red leaned on closer to her and kissed quietly on her cheek. Still whimpering on losing a loved one.
Red stood and turned back to face Kershaw, “Okay, sir, I need you to tell me how I… w-what?” There was nothing but the lonely ladder and some hanging chains rattling by the wind. He was gone.
Gwen heard his reaction and quickly turned around to see what was up, she screamed her fears out. “Daddy!” She ran to the ladder but stopped her tracks. “No! Come back!” She wailed again, water sloshing and splashing around her as if she wasn’t allowed to go after him. She was helpless of the situation and cannot control it.
“What happened?” said the injured Snowdon.
“Kershaw swim under to shut down the engines.” Said Maxwell. “Do you know where that control room is?”
“It’s too far,” he breathes, “he has to swim two decks down to reach it. This is suicide.”
Carolyn shushed, “Don’t talk, Snowdon, he’ll make it.” She wished that Snowdon was wrong about this, this was a suicide mission.
Back at the maze of storage corridors, Jett, Ryder, and Sylvester resurfaced again. Another failed attempt to bust the door open. It was futile, Joshua kept on begging to try again no matter what. “Please, keep trying.” The three submerged back down and Joshua remained alone again with his trapped son behind the grated fence. Sasha may be a ten-year-old, but his standards on crying had been surpassed from the average of danger. He’s facing a real watery peril.
“Look, son,” Joshua spoke, “the water is gonna rise, and I’m right here, okay?” he reached his to hold his hand. “I’m right beside this fence touching you, okay?”
Sasha’s speech was mixed of wail and sobbing, and eyes irritated by the saltwater and tears further from his eyes, “I love you, Dad.”
“You have to be strong!” Joshua tried to keep himself calmed and composed than he was before. “I love you too, and I’m here with you, okay? We’ll soon be with Mommy in Hawaii and wait till you hear the news.”
“What is it?”
“Your mother and I are having another baby. You’re gonna be a big brother, son!” His smile wasn’t forced, he was genuinely smiling with tears washed by the seawater, he had been holding it for so long that he wasn’t at best on keeping secrets from his son.
“What?” Sasha was confused, but he quickly got it. “Really?”
“Yes, we’re gonna be a big family. You’ll be a great big brother.”
This was really working; Sasha was distracted with joy. “So, that was the name Charlie for?”
“Yes! I really like that name, it’s perfect for either a boy or a girl.” Joshua then got caught by the sloshing current, shifting from his position and finds himself underwater, he battled the current and reaches up to the surface, catching up some air. He turns back at the grate; he wasn’t there anymore. “Sasha?”
He dived down to see anything, but nothing was moving there. Did they find him? Joshua resurfaces and doesn’t see anyone. He checks back at the grate but finds it completely under with some few inches to spare, but not enough space for air. All he could do was wait for them to come back; he had lost track of time, but they cannot stay too much under water. He felt lonely that he cannot keep on comforting his firstborn. He remained motionless and holds onto the grating fence where he last saw his young pup. He finally let out his emotions, facing the fact that he had just lost his son. He had feared this the most and his wife Claire is not ready to hear the news. Joshua sobbed, ignoring the cold water and the sinking ship, and… and all. He left himself get distraught and wait for the water to take him with him.
About time, Jett resurfaced, almost running out of breath and coughing, his father followed from behind and breathed some fresh air for his lungs, and finally, Ryder Wolfson emerged.
Rycroft saw the devasted shepherd dog-man crying. “Joshua?”
He wordlessly responded by looking at him, but the tiger-man was smiling. His grin gave him an answer which Joshua looked from behind Sylvester and saw Ryder holding a young tired dog-boy coughing out water, too tired to cry but Joshua cannot believe it. “Congratulations, Joshua, it’s a boy.” Ryder beamed at him.
“Sasha!” He swam towards his little boy all the love he wanted to give him. Sasha was too tired to swim but he finds himself on his father’s arms. “Oh, my baby! You’re okay!”
“Daddy!” Sasha let out one last of his weeps, and his first time calling his father like that. Even if they don’t make it, Joshua would be at peace after saving his son in this eternal sea of the underworld.
