THE
ADVENTURES OF
IKE PATTERSON
AND GINGER BONNEAU
Chapters
1.
The Beginning
2.
The Riot
3.
The Getaway
4.
Underwater
5.
The Island
6.
Coming Home
7.
The New Day
8.
The Dusty Rose
9.
To The North
10.On To Wilmington
11.On The Shore
12.Wrightsful Beach
13.The Map
14.The Colonel
15.The Knower
16.The Mysterious Trio
17.The Reason
18.Back to The Rose
19.To Maine
20.Where’s Blackie
21.Now What?
22.Going South
23.The Hurricane
24.The Answer
Chapter One
“The Beginning”
The gravel crackled under the
speeding tires of the red coup drove as it sped up the sycamore tree lined passageway
to Kensington Manor. As the tires slid to a stop, dust engulfed the sports car.
The air cleared by the flash of the open door and the long leg slowly
stretching out till the spiked heel rested in the dust. Keys flew through the
dusty air to Swen’s open hand while Ginger’s skirt swirled in the turn to the
marble steps.
Pressing open the huge oak doors
laden in crystal glass dividing the light like prism onto the white and black
marble floor. Her heels echoed down the hall pass the floor to ceiling mirror.
Ginger turned right at the end
of the dark hallway into the light of the aviary. The sun cast a long shadow,
as she looked through the French doors at the acres covered in green and woods.
Several minutes past until she
reached to the side table for the tall glass of brown liquid, meticulously prepared
to her specifications by Swen.
Ginger sipped the liquid as the
sound of the outside grew through the room’s silence. Shadows of wings scattered
across the floor as she lifted the handle to the green world.
. The rustle of small creatures
settled as Ginger walked into the grassy vastness, kicking off her heels to
feel the wet dew between her toes. She quickened her pace, as the sounds of
chirps and calls became louder. She threw her hands up and twirled in the suns
last warm beams. Then lay down in a soft blanket of leaves.
The blue sky was the fast lane
for the fluff as it sped goodnight.
Ike walked quickly to his study.
He had a mission.
The overhead light was dim, as
Ike entered his sanctuary. He paused as the window to view Ginger on the lawn
before pulling the floor length curtains to a close.
“Computer On!” Ike ordered as he
prepared himself a drink. He opened his canvas pack and un-stuffed a stack of
books and papers as the machine whirred to the command.
The screen lit the way to the
soft chair as Ike settled in for the night. He shuffled the papers, arranging
them in different order and positions, between quick sips. Then he turned to
the keyboard.
Back inside, Ginger closed the
French doors and said “Good night” to her outdoor friends.
As the sunset, she turned and
walked past the roaring fireplace to the kitchen.
The steely blue ice box opened
with a chill frost.
Upstairs. Climbing the
increasing number of steps. One, two, three, four.... Until finally, the
landing strip appeared. Familiar land.She turned and walked softly on the
thick oriental runners.
The light beaming under the door
lead Ginger to the bath. The warm water was filling the sudsy claw footed tub.
Candles lit the incensed smell.
Ginger slipped out of her red
satin into the blanket of warm water. As her body slid beneath the surfaces of
soft bubbles, she reached for
the champagne. Her head lay back to the air filled pillow. Sounds of Celtic
music wafted through the air as she closed her eyes. Relax.
Ike pounded on the plastic keys,
ever searching for the answer. The right hand grabbed at the mouse and jerked
ferociously back and forth to guide the arrow. Me and My Arrow.
His eyes squinted as the dim
light lit his face. His eyes raced back and forth with each keystroke.
As the intensity grew, the music
became louder. Ike grabbed another drink. He focused on the blue screen.
Another window. Close. Back
again. The motor whirred.
Suddenly he paused.
Breathe.
Colors swirled across the glass.
Letters flowed up and down, tight, loose, straight, and curved. Lines bend,
grew thick, dashed, and faded away. Faces contoured and shaded. Stretched,
blurred, bright or skewed.
Anything could happen. The
master was at the control.
Ginger patted her powdered body
with the thick towel before wrapping it in a warmed robe. A last sip of sudsy
liquid, bid adieu to the humid room. She stopped to replace her lost slipper
before strolling down the darkened hall to bed.
A quick glance to the light
under Ike’s studio door, then opening the heavy entrance to the room of sleep.
Moonbeams lit the grain on the
wooden floor. Shuffle to the high mattress. Lay the robe on the hook. Slide
onto the warm flannel sheets and pull up the woven wool blankets and homemade
quilts. Arrange the pile of fluffy pillows to perfection.
Sigh!
Relax!
Sleep!
The night quiets as you rest.
The light brightens Ike’s face
as he reads the blue screen. His head slowly moves right, then left, then back
again. His eyes follow the text as it appears magically on the screen. Letters,
words, sentences. Messages from another place. Who is sending these thoughts?
Ike smiles as he sips the tall
thick glass. He adjusted his glasses, then leans forward to reply. His fingers
gently tape the keyboard with skills learned in high school on a manual
typewriter.
“What do you mean by that?” he
replies.
A smile fills Ike’s face as he
reads the response. He leans back in his chair and takes another sips as he ponders
the text before him.
Chapter Two
“The Riot”
After a restless night, Ike
jolts awake, sitting sharply straight up. His silk pajama top is soaked with
moisture. Beads of sweat coat his forehead and upper lip. His eyes glazed into
the darkness.
“Who is that face?” he questions
himself. The same vision every morning. She is an indistinguishable yet
familiar face. Is she a sight from the past or a look into the future?
He turns and slowly stands.
Years of abusing his body stiffen the first steps of the day. Finding his way
through the blackness with patterned step on the same path taken for years, Ike
grabs his robe, slides on his reading glasses, and quietly walks down the cold
marble floors to the light. At the end of the hall, he turns left into the
kitchen’s warm morning glow.
“Good morning Mister Patterson”
a tall black woman softly welcomes without interrupting her preparation as she
stands at the long black reflective counter.
He picks up the simple white
porcelain mug similar to those in dinners and walks into the study.
Resting the coffee cup on the
large teak desk, turning toward the window as the sun breaks the dark sky, he
reaches for the video remote control to start the day’s ritual of morning. News
first, then weather, then news again.
But today was different.
The screen turned from black to
light with screens of massive motions of people roaming the streets. Helicopter
shots of streets filled with bodies, pressing forward, angry bodies pushing
toward a goal.
His hand rested on the cup as he
stared at the sight.
“What was this?” he asked
himself as he raised the white cup to his lips.
The news was anxious. The pitch
of the voice was high and disturbed.
“They are….they are coming from
everywhere” the announcer screeched.
“They don’t seem to stop. They
are coming down every street. Masses of bodies filling the pavement.”
As he lifted the cup to his lips
he saw thousands of bodies pressing forward.
“What was this?” he asked
himself.
Was the economy so bad that the
general public rioting? Was this the breaking point?
As he watched the authorities
press back the masses with swinging shields and clubs, mounted horses, then
spraying water, then gas, to no avail.
They kept coming. Overpowering
the uniforms and charging deeper into the city streets, setting fires, breaking
glass, and exerting their anger.
Ike turned away from the video
and peered through the gauze shades at the sunrise.
Pop, pop, pop.
The sound of gunfire was in the
distance.
He gazed through the trees as a
column of smoke arose.
Pop, pop, pop,
The sound quicken and became
clearer in the distance.
Ike turned and opened his desk
drawer. His hand pulled out a large silver pistol.
Just then Ginger entered the
office, visually disturbed by the sound and stopped at the doorway, her body
shaking in the sheer white night garb flowing in the breeze.
She looked at the huge silver
weapon secured in Ike’s firm grip, then to his eyes.
But he was looking elsewhere.
With a jerk of a head, Ike
turned to the doorway.
“Go to the car!” he quietly said
with a stern look.
There was not a second thought.
Ike closed the drawer and placed
the pistol into his robe. Ginger, without question, turned and ran back down
the hall to dress.
Turning back to the window, Ike
noticed more frequent popping sounds and another plum of smoke. Then another
column of smoke.
The time is now.
Chapter Three
“The Getaway”
Now Ike is a good driver, but he
was pushing the limits. The car spun sideways on the gravel as he swung around
the wheel and steered toward the fenced in wall, pressing firmly on the gas
pedal.
Ginger had just thrown a little
bag of quick gathers into the back and strapped herself in before the momentum
pressed her back in the leather seat with maximum g-forces. Her hair waving in
the half lowered window she stared at Ike.
“Was this a processed man?” her
mind wondered.
She trusted him for 25 years, so
she was gripping the seat and was along for the ride.
“Where would he take me this
time?”
As the silver bullet reached the
gate at the giant wall surrounding the Puppywoods Estate, it slid and swiveled
to a halt, sliding on the gravel.
“Take what you need and tell the
others. Make a run for it” Ike screamed to Juan the gardener. Juan staring at
Mister Patterson, shook his head in acknowledgement.
Ike turned back to his mission,
and as the giant iron gates drifted open, he pressed the gas pedal and the
silver bullet spun into motion screwing rocks and gravel in it’s wake.
Turning left on the pavement,
the tires squealed, drowning the screaming voices of the approaching mob.
Looking in his mirror, the sky
was filled with black smoke.
“The whole world must have gone
mad” Ike thought, gripping the wheel tighter.
His eyes focused on the northern
route. He had to make the coast. It was their only chance.
Ike, being the anal compulsive,
checked all the gages, air, petrol, GPS, weather, and internal systems to
guarantee he can reach his destination.
The sky ahead was clear, but Ike
was unsure if the future would present worst problems than what followed
behind.
As the sun brightened the
horizon, the ocean could be viewed, reaching into a soothing welcoming safety
zone.
Closer to the beach, Ike reached
over to Ginger’s arm and gave a gentle tap. She had grown weary of the flight
and slept to the rhythm of the road.
“Ginger, we’re almost there.”
Ike quietly said, never turning from his steeled eyed focus on the lit black
path before him.
Ginger slowly rose in her seat,
wiping her eyes and looking forward at the rising orange glob.
“Are we there yet?”
Ike laughed a deep relaxing
chuckle, deflating the tension that had carried them here.
The silver bullet coasted to a
slow halt resting in the sand. The sun had broken the sky and golden rays highlighted
the clouds.
The two vary travelers stepped
out into the cushioned beach floor. Stretching his arms to the sky and yawning,
Ike dusted off the road. Ginger grabbed her bag and without looking back
started walking toward the ocean roar.
Ike closed the door and threw
the keys into the sand. The silver bullet had carried them this far, now the
next adventure was to start.
A towering ship sat anchored
just beyond reach. Others had the same idea.
Small boats scurried back and
forth from the beach to the ship and back again. Each boat carried only a few
with little luggage. Little was said. Everyone knew what was happening.
Ike and Ginger walked forward to
the next line.
Would they be accepted? Would
there be time?
The next small boat pressed to
the shore.
A lad in a horizontal striped
shirt and navy cap jumped into the water and secured the boat. He stared at the
line of people in the sand without a word. Each person climbed into the small
wooden craft until there was not room for another. The line halted and backed
into the sand. The lad turned and pushed the craft back into the water,
climbing aboard when the water was waist high.
Slowly the boat would turn back
to the larger silhouette ship and pressed ahead to deliver its goods.
Ike and Ginger stood on the
wooden deck of the huge metal water vessel. The sun had risen to the highest
point and the air heated with its warmth. As people shuffled upon the deck, Ike
gestured to Ginger to follow him below deck. Pressing though the rumbling
crowds, they found a open cabin. Quickly inside and secure the door. This might
be their only haven for sometime.
A jolt showed the ship was
moving. Turning out to open water, a blast from the steam horn raised cheers
from the new passengers. They did not know where they were going, but they were
on their way….
Chapter Four
“Underwater”
Ike and Ginger settled into a
small 8-foot by 8-foot space. A small porthole gave light of the horizon as the
massive hull turned toward open waters.
Ginger sat upon the narrow bed
with only a blanket and shuffled thru her bag. Its all they had.
“I can’t find my phone.” She
said to Ike while stirring the contents of the black sack.
“Who are you going to call?” Ike
replied without turning away from the port hole.
There was silence.
The two sat quietly on the
narrow cushion as the light began to fade. A narrow steam beamed across the
floor and onto the floor until it faded away. Silently the two sat in the dark.
What else was there to do?
Their cabin rocked back and
forth as the sound of engines turning beneath them press the hulk forward into
the unknown.
“Lets get some sleep. Tomorrows another
day.” Ike said in the darkness. Ginger replied in silence.
Neither one undressed, but
quietly lay beside one another on the small bed. They quickly relaxed and
drifted into sleep.
The motion of the rocking hull
was suddenly interrupted by a loud bang.
Ike and Ginger in harmony jumped
up.
The sound had vibrated
throughout the hull and shook everyone on board.
There was a list in the room. A
tilt to the starboard side.
Then the sound of water.
Under the door began a steam.
The lights on deck flickered then faded out. Total black darkness.
Ike pressed to the door
splashing across the floor. He pressed his head against the steel to hear more
rushing water in the hallway.
Then the room jerked him back
and began to roll over.
Ginger said nothing, but reached
for Ike’s hand. He held her as he strained for the door.
With a quick twist, the door was
open and water filled the room.
Holding his breathe, Ike opened
his eyes to no avail. There was total blackness.
He felt his way to the door
opening and tried to remember the way to the deck. He could feel the suction of
the rushing water pulling at him.
With Ginger in tow, he felt his
way up the corridor, pulling on portholes, door nobs, and lamps. Around the
corner and with a thrush against the wall, they glided against the current to
the next turn. They had reached the
stairway.
Lungs about to burst in the
black water, the two moved upward toward the deck. The pressure of the rushing
water became faint, then a push in reverse.
The two were pushed forward
banging against walls, and furniture.
As if sucked from a vacuum, the
bodies were shot upward.
Breaking the edge of the water,
Ike opened his mouth for fresh air. He choked as his body dropped back into the
warm sea. His eyes opened to see the moonlight.
But there was no ship. Only
reflections of light appeared in the waves.
Ike turned left then right in
panic.
“Where is Ginger?”
He dove back into the salty
water thrashing his hand back and forth to reach an invisible body, but to no
avail.
Back at the surface, Ike tread
water for a few moments, realizing he must make a decision to stay at this site
which fate was to probably drown or try to swim out.
Looking up to the heavens, Ike
measured the stars and the moon’s position. Longitude 56 by Latitude 75.
Ike turned 27 degrees and
started a slow and steady breaststroke into the darkness.
He thought of nothing but his
patented arm stroke and his measured breathe.
Chapter Five
“The Island”
Ike didn’t think of anything but
the rhythm of his breaststroke as he moved through the waves. Blinking and
spitting out the salt water, he moved into the darkness as if on a mission.
Each stroke was a consistent movement. His stamina did not waver.
And as the light stated
separating the water from the sky, Ike stopped. He bobbed in the water for a
minute to check the fading stars then looked at his gold Rolex then faced the
rising sun. A quick sure nod assured him he was headed in the right direction.
Ike continued his 1-2-3-4
strokes in the warm water, but he knew he was still far from any land and
depths held their own dangers.
As the sky brightened from a
darken red to an orange, the waves white splashes and continuous movement
helped him focus on his leg kick. He moved in powerful jet motion through the
water, creating a wake in his path.
Just as the orange orb broke the
surface of the horizon, in the middle was a black dot. Ike smiled then took
another mouthful of salty water. He had calculated right and his rescue was in
sight.
A second wind filled his chest
and Ike dove his head down pulling his arms together to a hand clap, then
turned the palms and pulled them around his body to his side, then with a quick
jerk, thrust them forward again, barely breaking the surface of the water.
The dot at the center of the
rising sun became larger. While everything around seems to have motion, this
point was solid and still.
As if directed by a laser, Ike
continued his strokes in the same steady pace that moved him closer and closer.
Then suddenly he felt uneasy. He
felt the water change temperature. A wave grew colder than it had been. Then
from the other side a cold wave.
Without breaking stride, his
body tightened into a ball, then he pushed his foot out into the cold water.
Thud!
Then like a ballet pirouette,
his body spun in the water with a fast karate thrust into the water. Thud!
And as suddenly as he had
stopped, Ike turned back to his breaststroke and continued to the speck in the
distance. Two denizens of the deep were going home with bumps and bruises and
nothing to show for it.
With every stroke the outline of
the island lay before him. And the current was beginning to help pull him
forward. Each stroke was more powerful than the last and as the sun began to
bake Ike’s back, he could see the white sand. The sound of breaking waves was a
welcoming call.
Finally he put his head down
into the water, closed his eyes, arms outstretched and let the waves deliver
him to the white soft sand. As the water receded, Ike stood up. His legs were
wobbly from the journey, but as he twisted his body and waved his arms, he got
back his sea legs.
Blinking in the diamond
reflection of the water, Ike reviewed his watery path. His mind flashed back to
the sinking, the lost grip, and the long dark night. He scanned the water but
there was no signs of wreckage or any indication of life.
So with the past behind him, Ike
turned to face his new challenge. The white ribbon of beach kissed the water
and was interrupted by a wall of green. Lush leaves and thick stalks presented
a jungle wall swaying in the constant rhythm with the breeze. As Ike scanned
the formidable forest, the breeze was quickly drying his droopy clothing. It
was deathly quiet except for the lapping water at his feet.
Ike turned to the right and
started walking down the thin beach surveying the greenery for an entrance. He
checked his watch. It was noon. He looked up at the increasingly hot sun and
decided it would be cool in the shade so he plied two giant bamboo stalks apart
and stepped inside.
In the shady darkness, the sound
vibrated. Birds were singing in every pitch and flavor. Calls to partners and
friends announcing a stranger had entered their paradise.
Ike could only see about two
feet in front as he pushed back giant leaves and branches. His bare feet sank
in the decaying leaves and fallen limbs. Though the new environment was
protected from the sun’s rays, the moister dripping off the greenery produced a
thick humid air. Ike’s clothing was wet again. He pressed forward.
As if directed, he moved between
the branches like a cat, until the thicket thinned out. Taller pines shaded the
dirt floor blocking the growing warmth of the sun. The temperature dropped as
Ike paused at this clearing. A two inch underbrush seem to spread everywhere
like a soft brown carpet. Crunching the pine needles under raw feet, Ike moved
forward to points unknown.
Then the sound of water
appeared. Ike stopped to catch the origin of the sound and not the
reverberation off the moist walls. Moving left, the volume of refreshing water
increased. Through the web of branches and shadows, rays of sunlight peppered
a path ahead.
