The Captain's daughter

Chapter Eighteen

Lucy

      The night was long. The skies grew darker and darker; the ship's swaying was starting to feel like a rocking lullaby soothing to me now as the intensity of the wild sea calmed down.
     Tucker never came to the room; I guess I hurt him. I fell asleep feeling scared and unsure of what to do.
     Do I just let him back in, or do I just let us do our thing until he's made his money?
     I didn't wake until the early morning. Everyone was still asleep. Tommy and Chester were snoring away; they were so loud they could wake the dead.
     Climbing slowly down the bunk, my body was in so much pain, still healing from the rough night from my run-in with a ruthless man taking advantage of me in my lowest state and last night with me falling over the boat.
     I gripped the railing winching at each step that felt like my body had been torn up.
     Reaching the top step, I nearly lost my balance with the boat's swaying. It was so cold I hugged my arms around my shivering body. I inched my way across, moaning at each step.
     I reached the stairs and climbed them, groaning as I pulled myself up. I entered the captain's porch expecting to find my dad at his spot. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were up here." I go to turn around, but Tucker speaks."Stay."
     Pivoting on my heels, I turned back to face him. "Have you slept at all?" I asked, worried that he hadn't rested after his heroic spectacle saving me from the dangerous sea that nearly took me away.
     "I couldn't sleep, so I offered to take over for your dad." He said. Tucker, didn't look or even tear his eyes from the navy blue ocean before us.
     "But you need to rest. You have been through a lot." I walked over and leaned against the front control panel, and looked Tucker over with concern.
     His face was flush, his cheeks sporting a deep red, almost purple shade. I reached my hand out involuntarily as if I didn't control what I was doing. He was burning up. "Fuck, Tucker, you're burning up."
     "I have a job to do, Lucy. I need to get us to our pick up and get us our catch."
     "Tucker, your sick you need rest, and have you drank anything or even eaten?"
     "I'll rest when I have my money; I'm not hungry." His voice sounded rough and coarse, like he might lose it at any moment.
      Racing down the steps, I needed to get my dad up. The last action took my breath away as the pain spread like wildfire. It felt like a burning, intense discomfort that wouldn't let up. I made my way down to my father's chambers.
     Knocking loudly on his door before entering. I took a seat beside my dad's bed; his eyes darted open. He smiled as his eyes rested on mine. "What's up, sweetheart?"
     "Tucker is sick. Can you take over?"
     "Yeah, of course. Is he ok?" He stretched as he sat up.
     "He's burning up. He looks really ill."
     "I'll be up. Take over until I get there. I'm just going to shower. Then I'll be up." He ran his large weathered hand through his salt and pepper hair.
     I nodded and stood up, biting my lip to not scream. I didn't need my dad overreacting to what happened.
     I walked out and headed back across the boat. I was nervous as the boat swayed, tossing me around. My stomach clenched, so scared I could be tossed over again like weightless garbage.
     I made it to the stairs and climbed up. I get to the top and see Tucker slumped over. I moved as quickly as I could and touched his face. His head was hanging. Drool was stringing from his mouth. I patted his face. "Tucker, wake up."
     He tried to open his heavy eyes. His head wouldn't stay up without my help.
"Tucker?" I almost cry out his name.
I looked out the window and saw a boat coming straight for us. I quickly grabbed the large steering wheel and pulled it towards me, trying to steer it away from the large vessel.
     I honked our horn. In case they didn't see us. I used the radio to try to communicate with this boat.
     Our boat was slowly moving away, but they could still hit us at the speed they were coming.
     Our boat was rocking back and forth with a vengeance like it was back to finish me off. It would tip heavily to the left as I tried to steer it away. I felt a body behind me and his hands planted on the steering wheel, helping me pull as I got tired. My arms were burning from the boat's tireless upheaval of the boat I seemed not to have control over. Suddenly the boat tipped to the other side, making me lose my grip. I fell, feeling Tucker's body tumble along with mine as we rolled along the floor of the captain's perch.
      Scrambling up, I reached for something to pull me up. I crawled to the chair and pulled myself up. I felt the boat tipping again. I dragged my body, pulling with every ounce of strength, and grasped the wood wheel. I pulled the wheel, trying to keep us from capsizing.
     My forehead was beaded with sweat. I yelled as I pulled at the wheel. I looked out front and saw the boat right beside us. Suddenly I felt a loud scarping as metal scraped along with the metal.
"Shit," I cried out.
     My dad ran in and took over. He barked at me to go and check the lower deck and check for any leaks.
      I ran out without another word. I woke up the guys and asked them to help Tucker, who was upstairs.
     Tommy followed me to the lower level of the boat. We inched our way, checking for any leaks.
     You could hear the loud scraping still as both ships slammed together. I found a small leak and looked for something to patch it temporarily.
      I knew my dad had a welder somewhere. I scrounged through the storage area. I found the welder, gloves, and mask.
     I rushed over just as the slit got bigger. The water was now streaming in. "Tommy, what do we do?"
    "We need metal scrap to cover, then weld to the side."
     "This is really bad," I said aloud, but as soon as I said it, I knew I shouldn't have. Not in a situation like this. It's not over yet.
      The floor was filling with water as we searched for metal. The sounding alarm started going off the amber light and ear-piercing warning sign that we were in trouble.
     "We have to pump it out, Tommy. It's filling too quickly."
    Do not freak out, I told myself.
   But the sloshing of water that was hovering at my ankles was starting to scare me.
     Tommy told me to get the pump. He would try and get the leak fixed.
     I pushed my way along through the water. It was slowing me down. It felt like cement as I pushed through, trying to keep me from getting through. The water rises higher and higher.
     I made it to the stairwell and made it upstairs. I got to the main deck and made my way across as if it was an ice rink, but without the stylish pirouettes instead, I looked like a less than graceful deer learning to walk.
     I made it to the other side without any incidents. But found myself falling on my ass hard. "Mother fucker." The sting of the bite lacerated my tongue as I fell hard on my ass.
    Standing up, I searched for the pump. It was on the floor in the closet. I exhale and let out the breath as I drag it out. My body ached everywhere. I grabbed the hose and placed it around my neck.
    I pushed the pump along the deck planks, unable to carry it as my back was screaming at me.
      Chester was suddenly beside me, helping me. He grabbed the pump and grabbed ahold of me, and pulled me along as if I had no legs.
     We made it down to the lower level it was not looking good.
      He told me to put the hose over the side of the ship. I nervously did as he said. I got the hose over, and the pump roared to life. I held the hose until I saw water dumping back into the ocean.