In the engine room, Gwen is almost left alone, sitting close near the ladder where her father had descended through. The lioness was waiting for a little hope. The other survivors were on the same weight on their shoulders if this stunt was going to succeed. Kershaw was taking too long down there. Red sat down next to her and tried to speak to her again, he was afraid of losing her in some ways, but all she cared now was her father. Her mother passed away when she was little and was only her and Kershaw she grew up with.
“Gwen, listen…” He spoke but something stopped him from continuing.
The party wondered and noticed the engines slowing down and leaving a long drawn out sound of shutting down. The blow of wind ceased dramatically. They were disbelieved of the sudden silence of the group and the engine room, except the raging water.
“He did it!” Maxwell cried.
Another sound of an alarm blared out, indicating a malfunction, “What is that?” Rico saw the former starboard side engine with red lights on the left, identifying the broken engine. It kept on bursting sparks on one damage side.
No time, the five beastmen; Sylvester, Jett, Joshua, Sasha and Ryder, the latter is carrying Sasha, ran non-stop through the storage corridors one last time. Heading finally to their destination. This was great hope for Ryder, he made his journey all to himself, he really wished to talk about his ordeal but that can wait. “Hurry! I’ve seen a lot going on and this ship is not feeling well.” Said Ryder.
“It’s really going under?” Jett wondered.
“I think so, all that water was all like following me until I finally found myself here. So, how’s Kale, is he alright?”
“Rico is taking care of him; I think he’s fine. He’s with the others.” Rycroft stated.
“I’m gonna thank that travel agent big time.”
They didn’t turn back as the water was rising behind them. They finally reached the very end of the corridor and found the door already opened; water was still cascading it through. Rycroft shouted for attention. “Hey! We made it!” The group heard it loud and clear, they all turned at the entrance where they came, they saw five people coming in.
“Rycroft,” Red shouted back, “over here!”
“Mom, Stephanie!” Jett shouted along, meeting back with his family.
“Jett! You’re okay!” Stephanie and Clover reacted; the girls hugged him first before bracing his mother.
“Oh, my baby, you made it!” Said Carolyn.
Ryder dropped Sasha from his arms as Stephanie kneel to the young pup for a little hug, “Are you okay, Sasha? I was worried about you.”
“I’m okay, they got me out on time.” Sasha was composed but a little shaken from his ordeal. “All thanks to Ryder, he found me first before Dad, Jett and Mr. Rycroft could.”
Rico lagged on registering when he heard the wolf-man’s name, he looked in wonder at the five men group that made it back, he turned almost pale as if he had seen a ghost. “Ryder?” Kale was sitting close near Snowdon until hearing Rico mentioning his boyfriend’s name.
The half-naked gray wolf-man was smiling and met up at the two people he cared. “Hey, Kale… Hey, Rico, how’s it going?”
The rest were also surprised at seeing him alive, Kale got up on his feet and ran towards him for a loving hug, he did not mind how dirty he was of oil and musk mixed with saltwater. Kale just cried out loud, “Ryder, you’re alive!” The poor human couldn’t let go of him. Ryder was all he needed.
“Rico,” Ryder turned at him with a relieving smile and raised one thumb up, “thanks for taking care of Kale. I owe you one.” Rico nodded with one thumb up.
Aubrey Quinlivan walked up to the pair, she was in wonder now that he’s was last seen with someone. Ryder realized the faces of not only Aubrey but also Sidney and Lani. She asked Ryder, “Miss Blake… is she…” She wasn’t present at the reunited party, but she asked for an answer.
Ryder’s smile and ears dropped; a great sorrow he had dealt with earlier. “I’m sorry, miss, she didn’t make it.” His respond was all they needed to hear.
Aubrey nodded, “I see…”
The silence was broken, Sylvester was shocked to see Snowdon injured. “What happened here?” he asked.
Red stepped in to explain, “The tried to open the hatch, but the engines were running amok, the hatch door hit him.”
“Is he gonna be okay?”
“He’ll be fine, but he needs medical attention,” Carolyn stated.
Then Sylvester sensed the absent of Lionel Kershaw. “And where’s Kershaw?”