Ike brought through into the
bright sun on another white sandy beach.
“Was this the same beach?” he
pondered. “Was this the entire island or had he walked in a circle?”
Across a narrow stretch of water
there was another white sandy beach. And the water was moving in a different
motion. The water moved away from the beach instead of toward the beach. This
was a cove. This was an inland waterway.
Ike knelled down in the soft sand
and dipped his hand into the clear fast moving water. Lifting it gently to his
lips, he sipped a taste. The water was cool and fresh.
Totally out of character for
Ike, he jumped up and ran into the steam. Lifting his hands into the refreshing
liquid, he showed himself while dancing twirls, splashing waves, and letting
out an unexpected call.
“YeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaa!”
Then he stood still. He still
didn’t know where he was. He didn’t know who or what else occupied this tiny
speck of land. He didn’t have any food. He hadn’t slept in days.
Ike slowly exited the water.
Standing on the beach again, he
looked up at the sun, glanced at his watch, made a mental note of his surroundings
and decided to move off again.
Moving inland on the beach the
pace was easier, though the soft sand reminded his legs of the hours of swimming.
The scenery changed little except for the occasional brightly color bird flying
out from the canopy or the outward reaching leafy branch seeking sunlight.
Then a sight he did not expect.
He wiped his eyes and saw a boat. It looked to be beached. He quickened his
pace kicking up sand trails.
Yes, it was a boat. The hull had
been cracked as if it had been driving full force into the sand. The jungle had
weaved its web of vines and leaves over the bow, but Ike could make out the
name. “Mai Tai”.
Ike scrabbled aboard and began
searching for food. Seat cushions, fishing gear, a torn shirt on the wheel,
empty cans of beer, and then “Eureka!” a treasure trove of cans. Beans and
fruit.
Without checking the expiration
date, Ike pulled out his trusty knife, flipped open the blade and stabbed the
lid. With a jerking motion the soft metal was no match for his sharp blade.
Prying open the lid, Ike paused to smell the contents.
“Seems alright?” he though.
Pouring the contents down his
parched mouth, he chocked on the first gulp. Catching his breath he swallowed.
It had been the first meal in several days and he had not realized how hungry
he was.
Ike jumped away from the Mai
Tai’s hull to avoid the barnacles. Another refreshing drinking from the fresh
water stream to wash his delicious yet questionable meal down, Ike turned back
to the boat.
“What was it doing here? Who
drove it? And where were they?” were the thoughts in Ike’s mind.
Looking ashore, he noticed a
parting in the green wall.
“A pathway perhaps?”
Sloshing up to the shore, he
made note of his location, entering into his mental map of where he was.
Deciding to explore the pathway,
Ike re-entered the forest green and the unknown.
Climbing over fallen trees and
scraping pass sharp bamboo, he bobbed and weaved his way every step following
another’s long ago.
Then he noticed the ground had
changed. Instead of sharp pine needles and soft mushy decaying leaves, it was
crunchy. Crushed shells divided the rotting forest floor. It was at least a
meter or two wide and curved thought the trees.
“This is a man made path?” Ike
thought. His mind raced as he scanned both ways on the new road to adventure.
“Which way to go?”
He looked at his feet. The light
darting through the canopy lit the left side of the path.
“Then left it is.” He said with
confidence and off he went.
After several twist and turns
Ike came across another surprise.
A 1928 Rolls Royce. Rusted and
decaying in the middle of this forest jungle next to a seashell road.
“What the heck is this doing
here?” He thought. “How did that little Mai-Tai fishing trawler get this big
auto on this overgrown island?”
Ike checked out the glove
compartment and found only dust, spider webs and years of bad weather.
“Better call Maaco”. He said
stepping over a tiki lamp pole.
Continuing down the path his
heart quicken at the next site.
Ike stepped over a fallen iron
gate that maintained it padlock, but kept no one out and walked between the
white stone columns toped with multi-legged lions, some missing their paws.
A large brownstone building
stood before him covered in vines as if hidden from all mankind in this green
blanket of a jungle.
“What kind of place is this? “
he questioned.
None of this made any since to
an already baffled mind. Exhausted yet energized by his new discovery, he
walked up the steps to the double doors. They were already opened, inviting
curiosity of its contents.
The cool marble floors felt
comforting to his bloody bare feet. As if a child in the candy shop, Ike gazed
at the opulence and slowly walked down the hallway in awe. Paintings of smiling
men poised together for a setting. All with a look of content, knowledgeable
yet with a smile of playfulness. Huge mirrors in gold frames reflected the
silhouettes of vines and branches growing out of the floor and walls.
Ike peered into several rooms in
passing but did not enter. Too much to take in at one time, but he wandered on.
Then, there was a noise.
It came from above.
He backtracked down the dark
hallway to the foyer and a giant stairway.
There it was again. He heard it
again.
Then a sign against the wall
caught his eye. It seemed to be a plaque of some kind.
Leaning over and blowing off the
dust he read “The Enigma Club"*. He placed the sign back against the wall
in its original position and looked up the stairway.
Slowly climbing the stairs Ike
pondered his deliverance to this island. A dot in the ocean if seen by only
one. A savior from whatever the world was doing to itself outside. A refuge for
a moment in time. But the past was gone and he had to make a new future.
Light shown out from one of the
rooms. Someone was walking. The sound of a bottle and the clinking of glasses
filled the hallway.
Ike shyly crept up to the
doorway and peered into the room. *With permission of the author.
The velvet drapes had been drawn
back to let in the light. It filled the room with a warm dusty haze. The oriental
carpet strewn with dried leaves still appeared thick and lush. The walls were
covered with more painting of men in suits looking very formal and poised.
Dusty bookcases were full of volumes of leather bond novels with gilded gold
titles.
“Ha, ha, ha” a loud cry came
out, “ Where have you been?”
Ike’s head swiveled toward the
voice and his face went pale. Then a big ear-to-ear smile.
“What the…”
“Come join my party.”
Ike stared in disbelief. There
on a stuffed tiger about to pounce sat Ginger, a bottle of champagne in one
hand and a wine glass engraved with the letters EC in the other.
“How did you…? When did you…”?
Ike stammered, his smile broadening at seeing this vision draped in sunlight.
Ginger sat astride the tiger in
her brief bikini panties and bra, legs kicking as if on a bucking bronco,
sipping from the glass and chugging from the bottle. As she swayed back and
forth, she looked at Ike and said, “Where the hell have you been?”
“I…uh…I…” Ike stuttered to
speak.
“I’ve found a life boat, no
thanks to you.”
“I couldn’t find you!”
“Oh sure, I’m sure you looked
for me”
“I…uh…I…”
“Settle down big boy, everything
is alright.”
Ike breathed a sigh of relief of
seeing his dream lost and found again. He quickly walked over to her and swept
her off the stuff monster.
“Watch it with the hands.”
Ike smiled and held her close.
His eyes filled with tears.
“Oh come on, I’ve been here for
a while and it’s not that bad.”
Ike looked up and smile, rubbing
Ginger’s back as she did a little drunken dance across the floor.
“They stored some nice hooch
here. Take a swig. It’s the good stuff.”
Ginger passed the bottle of 1915
champagne to Ike. He could not resist and turned the bottle up to three giant
swallows.
Wiping his mouth with his torn
sleeve, Ike looked up and quietly said,” I am so happy to see you.”
“You too.”
They embraced and the rest will
have to remain to your imagination until we can insure the age of all the
readers.
The nextmorning.
“Who is that?” Ginger said in a
frothy voice looking up at a wall branching herself on her elbows under a
bearskin rug.
“Peregrine Hampton” Ike said
tighten his belt.
“Who?”
“Captain Enigma. The head of
this club.”
“What club?”
“I did a little looking around
this morning and it seems this was a waylay for writers and creative types to
gather and share thoughts.”
“But why in the middle of
nowhere? Besides, where are we” Ginger said as she looked around for something
to wear.
“Here try these.” Ike said as he
threw a flannel shirt and baggy jeans to her. “I found them in a closet down
the hall and I don’t think they were ever worn.”
“So where are we?”
“ I think we are off the coast
of Florida. I saw a boat before getting here. Maybe we can get it to run.”
“A boat? Where?” she said
pulling up suspenders over the baggy flannel shirt.
“The Mai-Tai”
“What?”
“Don’t know where it came from,
but we might be able to start the engine…. what a minute. What about the boat
you found. Where is that?”
“I’m not sure I can find it
again.” She said shyly.
“We’ll find a way as a team.”
“OK, let’s get going.”
So the couple, together again,
rested and ready for the future, gathered some cans and bottles in a curtain
made into a makeshift knapsack.
Down the marble hall, still
amazed at the sites they had shared and the history here. Ike and Ginger
stopped at the door and viewed the guest book. The last entry was “H. Wornum”.
Ike smiled and had a thought.
He ran back up the staircase and
back into their last residence.
There on the marble floor in the
dust was a heart shaped image. Ike stood and smiled. Ginger had made that
pattern on the floor during the
evening.
Ike leaned down and wrote IP
& GP in the dust. Pausing, he smiled at this accomplishment, and then
looking around the room, hoped it would be there for years.
Turning, he sighed. This had
been quiet an adventure, but it was time to return to the old world and
whatever it held for the couple.
Ginger smiled as Ike slowly step
down the dusty stairway, glancing back as his artwork, then turning to hold
Ginger’s hand and head for the doorway.
Chapter Six
“Coming Home?”
All was silent as the Mai-Thai
sputtered to the dock. The tide slowly rubbed the bow on the wooden boards and
Ike leapt up with line in hand to tie up the remains of their rescue vehicle.
The quiet was deafening. Only
the splash of the waves on the shore and the scraping sound of the Mai-Thai
against the splintered timbers interrupted the quiet.
Ike stood and looked slowly
around the abandoned dock. There was no sign of life or that life had existed
here for some time.
“Hey buster, what about me?”
Ginger said as she stood on the rocking deck with arm outstretched.
Ike lean over and with a grasp
to her forearm, jerked her up to the dock.
“Thanks!” she huffed brushing
herself off, “ Where is everybody?”
The both froze as if in a vacant
time.
The hulk of Ike’s car, the
Silver Bullet still sat in wait of its former owners, but only a shell of its
former life.
As Ike and Ginger approached
they saw the silver body, doors open, rag roof down and trunk open. All the
tires were flat and the dashboard had been torn off with only dangling wires
hanging from the holes where the latest technology had occupied.
Ike stood at the door and looked
down at the ripped leather seats. He had spent many miles in this chariot. The
memories flooded his mind in a quick flashback journey.
“Ike!” Ginger screamed as she
had wandered off toward the shipping station.
Ike turned and jetted to her
side, body tense.
“There….there. Look at that” she
stammered.
Behind the shipping station were
bodies. Bloated by the sun. Some were charred. Some were with suitcases as if
to travel. Others were partially clothed.
“Don’t get too close,” Ike restrained
Ginger’s inner emotion to go and assist. “We don’t know what we have here.”
He looked around for some sign
of life. There was no one.
Backing away from the dead, he
peered into the stations window. Wiping away the dust, he saw more shadowy figures
on the floor, some on top of each other. There was on lying at the desk, face
down, arms limp at the side.
“Let’s move on, there is nothing
here for us.”
He turned toward the road that
had brought them to this point so many months ago.
“What about transportation?”
Ginger said, slowing the pace.
“You want to call a taxi? I
through away the Silver Bullet’s keys and I don’t think it is going anywhere
anyway. “
“Maybe we should try to use the
phone?” she turned to the station.
“Do you want to go in there?”
“Ah…..no.”
“OK then, let’s move on and see
what else we can find.”
Ike thought to himself this
might have been the results of the riots, but why weren’t there anyone else
around. Army? Police? EMS? Fire?
“Do we need to take anything
from the boat?” Ginger asked.
They both turned back and smiled
as the Mai-Thai gave its last gasp and sank next to the dock that could no
longer hold her up. A loud splash followed as the entire dock sank like dominos
into the water.
So they both turned and started
walking down the road.
The sun was about to go down.
Ike knew there was a small inn about a mile from the docking area, so that was
his next destination.
As they arrived at the inn,
there was complete darkness. There was no moonlight or any sign of any life inside.
Only the shapes of dark against the sky gave sense to direction.
They felt their way toward the
building, hoping to feel a window or a door.
“Oh” said Ginger as her foot
stepped on softness.She poked her foot around the object and said, “ It’s another
body.”
“I’ve got a couple over here
too, step over them and move forward.”
“Yuck” Ginger winched and
stepped over the mass of rotting flesh. “The smell around here is not so good
either” she said poking here foot in front of her searching for more death.
“Follow my voice,” Ike said,
“I’ve found a doorway.”
“Do you think anyone is….” Thud.
“Damn!”
“You OK?”
“Yeah, I tripped over another
one of these corpses. They are everywhere.”
Ginger picked herself up and
continued to move forward. Thud. Another roadblock with a kick of frustration.
“OK, looked for a flashlight or
candle or something that will light this place up. We’ve got to see what is going
on.” Ike said in his most professional voice.
Once inside they split up gently
feeling their way in the blackness. Opening cupboards and rubbing along
counters. Reaching inside on drawer, a discovery.
“I’ve got a wax stick!” Ginger
cried out.
Ike joined her and reached into
his pants pocket. His trusty knife had been wet, but it might still work. He
pressed a button and a spark briefly brightened the room.
“Ow!” he said as the light
dimmed and the knife dropped to the floor. “Damn I never remember which end
that thing lights up” Ike said in the dark, licking his hand.
After retrieving his pride and
his knife, he pressed again and the spark became a flame. Ginger held the
candle and the light brightened.
“Here’s another one” she said
handing Ike another lit candle.
Back to back they surveyed the
area.
There were no bodies inside the
room. Everything looked as if time had stopped. Plates and glasses were on the
dining room table awaiting a meal. A clock on the mantle above a stone
fireplace clicked in sequence. Ginger touched the quilt over the back of the
deep sofa.
“Let’s light a fire.”
A little resourcefulness and
some trying, the room was a glow with warmth and light. They found some candle
holders, matches, and the most important, bottles of wine.
“That’s a great wine cellar” Ike
smiled as he popped the first cork with his trusty knife’s corkscrew.
“What’s the year?” Ginger
quipped grabbing two glasses off the table.
“Does it matter?”
“Not really” Ginger quietly said
placing the glasses for Ike to pour the red refreshment. “So what do you think
happened here?”
Ike filled his glass and walked
to the window. There were shadows on the ground lit by the fireplace. Mound
after mound of desperate yet unsuccessful flight.
“I don’t know but it seems it
happened very fast.”
“Was it the riot?” Ginger
remembered her quick retreat.
“No, I think this is bigger than
that. A lot bigger.”
Searching around the room for a
note, or message, or newspaper to hint at the disaster befalling this place.
“What’s this?” Ike questioned
picking up a radio.
Having already tried the
electricity and realizing there was no power, he unplugged the radio and turned
the knob on the top of the small metal case. Click.
“…..” Ike tuned the knob,
then….” This is an emergency message….this is…emergency
message…..this…….emer….” Ike continued to turn the knob.
“Thisisanemergencynotificationtoallpeoplesoftheworld.
TheA2O2 fluisspreadingandthereisNO moremedicine.
Stayinsideandawayfromanycontactwithanyoneelse. NO CONTACT! Evenyourfamily.
Donotgooutsideforanyrea
son. TheA2O2
isbeingtransferredoncontact. Money, food, transportation, DO NOT TOUCH
ANYTHING. Thisisanemergencynotification.
…Thisisanemergencynotificationtoallpeoplesoftheworld. TheA2O2
fluisspreadingandthereisNO moremedicine. Stayinsideandawayfromanycontactwithanyoneelse.
NO CONTACT! …” the message continued.
“Ike?”
Ike stood quietly looking at the
box, then glanced out the window again.
“Ike, we touch those…those
bodies!” Ginger screamed panic in her face.
“You feel OK? I feel OK. I’m not
hot or sick, maybe a little drunk.” Ike calmly replied trying to calm Ginger’s
nerves.
“Yeah, I feel OK I guess. Give
me another shot.” Ginger smiled stretching out her empty glass.
“Let’s sleep on it and see how
we are in the morning when the sun comes up.”
Sipping from her refreshed glass
Ginger yawned,” OK, just one more glass.” Her eyelids started to drop.
Ike looked out the window at the
shadows and thought.
“What was this? What had
happened in such a short time? How far did this go? How long had it been since
the world was healthy and normal and “Puppywoods” was the center of their
universe?
Turning back to the light, he
quietly walked over to Ginger and covered her with the quilt on the sofa. Eyes
closed she smiled and pulled the corner toward her.
They would sleep tonight but
there would be little rest.
Chapter Seven
“A New Day”
“How do you feel today?” Ike
asked staring out the bay window as the early morning sun streamed through the
branches of the surrounding jungle.
Ginger turned over on the huge
bed with a swirled canvas of disheveled sheets, blankets, pillows, and more
pillows.
“Well,” she grinned, “if this my
last day on earth, I’ll go with a smile on my face. What time is it?”
“Early.” Ike was obviously not
wearing a watch.
“I’m starving. Lets get dressed
and find some food.”
Ike turned and started picking
up his clothes. “Maybe we can find you something to wear.”
“I’m not taking clothes off any
of those bodies outside.” Ginger moved from one yoga stretch to another,
catching Ike’s eye.
“Let’s check out some of these
rooms. These poor souls must have brought suitcases.”
Ginger walked over to the phone
and listened for a tone. “I don’t think we can get room service.”
Ike standing fully clothed
checked his essentials. Slapping his pocket he said,” Wallet, keys,
handkerchief, knife, ID and credit card”. Ready to go.
He reached down and tossed
Ginger the flannel shirt taken from the Enigma Club.
“We’ll find you something a
little more pleasing to your figure.” He said with a smile.
As Ginger wrapped the much too
large garment around her when an object fell out of the shirt pocket and hit
the floor rolling under the bed.
“What was that?”
Ike finished tying his shoe and
reached under the bed, bringing back a fisted hand. He opened his hand and with
the other gently picked up the golf ball sized object.
“What is it?” Ginger said
buttoning the large shirt. From across the room is sparkled in the sunlight
between Ike’s fingers.
Ike gazed at the glistening
object as he twirled between his fingers then reaching into his pocket, he pull
out his knife and with the free hand unscrewed the end. He walked closer to the
window and placed the end of his knife to his eye. Through the magnify loupe he
examined the object closely.
