𝙂𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙧𝙚 ━━ Chris Manawa

Creation and Destruction

Since the dead had started coming back to life, nobody has been able to sleep properly. Alex finds himself wandering the Abigail late at night until he gets tired.

On his way back he runs into Emma, who was just leaving the bathroom. "Can't sleep?" she whispers, not wanting to wake anyone who was lucky enough to be sleeping.

"No, you?"

"Not really. Rylee's been crying. She does it when she thinks I'm alseep," Emma, turns to the room they share, "Since things have died down a bit, its hard to forget who we left behind."

Emma's eyes are moist, but she holds the tears in as hard as she can. Alex lays a hand on her shoulder, listening to the sound of the engine as it sputters to a stop.

"What was that?"

They hear movement from one of the rooms, and Travis comes out, closely followed by Madison. Alex and Emma follow them upstairs, looking for answers.

//

Everyone is gathered around as Travis reads through the yacht manual.

"Okay, so the sea water is whats cooling the engines. No water, the engines over heat. I'm guessing somethings blocking the water intake."

"Pull whatever's blocking it and lets get the hell out of here," Strand says, angry that they aren't moving.

"We gotta get under the boat to find out what it is."

"Sun comes up in a few hours," Madison suggests, looking ready to go back to sleep.

"I'm not inclined to wait for someone with a .50 caliber machine gun to roll up on us."

"Its pitch dark. We don't know whats down there." Emma rolls her eyes, not wanting to sit through another one of Stand and Madison's arguments.

Emma lays back on the couch, wiggling her cold feet under Alex's thighs as she watches them argue.

"We can shine a light."

"Should I get you some flippers?" Madison challenges, stepping up to Strand, "You going for a swim?"

"The longer we wait, the bigger the risk," Daniel says, trying to get through to Madison.

"I'll do it," Travis calls, barely looking up from the book. Madison tries to reason with him, but everyone decides that the faster they can get moving, the better.

//

Alex barley got any sleep after that. He stayed up with Emma while Travis went diving under the boat.

They lounged around until the sun came up, drifting in and out of sleep until everyone else on the boat was awake.

Now outside, the two of them watch Nick and Chris as they try to show Rylee how to fish. Emma laughs at the face Rylee makes as she hooks hooks the raw fish when Alicia runs over.

"Mom? Mom."

"I know you're not running on my deck," Strand calls over his shoulder as he heads over to a table to fiddle with his radio, passing Madison as he goes.

"Jesus, seriously?"

"What is it?"

"Look over there," Alicia hands the binoculars to Madison. She looks out in the direction Alicia pointed her in, "do you see it?"

"Is that-"

"Suitcases. A lot of luggage." Alicia looks proud, her chest puffing up slightly.

"Holly shit, where'd all that wash up from?"