“He went to the control room, but it’s underwater. He wouldn’t let me go. He shut them down.” Red reported.
“How long?” Red was quiet. “How long?” He demanded. Sylvester could have done it, but why he did it?
The blaring alarm stopped but let a code red signal and continue the usual buzzing, the propellers let out a startup sound like a jet airplane’s engines, “Wait! What’s that?” Rycroft saw the big tube of the bow thrusters, he ran and climbed up to see it to himself without no one stopping him. He peered his head inside the hatch and saw the freak out of his fears of the still active propellers spinning dryly the salty air. Rycroft got out and stared down at the party below, “Why are they’re still turning?”
This did not make sense, why didn’t Kershaw shut the engines off as he had said? Red saw a piece of wet paper being sucked into the opened hatch. That’s when he knew this was what he had proposed earlier. Red shouted back at Rycroft, “He reversed the engines! It’s creating suction! And now we can throw junk up into the props!”
Rycroft smiles and laughs, “Ha-ha! He’s a genius!”
Rico heard Red’s proposal and asked, “So, what are we gonna use to stop the propellers? Those blades are made of bronze, it can chop anything up, jamming it wouldn’t last long. We must destroy them!”
“But with what?”
Rycroft from above found a four-foot-tall, cylindric, crimson red gas tank. “Hey, Red, that red tank!”
The two spotted a dark-colored gas tank with the precaution sign for flammable gas, it was acetylene; a highly flammable gas. It’s used for welding. Red and Rico together picked it up end-by-end and carried it up to Sylvester, he grabbed the top side and lifts it with his own strength. He ordered the two to stand back and with the others.
At this point, he noticed the suction is getting stronger and the tank moved slightly, he picks it up with both hands, he just realized this was the most insane thing he’s about to do. “Everyone, get back! Get back!” He shouted; he was ready to launch it through the hatch. The party below braced themselves or covered their ears for the incoming explosion.
Rycroft cannot concentrate with flying drops of water dripping his face and eyes, and being so close at the hatch, the suction was trying to pull him in. He swung the tank at the hatch but heard a loud metallic bang. The tank is stuck, he made a miscalculation, not on size but his strategic swing to launch it on one end first before the other, he couldn’t get it right. The tank was like being attracted like a magnet. It’s right where he wanted but not like this. The tank partially blocks the incoming wind and was getting stronger.
The party below him were disappointed, he cursed an inaudible phrase and tried to kick it. He holds onto a vertical steel beam and made the first kick; the cylinder shook a little, but it didn’t budge. “Come on! Get in!” He shouted. He’s taking his life at a greater danger than he had, he looked down at his surviving family, terrified of his own safety. He has brought them here so far and cannot lose his chances. Carolyn was seen shouting something, but he didn’t register it through all this loud, suctional howl of the wind. He let go of his grip and turned on his back and sat next to the tank, his long tail went in first before his rear and blocking another gap, leaving a small inhaling gap receiving. Rycroft must to have hurt himself upon impact, but now he’s taking his chance to liberate the tank towards the tunnel.
“Sylvester, no!” Carolyn shouted.
“Hurry, let’s help him!” Ryder said. “Come on!”
Ryder climbed first and followed Red, Rico, and Maxwell. Sylvester, with his own hands he pushes one end of the tank and gets it finally in, but Ryder got a hold him to save him, Rico and Red each grab one leg and Ryder and Maxwell each on one arm, but Sylvester was fighting against them. “Let me go! It’s almost—” the tank went in a swift, they all grabbed him by the limbs as his rear was being sucked in.
KABOOM!!!!!!
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Chapter 18: Ship Out of Control
Separated from the group, Sylvester Rycroft and Joshua Parkinson remained behind to find their sons who got washed away by the raging water after the ship shifted dramatically to the stern. Now the bow is out of the water’s surface, but it’s unknown how much time they got left.
Parkinson is shouting his son’s name through the cavern of steel corridors, so as Rycroft shouting for Jett. Both walked further the sloped corridor, the volume of rushing water was everywhere, the shifted position made everything flow the other way around, reaching more places to flood more. The lighting fixtures under their feet continued to flicker, Parkinson still has his given flashlight as he beams through the semi-dark halls of storage.