“It’s a diamond.”
Ginger walked up and stared in
awe.
“It’s red.”
“I see that, but it is a
diamond.”
“A red diamond?”
“And it is finely crafted. It
doesn’t appear to be made for a setting, but it is well chiseled. Around 10
carats I imagine.” Ike said dropping the loupe from his eye into his hand.
“Well let’s go find some food
and get some…” Ike said as he turned and started placing the stone into his
pocket.
Ginger interrupted him with an
outstretched arm and open hand.
“Mine.”
“But of course my queen.” came
the perturbed reply and Ike pulled the glowing stone out of his pocket and
placed it into her palm.
After a quick peek into several
rooms, they slowly walked down the wooden staircase to the open lobby. Ike went
over to the desk and started looking through papers. Ginger surveyed the
surroundings and spied a gift shop. She quickly shuffled through the open door
and stood in wonder.
Ike turned the pages of the
entrees signatures but did not recognize any of the names. He searched through
the office with no significant findings. He reached a pile of newspapers
scattered on the floor next to the long sofa.
“PANDEMIC IS AT HAND”
“WORLD LEADERS GATHER TO PRAY
FOR A SOLUTION”
“PANIC IN THE STREETS”
“PLAGUE!”
“HOSPITALS CLOSED. NO MORE
MEDICINE.”
All the newspapers are 3 weeks
old.
Inside the office he took some
paper and a couple of pens. He checked the safe but it was broken and empty.
The infirmary was ransacked with broken bottles covering the floor. At the
concierge desk, he found a cell phone and surprisingly a pistol. He placed both
into his pocket.
“Good ole Joe.” He smiled as he
looked at the photo on the wall. This former bandleader and then good friend
could get anything done and often did for Ike and Ginger’s brief but passionate
stays at the end.
“Well, what do you think?” came
a cry from across the lobby.
Ike looked up to see Ginger
standing in the gift shop doorway. Dark glasses on her head, bright orchid pushing
back her rust colored locks, a light, flowing pastel spring dress blowing in
the breeze from the open windows, silver bracelets adorning each arm, and pink
tennis shoes.
“You are a vision.” Ike smiled.
“Grab a handbag and a knapsack too. We may have to carry some food.”
“Oh yes, food. Where is food?
I’m starving.” Ginger said gathering the items.
Moving through an empty dining room
with plates still on the tables. Chairs lay on the floor as if there was a
race to leave the room.
“Have you noticed anything
strange?” Ike asked as they moved toward the dual swing doors of the kitchen.
“Anything strange? This whole
thing is strange?” Ginger replied.
“Insects.” Ike quietly said.
“Insects. This place should be teaming with flies and ants and every creature
known to man. “
Ginger looked through the window
at the bloated bodies resting in the street.
“You’re right. This place is
full of food for the wild creatures, but there is no sign they have been here.
Are they dead too?”
Ike pushed the door to the
chrome kitchen open and quickly glanced from side to side. There are polished
doors and polished cabinets and polished trays and polished tables, all
undisturbed and ready for food preparation and no sign of recent activity.
The pair separated to the
freezer and the storage areas.
Ike opened the freezer and the
meat locker only to find warm compartment of rotten meat and melted vegetables.
Ginger found green covered
breads and pasta. She stuffed a couple of cans into the knapsack and set aside
a few more.
“Here,” Ginger said tossing the
heavy sack to Ike, “ and see if you can open these. I don’t want to look at the
expiration date.”
After a meal of canned beans,
pineapple and some fresh coconut Ginger found outside, the two sat the window
staring out to the future.
Ike muttered and downed another
glass of wine. “Don’t forget to pack up some bottled water.”
“So now what?” Ginger replied a
blank look on her face.
“Puppywoods is probably dust now
and besides we have no transportation.”
“Then what do we do?
Where do we go?
I don’t want to hang around
these bodies and the service here sucks.”
“Let’s head back to the beach
and follow the coast.” Ike stood with a determined look on his face and
strapped the knapsack around his shoulders.
“I’ve got another idea.” Ginger
smiled and looked up. “The roof, let’s go to the roof.”
The couple climbed the stairs
and found the escape stairway to the roof.
The sunshine poured into the
dark narrow stairs as they burst into the morning. They walked out to the flat
roof and stood in the silence.
“The sky should be full of
singing birds.” Ike pondered wiping a tear from his squinting eyes.
“Over here” Ginger cried.
I turned to view a whirly bird.
“We can fly out of here. Get it started.” Ginger impatiently fidgeted with the
seats.
Ike put down the knapsack and
walk to the cockpit. “Looks in good shape. Let’s see what we can do.”
He sat in the seat and started
turning switches and watching meters. The blades shook and a puff of smoke came
from the exhaust pipe. Then the blades began to slowly turn.
“Grab my bag and climb in. We’re
going for a ride.”
Ginger smiled from ear to ear
and grabbed the knapsack, ducked her head and climbed in beside the man who was
about to deliver them from this nightmare.
The clear bubble shell tilted as
the rotor blades spun faster and faster and smoke twirled around it like a fog.
A bump and the carriage started to rise.
“Here we go.”
Tilting forward, the helicopter
blew off the roof and over the green jungle.
And the two were off to another
adventure. Not sure of the past events they ventured into an unknown future.
Chapter Eight
“The Dusty Rose”
“Hang On. We are going in.”
The air filled with smoke and
the wind blew up a sandstorm as the helicopter set down with a loud thump, then
skidded until the front dove down and the blades stopped suddenly whirling and
shuttered to a stop.
“You OK?” Ike said as he
unfastened his harness and fell against the glass shell half buried in the
sand.
“Yeah, I guess,” Ginger replied
shaking her flowing hair in great waves, “ but that wasn’t a very smooth landing.”
“Sorry,” Ike replied grabbing
his knapsack and crawling out of the cabin, “but we were out of gas.”
“Didn’t you check that before we
left?”
Ginger crawled out of the
cockpit and dusted off the sand. Remembering her sack with its red surprise,
she reached back in the smoky wreckage.
“Well we made it to the coast.”
“OK, now what?”
“North.” Ike surveyed the
landscape.
White sandy beach ran a ribbon
roadway between the dense jungle and the crashing waves.
“Take off your shoes. It will be
easier to walk barefoot.”
Ike stuffed the shoes in his
pack, rolled up his pants legs, and loosened his collar.
The couple was off.
After an hour of soft sand and
no signs of life they stopped to have a snack.
“How far to anywhere do you
think?” Ginger asked opening a can of peaches.
Ike pondered the question but
blankly starred into the constant roar of the ocean lapping the shore.
“I don’t get it.” He thought.
“This use to be a resort beach. There should be cabanas and hotels. Some sort
of building, but there is only jungle. How long have we been away?”
“You know this is really a nice
spot. If we cleared a little area over there we could…”
“What is that?” Ike peered into
the horizon.
“What?”
“There.” Ike pointed.
“12-degrees from center.”
“What is it? An animal?” Ginger
squinted remembering she had not heard any sounds of birds on their hike.
“Its…. its PINK!”
“Yes, I see it. What the he….?”
“It’s a SAILBOAT.”
“With a big pink sail”
“It seems to be drifting north
at 2 knots.” Ike said using his watch as a compass.
“How far away do you think?”
“Two…. maybe three miles. It’s
following the currents.”
“Give me your bag.”
Ike took off his jacket and
wrapped Ginger’s bag in it, and then stuffing all into his knapsack. Strapping
the sack on and tightening up the straps in a frantic pace he turned to Ginger
and said, “Lets go!”
Without abandon they raced to
the water and dove in. Ike had already calculated the drift and the current and
the distance so they set a course above the bow of the vessel.
As they closed in on the
drifting sailboat, Ike remembered he had incourted some creatures going to the
island.
“We are in shark infested
waters, so be alert.” He said scanning the waters on both sides. “I ran into a
couple of them going to the Enigma Club.”
“Wonder how they can survive and
no thing or no one else seems to have?” Ginger questioned her long hair
blending with the waves.
“Well,” Ike spurted, “they did
out last the dinosaurs.”
As calculated, the pair reached
the sailboat just as it drifted to them. As if shot out of a cannon, Ike kicked
his feet and tightened his legs and flew out of the water grabbing the rail.
Pulling himself onto the deck, he immediately turn and reached for Ginger.
“I’m not losing you this time.”
Their arms intertwined and with
a firm grip he lifted Ginger onto the deck.
They sat for a few minutes,
taking deep relaxing breaths before checking out the drifting platform. Ike removed
the knapsack and stood up, then quickly ducked as the boom swung over them.
“Oh yeah, SAILboat.” He smiled
remembering days as a youth learning how to manage these wind powered vessels.
Many a time he had met the boom and it had not been so pleasant.
“She seems to be OK. I don’t see
any damage up here.” Ike walked across the deck pulling at lines and checking
the sides. “The rudder looks firm and she responds to the wheel.”
“Let’s look below. Maybe I can
find a towel.”
Ginger stood and her spring
dress clung to her body like a second skin.
“I see you didn’t find any
underwear at that shop.” They both grinned and walked to the entrance to the
cabin below.
Ike pushed the door opened and
sunlight streamed down the steps.
“Hello! Is anybody here?”
Ike leaned down and viewed the
room. He listened for a moment expecting a voice, but only heard the water
splashing on the sides and the fluttering of the sail.
“Careful.” Ike reminded Ginger
they were still dripping wet and could slip on the steep decent.
Once below they separated in
different directions searching for whatever (and whoever) was there to find.
Ike found a table of maps,
compasses, a sexton, some handwritten notes and a half full cup of very cold
coffee. Shuffling the papers he studied the direction charted for this lost
vessel. “All signs look like this boat was headed south.” As he turned the maps
together he glanced back and forth. “It was headed to a little island off
Florida.”
“Maybe that was the island we
were on?” Ginger questioned digging through drawers of silverware and cooking
utensils. Opening the overhead cabinets she quipped “Looks like we are stocked
for a while. Now if I can find a towel.”
Ike glanced back at Ginger as
she stretched on tippy toes to reach into the top shelf, her quickly drying
dress riding up her legs. A quick smile then back to business.
“Do those maps tell you where we
are now?”
“I’ll have to take a reading of
the stars tonight, but they help.”
“Eureka!” Ginger squealed.
Ike quickly turned to see Miss
Ginger resting her head on piles of thick towels. She fondled and rubbed each
layer in ecstasy with eyes closed. He could almost hear her purr.
“I’m going forward.” Ike said with
a change of direction and attention.
Slowly opening doors on either
side of a narrow hallway, he found the head, a small dressing room, then under
the bow, the bedroom. The curved bed fit into the bows hull wrapped in a cage
of netting. The covers were neatly tucked as if never used. Opening a teak door
he discovered a trove of shirts, slacks, windbreakers, and rain gear. Pulling
one of the shirts of the rack, he viewed the size and designer. He smiled
realizing this was quality goods and his size. Below the hanging clothes were
cubby holes with rows of shoes, everything from deck sneakers to winter boots.
Turning to the other side of the
room, he opened a drawer to find more papers and a pistol. He upholstered the
pistol and made sure it was unloaded. Softly putting it back he covered it up
as to hide a secret. Another drawer and more papers, all hand written. “What
was this person doing out here?” his mind raced.
Then Ike noticed a space above
the top drawer. A sliver of paper hid in the shadows. He slowly reached for the
paper and found it was a bookmark. Pulling an old journal out of the crevice,
he blew off the dust. Brushing off the cover Ike viewed the title “Just
Another Life” in gold letters on the red leather hand sewn binding. Fingering
the bookmark, the pages crackled as they opened. Drawings, sketches, notes,
scribbles, covered the pages.
“Find anything in there?” came
the voice down the hall.
Ike put the journal back in it’s
hiding spot and thought it will take more time to read or understand these messages
than he had now. Walking back to the original room he saw a vision.
Ginger leaned up against the
stairway, wrapped in a towel and crowned by a towel turban. “I took a shower.”
She smiled. “You should try it.”
Ike enjoying the site and smell
of the refreshed Ginger turned back to the maps. “We’ve got to get a heading.”
“I also found some sailing
clothes that I think will fit.” She said tilting her head and rubbing her rusty
locks.
“I’m going topside and try to
get some readings. I’ll set a course and come back down in a bit.” Ike said
gathering some of the instruments from the map table and climbed the steps
still bare footed. “It’s getting dark.”
“I’ll see if I can whip up some
dinner.”
Ike checked all the lines and
cleats. He tightened one line then checked the sails. He tied off another line
and watched the bow turn. Feeling the water glide pass, the lofting craft
became taunt and responded well to a new captain.
Night had fallen and the
cloudless sky presented a lighted road map for Ike. Dedicated to every detail,
he looked up at the sky, then his watch, then the horizon, then the sail, then
the bow, and the sky again. Turning the wheel to starboard the water parted
allowing the couple’s transport fly. Ike grinned. Feeling comfortable in conquering
the waves and harnessing this ocean stallion, he put on the autopilot and
watched as the rising full moon stayed in the same position. He was on coarse.
The vessel gently rocked accepting it’s new captains orders.
“Your grog is ready captain.”
Came the voice from below deck.
Ike broke his hypnotic trance
and stepped down into a warmly lit room.
Ginger had outdone herself
again. She had found candles that flooded the room and the waves outside the
portholes with a welcoming glow. On the mess table sat a steaming pot of soup
bubbling with potatoes, carrots, and celery swimming in a rich tomato pond. A
wooden board rested thick slices of bread fresh from the oven. Two wooden bowls
and neatly folded cloth napkins offered themselves to the weary travelers.
“Let’s eat, I’m starving.”
Ginger scrambled to a stool and picked up a large spoon. She had slipped from
the towel into a dark polio shirt and blue sweat pants.
“Wow!” said Ike as he gathered
to the table. “You did all this and look very relaxed.”
“I still have a few skills you
don’t know about.” She said buttering her slice of bread and looking slyly at
him.
“Dusty Rose.”
“What?”
“She’s the ‘Dusty Rose’, that’s
her name.” Ike responded ladling the thick soup into his bowl. “We are riding with
the ‘Dusty Rose’”.
“Nice name. I like that.” Ginger
beamed.
“She looks seaworthy and in good
shape.” Ike said as he mopped the soup spilled on his still damp shirt. “She
handles well and I think we have
a new ride.”
“Good.” Ginger slurped. “Did you
find anything else?”
Chapter Nine
Toward the North
“Sleep well?”
Ike sat at a desk surrounded by
papers, a single narrow light shining down on the masses of maps and books and
a cup of coffee.
Ginger stirred and tapped the
empty bottle of wine.
“Where are we?”
“From what I can access, just
south of the Carolinas.” Ike replied smiling and picking up the cup of steam.
Ginger sat up wiping her eyes
and letting the silken covers fall off her glistening body sparkled by the sunlight
through the portholes. She looked to the left and saw a cup of tea while
positioning her body into a yoga pose.
“With honey?”
“Of course my queen.”
“How long have you been
up….er…..awake.” Ginger smiled and sipped the tea. “It’s perfect.”
“I woke before the sunrise and decided
to read. I want to find out who the skipper of the Dusty Rose was and where
they were headed.”
Ginger stretched touching the
roof of the room and yawned.
“It seems the captain of this
vessel before we came aboard was a scientist and computer wizard named Maynard.”
“Maynard?”
“Yes, these guys us only one
name. “
“These guys?” Ginger asked
getting into a lotus position. “The tea is good, thanks.”
“Looks like Maynard acquired the
Dusty Rose for the purpose of going to this island off of Florida. He was on a
mission.”
“For what?” Ginger slipped from
the softness of the pillows to the rocking room. “Oh”, she slid into the wall.
“I guess I had a lot of that wine.”
“You had a lot of everything.”
Ike smiled turned another page.
“Where are my clothes?” she asked
rubbing her eyes against the blinding morning sun. “Oh, here is a pile.”
“Maynard was a scientist and
computer whiz. I wonder where the computer is?” Ike looked up with a questioned
look. “I did find some thumb drives, but have nothing to plug them into.”
“What is there to eat?” Ginger
said zipping up her spring dress and picking up the empty wine bottles.
“Where was the party?”
“Here.” Ike responded. “There
are bagels and cream cheese on the counter. I’ve already eaten.”
Ginger walked past lifting one
of the bottles as if to whack his head only to lower it with a smile.
“Maynard was looking for
something, but I can’t figure what happened. He and his computer seemed to have
vanished, but everything else is the same. He appears from the readings to be a
genius. He is on a quest, but I don’t know why or for what?”
Ginger reenters the room wiping
the cream cheese from her lips. “What makes this guy have a pink sailboat?”
“The Dusty Rose, a 42 foot slope
with a single sail, was painted pink for his first lover. He writes in this
journal that he had a long lost love that cherished roses. So when he acquired
this vessel, he painted it pink and installed a pink sail and named it the
“Dusty Rose” for her.
“Nice story.” Ginger said
sitting on a footstool. “Now what?”
“From the drawings and sketches
and scribbles, we should probably be going in the other direction.”
“But?”
“But I think we were already
there and there is a bigger problem we must solve. Where is everyone and everything?”
“So where do we go first?” a
crumb of bagel falling to the floor.
Ike pointed to the map.
“Wilmington.”
Ginger looked over his shoulder
and viewed the base of the North Carolina coast.
“Isn’t that place that all the
hurricanes hit?”
“We will be there tomorrow.”
Ike folds the maps, standing and
walking into the galley. He picks up a cup of steaming coffee and climbs the
steps to the wheel. Sitting he faces the bow and the darkness arising over the
horizon.
Chapter Ten
“On To Wilmington”
The night chill covered the
Dusty Rose. The water was calm and the wind was constant. A gentle tug on the
sail and a check of the stars kept the course straight.
Ike scanned the water white caps
lit by the full moon. In the distance he could see a lime green glow just under
the water. “Is it seaweed or some microorganisms still alive under the sea?” he
pondered. “Could the oceans survive whatever happened here? Protected by the
depths of life’s origin?”
“Want a cup of coffee?” came the
break in the thought process from down below.
“Just black for me.” He replied.
In an instant, Ginger wrapped in
a wool sweater sat next to Ike, both cuddling cups of warmth in the night air.
“It’s so quiet out here.” Ginger
whispered looking up at the giant sail full of the night’s breeze.
“Too quiet.”
“Found this sweater down below.
It’s a ____ weave. Nicely done, but I could do better.”
Ike stood and pointed to Ginger
to hold the wheel. “Keep her steady. Follow that star two degrees of starboard.”
Ducking the boom, Ike managed
his way to the bow. Face down on the deck, Ike dipped his hand into the water
as it rushed pass.Shifting left then right the craft cut a swap through the
churning highway. Bringing his hand back to his face, he looked at the small
puddle in his palm. With only moonlight to light his examination, he studied
the swirling pond. It was alive with creatures.
“There is life here.” Ike said
to his hand. “We are not the only ones.”
“What?”
“We are not Adam and Eve. There
is life in the water.”
“What are you talking about?”
Ike poured the contents of his
hand back into their home, wiped the remaining moister on his pants leg and
crawled back to the wheel.
“I remembered those sharks. The
ocean is alive. Whatever has happened here has not affected the oceans.” Ike
smiled.
“Yet!”
“Thanks for raining on my
parade.”
“Take the wheel, I’m going
below. It’s cold out here and I’m tired.”
“I guess so.” Ike smiled a
bigger smile.
Ginger gave Ike a gesture and
climbed down the steps to the glowing room below. “Sweet dreams.” She said as
she faded into the dark of the forward rooms.
A few more sips of hot liquid
and refocus on the horizon. Ike became one with the wood, sail, wind, water.
As the horizon started to wake
the clouds with an orange glow, the shoreline became a pencil thin line in the
distance. Pointing the bow to port, the Dusty Rose responded with a jump and
let the waves push her forward. Ike tied off the wheel with the new course and
stepped down the slick walkway to the galley.
Looking down the hall to the
darkness, he smiled knowing Ginger was asleep and dreaming sweet dreams in the
rocking cradle. Ike prepared another cup of coffee and climbed back to the
wheel.
The sun had broken the plain of
the horizon and lit the sky with beams of yellow and red rays. As the vessel
grew closer to shore, the dark black line blossomed into a green and yellow
mass of vegetation.
Ike turned the wheel to run
parallel with the coastline. “Where there no buildings?”
Turning back toward the shore,
Ike spotted a blip in the water. Rubbing his eyes, he looked back at the speck
bobbing in the waves. He turned the wheel to rendezvous with the object and
kept a close watch.
The white sand cut a line on the
coast against the same jungle Ike had been watching. Tacking back and forth to avoid
sandbars, the Dusty Rose crept closer to the mysterious shape.
“It is a man!” Ike’s eyes widen.
He stomped three times on the deck to awaken Ginger then stood, almost being
wiped out by the boom swinging back with the fresh wind.
“What?” came the muffled sound
from below?
“Get your pretty little butt up
here. There is someone I want you to meet.”
“What….. who…..” a crash of
chair, a stack of books and a bottle echoed through the hole.
Ginger struggled up the steps
squinting into the new morning sunlight. Ike’s frozen star pointed the observation
in the distance.
“What is that?” Ginger whipped
her eyes in wonderment.
The silhouette of a human form
lifted an arm and waved back and forth.
Ike steered toward the form, the
shaking boat responding to the captain’s every request.
Bouncing on the waves,
straddling a surfboard was a blond young man. Bare chest, long hair and a
beaming smile.
“Dude!” he called out waving
friendly. “Been a while since I’ve seen someone else.”
Ike released the sail to slow
the vessel as it came along side of the surfer. Ginger eagerly went to the
portside and offered a hand to the young man. The lad grabbed her arm and
almost pulled her into the drink.
Dripping on the deck, the
smiling visitor presented himself to the amazed couple saying, “Dude. Where
have you been?”
There was a pause as Ginger and
Ike starred at the bare chest young man with bright color jams and then to
each other.
“Hey man, you got anything to
drink? “
“Ah…yes, welcome aboard the
Dusty Rose. Currently the skipper is Ike Patterson.” Placing out his hand. They
met in a firm handshake.
“Will wine do?” Ginger asked
slyly.
“Sure babe!” the new passenger
grinned still firmly grasps checking out the female physique. “Nice chick.” The
grasp became firmer.
Ginger lowered into the hole
constantly smiling at the tanned young man.
“So whoareyou?” Ike interrupted
the scene.
Hair flipped as the young man’s
head turned away from his vision to a stern face. “Dude, I’m Jack.”
“Jack?”
“Yeah man, nice ride you have
here.” Rubbing his hand over the rails.
“Jack, where did you come from?
We haven’t seen any life in….”
“Hey man, me neither.”
“So why did we find you outside
of what should be Wilmington?”
“Man,” the boy said pointing to
the shore, “Wilmington is there.”
Ike looked at the shore as it
crept closer and saw a pier on the white broad beach.
“That’s Johnny Mercers.”
Ike smiled remembering the years
of surfing between the barnacled pilings as a youth.
“Red OK?” Ginger asked bringing
up two glasses of wine from below.
“Cool.”
Ike looked at the couple as they
clinked their glasses and wondered where his glass was?
“The bottle is down there.”
Ginger smiled staring at the blond surfer with a knowing smile.
A moment of silence was broken
with Ike looking at Jack saying, “Do you know how to steer this thing?” His
face grimaced with a grin.
“Sure dude,” came the crusty
reply, “ me and the ole lady can handle it.”
Ike released the wheel and slid
down the stairway. Entering the galley he found the wine and an empty glass. He
slugged a swallow from the bottle, and then wiping his lips filled the glass.
“Who is this guy?”
Chapter Eleven
“Onto Shore”
Ike slowly climbed back to the
deck. He heard giggling and moans. He stopped, took another breath, and then
stepped into the sunshine.
Ginger and Jack laughed looking
at each other then back at Ike as he climbed back into the captain’s chair
moving everyone out of the way.
“Easy dude.” Jack laughed taking
another sip of wine. “Did you bring up the bottle?”
Ike gave him a blank glance then
view the stars giving the wheel a jerk. “Stupid, didn’t follow the path.”
The Dusty Rose leaned to port
and the sail blossomed in the morning wind.
“Wooo.” Jack gleefully
responded. “Ride the curl dude.”
“So what happened here? And why
are you still ALIVE?” Ike interrupted the joyous moment.
“Me?”
Ginger took another sip of wine
and stared at Jack.
“Well, it kinda goes like this
man.”
“I’m listening.” Ike growled
wrestling with the wheel to turn the vessel back on course.
“Man, I don’t know all the
details. I’ve been surfing down here for about 5 years. There was this money
thing going on but I didn’t worry about it ‘cause I didn’t have any. I saw it
on the tube man, but who cares about that stuff, dig? Well all the folks went
crazy and started to tear down the establishment. Then the power went out so I
turned to the water. It is always there.”
“What happened to everyone? And
when did this happened?” Ike gruffly replied still pulling at the wheel as the
bow pointed to the white sand.
“Man, I don’t know the answer to
your questions.”
“When did this all happen?” Ike
insisted.
“I don’t know”, Jack stammered,
“around 2009 I reckon.”
“So what is the year now!” Ike
pressed.
“Dude! It must be 2020 by now. I
don’t have a calendar but it’s been a while.”
“Twenty-twenty?”
“And a strange thing seems to
happen. I don’t grow old.” Jack disclosed.
“Where is everyone else?” Ike
yelled.
“Dude! I don’t know. They
started roaming through the streets and then thinned out and man they were all
gone.”
“What do you mean ‘all gone’?’”
“They all just disappeared.”
“Disappeared?”
“Yeah man, like they were here
one day and the next they were gone. No cars, no cats, no kids. Just gone.”
“Ike we are getting close to the
pier.” Ginger broke in.
“Where did they go? Why did they
leave?”
“Man I don’t know?”
“And why did you stay??”
“Ike…. Ike the dock.”
A sudden lunge and the Dusty
Rose suddenly stopped. Grounded on a sandbar with a sail waving back and forth
trying to find a direction.
“Damn, we’ve run aground. Lower
the sail.” Ike ordered, breaking his focus to the survival of the vessel he
commanded.
Ike, Ginger and Jack jumped up
to release lines. The huge pink sheet dropped down to the deck releasing the
pressure on the hull. Ike pointed and instructed the others on how to wrap the
sail and secure the boom. He checked the rudder and picked up his spilled glass
of wine.
“Man, that was boss.”
Ike responded, “ We’ve landed.
Drop the anchor and we’ll swim ashore.”
The sun was a full bloom and
high overhead with sweat stirring heat. Ike checked the deck and lead the three
in diving into the water toward the beach.
Chapter 12
“Wrightsville Beach”
The trio of Ike, Ginger and Jack
landed on the empty beach beside the barnacled pilings of Mercer’s pier.
Dripping body’s scampered ashore and store in wonderment of the quiet.
Ike looked back at the Dusty
Rose wondering if he had done the right thing leaving it there. Then his
attention diverted to the old wooden structure stretching out into the waves.
He had many memories of walking out over the water and fishing here on his
summer vacations.
“Which way do we go, Ike?”
Ginger asked shading her eyes against the sun.
“I’ll take you to my pad man, “
Jack interjected with a sly glance to Ginger, “or we could just look around,
but I know you won’t find what you are looking for.”
Ike quickly responded to Jack.
“What are WE looking for?”
“Dude, you are in search of
life, right?”
“It’s really lovely here.”
Ginger cooed while ringing out her hair soaking the light bulb littered sand
from the last hurricane.
“Is Station One still there?”
“You mean the drug store….
yeah?”
Station One was the first stop
over the inlet bridge. Then the beach was divided into two paths, each side
held wooden two-story beach houses. Decks faced the water, flapping shutters
placed to keep out the hurricanes but never succeeding, sand washed windows
peppered in the constant wind, and each house painted white. These were not
summer homes, but everyday living for people who loved the ocean.
The trio walked down the beach
for a distance then turn to the right.
“This is where Lumina was before
the years took it away.” Ike said. Turning around and facing the constant flow
of waves,” There used to be a movie screen out there…. out in the ocean…. and
the dance crowd would take a break and sit in the sand and watch black and
white films” He said smiling at the nostalgia.
The trio walked up to the
blacktopped ribbon that lead them back to Station One. Cars were parked in
garages under the steps leading up to the empty rooms above. Each held a
history, but now was being covered in the sandy encroachment of nature.
At Station One standing in front
of the open glass door the trio paused.
“Is there any shade here?”
Ginger complained wiping her brow.
“Man, it gets a lot cooler when
you get inside. Cool tile floors man. Dig?”
Ike stood still, his shirt
having dried from the swim then soaked by the sun.
“Any food in there?”
“Dude?”
Ginger hastily stepped into the
doorway and disappeared in the darkness.
“Swell.” Ike thought of the
impatient whiff of a girl.
The two men followed enjoying
the temperature drop and the cool touch of tile on burnt feet. The musty sand
covered floor stored empty wire racks spinning in the breeze, piles of crumpled
paper, ceiling tiles splattered to the floor, a single flip flop, scattered
bottles of unopened suntan lotion, reflections of a counter with chrome stools
awaiting customers.
Ike bent down and picked up a
card. “Welcome to the world’s best family beach” the card, read while the flip
side showed families enjoying summer vacations.
“Look what I found” Ginger
giggled appearing from the darkness holding a windbreaker. She flipped it over
and then pulled it over her head. Shaking her hair and pulling on the sleeves
she twirled in a nylon mini-dress and asked, “Does it fit?”
“Super delicious.”
Ike glanced at Jack again as the
young man seemed to drool. “Do any of the motor vehicles work?”
“Don’t know man. Never tried
them. I’m just into the board and the water. I can walk from my place to the
water. That’s all that matters.”
Ike turned and walked back into
the baking sunlight. He survived the few cars available walking to a ‘56
Desoto. He pulled on the massive door and it swung open with an old creak.
Leaning over and probing the interior he found the keys were still in the
wheel. He swung the backpack he had been carrying with some foodstuff from the
Dusty Rose just incase they became strained onto the seat and leapt in beside
it creating a cloud of dust.
Wiping off the small windows to
the dials, Ike eagerly examined each set of needles. He knew this rusting
monster would probably not start because the gasoline would have evaporated
years ago and all the parts were rusted.
Then he turned the key.
The ground shook as the beast
came to life blowing black smoke behinds its wings.
Jack and Ginger ran toward the
sound of a choking rumbling machine that had not be visited for years.
“Sweet ride dude!” Jack squealed
and the group stared wide-eyed at the possible travels presented.
“Climb in and we’ll take a
spin,” Ike gleefully answered proud of his new discovery.
With the trio together again,
the metal monster was placed in gear and slowly began to roll. Pressing down on
the pedal and turning the wheel to the left, the purple beast glided onto the
bridge and into the forest of Wilmington. Over the inlet that separated the
mainland from the beach the three roared onto another vacant road.
Spanish moss hung from the
overhanging trees, which soften the view of emptiness.
Ginger and Jack sat pressed to
the front seat, hands gripping the head rest, acting like small children on an adventure.
Ike firmly gripped the wheel of this sputtering beast. It had been some time
since this mobile machine had moved and the gears responded roughly.
Turning onto Chestnut Street,
Ike slowed the vehicle. His memories of this small railroad town came rushing
back. He looked left at a small brick house, swing on the porch, driveway that
led around the back to a rose garden. He could almost hear the laughter and
singing in the kitchen. Then speeding up he headed for the center of town. Pass
the small corner grocery doors wide open with saw dust floors, open produce
bins and the accompanying flies swatted by small boys eager to deliver food to
elderly women, walls lined with photos of entertainers of another era next to
thin grey weathered wooded row houses, their tall ceilings and heavy drapes
hiding heavy furniture dating back to the civil war and small dirt yards.
Ike stopped the motorcar and
opened the door.
“What?” Ginger asked seemly
enjoying the ride.
Ike stepped out and stared at
the stream of water that broke the plaza. “That is the Cape Fear River” he whispered.
“This was the sight where English and French explorers came to create a trading
post. The Indians would wipe them out, illness struck, but finally they got
established when the railroad came to town. Then they parked this battleship in
here” Ike’s voice growing as he viewed the massive rusting brown hull pointing
her array of guns up and down the river. Ike paused from his history lesson
onto deaf ears to stare into space of a forgotten time.
“Hey, dude? Want to see my
place?” Jack cowardly asked realizing Ike was in a different place.
“You know they sank a floating
restaurant bringing that hulk in here.” Ike responded.
“Sure!” Ginger sang to a new
adventure.
Breaking his train of thought
and following the others, Ike slowly climbed back into the sputtering machine
and said, “Which way?”
“Dude, do a 180 back to the
beach. I’m out there.”
“You sure are.” Ike thought as
he swung the massive beast around and headed back.
“Turn left after you cross the
bridge.”
Rolling to another strip of
black molasses the wheels slowed as sinking into tar.
A row of close one-story brick
buildings sat shoulder-to-shoulder with names painted on the dusty windows.
“Drakes”, “Pirate’s Treasure”, “Cap Sam’s”, and “The Cove”, showed the north
end of the beach was adult entertainment.
“Man, we are like here.” Jack
announced pointing at an unassuming building to the right.
Ike slowed the vehicle then with
a flick of the wrist, stopped the movement parking this monster until the next
carrier demanded transportation.
The two doors opened emptying
the adventurers.
Ike slapped the pack over his
shoulder as Jack pointed to the door and welcomed the pair inside.
Ike and Ginger followed the
blond surfer into a dark room.
“Wait here” Jack, said moving
through the familiar location.
The couple stood in wonderment
of what they might find.
Suddenly curtains were drawn
back and the sunlight flooded in like spotlights.
“Woo” Ginger turned, avoiding
the flash.
“This is my pad dude and
dudess.” Jack beamed arms outstretch to either side basking in the glow of his
worldly good.
Brightly colored posters lined
the walls. Pillows filled the floor. A small counter to the right held two
wooden stools. A large sliding door window presented the ocean to the room.
Sand covered the floor. Papers and magazines piled in a corner and a guitar
rested against a black-screened television.
“Where’s the bathroom” Ginger
frantically questioned.
Jack looked confused.
“I got to go!!” she danced
holding her skirt.
“Uh, I just use the beach man.
The plumbing doesn’t work so good here.”
Ginger ran toward the beach,
pushing back the sliding window and out into the sunlight and sand.
“So what do you eat?” Ike in a
disconcerting manner asked.
Jack smiled and walked out to
the side of the small building.
“Here is where I live man.”
Jack pointed to a plot of dirt
dividing the buildings. Large green stalks were wound in string and ribbon. Below
them were red and orange and yellow ground resting vegetables.
“You see man, I’m micro-bionic”
Jack answered in pride “I grow my own grub man and the earth has been good to
me. I’ve got several of these gardens around here. “
Ike took new appreciation of
this man until he said….
“Feel better?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Ginger returned
to the group.
“Want a smoke?” Jack changed the
conversation.
“What?” Ike jerked around.
“I grow my own man. It’s good
stuff. I call it Carolina Crash.”
Ginger smiled.
Stepping back into the carpeted
room with drapes of beach towels and posters surrounding the room, Jack
directly went to a little cabinet next to a pile of pillows.
The three sat as Jack presented
an engraved silver cigarette container, but it contained something different.
Placed securely to his lips,
Jack struck a wooden match and sucked on the tightly woven paper.
“Try this….(suck)….it’s primo”
Jack smiled passing the fire to Ginger.
She eagerly took the lit paper
and sucked deep. A smile filled her face and she passed it to Ike.
He slowly looked at the other
two and slowly reached out gently reaching the wet paper. Staring at Jack, Ike
drew in a puff, then another bringing ashes falling on the floor.
“Way to go dude.” Jack smiled.
Several more rotation sessions
were started before Ike looked at his watch and noticed the setting sun.
“We must go.”
“What?” dazed Ginger looked up
through drooping eyelids.
“We’ve got to get back to the
Dusty Rose.”
“Dude, stay for dinner. I’ve got
some yummy mushrooms.” Jack giggled smoke pouring from his mouth.
“We’ve got to go…. NOW!”
Ike jumped up and looked down at
Ginger. In her sleepy stupor, she managed to stand. Turning toward the door Ike
forcefully stepped forward. Ginger looked back wishfully at Jack and said,” You
coming?”
Jack sat cross-legged on plush
pillows and grinned ear to ear.
Ike and Ginger paused at the
doorway and looked back at Jack awaiting an answer.
“No dude, you go on. I’ve found
a good place here. Hope you find whatever you are looking for man.”
“Thanks for the
hospitality…dude,” Ginger smiled before being jerked out of the doorway.
The couple paced toward the
water’s edge, Ike strapping on his knapsack still full of provisions while
Ginger kept looking back at the fading light.
Ike positioned the course to the
stranded vessel and dived in the waves with Ginger close at hand.