“Sasha! Jett!” Both shouted.
They were nearing the end until finding a pile of dead bodies of crewmen half-floating by the agitated water beneath their feet. Just then they hear loud coughing around a corner. The pair stopped as Joshua flashed a light at the coughing figure, it was Jett. He didn’t notice the flashlight beaming at him. He coughed heavier, letting out seawater from his mouth.
Rycroft kneels at him close, “Jett, are you okay?” He was worried.
“Oh, god, I’m think gonna be sick.” He hugged his sick stomach.
“It’s okay, Jett.” His father helps him to stand up. “Anything broke?”
“I don’t think so.” His coughs got lesser, recovering quickly to his surroundings.
“Jett, have you seen Sasha?” Parkinson asked.
“Sasha is missing, too?” Jett realized.
“If you’re alive, then so as my son.”
“I don’t know, but that rush of water was really violent, those empty boxes cushioned my impact on the walls,” Jett remarked.
“Let’s get a move on,” Rycroft said, “Jett, stay with us and find Sasha.” Jett nodded.
At the engine room bow, Kershaw ripped a square frame of the ship’s deck plans. With Officer Snowdon injured, he must take care of this with his bare hands. He analyses any possibilities to stop the rogue propellers. Rico Marrero climbed up to the tunnel and inspected the opened hatch, the sound was so unbearable, reminding him of his hurricane seasons in his home country. The blow of wind entering inside the hull felt like as if the ship was taking a lungful of fresh air. Rico climbed down, but he was already caught by Maxwell.
“What you were doing? We cannot get out through that.”
“I was just checking.” He excused. “It doesn’t make sense; I think both propellers are blowing at each other. I think one of them is malfunctioned, doing the contrary instead of blowing one side as it supposed to do.”
The rest of the group are gathered near with the injured Snowdon, Carolyn using a rag she found to stop the bleeding on Snowdon’s face. He was breading normally but a little weak when inhaling. He was also muttering under his breath.
“How’s he doing?” Aubrey asked.
“He’ll be fine, but I think he needs medical attention.” Responded Carolyn.
Snowdon took a breath, “How long I was out?”
“Not too long. You now need some rest, you had done your duty as Officer, we’ll soon figure this out on our own.” Aubrey said.
“How I’ve been?” He asked.
“You have been amazing, Officer.” She stated.
Another breath, he replied with, “Thank you, a woman loves a man in a uniform.”
“Hey, Red, come here!” Kershaw shouted.
“We gotta hurry.” Red ran to the older lion-man. “We don’t know how much the ship can last.”
“I wanna show you something.” Kershaw continued; he can barely hear through the howling blow of wind. Red walked up to him where one side of the room is flooding with foams of water and a vertical ladder where Kershaw is standing. “Here. Take a look at this.” He shows him the deck plans; a layout of the bow section for crewmembers. “The control room for these engines is down this ladder and through about we have to get there and shut them off.”
Red realized the deck plans shown is farther than it really is, it’s one deck and two to reach the said control room. He disagreed, “No. No, look, we’ll grab a bunch of this junk, right? We throw it up into the props, and it’ll jam everything up.”
“But the propellers are turning the wrong way. It’ll kick everything back in. Red, we must shut them off.” Kershaw finalized.
Back at the storage corridors of Third Level Basement, Jett, Sylvester, and Joshua continued their search for Sasha. Jett just recovered from his disorientation from raging water from earlier, he and his father and Parkinson kept on shouting through the corridors.
“Sasha!” Each one of them shouted. Water was up to their waist.
One more shout for Sasha, they received a reply from a distance, “Hey, over here!”
The three stopped, this was a deep voice, “Who’s there?” Rycroft shouted.
“Dad!” That voice was definitely Sasha. “I’m in here!”
“Who’s with you?” Parkinson shouted. It was then he had shown up. The three stopped right there at the unexpected sight. The shepherd dog-man beamed his flashlight, he was not wearing an undershirt but his shredded trousers and evening shoes still. All soaked from his ordeal from his journey to the bow section. “Wolfson! You’re alive!” Joshua was in shocked and same for the other two tigers.
“Yeah, I’m alive!” Ryder Wolfson said. Jett has a billion of questions to ask but he doesn’t have time for that. All they know he’s genuinely alive and well. “Come on! I’ve found your son trapped behind a grating fence.”
Three followed him, back to find the young dog-boy, he’s still shouting for his father like when he had nightmares when he was a pup. Ryder leads the way, throwing away empty boxes and floating debris accumulating around in circles by the currents. Following his cries, the four men face the trapped young shepherd.
“Sasha!” The father cried, placing his hands on the grated fence and shakes it with a rattle. “How did you get in there?”
“I don’t know but the water brought me here.” Sasha weep.
“Sasha said there’s a door behind him but it’s stuck,” Ryder said. “I checked there, but there’s a lot of debris blocking it, we have to clear it up.”
“I cannot open it!” Sasha cried. He slipped his hands from the grating and submerged.
Parkinson panicked, “Oh, god, he’s gone under!” He popped up back from the surface and taking a big breath. He holds back onto the grating and whimpering in fear. “Sasha, stay still! They will get you out, okay?”
“Show me where it is, Wolfson!” Rycroft ordered. “Parkinson, come on!”
“No, no I don’t wanna leave him alone!” He protested. “Take Jett with you. Here, Jett, use it.” Joshua gave Jett his flashlight.
“Dad, I wanna help. I’m not dizzy any more.” Jett remarked.
“Alright, come on. It’s by down his alleyway.” The wolf-man pointed the flooded one.
The three left the shepherd alone, separated between by a floor-to-ceiling grating fence, probably warehouse storage for equipment. “Sasha, look at me.”
“I can’t stay up.”
“Yes, you can.”
“I can’t stay up, Dad.” Sasha kept on crying.
The two tigers and the wolf-man took a deep breath and swam under the flooded alleyway. It was a mess of pile of junk thrown by the water’s currents, the said door was blocked by some furniture still in plastic wraps. They first moved a portable table with its legs folded in. Jett kept on providing lighting at the two as they pushed the table off, then a stacked of five chairs wrapped in plastic wrap was removed away, it was not easy by the laws of physics when underwater, everything was half sinking and half floating around. All cleared away, they surfaced from the water for another breath and then swimming back in. Rycroft pulled the level knob smoothly up, but it didn’t budge. It was stuck right in its position from moving. Rycroft cursed underwater by letting out his air supply out from his mouth. They have another problem.
Back at the engine room, Gwen Kershaw just heard her father and Red’s conversation and she isn’t pleased about it. She begged seriously, trying to change their minds, but it was Kershaw who is planning to swim towards the control room below. She lioness kept on, “But no one can swim that far! It’s too deep to get there… We’ll find another way.” She was on the verge of crying.
Kershaw approached her and gave her a fatherly hug and kissed her forehead, “You know how much I love you.”
The father and daughter separated their brace, “Yes, but don’t do this!”
“You’re not gonna make it, sir. You just won’t! I mean, come on, it’s ridiculous. It’s too far, and you know it. But… I think I could do it on one breath.”
“How would you get back? You’d be already out of air.”
“Gwen, I’m used to be a lifeguard, one of us has to do this, all right? It has to be the one that has the best chance of making it, and that’s me.” Russell Westwood looked right in the eye on Kershaw. “I can do this for all of us! Tell me I’m wrong.”
“Dad, no!”
After a beat, Lionel Kershaw gave him his answer, “You’re not.”
Gwen walked away from the two and fell to her knees, not minding the cold seawater slowly filling the room. Red was about to talk to her and comfortably calm her down when Kershaw said to him, “Russell…” Red turned back at him, “…thank you.”