As light faded to moon shine,
the two were back on deck. Ike lifted the anchor and the deck shuffled then
started to drift. He moved back to the captain’s chair and turned the wheel to
the open water. The Dusty Rose responded as if asleep awaiting a call.
Ginger’s red eyes looked at Ike
in wonderment but nothing was said.
“High tide.” Ike stated, looking
at the stars for guidance.
So the Dusty Rose and its crew
were off again. Heading north for new answers and more questions.
Chapter Thirteen
“The Map”
“Ike!”
Ike stirred and rolled over in
the crumpled mass of pillows and covers.
“What….? What are you talking
about?” he said rubbing his eyes against the blur of light.
“ I think I’ve discovered a clue
about our “skipper” Maynard.”
“Do we have any coffee?” Ike
stood bumping his head on the ceiling. “Ow!”
“I was looking thru the
miscellaneous pile of books and things in that hidden panel we discovered and
found a notebook of drawings and a copy of all things “Knitting Patterns”.
Ike started sipping on the warm
cup mumbled through his blurry hangover, “What? What knitting’s?”
“ Someone was working on a
sweater and incorporating clues into the pattern of the sweater.
“What?” Ike mumbled eyes
starting to wake up while rubbing his head.
“Much like the quilts that
slaves would hang out as messages to the Underground Railroad slaves.”
“What are you talking about
Ginger?”
He knew she was excited about
her find and was curious as to where she was going with this, “ What sweater?”
“The one I intend to finish.”
“What?”
“ It looks like there is enough
yarn here and seems in pretty good shape. No moths have gotten into that cedar
box it was folded into so you work on your clues and don’t dismiss me.”
“What?”
“Let me show you what I’m
talking about.” Ginger stirred through the piles of papers she had assembled.
“See this is a list of patterns
and what they mean – if I follow the pattern in my knitting the mystery will unravel.”
“OK”, Ike sat up interested in
the information that Ginger was presenting, “ What are the patterns? What do
they mean?”
“Well, according to this I
believe this sweater was going to be a “fisherman’s Guernsey” in a cable and
cross over pattern and it looks lie its incorporating about 8 different
patterns – I just have to figure out the pattern and see where I end up.”
Ginger pointed out the weave.
“See these cables here represent
fishing ropes. “
Ike viewed the patterns through
blured eyes.
“These diamonds shapes are
fishing nets, the mesh in the net”
“OK”
Ginger continued her
explanation, “This honeycomb pattern represents “worker bees”.
“Bees?”
“You should recognize the “moss
stitch” Ginger said, “I used this to make you the scarf our 1st anniversary
together. I’ll called the “poor man’s wealth” which I used to show you don’t
need a lot of money. It also represents the local mosses.”
“Do we have any breakfast?” Ike
said staring at Ginger.
“This “trellis” pattern shows a
small field fenced with stones.”
Ike turned and went into the
gallery.
“This “zigzag” represents
lightning or mountain paths.”
“Yeah, OK.” Ike grabbed a slice
of bread and bet it in half.
“This is the “tree of life or
Fenn Stitch”.
“OK” Ike muffled dropping crumbs
on the deck.
“Still researching that one.”
“So what do we make of this
discovery?” Ike questioned with disdain.
“Ah, the “Trinity Stitch”.
Religious significance.”
“You keep checking, I’m going up
and check our course to Norfolk.” Ike stumbled up the slippery step to the deck
above.
Ginger continued to research her
quest with intensity and meaning turning additional pages and writing cumulous
notes, while Ike settled into the captain’s set and awoke in the night air.
Chapter Fourteen
“The Colonel”
The morning light brought the shoreline
of Virginia Beach. The dark silhouettes of rows of hotels create a jagged
horizon. As the sun rises on the Dusty Rose’s starboard, Ike can feel the wheel
pull toward the shore.
“Where are we?” Ginger squinting
at the daylight, arises from the darken hull with two cups of coffee.
“That’s Virginia Beach?” Ike
said grabbing a warm cup and taking a sip.
Ginger sat next to Ike and
cuddled up with the soft grey sweater pulling it tight and cupping the ivory
cup “It’s nice this time of the morning.”
“We’ll cut into the Old Coast
Guard Station and anchor there. Hold this coarse while I go below and try and
find a spyglass.” Ike put down his mug and release the wheel to go below.
Ike crept down the stairs to the
mass of papers scattered about. Opening a cabinet and shifting through maps he
reached in the back and felt the metal cylinders.
“This thing is hard to steer.”
Ginger complained struggling with the wheel.
Ike grabbed the wheel with his
left hand and gave a sharp turn to starboard while raising the binoculars. The
Dusty Rose moaned and proceeded back to course.
“There! That’s where we want to
go.”
Ginger squinted and stared at
the white beach. “How do you know?”
“See the grey shingled
building?” Ike handed the binoculars to her and pointed.
“I see Neptune!” she squealed.
“But I still don’t see any
people and that worries me.”
The sun was up and the beach
accepted the constant waves staring down with pastel towers of loneliness.
Ike moved to the bow and threw
the anchor overboard listening to the chain rattle against the side. The Dusty
Rose slowed to halt and turned into the wind as Ginger lowered the sail.
After a brief clothes change
below, placing the sweater in a safe place, the couple dove into the waves
riding to shore.
Alone on the wide stretch of
sand the two surveyed the former vacation site. Stepping out of the waves slapping
at their backs, Ike and Ginger’s steps sunk into the dry sand up to the
concrete boardwalk. The hot sand turned to the cool slab that separated the
massive hotels from the pristine beach.
Ike swung the pack over one
shoulder and started inland. “There has to be someone here.” He muttered.
“I’m glad I found these shorts
and t-shirt. They are much easier to swim in.” Ginger said to wind blowing her
hair dry.
Up to the boulevard of surf
shops and restaurants and tourist attractions, the two looked north and south.
Surf
boards sat layered, sand
blistered in the sunshine awaiting the next wave. Brightly colored beach towels
faded waving like flags in the sea breeze.
Ike walked to the nearby Hyatt
high rise and pressed the glass doors that did not resist his entrance. The
lobby was dark and had the smell of mildew. He walked to the check in counter,
then behind opening doors and moving knocked over chairs. Scattered papers
covered in sand covered the floors. Ginger moved to the elevators and pressed
the button.
“No electricity here either;
just like it was in Wilmington. All the doors have electronic locks so we can’t
get a room.”
“Let’s keep going.” Ike turned
back to the blinding sunlight.
“Hey dude, try these.” Ginger
said tossing him a huge pair of sunglasses.
Ike tried on the glasses and
stared back at Ginger who was admiring herself in the glass doors.
“I’ve got an idea.” Ike moved
toward a rack of bicycles at one of the tourist sites. The tattered awning gave
little shade as he checked the gears, brakes and tires.
“Try this one on for size.” Ike
pulled a pink cruiser out of the rack and walked it over to Ginger who was
still shaking her hair in the reflection. “I’ve pumped up the tires and it
looks stable.”
Ginger stopped her vanity and
looked at the rusting heavy bike. She lowered her sunglasses and pointed to the
rack. “That one. I want that one.”
Ike turned to notice her
selection; a white 28-speed racer with drop down handlebars.
After a few minor adjustments
the two barefooted explorers were gliding down empty streets littered with
rusting vehicles stopped in their tracks.
Up Virginia Beach Boulevard to
Oceana the two rode until Ike said, “Let’s try the navy base.”
They rode to the gates but there
were no guards. Proceeding inward they followed the winding streets of vacant
cinderblock buildings casement windows swinging in the wind. Ike thought of the
still navy ships bobbing in the waves off shore when they entered the area and
wondered why they had not seen any sailors. “There was no one here?” they
thought as they traveled out another unlocked gate and onto the up ramp to
I-264.
“I’ve never ridden a bike on a
highway.” Ike laughed as his gears clicked higher and his speed increased. The
race was on. Ginger lowered her head, grinned a wild smile, and zoomed pass
Ike. In turn, they gathered together one taking the lead, and then the other
weaving pass abandoned cars and trucks and roaring like school children on a
holiday.
“Let’s try this one.” Ike
pointed to a sign showing the exit ramp for the Pembroke Mall.
They coasted down the ramp and
onto Independence Boulevard, then into a parking lot full of empty vehicles.
The two coasted to a stop and Ike took off his sunglasses. He blinked twice
trying to focus on the expansive retail establishment.
“We need to rehydrate, “ Ginger
said in her domineering voice sure she had won the race. “Over there, where
it’s shady.”
The travelers rested their bikes
against the wall and slid down to sit cross-legged under the cement canopy. Ike
slipped off his pack and produced two bottles of warm water. Soaking a
handkerchief, Ike passed it to Ginger to wash her face and rub the back of her
neck. She handed it back and he repeated the process for himself.
“So what the hell is happening
here,” Ginger gulped spilling water onto her already soaked t-shirt “ and why
are WE still here?”
Wiping the top of his head, Ike
checked the steaming parking lot in silence.
“Whatever has happened has taken
all the life forms, but left buildings and cars. It’s not a natural disaster
because the Red Cross would be here. It is as if everyone just stopped and
disappeared.”
“So now what?”
“Let’s stay the night at the
beach and move back to the boat in the morning. We’ll find someplace to sleep.”
“Sounds good to me.” Ginger
replied in confidence she had worn him down with her speed and looking forward
to a real bed.
“Let’s get started before the
sun goes down.” Ike leaped up swinging the backpack in place and mounted the
bike with new energy and vigor, disproving Ginger’s first thoughts.
Before they went back to the
boulevard, Ginger asked, “ Do we have any food for tonight.”
Ike reached around and felt the
pack, remembering he filled it in a hurry. “Perhaps we need to find
some….ah…..stores somewhere.” He replied shyly.
Ginger stood up shaking off the
dust and turned to the glass doors of the mall. “Let’s go shopping.” She smiled
as she entered the doors into the darkened mall.
Ike reluctantly followed resting
his steed against the wall.
The skylights lit the floor with
mysterious shadows. Ginger ducked back and forth from shattered store to store
like a ferret on the hunt.
“This is great. I like this one,
and here’s another great top.”
“ I better find another pack.”
“Make it a big one.”
Back into the parking lot, the couple
gathered their rides and strapped on their bulging packs and pressed back to
the boulevard.
As they neared the beach, Ike
remembered the food. “We’ve got to find some food!” he shouted to Ginger as she
had sped ahead.
“Oh yeah.” Ginger slowed as Ike
caught up. The sun was starting to set and the shadows quickly filled the side
streets.
“Ike,” Ginger yelled, “ Look
over there.”
The pair stopped and turned to a
large supermarket approaching quietly in the dark.
“Stop!” A voice rang out.
The couple froze.
“Friend or Foe”
Ike heard the sound of a shell
filling the chamber of a gun. His cat like reflexes crouched down and turned
from side to side in a defensive move.
“Advance and be recognized!”
Ike grabbed Ginger by the arm
and directed her into the shadows. She quietly disappeared and he walked
forward. The moon had backlit the couple but he could not see who or what he
was approaching.
Ginger stood silently as a
figure appeared in the moonlight. Ike paused facing the barrel of a sizeable
weapon held firmly by a large man with ribbons and sashes hanging from his
pockets.
“Who the hell are you?” the
gruff voice yelled. “Where did you come from?”
Ike stood transfixed as if to
pounce on this uniformed guard, when Ginger yelled out. “Who are you and where
is everybody else?”
At this distraction, Ike quickly
grabbed the weapon and ripped it out discharging the magazine.
“Where is everyone!” Ginger
yelled hearing the last shell fall being cleared from the chamber by Ike who
then threw the rifle to the grown in disgusts.
The uniformed figure, looking
confused and bewildered by the company of other human beings and having been
removed of his protection, straightens to a rigid attention and presents him
self to the couple.
“Captain Roland Spicer, 12th
Division, Company A, Ops and Special Protection Unit.”
Ike moved forward studying the
aria of badges and ribbons on the captain’s uniform. He felt the bulge of the
pistol he carried behind his back but did not fear the situation.
“Ike…. I’m Ike Patterson sir,
and this lovely lady,” motioning to Ginger to reveal herself from the shadows,
“ is Ginger Bonneau.”
The tension eased and there was
a moment of silence as each looked over the other.
“So Colonel?” Ike started, “
what are you doing here?”
The unarmed warrior looked
startled by the question. He searched the darkness for his weapon like a baby
for a security blanket.
“ It’s captain and I’m standing
my post until replacements are sent or until I get an order to stand down” he
nervously said still peering into the darkness for his cane.
“You have radio contact?” Ginger
interjected.
“I did, but now it is all
static. I haven’t had a message in a long time.”
“But you stay at your post?” Ike
quipped.
“Duty!” the captain replied.
“Where are your troops?” Ike
responded looking into the darkness. He was sure that if the captain had been
in command of others they would have presented themselves or fired up the
couple.
“They all deserted. Ran away. It
was almost a mutiny. They had wives and families and when the disease hit, they
ran home. All of them…. they just left. Platko, Forrest, Bullard, McGinnis,
Cromley, Winfield, Campbell, Held, Greentree, Laudon, Foster, Atkinson, Morris,
Sadler, Powell, Clements, and little Blake” the captain’s voice dropped.
Ike walked up and wrapped his
arm around the big fellow and with a hug said, “It’s OK big fellow.”
“Where are we?” Ginger
interrupted the warm moment.
“My assignment was to protect
the Food World against looters.”
“Looters?”
“Yes, when the world went mad,
we were called up to protect the limited resources available to the general
public.”
Ike and Ginger paused and stared
at each other. The world had gone mad and they missed it, but have to deal with
the results.
“So is there any food inside?”
Ginger giggled in an effort to lighten the tension.
“Don’t know,” the captain
responded in a firm voice, “ I’ve been living off of K-rations. This is what
has been instructed to do.”
Ginger started to explore the
darkness feeling her way into the shelves of can goods and questionable food
stuffs, while Ike bent down and retrieved the rifle he had so unforgettably
taken from the solider.
“Since we are down south I’m
going to call you “Colonel”, if that’s alright with you?” Ike handed the empty
weapon to the confused looking warrior.
“Where did you come from?” the
captain responded clutching the metal to his chest.
“Well Colonel it’s a long story
and we aren’t there yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ve come a long way and it
looks like we have a way to go before we discover what is going on around
here.”
Ike reached back to his pack and
revealed a bottle of scotch. “Would you like to share a swig.”
The captain’s… err…. Colonel’s
lips were wiped in anticipation. The two men uncorked the bottle and passed it
back and forth wiping the top on every taste.
Ginger returned from her
adventure in the darkness holding up two cans of kidney beans. Ike smiled and
stuffed them into his heavy pack and slapped it on his back.
“We’re going back to the beach
for the evening. We have a boat off shore. Do you want to join us?” Ike asked
to the stoic protector and was surprised at his response.
“I must man my post until
relieved or ordered to stand down.”
The two men stood face to face
and slowly saluted each other. Ike mounted his bike and pointed it toward the
rising moon. Ginger joined his side smiling at the protector of the Food World.
“By the way,” Ike yelled back at
the figure standing at attention,” I’m with the government, and you are now a
REAL Colonel. Field promotion. Take care.” Ike turned and the couple peddled
off from a smiling face holding his at parade rest.
As they coasted into hotel row,
the moon lit the ocean like glistening dancing diamonds.
“Let’s try the Hyatt again”
Ginger urged.
So the two weary adventurers propped
their bikes again the stucco building and entered the dark but now familiar
lobby. Ike remembered the direction to the stairs and pressed the door,
inviting pure darkness.
“Feel your way through” Ike
whispered to Ginger as the two felt the handrail and stepped lightly on the concrete
wedges.
“Stop that” Ginger would slap
Ike as he slid his hand up her leg during the climb showing his effects from
the scotch with the Colonel which he left for the solider manning his post.
Ginger pushed open a door to a
tight hallway and Ike followed moaning under the weight of his backpack.
In the darkness Ginger asked the
staggering Ike, “Now What?”
Ike grinned but she could not
see it in the blackness. A swift kick to the left popped the door open flooding
the room in moonlight.
“OK!” Ginger swirled swiftly
into the space and threw open the curtained shades. She slid the glass windows
open and the roar of the ocean filled the room. The wind blew the curtains in
abandon. “What a beautiful moon,” she noticed sliding off the pack stuff with
her early finds. “Don’t you think?”
Ike had landed on one of the two
double beds. His pack had slid off under its weight entering the room and his
body had crashed upon the covers.
Ginger looked at the limp body
and thought about removing his shoes, but decided he was better off the way he
was. She removed her shorts and slid under clean sheets watching the moonbeams
until her eyes closed in a restful relaxing state.
Chapter Fifteen
“The Knower”
“Look at that sunrise. It’s
magnificent.” Ginger stood staring out at the ocean. The horizon was glowing in
a warm orange glow. Every wave brought a new color glistening on the water
bringing in a new day. “Ike, wake up, you’ve got to see this.”
Ike stirred and mumbled
something about bees and robots.
“Ike, come look at this.” Ginger
insisted.
Slowly opening his eye, he
viewed a soft light silhouetting a figure against the starry sky. The
transparent t-shirt flowing in the morning breeze did little to hide the
willowing shape below.
“Um, OK, I’m coming” Ike gruffer
as he rolled out of bed and onto the sandy floor. Umph!
“What are you doing?” Ginger
turned to see him pull himself back up and sit on the edge of the rumpled covers.
“How much of that scotch did you two have?”
Ike stood and paused for a
moment changing his thoughts and direction and staggered to the window.
The orange glow faded the stars
into clouds and the blackness turned to light blue before their eyes. Even the
sea seemed to come alive. The two stood silently watching the beach reveal
itself from the shadow of night.
“Look! Look there.” Ike pointed
into the distance like a child finding Christmas.
“It’s a pelican.” Ginger quietly
assured him her meditational thoughts wrapped up in the sunrise.
“I know,” Ike disgust at her
quip announced, “ it’s the FIRST creature we have seen except for fish. IT’S A
BIRD. The first bird we’ve seen.”
Ginger winked and turned toward
the passing feathered creature slowing gliding over the crashing waves. Then
something else caught her eye.
“Who’s that?”
Their focus zoomed onto a man
walking down the beach. Carrying a book, the tanned body with hair and open
Hawaiian shirt blowing in the morning air, seemed like a tourist taking a
morning stroll.
Ike shook his head as if to
remove the cotton inside. “Let’s find out.” He looked down at the exposed legs
of his companion. “Get dressed and grab your pack.”