“Yeah…” Red was ready to go, but first, he wants to hear his fiancée something he wanted to remember. He kneeled along next to her, “Baby, I need to you to tell me that you love me.” She looked at him unwilling to say goodbye to him she kept one hand on her muzzle. “I need to hear it. It’s all that matters.” Red had shown courage since he started his career as a lifeguard in San Francisco, it was something he had always dreamed of ever since when he was a kid and one time he was caught on a current and taken away from shore and saved by a lifeguard on duty. That was so long ago that he faintly remembers. Helping others was his duty, but he was taken a little underestimated by Kershaw after he had gotten himself pinned by a girder at the disco, yes, he was hurt, but he didn’t let some scratches on the knees from impeding his strokes when swimming underwater. He was confident that he can do this, his final mission. Red leaned on closer to her and kissed quietly on her cheek. Still whimpering on losing a loved one.
Red stood and turned back to face Kershaw, “Okay, sir, I need you to tell me how I… w-what?” There was nothing but the lonely ladder and some hanging chains rattling by the wind. He was gone.
Gwen heard his reaction and quickly turned around to see what was up, she screamed her fears out. “Daddy!” She ran to the ladder but stopped her tracks. “No! Come back!” She wailed again, water sloshing and splashing around her as if she wasn’t allowed to go after him. She was helpless of the situation and cannot control it.
“What happened?” said the injured Snowdon.
“Kershaw swim under to shut down the engines.” Said Maxwell. “Do you know where that control room is?”
“It’s too far,” he breathes, “he has to swim two decks down to reach it. This is suicide.”
Carolyn shushed, “Don’t talk, Snowdon, he’ll make it.” She wished that Snowdon was wrong about this, this was a suicide mission.
Back at the maze of storage corridors, Jett, Ryder, and Sylvester resurfaced again. Another failed attempt to bust the door open. It was futile, Joshua kept on begging to try again no matter what. “Please, keep trying.” The three submerged back down and Joshua remained alone again with his trapped son behind the grated fence. Sasha may be a ten-year-old, but his standards on crying had been surpassed from the average of danger. He’s facing a real watery peril.
“Look, son,” Joshua spoke, “the water is gonna rise, and I’m right here, okay?” he reached his to hold his hand. “I’m right beside this fence touching you, okay?”
Sasha’s speech was mixed of wail and sobbing, and eyes irritated by the saltwater and tears further from his eyes, “I love you, Dad.”
“You have to be strong!” Joshua tried to keep himself calmed and composed than he was before. “I love you too, and I’m here with you, okay? We’ll soon be with Mommy in Hawaii and wait till you hear the news.”
“What is it?”
“Your mother and I are having another baby. You’re gonna be a big brother, son!” His smile wasn’t forced, he was genuinely smiling with tears washed by the seawater, he had been holding it for so long that he wasn’t at best on keeping secrets from his son.
“What?” Sasha was confused, but he quickly got it. “Really?”
“Yes, we’re gonna be a big family. You’ll be a great big brother.”
This was really working; Sasha was distracted with joy. “So, that was the name Charlie for?”
“Yes! I really like that name, it’s perfect for either a boy or a girl.” Joshua then got caught by the sloshing current, shifting from his position and finds himself underwater, he battled the current and reaches up to the surface, catching up some air. He turns back at the grate; he wasn’t there anymore. “Sasha?”
He dived down to see anything, but nothing was moving there. Did they find him? Joshua resurfaces and doesn’t see anyone. He checks back at the grate but finds it completely under with some few inches to spare, but not enough space for air. All he could do was wait for them to come back; he had lost track of time, but they cannot stay too much under water. He felt lonely that he cannot keep on comforting his firstborn. He remained motionless and holds onto the grating fence where he last saw his young pup. He finally let out his emotions, facing the fact that he had just lost his son. He had feared this the most and his wife Claire is not ready to hear the news. Joshua sobbed, ignoring the cold water and the sinking ship, and… and all. He left himself get distraught and wait for the water to take him with him.
About time, Jett resurfaced, almost running out of breath and coughing, his father followed from behind and breathed some fresh air for his lungs, and finally, Ryder Wolfson emerged.
Rycroft saw the devasted shepherd dog-man crying. “Joshua?”
He wordlessly responded by looking at him, but the tiger-man was smiling. His grin gave him an answer which Joshua looked from behind Sylvester and saw Ryder holding a young tired dog-boy coughing out water, too tired to cry but Joshua cannot believe it. “Congratulations, Joshua, it’s a boy.” Ryder beamed at him.