The two scurried out into the
hallway and retraced their path down the stairway. Stumbling over each other as
if they were chasing the Beatles in “Hard Days Night”, they rushed out to the
sand.
Sitting in yoga poise the
unknown had seated himself on the soft surface and was facing the sunrise. He
did not move as the couple approached.
“Excuse me.” Ginger softly
interrupted the moment.
A long thin face turned to the
pair. The eyelids slowly opened to reveal steely blue eyes. His face was weathered
by sun and sea and the deep lines revealed wisdom, not age. Pushing back his
hair that whipped his face he smiled.
“Hello.”
Ike and Ginger startled at the
welcoming tone of the man’s voice, glanced at each other for an expression.
“Hel.. Hello.” Ginger stammered.
“I’m Ginger Bonneau,” then pointing to the man dropping his bulky pack in the
sand, “and he is Ike Patterson.”
“Come join me. Sit” the smiling
man pleasantly, volunteered a spot next to him on the warm sand.
The two joined hands and braced
each other settling down in a crossed leg Indian style wiggling side to side to
create a depression.
“Ike and Ginger. Welcome to my beach.”
“Who are you?” Ike getting to
the point quickly replied.
“Dexter. They call me Dexter.”
“They? They who?” Ginger
interjected looking up and down the beach. “We’ve only met two people in the
past week.”
“Dexter, you are the third
person we’ve seen in days. Where is everyone?”
“Ike and Ginger. Nice names,”
the stranger paused and faced the sunrise. “There will be time for that,” his
quiet voice whispered as he went back to his yoga position, closing his eyes.
“Do you have any books?”
“Books? No, we didn’t go to the
library.” Ike quipped noticing Ginger was duplicating the yoga pose.
The trio sat for several more
minutes, quietly listening to the roar of the rising tide.
Suddenly the stranger arose to
his feet and picked up his book.
“Where are you going?” Ginger
asked shading her eyes with her hand.
“Home; to join the others.
Follow; I’ll lead you there.”
Ginger jumped to her feet and
tugged onto her overloaded bag. Ike stood up and looked at the Dusty Rose
bobbing in the water. His thoughts turned to concern over following a stranger
and leaving the only means of transportation around. When he turned back the
other two were already halfway down the beach. He bullied on the cumbersome
sack and started trotting to catch up. He thought about the sweater and the red
diamond. As he arrived two the fast moving pair he again looked back taking
points of reference. “If anything happens to that boat…” he thought.
“Pardon good sir?” the gentleman
asked hearing Ike’s mutters.
“Nothing,” Ike responded turning
back to their unknown route. “How far, Dexter?”
“It’s just over that next hill.”
He pointed a thin finger to a distant rise.
“What are you reading?” asked
Ginger noticing the book Dexter held so tightly.
He turned the cover to show her.
“The Kings of England”
“Oh!” Ginger’s voice faded.
“What about the Queens?”
Ike chucked knowing that Ginger
often portrayed herself as “Queen”.
Dexter smiled at her; as a
father would do a child.
“Did you know in 1257 the first
gold coins were produced in England?”
“No,” Ginger replied slyly
looking up to her new founded teacher.
“Did you know the Wales’ David
Prince was drawn and quartered by the long shanks of Edward I? How about the
conquering of Ireland in 1171 by Henry I, son of Maud, who married Plantagenet,
Earl of Argon? Those were good times. Did you know that Charles II had to deal
with the plague of 1665 and the Great fire the next year? Much like what is
happening now.”
“What do you know about ‘what is
happening now’?” Ike joined the conversation.
The three rested under a pier to
shade from the sun.
“Would you like some water?”
Ginger asked Dexter. “I’d offer you scotch, but Ike gave it away.” Ginger gave
Ike “the stare” while he struggled with his backpack.
“What did you get yesterday?”
Ike moaned.
“Just the essentials. Things I
must have.” Ginger defensively continued.
Ike opened the pack and pulled
out black velvet Elvis beach towel with an inscription “What plays in Vegas,
stays in Vegas”.
Dexter laughed and turned back
to the sun. “Come on you two. It’s not much further.”
Chapter Sixteen
“The Mysterious Trio”
Dexter turned inland followed by
the two pack mules, leaving Elvis on the beach. Through the shadows of the
towering hulks of concrete emptiness, the three shuffled on the sandy
sidewalks.
“We are right over here.” Dexter
pointed to a small weathered house on stilts next to a glistening pond.
“Ow!” Ginger cried out. The
three stopped. “Sand spur! Damn!” Ginger raised her foot to pull the small shell
from her foot.
“Why don’t you leave your packs
down here?” Dexter said pointing to the vacant parking deck under the house.
Ike paused and looked around
questioning the offer.
“They’ll be safe,” Dexter said
spread his arm around.“Do you see anyone around?”
Ginger and Ike agreed and
lightened themselves of their burden.
“Watch your step.” Dexter warned
as he ascended the rickety steps leading to the abode.
The shuttered simple domain had
few amenities. The ocean had taken its toil on the wooden structure through the
years. Shingles were missing from the roof while others flapped in the breeze.
The splinted deck showed the wear and tear of years mistreatment. Once painted
white, the one story building had been sand peppered to its grey asbestos siding.
“I bring guest,” Dexter
announced to the darkness inside swinging open the squeaking screen door that
was the only filter from the outside world. The wary travelers followed.
The temperature dropped 20
degrees once inside. Their eyes adjusted to the darkness. As they scanned the
large room they began to focus. A table made from an old wire spool used for
telephone lines rested in the corner. It was covered with candles of every
size and shape. A dusty mirror rested against the wall to amplify the light.
Two windows at the far end of the room were covered with some sort of woven
cloth letting in some light through torn weaves. The room had a musty yet smoky
smell. A huge red and white oriental carpet covered the floor. Crate furniture
were scattered with towels and blankets covering the arms and a scattering of
pillows.
“So who have we here?” came a
voice from another room.
Two men walked out of the
kitchen area to meet the visitors. They were anything but threatening. One wore
hospital scrubs and the other cut off jeans and an army green t-shirt that had
a faded image saying “Frog Hollow Day Camp” on it.
“This is Ike and Ginger” Dexter
proudly presented the pair placing his book on a makeshift bookshelf lined with
hundreds of volumes.
“Hi!” Ginger blurted, “I’m
Ginger Bonneau and this guy is Ike Patterson.”
“THE Ike Patterson?” the man in
the t-shirt laughed and approached the couple.
“What?” Ike looking astonished
replied.
“Just kidding” the thin
mustached man with thick glasses laughed circling around the pair, as he looked
them over.
Ike and Ginger, not knowing what
to make of these comments, stood still and watched as this observation took
place. Dexter stood in the corner enjoying the interaction.
“Don’t pay him no-mind. I think
he is half thick anyway,” the other man said stepping out of the shadows. “My
name is John, but they call me West.”
“You can call him Mike,” the
other man laughed.
Dexter coughed and joined the
others placing his arm around the shorter man with well-groomed hair, “ This is
‘West’. He was a medic with the navy before….”
“Yeah, before….” Said the
t-shirt man still circling the new couple as if to size them up for a meal.
“Before what?” his head turned back to Dexter with a puzzled look.
“There’ll be time for that
Newton.” Dexter scolded.
The thin man who had been
circling the couple stopped and stood up straight adjusting his glasses.
“Excuse me for the weirdness. We don’t get many visitors.”
Ike and Ginger relaxed and
smiled.
“My name is Newton. West and I
belonged to the Navy before….. well you know.”
Dexter stopped the introduction,
“NO! They don’t know.”
The room grew silent and tension
overcame all.
Dexter broke the tension. “Would
you like something to eat?”
“Yes, what kind of welcome is
this?” West broke away from the arm of Dexter and walked back into the kitchen.
“Before WHAT?” Ike picked up on
the conversation and pointed to Dexter for an explanation.
The sun was setting and Dexter
gestured for Newton to light the candles. With the additional light the master
of ceremonies offered the new couple pillows and covers to rest on. West
returned from the kitchen with a platter of chunks of cheese and crackers.
After lighting the candles Newton disappeared into the darkness quickly returning
with two bottles.
“White or red?”
Dexter smiled and without
looking at Newton, “Yes.”
The group made themselves
comfortable on the floor passing glasses of refreshment reflecting the
candlelight. Ginger took a taste of the cheese and smiled her appreciation for
the taste and the company. Ike smelled the wine and sipped with apprehension.
Newton continued to cut the cheese and arrange in order of size and shape much
to Ginger’s joy. West sat back and seemed to enjoy the atmosphere.
“So tell us about you Ike and
Ginger?” Dexter questioned.
The couple looked at each other
with the abruptness of the question. Who would be the spokesman for the pair?
Since Ginger had a mouth full of cheese and crackers, Ike declared their tale.
“I’m Ike Patterson. We used to
live in Virginia at a place called ‘Puppywoods’, but then there were riots and
we had to quickly leave. I don’t know what caused the riots but I could see we
had to leave. We went to the ocean and escaped on a cruise ship, but it sank.”
“Ah, to the sea.” Dexter
whispered, with the assured smiles from Newton and West.
“What?” Ike stopped and
questioned the new mysterious trio.
The three smiled and looked back
and forth for a spoke person.
Dexter chimed in, “ They all
went to the sea.”
“What?” Ike stammered.
“Finish your story and we’ll
fill in the gaps.” Dexter mumbled under a sip of wine to wash down a cheese
cracker.
“Well the boat sank!” Ginger
chimed in, “ I had to swim through shark infested waters to this overgrown
island and found this cool old club.”
“Who found?” Ginger sharply
turned to Ike. “I found it first buster. You stumbled along later remember?”
“Oh… oh yeah.”
“Then WE found this boat and
sailed up the eastern seaboard until we found you guys.” Ginger was proud with
her story.
“I see” Dexter acknowledged.
Newton and West looked confused
by the quick story, but continued looking at Dexter for clarification.
“How long were you gone?” Dexter
asked.
“We are not sure. We met a
surfer in Wilmington who thought it was 2020, and then we saw a soldier guarding
a Food King who wasn’t sure what year it was. As I recall we left Virginia in
2009. “
Silence drew over the room, as
all looked back and forth, each other expecting someone else to forfeit a time
stamp.
“OK, let me tell you about this mysterious
trio we have become.”
The room eased and Newton and
West settled into lounging positions. Ginger poured Ike another glass and went
back to the cheese platter.
“Newton and West worked on the
navy base. Newton worked on planes and computers, while West was a medic.”
“So where is the Navy?” Ike
interrupted.
“Everyone was ordered out to
sea.” Newton responded taking another sip of wine.
“But we missed the boat.” West
added in a comfortable prone position.
“What?” Ike confused by the
answers responded.
“Wait. Let me tell you the full
story.” Dexter quietly calmed the situation.
Chapter Seventeen
The Reason
The room had become comfortable
for the five occupants. Perhaps it was the wine but each had accepted the other
and the conversation continued.
“Do you remember the housing
melt-down?” Dexter started.
“Sure. That was a mess.” Ike
answered.
“That was THE start. The market
went down with the bad loans. People had overextended themselves.”
“I always lived by a
pay-as-you-go policy.” Ike chirped as if to get a winning approval smile from
the others.
“Fine, but so many others
didn’t. This caused the banks to have debts they could not recover.” Dexter
stood and started flipping though the books on the walls.
“Then everyone got sick!” West
chimed in.
“What?” Ike confused response.
“Not too fast,” Dexter turned
and continued his story. “So as we know the economy cracking up under the
pressure of bad loans and the fear of a run on the banks. Companies were
laying-off employees to reduce cost. There was no employment for newly
graduating students. People stayed at home to keep cost down and waited for a
recovery.
“And don’t forget the digital
snafu.” Newton shyly whispered taking another slip of wine.
“Ah, the digital change over.”
Dexter stopped searching for a book. “The government needed more air bandwidth,
so they announced the analog television signal would be changed to digital.
They sold boxes to convert the older televisions to accept the new signal, but
the day the change over happened…..”
“Riots in the streets.” Newton
added.
“It seems the digital signal was
not strong enough and people lost there ONLY entertainment…. television. That
was the last straw.” The tall blond turned back to his book search.
“Foreclosures grew and some…
many just walked out of their homes and wandered into the emptiness. Companies
closed and the government could not print enough money to help.”
“Abandoned homes started to fill
neighborhoods. They became crime havens with roving gangs of homeless. Homes
started to burn, either by their former owners or in anger to the financial
crisis. Cities started to burn and that fed the fever. The whole country went
crazy.”
“Then the illness came.” West
spoke up.
“Please continue good sir”
Dexter bowed to West placing another book on the shelf.
“The A2O2 virus had started the
year before and was picked up by the medical community” West continued sitting
up, “It seemed to start in Mexico, but it didn’t matter. It spread like
wildfire.”
Ike and Ginger stared at each
other in bewilderment.
“Television talked about the
A2O2 everyday on the news while all these unemployed people were sitting at
home watching. Reports of growing numbers of deaths on the nightly news didn’t
help matters and the panic grew. People would wonder the streets in mask and
gloves. The pandemic created a gigantic fear factor. Then the television went
off the air so no one knew what was going on. The Internet was full of lies and
roomers. . The hospitals started flooding with cases. We were all overwhelmed.
There was no vaccine so all we could do is cope.”
“So everyone died?” Ginger
questioned with a wine burp.
“Not so fast little girl, the
story continues” Dexter placed a restful hand on her shoulder.
Ike filled Gingers glass
fascinated by the tale being presented to the couple. “Please continue.”
Newton returning from the
kitchen with a plate of raw seafood said, “ It was panic time.”
“People started going crazy!”
West added in a calm medical manner. “They had been kept at home watching this
crazy stuff on TVand then everything they touched turned them sick. They went
to the grocery story and the carts and the cereal boxes and the bottles of milk
and the frozen packages were all contaminated with the A2O2. It was everywhere.
Even in the money.”
“Wild man” Newton added.
Ike was not charmed with the
comment. “So where did everyone go?”
“Man, it was wild” Newton turned
chomping on a crab leg. “It was like a bell went off.”
“It spread” Dexter calmed the
conversation. “It was like a wildfire.”
“Like a wildfire!” Newton
agreed.
“Suddenly on April second, 2009,
the world went crazy.” West explained.
“Crazy?” Ginger questioned.
“Crazy! The whole world went
mad. It was as if no one had anything left to lose. Neighborhood on fire
emptied into the streets screaming. Mobs formed and started looting. Cars were
left on the roads as people ran for whatever safety they could find. Banks and
other symbols of the establishment were burned to the ground. Anything that
represented wealth were targets,” West continued.
“Yes, we know” Ike sighed.
“Oh, really?” Newton seemed to
perk up.
“Please, continue” Ike
interjected.
“Well the few that could get
television reception, the news showed the rioting and then they went off the
air, so people used their own devises to communicate.” Newton added.
Dexter continued the story, “The
Internet was good for a while, and then that went down. It related the whole
world was intertwined in this mess. Everyone all over the planet was broke,
mad, sick, and dying. That was went it really went bad.”
“Where were you?” Newton asked
the bewildered couple.
Ike shyly responded, “ We left
our home and boarded a cruise ship for open waters.”
“Ah, the sea” Dexter smiled.
Ike seemed perturbed with
Dexter’s remark replied to West, “ Where did everyone go?”
“They did the same thing as YOU
did! THEY WENT TO THE WATER!” West shouted.
The room’s atmosphere chilled as
the conversation halted on the shout. What was the meaning of the statement?
“The water didn’t seem to be
affected by the A2O2 virus. The fish were somehow shelter by the water.” Newton
calmly broke the tension while picking up the empty platters.
“So the water shielded the
virus? So the fish are immune to this virus? “ Ike asked.
“Seems so” Dexter replied
opening another book and studying the scripture within.
“But you guys are here?” Ike ‘s
volume increased. “And we have seen other humans?”
“And we saw a bird this
morning?” Ginger added.
“We were on the base when the
order came in that we were being shipped out” West broke in. “ I was in the supply
depot. I became distracted by the list of pills and prescriptions and stayed to
organize the orders. Time passes quickly and when I realized the time, I went
to the outside. Everyone was GONE!”
“Gone?” Ginger asked.
“Gone. The base was empty. I
wandered around for awhile hoping to find someone, then walked to the beach
thinking I catch a ride.”
“And? ....”
“There was not a person in
sight. Only vacant cars, trucks, buildings, and a hot highway.” West responded.
Newton suddenly entered the
conversation; “ It was the same for me.”
“What?” Ginger asked.
“I was in an airplane hanger. I
was working on a solution to air draft through a video simulator, when I fell
asleep. I guess I had been working on these projects for hours.” Newton paused
and wiped his glasses. “I went outside and everyone was gone. EVERYONE!”
“What… what did you do?” Ginger
questioned.
“I did the same as everyone
else. I went to the water. Wandering to the ocean I met West and then Dexter”
Newton softly remembered. “ That was when we realized WE were the only ones
left.”
“Dexter? Where did you come
from?” Ike changed the subject.
“Me? I was in the library doing
research. Hours pass like minutes when you are engulfed in a fascinating adventure
of research and study. I had a special corner where I did my study. No one
would ever bother me there, so I continued to complied my notes until I was so
overwhelmed with information I placed my head on the table
and slept.”
“And?” Ike added.
“When I awoke, I rubbed my eyes
and walked through the empty building full of the most wonderful, exciting,
and revealing words anyone can find. I moved into the outer world to find
silence. Every human had disappeared.”
“As the three of us stood on the
beach watching the last of ships lose themselves at the horizon; the power
died.”
“And that was how many years
ago?” Ike asked, hoping not to get an accurate answer.
“After we found this place and
realized we were not sick, we started looking around for the basics. Food,
water…” West continued in a logical manner.
“… And books” added Dexter.
“The necessities of life.”
Newton returned from the kitchen area with two more bottles of wine.
“Allow me” Ike grabbed one
bottle and with a quick twist removed the plastic cover. Then a thrust from his
knife into the cork and another twist reveled the liquid shared to all.
“This is really strange,” Ginger
questioned.
“The wine?” Newton asked.
“No, what is going on here. Have
you every seen anyone else?”
Dexter walked over and sat on
the floor. He placed a slice of paper in the book and closed the cover. Quietly
picking up another filled glass said, “ We looked. Up and down the beach. We
went inland, but everywhere we went was empty.”
“Empty?” Questioned Ginger.
“Just as you have seen today.
The entire population of every country had boarded ships and gone to sea…. Or
died.” Dexter voice dropped off and he took a long gulp of wine.
West changed the mood, “Light a
few more candles Newton.”
The sun had set and the group
was wrapped in darkness except for the corner of the room lit by a few wax
light sticks.
Dexter had vanished into the
darkness as the others resituated themselves for the evening. Ike looked
worried about the revaluation of the demise of the country, but kept a smile
for Ginger who was filling another glass of wine.
“Go ahead, we have plenty”
Newton smiled checking out Ginger’s curves.
“What a minute!” Ike cried out,
interrupting the mood of relaxation. “This A2O2 virus that swept the country?
Why were YOU guys spared?”
Dexter walked back into the room
and sat crossed legged on a pillow staring at West.
“Science seems to prove the A2O2
virus only had a brief, but deadly lifespan. By the year 2010, the virus had
mutated and died or become harmless.” West shrugged, “ I have no proof of this,
but it just stopped.”
“But no one knew that because
they had all vacated the premises.” Newton smiled with another bottle of wine
glaring at Ginger.
“What about the rest of the
country?? Those who could not get to the sea? What about Kansas?” Ike slurred
having another glass of red.
“We don’t know,” responded West,
“Unless they came this way, we have no communication with anyone. You are the
first people we have seen in… oh…. ten years or so.”
As Ike and Ginger sat looking at
each other in a stupor haze of wine and wonder of an unbelievable story
presented to them, Dexter offered a silver case. With a knowing smile he opened
the case to show some tightly rolled cigarettes.
“Would you like a recreational
cigarette?” he smiled a broad knowing grin.
“Does everyone just get high
now?” Ike grumbled knocking over his glass of wine. Ginger moped it up with a
towel she pulled off a chair. Newton enjoyed her every move.
“What about the animals?” Ginger
questioned the drunken trio. “We saw a bird today.”
“Some animals survived because
they were out at sea or on far away islands, but for the first year or so there
were nothing but carcasses laying on the ground. There were no insects so the
bodies just rotted under the sun into mush. “
“It wasn’t pretty and very
smelly, but we three could not bury all of them” West added. “Thank God for the
rain.”
Ginger eagerly grabbed the lit
cigarette from Dexter and took a long toke. She turned to Ike who did not
looked interested, so turned back to Newton who smiled and received the gift.
“Let me see if I understand,”
Ike over spoke to the group, “ everyone in the country… no in the world….
Realized they were in immanent danger if they did not escape to the seas? So
everyone, except for you three and a couple of others who seem to be immune to
this A2O2, climbed aboard any floating fixture and paddled out to the open
oceans.”
Dexter puffed with smoke coming
out of his nostrils, “ Yes!”
“This is crazy,” Ike slammed his
hand down, “The entire world can NOT run away from a flu. We have medicine,
doctors, scientist, the military, the government… there must have been
something done…. Something to stop this.”
“It is estimated,” West stopped
the tantrum, “ that 30 to 40 million people died due to this virus. It was fast
and devastating.”
“What choice did people have but
to run away?” Newton asked smoke blending into his curly grey hair. “You’ve
seen the results.”
“Now what?” Ginger slowly lifted
her droopy eyelids to look to Ike for an answer.
The room grew silent. As the
flames on the candles flickered in the sea breezes the five figures sat in
complete quiet. There was no answer to the question.
“Let me have a hit,” Ike reached
for the silver case which fell to the floor.
There on the dusty
sandy-carpeted floor sat the silver case with an inscription on the cover.
“Maynard”.
Ike and Ginger stared at the
case and at each other as Ike inhaled. The mysterious trio stared at the case
then each other wondering what the interest was with the inscription.
Blowing smoke into the room Ike
asked, “Where did you get the case?”
“We do scavenger hunts on the
beach,” Newton puffed.
“Yes, we found it on the beach”
West agreed.
Dexter just smiled; smoke
wafting around his long hair. He just sat with a knowing gesture to the others.
Ike was too tired and drunk and
high to continue the inquisition, so he lay down on the floor, put his head on
the pillow, and closed his eyes. Ginger realized it was her call to cuddle next
to him. The two became as one on the soft pillows.
The clink of empty bottles
rolling across the floor were covered by the breathe of candles being blown
out.
“Sleep well” Dexter whispered to
the pair as the mysterious trio disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter Eighteen
“Back to The Dusty Rose”
“Ike?”
Ginger reached over to the pillow
and found it empty.
“Ike?”
Her eyes opened to view the
light pouring in from the torn window covering. The sunshine spotlight lit an
empty room of pillows, bottles, and half burnt candles. She sat up and held her
head.
Gazing through the haze she spied
Newton sitting in the corner. He was slumped over in a pillow chair, a half
filled glass of wine in his hand. His eyes were closed, but there was a smile
on his face as if he had been watching Ginger all night.
Rolling off the pillow, Ginger
stumbled to her feet. Newton grumbled but did not wake. West was nowhere to be
found.
Staggering to the window, she
saw two silhouette figures on the beach. Taking a long breath and looking back
at Newton slumbering quietly, she moved the window covering and slid the glass
door to the sun.
She walked up to the couple on
the beach and listened to their conversation.
“The water, water seems to be
the forgiveness.”
“But what of the land?”
“We stand here and the sun rises
and falls and we breathe the air.”
“Life goes on.”
“Exactly… and what will you do?”
“Ike?” Ginger interrupted the
conversation.
The two men turned toward the
lady slowly pacing toward them in the sand. They both smiled.
Ike turned and gave out an
extended arm to welcome her to the conversation.
“You OK?” he quietly asked
Ginger with a smile from Dexter.
“Yeah, just a little foggy.”
“So what now?” Dexter asked the
couple staring at the rising sun over the concrete barriers lining the beach.
“I’ve got to go.” Ike said,
holding Ginger around the waist and looking toward the beach.
“Let me take you home.”
The three walked to the walkways
and gathered their packs. Dexter picked up a book from the sandy steps and led
the group to the beach.
The sun rained heat upon the
heads of the three, as they walked pass empty shops and sidewalks. Turning
right on the beach they headed back through their tracks from the previous day.
Walking pass empty towers of
personal pleasure the group watch the pier grow closer. To the right they saw
the Neptune statue approach. To the left, bobbing in the wave was the Dusty
Rose.
“This is where I leave you”
Dexter announced and sat down in the sand with his book. Ike looked at Dexter,
then Ginger and took his pack off. He left the group and slugged through the
sand to the boardwalk. Disappearing for a moment, he appeared with a floatation
devise.
“Let’s make this easy.” Ike
smiled. Dexter smiled in return.
Ike placed both Ike’s and
Ginger’s packs on the floatation tube and dragged it to the water.
“Ready to go?” Ike asked Ginger
as she paused noticing Dexter quiet demeanor.
Ginger turned and walked to the
water’s edge.
“Thank you for your hospitality”
she said to Dexter, who gently smiled.
The pair pushed the floating
packing into the water and kicked out into the waves.
A short time later the pair were
on board and drying off from the salty water. They lifted the packs and spread
out their bounty upon the shifting deck.
“So where to now?” Ginger asked
shaking off her hair and pulling through her pack of t-shirts and lotions
“Maine!” Ike quickly responded.
“Maine? Why Maine?”
“You will see.” Ike smiled.
Ike raised the anchor and
lowered the sail. The Dusty Rose responded and turned to the north.
Chapter Nineteen
To Maine
Ginger lay face down on the deck
sunning her back as the bow splashed Cool Ocean water over her in a mist. Ike
sat back in the captains seat watching the sail fluff, checking the position of
the sun and using his watch as a compass. Examining the horizon Ike turns the
rudder. As the Dusty Rose cut through the waves, a wash of salty water sweeps
over the desk.
“Hey!” Ginger picks up her head
and wipes off her face. “Watch it buster.”
“Sorry, but the seas are getting
rough” Ike slyly responded.
Ginger sat up and turned back to
Ike. She sipped from a tall glass of liquid that had been secured on the deck
against the erratic course and asked, “Why Maine?”
Ike lowered his sunglasses and
stared at Ginger with a sly grin. She stopped and returned the stare with a
questioned face. The two froze in this strange communication until Ginger
looked down and started to laugh.
“You mean these?” she smiles and
did a little shimmy shaking off the salt water and dew.
Ike continued to stare and
smile.
“What?” her voice becoming
excited. “It’s not like you have seen these before!”
Ike continued to stare and
lowered his sunglasses.
Ginger looked to the horizon and
back again, and then shyly reached for a towel. “It’s not like anyone else is
around.” She wrapped the towel around her and replied to Ike’s leer, “Well….
why Maine?”
“Going to see Blackie” Ike
replied placing his sunglasses back on and returning his stare to the horizon.
“Blackie? You mean that crazy
cousin of yours”
Ike just turned the rudder and
tighten the sail.
“That crazy guy who threw you
out of a plane? You want to go see that goof ball who dropped you to the ocean
floor with too much weight?”
“Yes, the wild guy who taught me
how to surf.” Ike quietly replied.
“Why him?” Ginger questioned as
she slid next to him in the captain’s cabin.
“Blackie can find ways to get
out of anything and besides he is very high up in the secret organizations of
the government, so if anyone has communication…. it’s Blackie.”
“I think you are crazy going all
the way up the coast when we should be finding some of those boats out at sea.”
Ginger looked at the vacant horizon.
“We haven’t seen much so far, so
I figure this is a good chance to get more information.”
They both sat for an hour
watching the sun more across the sky and the waves get higher.
“The waters getting rougher and
the air is cooler and we still have a day or so to get to the Deer Isle.” Said
Ike whipping the foam from his face. “Why don’t you go below and examine that
sweater map you found?”
“You want anything to eat?”
Ginger asked before lowering her wet body below the deck.
“Not right now.” Ike replied
checking his watch. “I’ll be down later to get something to eat.”
Ginger stepped down into the
darkness and answered, “ Yes, I bet you will. You better be hungry.”
Chapter Twenty
Where’s Blackie?
I joined my friends at a small
bistro and they all laughed when I arrived.
My friend Jacque introduced me
to the couple seated with him.Pierre is an artist and musician and dancer. A
slight roughly bearded young man in a corduroy jacket and long scarf.
Next to him was a lovely young
dark haired girl with a special glow in her face and unforgiving black eyes.
“Renee, Pierre…. meet my friend
Ike.”
I settled in to the small round
table and a round of drinks were ordered. Jacque helped me because my elementary
school French was lacking. The carafe of white wine never seemed to empty and
the glass was always full. We laughed and shared stories in our broken
understanding of what each of us was saying, but with the continuing glasses
toasted to each other and our ideas, the dusk turned into late hours.
“Let us stop and rest now.”
Jacque broke the laughter and we all agreed.He led us to a quaint bread and
breakfast and offered each of us rooms.
“Come back down in a few minutes
for a nightcap.”
We all went into small
comfortable rooms and changed into nightclothes.
I was settling onto a long
wicker couch with a glass of cognac with Jacque and Pierre talking over by the
fireplace when Renee entered the room. She looked at the couple at the fireplace
then walked over to the couch and sat.
I offered her a glass, which she
accepted with a smile and a slight nod of her head, her dark hair draping her
face against the strobe of the flame.
We did not speak, but watched
the two men across the room laugh and slap each other with old tales.
I looked back at the little girl
who had wrapped herself in an afghan and a quilt that were resting on the back
of the couch.
“Cold?”
I offered my arm and she slid
close accepting my hug.
We sat silently, her head resting
on my shoulder.
I refilled her glass and my own.
She adjusted the cover and snuggled closer.
The fire had dimmed when my eyes
opened and found the two men had left the room. I could feel something warm
against my cheek. Reaching up I found a bare foot. Pushing my hand further, I
felt a slim smooth ankle and leg.
As my head cleared in the smoky
room my body moved up the length of the couch. Renee lay next to me, eyes
closed, wrapped in the quilt like a baby hugging a teddy bear.
I touched her cheek and she
responded by pulling the antique fabric over me and pulling me close to her undraped
body. My face moved to her neck and I could hear her breath.
Then a warm and sweet kiss on
the neck.
“OW!”
Ike reaches for his head
tangling in the sheet and tried to sit up.
BAM!
“OW! What the….”
“You need to be more careful
where you sleep.” a quiet voice whispers.
Ike wipes his eyes and leans
against his elbows in the cramp dark space. As the area starts to focus he
feels the sway of the ocean beneath him.
“How long have you been up?”
“A while. It’s been fun watching
you sleep.”
Ike peered at the black
portholes with just the faint sent of light around the rim.
“You shouldn’t have dreams like
that.”
“What time is it?”
“Does it matter?”
Ike struggled to free his legs
and slowly stepped on the deck, carefully watching the hull above.
“Here.” Ginger held out a cup of
steaming dark liquid.
Ike held it in two hands and
took a sip. “Hot!”
“You are having a rough
morning,” she giggled.
“What are you doing?”
“Going over these maps and this
sweater.”
Just then light filled the space
as Ginger turned up the oil lamp. Wrapped in the gray sweater she turned to Ike
and said, “ I think we have to go back to that island.”
Ike staggered to the desk where
Ginger had neatly arranged maps, pens, paper, rulers, compass, with sketches
and drawings.
“What is all of this stuff?”
Then the Dusty Rose shifted in
the ocean’s swell and Ike stumbled, spilling coffee.
“Ow!”
“Hey buster, you almost got that
on me,” Ginger spun holding tight the sweater as she slip her chair away from
the bumpkin.
“Who’s steering this rig?
The room fell silent as the two
stared at one another.
Ike grabbed his slicker
stumbling toward the hole to the upper deck.
“I better check where we are,”
he muttered as he climbed the teak stairway.
“You go on. I’ll tell you what I
found later,” Ginger mumbled expressing her disappointment in Ike’s disinterest.
Disconnecting the lines from the
wheel, Ike took hold of the Dusty Rose. Placing his half filled cup on the deck
then looking up at the looming blackness sparkled with points of lights, Ike
started to get his barrens. He viewed the horizon that was started to lighten
with orange and yellow, then check the star placement using his watch as a
compass.
Pulling the wheel to the
starboard, he rechecked his calculations. Feeling the bow turn into the waves
and the ship smooth in it path, he grabbed his cup and consumed the cooling
liquid with one gulp.
“Do you have any more of this
coffee?” Ike beckoned below deck.
As if knowing beforehand what
was requested or anticipating what would come next, Ginger rose from the bowels
of the ship with two fresh cups of morning waking liquid.
“So where are we?” she asked
placing the new cup next to Ike.Ike continued to pull on the sheet, looking up
at the sky and the luff of the sail, turning the wheel slightly, and looking
off to the brightening horizon.
Ginger snuggled into her
sweater, looked up at the sky then forward over the bow while sipping her hot
black liquid.
“You have no idea do you?”
Ike picked up the cup and
enjoyed the steam and aroma, squinting forward across the bow, swinging the
wheel further starboard.
“We have about 3 hours before we
get to our destination.”
“3 hours huh?” Ginger replied in
disbelief.
The sun rose as the couple sat
quietly watching the waves pick up intensity. Suddenly Ginger broke the silence
and started down below deck.
“I’m hungry, do you want
anything?”
“Maybe another cup, but I’m
fine.” Ike replied watching her disappear into the darkness as the sun
lightened the deck and the sails. Though the sun was rising the temperature was
dropping.
Ginger returned with another cup
and a plate of fruit and cheese. Ike immediately reached for the cheese.
“I thought you were fine?” she
asked resting next to him.
“Mummmm. Yes, I was but this
looks too good. Thanks.”
Ginger pulled the sweater around
her and cupped the white vessel close to her.
“I thought the sun would warm us
up.”
“We are pretty far north. You
can tell about the waves picking up.”
Ike reached his arm around
Ginger pulled her close.
“That better?”
The sound of waves crashing on
the rocky shore grew as a crescendo directing the crew to their next destination.
Chapter Twenty One
“Now What?”
The little sloop “Dusty Rose”
darted between the rocks firmly guided with a cold wet spray of winter water
washing the bow. Ike turned the rudder left then quickly right compensating for
the waves and wind of the rough sea while glaring ahead into the quiet waters
of Penobscot Bay.
“Ginger!” Ike yelled below deck
never veering from his focus. “Come up and take the wheel. I’m taking down the
mainsail.”
The rocking was remarkably
reduced when Ginger popped from the hole, another hot steaming cup of winter
liquid in her hand. She slipped into Ike position and held the wheel straight
as Ike jumped up and moved from line to line loosening their hold on deck and
reducing the stress on the weathers sail. As the boom swung over the deck, Ike
and Ginger ducked in unison and the sound of the lines racing against the metal
cleats competed against the wind. The sail fell to the deck. Ike folded each
link into a proper stack and tied off the lines to hold it secure.
“We’ll go in by the jib from
here.” Ike assured Ginger, taking back the wheel and a sip of the warm cup.
“How far is it from here?”
Ike scoped out the ever-glowing
sunshine drenched landscape.
“It is just off to starboard. We
first have to get past this Isle au Haut.”
“So tell me, why does Blackie
live up here when half the year he is stranded by the weather and the rest of
the time…”
Ike was quiet.
“Do you think we will find
him…or anyone else? This situation is starting to really scare me.” Her voice
quivered.
Ike was quiet.
“Granite.”
“Who?” Ginger questioned Ike’s
one word sentence.
“This is the island where JFK’s
gravestone was quarried.”
The conversation stopped as the
waves revealed a dock filled with bobbing fishing craft. As the wooden dock
grew closer, Ginger put down her cup and crawled over the folded sail to the
bow. No instructions were needed as Ike loosened the jib and coasted to the
beams. With a soft bump, a line was tightened to the barnacled encrusted post.
Ike released the wheel and tied off the stern. The couple gathered by the wheel
and proceeded to shore up their ride.
Walking down the frost-covered
dock each fishing vessel was examined finding no evidence of life. Passing the
“Pres Du Port” sign, Ike pointed to the main street.
“Route 15, that is what we
want.”
As they walk down the vacant
road past a ghost town of vacant windows and doors slamming in the wind, they
look for some sort of transportation.
“Wanna give it a try?” Ginger
pointed to a red jeep with it’s canvas top flapping.
Ike unscrewed the gas cape and
took a whiff, then moved under the dashboard.
“Is there a key?” Ike asked
fumbling on wires and metal.
Ginger looked over the driver’s
seat, the gray sweater falling on his back and said, “Yeah, there is a key.”
“Give it a turn.”