“Sasha!” He swam towards his little boy all the love he wanted to give him. Sasha was too tired to swim but he finds himself on his father’s arms. “Oh, my baby! You’re okay!”
“Daddy!” Sasha let out one last of his weeps, and his first time calling his father like that. Even if they don’t make it, Joshua would be at peace after saving his son in this eternal sea of the underworld.
In the engine room, Gwen is almost left alone, sitting close near the ladder where her father had descended through. The lioness was waiting for a little hope. The other survivors were on the same weight on their shoulders if this stunt was going to succeed. Kershaw was taking too long down there. Red sat down next to her and tried to speak to her again, he was afraid of losing her in some ways, but all she cared now was her father. Her mother passed away when she was little and was only her and Kershaw she grew up with.
“Gwen, listen…” He spoke but something stopped him from continuing.
The party wondered and noticed the engines slowing down and leaving a long drawn out sound of shutting down. The blow of wind ceased dramatically. They were disbelieved of the sudden silence of the group and the engine room, except the raging water.
“He did it!” Maxwell cried.
Another sound of an alarm blared out, indicating a malfunction, “What is that?” Rico saw the former starboard side engine with red lights on the left, identifying the broken engine. It kept on bursting sparks on one damage side.
No time, the five beastmen; Sylvester, Jett, Joshua, Sasha and Ryder, the latter is carrying Sasha, ran non-stop through the storage corridors one last time. Heading finally to their destination. This was great hope for Ryder, he made his journey all to himself, he really wished to talk about his ordeal but that can wait. “Hurry! I’ve seen a lot going on and this ship is not feeling well.” Said Ryder.
“It’s really going under?” Jett wondered.
“I think so, all that water was all like following me until I finally found myself here. So, how’s Kale, is he alright?”
“Rico is taking care of him; I think he’s fine. He’s with the others.” Rycroft stated.
“I’m gonna thank that travel agent big time.”
They didn’t turn back as the water was rising behind them. They finally reached the very end of the corridor and found the door already opened; water was still cascading it through. Rycroft shouted for attention. “Hey! We made it!” The group heard it loud and clear, they all turned at the entrance where they came, they saw five people coming in.
“Rycroft,” Red shouted back, “over here!”
“Mom, Stephanie!” Jett shouted along, meeting back with his family.
“Jett! You’re okay!” Stephanie and Clover reacted; the girls hugged him first before bracing his mother.
“Oh, my baby, you made it!” Said Carolyn.
Ryder dropped Sasha from his arms as Stephanie kneel to the young pup for a little hug, “Are you okay, Sasha? I was worried about you.”
“I’m okay, they got me out on time.” Sasha was composed but a little shaken from his ordeal. “All thanks to Ryder, he found me first before Dad, Jett and Mr. Rycroft could.”
Rico lagged on registering when he heard the wolf-man’s name, he looked in wonder at the five men group that made it back, he turned almost pale as if he had seen a ghost. “Ryder?” Kale was sitting close near Snowdon until hearing Rico mentioning his boyfriend’s name.
The half-naked gray wolf-man was smiling and met up at the two people he cared. “Hey, Kale… Hey, Rico, how’s it going?”
The rest were also surprised at seeing him alive, Kale got up on his feet and ran towards him for a loving hug, he did not mind how dirty he was of oil and musk mixed with saltwater. Kale just cried out loud, “Ryder, you’re alive!” The poor human couldn’t let go of him. Ryder was all he needed.
“Rico,” Ryder turned at him with a relieving smile and raised one thumb up, “thanks for taking care of Kale. I owe you one.” Rico nodded with one thumb up.
Aubrey Quinlivan walked up to the pair, she was in wonder now that he’s was last seen with someone. Ryder realized the faces of not only Aubrey but also Sidney and Lani. She asked Ryder, “Miss Blake… is she…” She wasn’t present at the reunited party, but she asked for an answer.
Ryder’s smile and ears dropped; a great sorrow he had dealt with earlier. “I’m sorry, miss, she didn’t make it.” His respond was all they needed to hear.