Ginger stretched over the
hunching mechanic and turned the key to the right.
“Yeow!”
A sparked flashed and Ike jumped
back knocking Ginger in a staggering circle.
The two recaptured their
position as the vehicle rumbled.
“Climb aboard” Ike, said blowing
on his fingers.
Shifting into gear, the rusty
hulk slowly rolled down the path picking up speed with every grinding shift.
Ginger looked back at the ship
that landed them on this cold forbidding rock, but Ike pressed the pedal and
followed the curves of the empty road. Following the winding path, Ike turns
right at the first turn and heads back toward the roar of the water.
“Do you know where you are
going?” she questioned.
“Oceanville.” Ike confidently
responded.
Over a bridge and onto another
island then left over another waterway, the pair sped while storm clouds freckled
the grey sky.
Ike turned onto a rocky dirt
road and slid to a halt. He slowly reached for the key and turned it left,
quieting the beast. Ginger dusted herself off and stared at the tilted shack.
Ike slowly climbed out of the
chuffing delivery vehicle and stood next to her watching the curtain flutter
out the broken windows.
“Looks real welcoming,” Ginger
commented as they walked up to the door.
Ike pushed the wood opening a
dusty dark room.
“See if you can find some light”
he asked Ginger, wandering into the cluttered space.
The pair separated exploring new
ventures.
The room glowed as Ginger lit a candle,
then another. Ike found paper and magazines next to a stone fireplace, setting
them ablaze with his Zippo lighter stored in his Swiss Army knife.
“Ah, now that’s more like it.”
Ginger moved to the warmth and rubbed her hands together.
Ike silently walked from corner
to corner, moving papers, opening drawers, and shuffling through stacks of DVDs
and CDs.
Ginger added some of the wood
stacked next to the fireplace saying, “Looking for something?”
“Some reason why Blackie left.”
“So Blackie left?”
“He would be here this time of
year. Where is he?” Ike quietly pondered.
“Who is Dusty?” Ginger asked
looking at a carved wooden post.
Ike smiled and continued to exam
notes and records.
“Who is Cricket?”
Blackie had a lot of girl
friends.
“Cricket??”
“He gave them all nick names. He
had a problem remembering names, so….”
“Cricket???”
“She was a small black haired
girl with big eyes.”
“And Dusty??”
Ike looked up from his
investigation, “She was very special to him.”
“Are these names like notches on
a gunman’s belt?”
“Conquest?”
“Yeah.”
“Blackie was a suave handsome
sculpted man with thick hair and a killer smile.”
“Oh,” Ginger added reaching for
a framed photo blowing off the dust. “Is this?”
Ike leaned over and nodded, then
went back to the desk arranging files.
“Woo, you are right. He’s hot!”
“Easy big girl,” Ike chucked.
“What are these other names?”
The silence was only broken by
the slam of metal drawers.
“Woo, did you two compete??”
Ike straightened up and turned
to Ginger’s list. He walked forward placing his hand on the carved names.
“Parsley, Dill, and Clover”
Ginger’s brow crumpled under
this awakening.
“Sisters with spice.”
“…and Rag-A-Muffin?” Ginger
ventured to question.
“Rag-A-Muffin and Patches were
sisters. Kiwi was sweet and quiet. Maggie and Wizzy were from the South. Skunk
you can guess. Pumpkin was the first. Caitlin and Cullen were another pair of
sisters. Bunny was a soft, black…”
Ginger interrupted the
continuing list, “I think I get the picture.”
“Doodlebug…”
“I got it. I got it!”
Ike turned with a solemn
face-to-face. “Then there was Buffy. She was very, very special. I think he
would have married her. Beautiful blond with a frisky smile and seemed to fill
his every need.”
“Need… or want?”
“And want. She would cuddle next
to him and he gave a smile I’d never seen before.”
“What happened?” Ginger asked.
Ike dropped his hand and stood
staring at the post in silence. Ginger watched as he turned back to the desk
continuing his search. She did not continue the conversation realizing it was
too fragile.
Ginger added some more wood to
the fire as the room glowed in warmth and light. Ike booted up a laptop, then
another, then a third connected to one keyboard. Each screen reflected the
light enlarging to massive screens on the walls. The room was aglow with
information screens scrolling through multiple windows at the speed of light.
Ginger walked to the chair where
Ike had seated himself, mouse pointed all over the screens, opening files,
reports, and closing as quickly. She rested her hand on his shoulder. As the
computers purred he reached up touching her comfort. A warm squeeze and the
computers were not the only purring.
“We have got to go back.” Ginger
broke the silence.
Ike stopped the search, put down
the mouse, stood up, and turned to Ginger.
“I’ve figured out this map,” she
said pulling on the grey woven material wrapping her while still hold his hand.
“We’ve got to go back to that island.”
Ike, being Ike, did not question
any further and took the instructions as faith.
“We’ll start back tomorrow.
Let’s get some food and rest and start in the morning. There is nothing here.”
“Really?” Ginger surprised
looked.
“Yeah, Blackie has vacated this place
some time ago. He is a free spirit, so he could be anywhere with anyone.”
“I’ll check out the kitchen and
see what we can take with us. Are we really going back?”
“If that is what you want.”
Ginger smiled and turned into
the kitchen.
Ike smiled a relaxed face
shutting down the multiple screens.
“We’ll go back.”
Chapter Twenty Two
“Going South”
The well-stocked “Dusty Rose”
ambled south heading for a new adventure. Leaving the cold winds yet running
against the stream, the journey was long for this wearied duo crew.
With the coastline remaining in
sight off the starboard side, Ike did not ask where they were headed. He just
followed the coast and the stars.
Passing Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, the craft was faced to the ocean to get around Cape Cod. In some
cases the vessel drifted closer to shore at large ports like New York City,
looking for some sign of life.
The daily discussions were about
sights of the day, what to eat, and average of location. There were no conversations
about future plans or former lives. The destination was created from a woven
map and to solve the mystery, the pair had to follow it. Frustration brought
angered remarks of being marooned on the rocky island they traveled on. Other
days were surrounded in the wonderful sights of the ocean with a chorus of sea
birds.
An atypical conversation
follows.
“What was with all that porn?”
Ginger barked out of the blue staring into space.
“You mean Blackie?” Ike
questioned with moving his view to the oncoming waves.
“YES, Blackie!” Ginger
responded, “What was all that stuff sitting around? And some of it was pretty
rude!” she said grabbing her nose.
“Blackie was a single guy living
on in lonely desolation.” Ike defended his cousin with only a stare from
Ginger.
“Why are we talking about him?”
Ike quipped. “You didn’t know him. I barely knew him, but I had some memorable
experiences with him.”
Ginger sat quietly, gripping her
cup until her knuckles went white.
“I’m not saying he was perfect,”
he interjected, “ but he was family and that made it different.”
Ginger just looked down into her
cup.
“I have very little
understanding of my family line or their interactions. We did things out of
rituals.”
She did not acknowledge these
words.
“Blackie was a free spirit and
broke from family restraints. He among all the others tried to find his true
self.”
“With all those….those….skanky
hoes?”
Ike smiled. “He has a lust for
life.”
“That’s not funny.”
The rest of the day drew silent.
Clouds blew over and the little wooden home continued down the coast slapping
the waves in a rhythm matching the heartbeat.
Ike thought they might want to
go ashore in Virginia and see if “Puppywoods” had survived. He thought of the
strangers they had met and wondered if they had moved on. From so many contacts
with people known and unknown, Ike had spent energy interaction with hundreds
for years, but now there was only one.
The constant waves brought the
sunshine and closed the day, continuing into the darkness. The shore became a
ribbon of black. There was no sign of light or activity.
The journey continues down by
Ocean City Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay tunnel. Ike pondered if he should
pull into Virginia Beach and see if Col. Roland, Newton, or Dexter were still
there or had they migrated to parts unknown?
Supplies were getting low, so at
Kill Devil Hills, Ike decided to go ashore.
Anchoring the much lighter
vessel to the sands that had claimed pirate ships of the past, the duo splashed
ashore.
“Should we be this close to
shore?” Ginger asked squeezing out the gray sweater that had become her second
skin.
“It’s low tide. We should be
back by the rise.” Ike stretched getting his land legs from weeks at sea.
They slowly walked up the soft
sand to the crumbling black top ribbon of a road running north and south.
Ginger excited pointed and ran
toward the cinder big building.
“There! A Brew-Thru! It must
have everything we need!”
Ike smiled and followed. The
packed bags with cans and candles, matches and mustard, and loads of alcohol.
Dragging the stuffed bags back
toward the beach, the sun was starting to set.
“Let’s stay on land tonight” I
uttered out of the blue. “There is a nice little cabin.”
Ginger looked shocked, breaking
her survival pattern for the thought of slipping in a bed that didn’t sway. She
was speechless.
The little cedar-weathered cabin
had a deck with a hammock looking out on the beach. The bags were placed on the
deck as they peered into the small wood room.
“The water works.” She giggled.
“It’s cold, but it works.”
Ike took some of the new
supplies to the “Dusty Rose” and brought back another line to tie to the deck.
Ginger stripped down and climbed in the cold shower. By the time Ike tied off
the line and climbed up the rickety steps to the deck, she was refreshed and
wrapped in white towels, two glasses in her hands.
“Here.”
“What is this?” Ike coyly asked,
looking her still dripping body in the sunset.
“I found a wine rack, completely
stocked.” She smiled unwrapping her hair and giving her head a shake in the
last beams of daylight.
They sat together sipping their
wine surrounded by candles and serenaded by the roar of the ocean, watching the
sunset.
Tomorrow is another day and
another adventure.
Chapter Twenty Three
“The Hurricane”
Another morning sunrises to set
sail for these weary travelers. Silent now knowing their mission, they look at
the horizon with blank stares. Passing cups of warm liquids, pieces of baked
goods, then switching to bottles of wine stored in the hole, the couple prepare
for the unknown.
Keeping close to the coastline,
they recognize certain sites as they pass. Down the Pamilico Sound, then around
Cape Lookout to the Onslow Bay. Ike pointed out Atlantic Beach off of Morehead
City where he had gone to summer camp. Passing Cape Fear into the Grand Strand,
Ginger talked about her weekends in Myrtle Beach with the surfer boys. The
Carolinas grew together then shifted to Georgia and more tales about Charleston
and Hilton Head.
“Should we pull in?” Ike asked
as they approached Savannah.
“No, “ Ginger replied facing the
future, “ let’s push on. We have enough to get there.”
“There?” Ike pondered.
The coast began to jut out into
the waves, adjusting the wind and bow route. Also the waves were getting
rougher and the sky was darkening. Passed Jacksonville, the little vessel
started to bob in the waves. By the time they had reached Cape Canaveral the
sea was tossing the little “Dusty Rose” about straining all the lines and the
strength of the tiny crew.
The supply stocks had been
forgotten as the two rushed back and forth to tackle each emergency.
Ike looked forward at a wall of
black clouds reaching from the heavens to the water and as far as the eye could
see. “This is not good.”
Sails were lowered and the
hatches battened, but the little wooden boat that had traveled so far was out
of control in the waves and wind. The two hung on to each other and taunt lines
as they rocked and slid through the blackness pummeled with driving rain.
Ike coughed water from his lungs
as his hand reached deep in the wet sand. The rain pounded on his back like a
whip, but he raised his head and wiped his eyes to view an empty beach awash
with massive waves. Bracing himself up he frantically swiveled his head for
some sign of Ginger.
Dragging his soaked body to a
shadow, he turned over a body to see her limp and lifeless. Immediately he
pressed his face against her lips.
“Hey! Bud!!” she turned her head
stammering, “What are you (cough) some kind of (cough) pervert (cough, cough)?”
Surprised, then grinning from
ear to ear, Ike sat up and hugged her.
“OK big boy”, Ginger replied,
breaking the rapture of the moment, and then with a clinical refrain, “Where
(cough) are we?”
“Over there” Ike pointed to a
tall building. “ It will shelter us against this wind.”
The two staggered to their feet
and started plodding toward the grey refuge, and then froze.
There on the sand, lay the
remains of the “Dusty Rose”. Like a beached whale, it lay on its side with
holes in the bow and stern. She had been such a faithful companion but could
not withstand the final challenge.
Turning away from their
transport, the two focused on surviving.
After breaking a window, a quiet
spot was found in a hallway behind two doors. Swaying, the building gave
shelter, but the two wondered how sturdy their new home was.
Fumbling in the dark, Ike found
a flashlight, but the batteries were dead. Ginger reached into dark hole and
found some. By feel they refilled the flashlight and a weak beam lit the room.
Overturned chairs, scattered
magazines, and no sign of life were all that presented itself to the couple.
“Let’s see if we can find the
kitchen.” Ike began wandering into the darkness.
“I’m tired and wet and cold…”
Ginger began to wine.
“Me too. Look there it is!”
The pair walked past tables with
white linen table clothes and silver services laid out for guest. Into swinging
doors, a pristine chrome kitchen presented itself, but offered no relief for
their hunger. The refrigerators were locked and the cupboards bear.
“Ike,” Ginger moaned, “I’m
tired.”
“OK, lets find a place to
crash.”
Just then the sound of a window
crumbling against the wind filled the air.
They walked softly over the
broken glass and up some stairs until they found a door to a vacant room.
“I’m exhausted!” Ginger flopped
on the bedspread and grasped the pillow like a teddy bear.
“Me too.” Ike responded to the
already asleep beauty, peeling off his wet cloths. He covered the spread over
her, then cuddled up next to her given her warmth and him comfort.
“Tomorrow will be another day.”
He faded out.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Answer
Morning brought bright sunlight
while the wind and waves shook off the night of peril.
Two lone figures stood in the
wet sand. Beside them were the remains of their trusty vessel. Before them
spread a vast ocean churning with furry and anger. Electric kites of clouds
flew over the white caps like a natural strobe light.
“There!” Ike cried out and
pointed to a tiny dark shadow.
The couple stared at a small
dingy bobbing in the rough water. Looking like a float on a fisherman’s line
seemingly unaffected by the storm that had washed them ashore, this could be
their salvation.
Without a thought the pair dove
into the water and swam to the small craft.
Once aboard they took stock of
the boat and found it sound. With some struggle, the pair lifted the anchor
that had held it and began another journey.
The little wooden hull about the
size of a bed turned and began to break the waves.
Ike grab the rudder and began to
change the course.
“Wait!” Ginger exclaimed. “It
knows the path.”
Ike paused looking puzzled, and
then slowly released the rudder.
The bow jerked back and forth in
the currents like a slide on an Ouija board. The two sat quietly watching the
wooden platform held together with luck and spit find its way. Steadily it
became calmer and straightens out its course.
For hours, perhaps days, the
little cradle wandered through the blue water following an invisible trail, its
crew numbed by the sun and constant rolling of the waves slept.
Thud!
“Wha…?”
“Where are…?”
The sun burnt couple opened
their eyes to a shady umbrella of green. The scrapping sound of wood against
wood was their alarm clock.
An old dilapidated dock jutted
out from an overgrown island.
Ike wrapped the anchor line
around a pillar and helped Ginger onto the decaying wood planks.
“Careful. Don’t want to come
this far to….” he advised.
“So what is this place?” she
asked walking gingerly across the crumbling wood until they both reached firm
ground.
“I don’t know but it feels
familiar.”
Ike looked down the bamboo lined
narrow beach but there were no signs of an entry point.
“Come on,” Ginger firmly
demanded, “I know the way.”
She divided the thick stacks of
green and stepped into the darkness, Ike quickly on her heels. Pressing into
the unknown the explorers weaved through the vines and stalks that tore their
cloths and scrapped their skin.
A spot of sunshine found a
clearing for the couple to stop and catch their breath.
Ike, leaning over his hands on
his knees, puffed and moaned, “I’m hungry.”
Ginger crossed legged sat in a
pile of leaves, wiping her brow onto her red arms and replied, “Yeah, Big captain.
You didn’t think about bringing any food, did you?”
Feeling dejected by their new
situation, Ike stood straight and scanned the area. Examining the pine carpet
as if documenting a crime scene he circled the jungle cavern, when he suddenly
froze and stared at the ground. His eyes were fixated, not a word was said.
“Did you find a Big Mac?” Ginger
broke the silence stretching her gams walking slowly to the spot.
They both recognized their
future and began to follow a narrow crushed shell path.
Coming to an opening they found
the familiar brownstone building still draped in constant capture of the
jungle.
As they entered the cavernous
sculpture Ike smiled at the dust spot on the dirty marble floor. Ginger slapped
his arm, then turned seeking out a destination they were not aware of.
She stopped at a massive wooden
door. Ike reached for the iron latch ring that hung down on an art deco plate.
He tugged on the ring with no success. Always up for a challenge, he explored
blocked passage.
Ginger, being Ginger, stood back
and watched with fascination. She broke her enjoyment and spied a bronze statue
sitting on a pedestal next to the door. Rubbing her hands over the dusty Buddha
squatted in a lotus position; she felt an indentation on the forehead.
Something was missing from this guardian.
She paused.
Then she knew.
Ike stopped his investigation
and turned to Ginger as she reached into her tattered gray sweater. The silence
was deafening.
Ginger extracted the red diamond
she had been so protective for all this time and held it to the sunbeams
streaming through holes in the roof. The stone glowed in the warmth and seemed
to vibrate as if to be coming home.
With the hands of an angle,
Ginger slowly pressed the diamond into the impression, twisting to the left and
then right until…..
The red diamond found its place
in the Buddha and seated itself. Ginger pulled back her hand and the pair
stared at the statue.
Ike turned back to the door and
pulled on the latch.
A bright glow grew under the
door onto the shiny floor then spread up the edges increasing in intensity as
the wooden portal opened.
Awash in light, the stunned
travelers stood affixed at the wonder that behold them.
A figure approached the doorway
with a welcoming smile. He stepped forward, dressed to the nines, curly hair,
horn-rimmed glasses, and somehow very comfortable and familiar. Behind him was
a yellow glow space filled with men and women, all seemingly very happy, in
gowns and dresses swirling dances to soft live orchestra music. There was no
other sound.
Ike’s eyes caught in the corner
a young man with a wavy hair, sharp black tux, blue pocket napkin and an unforgettable
smile; two ladies on his arm, one in a satin red gown, the other leaning her
head against his shoulder looking very content. The trio faced Ike with an
ageless recognition.
“Blackie?” Ike stuttered.
A time passed as the pair took
in the wonders before them, then the silence was broken.
The figure that approached them
spoke.
“ My name is Maynard. Come join
us.”