Aubrey nodded, “I see…”
The silence was broken, Sylvester was shocked to see Snowdon injured. “What happened here?” he asked.
Red stepped in to explain, “The tried to open the hatch, but the engines were running amok, the hatch door hit him.”
“Is he gonna be okay?”
“He’ll be fine, but he needs medical attention,” Carolyn stated.
Then Sylvester sensed the absent of Lionel Kershaw. “And where’s Kershaw?”
“He went to the control room, but it’s underwater. He wouldn’t let me go. He shut them down.” Red reported.
“How long?” Red was quiet. “How long?” He demanded. Sylvester could have done it, but why he did it?
The blaring alarm stopped but let a code red signal and continue the usual buzzing, the propellers let out a startup sound like a jet airplane’s engines, “Wait! What’s that?” Rycroft saw the big tube of the bow thrusters, he ran and climbed up to see it to himself without no one stopping him. He peered his head inside the hatch and saw the freak out of his fears of the still active propellers spinning dryly the salty air. Rycroft got out and stared down at the party below, “Why are they’re still turning?”
This did not make sense, why didn’t Kershaw shut the engines off as he had said? Red saw a piece of wet paper being sucked into the opened hatch. That’s when he knew this was what he had proposed earlier. Red shouted back at Rycroft, “He reversed the engines! It’s creating suction! And now we can throw junk up into the props!”
Rycroft smiles and laughs, “Ha-ha! He’s a genius!”
Rico heard Red’s proposal and asked, “So, what are we gonna use to stop the propellers? Those blades are made of bronze, it can chop anything up, jamming it wouldn’t last long. We must destroy them!”
“But with what?”
Rycroft from above found a four-foot-tall, cylindric, crimson red gas tank. “Hey, Red, that red tank!”
The two spotted a dark-colored gas tank with the precaution sign for flammable gas, it was acetylene; a highly flammable gas. It’s used for welding. Red and Rico together picked it up end-by-end and carried it up to Sylvester, he grabbed the top side and lifts it with his own strength. He ordered the two to stand back and with the others.
At this point, he noticed the suction is getting stronger and the tank moved slightly, he picks it up with both hands, he just realized this was the most insane thing he’s about to do. “Everyone, get back! Get back!” He shouted; he was ready to launch it through the hatch. The party below braced themselves or covered their ears for the incoming explosion.
Rycroft cannot concentrate with flying drops of water dripping his face and eyes, and being so close at the hatch, the suction was trying to pull him in. He swung the tank at the hatch but heard a loud metallic bang. The tank is stuck, he made a miscalculation, not on size but his strategic swing to launch it on one end first before the other, he couldn’t get it right. The tank was like being attracted like a magnet. It’s right where he wanted but not like this. The tank partially blocks the incoming wind and was getting stronger.
The party below him were disappointed, he cursed an inaudible phrase and tried to kick it. He holds onto a vertical steel beam and made the first kick; the cylinder shook a little, but it didn’t budge. “Come on! Get in!” He shouted. He’s taking his life at a greater danger than he had, he looked down at his surviving family, terrified of his own safety. He has brought them here so far and cannot lose his chances. Carolyn was seen shouting something, but he didn’t register it through all this loud, suctional howl of the wind. He let go of his grip and turned on his back and sat next to the tank, his long tail went in first before his rear and blocking another gap, leaving a small inhaling gap receiving. Rycroft must to have hurt himself upon impact, but now he’s taking his chance to liberate the tank towards the tunnel.
“Sylvester, no!” Carolyn shouted.
“Hurry, let’s help him!” Ryder said. “Come on!”
Ryder climbed first and followed Red, Rico, and Maxwell. Sylvester, with his own hands he pushes one end of the tank and gets it finally in, but Ryder got a hold him to save him, Rico and Red each grab one leg and Ryder and Maxwell each on one arm, but Sylvester was fighting against them. “Let me go! It’s almost—” the tank went in a swift, they all grabbed him by the limbs as his rear was being sucked in.
KABOOM!!!!!!
Chapter 18 of Ship Wave.
Category Story / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Any
Size 120 x 90px
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