splash

Chapter Three: Rescue Mission

Splash! Another iceberg fell into the ocean in front of me. It's the fifth one this week. splash! "The icebergs melt and fall at an unexpected rate, captain. We could sink! We have to go back to Iceland. It's dangerous here! The icebreaker can't take a direct hit by an iceberg!" Is what Eric yelled at me while I had a smoke on the deck. I finished exhaling smoke and said "We have nowhere to go to, have you forgotten? Where would you go? To the house or two that haven't sunk on our home island?. It's safer here in the ocean, than on every beach on this poor planet. Don't forget why we're here. There are people in Greenland, or at least what's left of it, that need rescue. So stop whining and keep going!" Splash!

We continued ahead towards Greenland as we sailed over what used to be the Faroe Islands. The wind was blowing hot and sultry rain came down on us as we navigated the stormy sea. 'Sometimes it's hard for me to believe how quickly humanity fokked itself so bloody hard... The only thing that holds people nowadays is the desire to survive, ay? I remember when I was little I had a dream of coming to New York city. Times square, Manhattan. For a little boy who was born in a small town in Iceland, to get to the bloody apple was a dream. It's a shame that today New York is underwater.' I thought to meself. "Captain Jokul, we are approaching the town of Tassilac, but it is dangerous. We heard on the radar that the New-New-York is sailing close by on a fishing trip. We can join them, just say the word and I will send a distress signal. Captain ... Please." Eric said while looking at me desperately as we sailed our little ship through what remained of the Arctic glaciers "The New-New-York you say? I don't trust these floating super cities. The real New York has long been gone mate" I told Eric in a disgruntled voice.

Eric was silent for a moment and then raised his voice "I'm tired of it Jokul. You never listen to me. You always think of other people, and that's what I admire in you, but you forget we are people too! And the whole crew is scared. I'm scared. I understand that seeing Oslo evoked your feelings, but unlike you Captain, I worry about my people before worrying about complete strangers in a lost country!!!" I admit Eric surprised me. He's such a quiet and caring person ... And I ignored him. "You spoke beautifully Eric. Change course back to Iceland, it really seems that a serious storm is ahead of us."

'I've been a sailor for 40 years even before the first melting of 2035 but in all me years I haven't gone back on a rescue mission. I guess I'm getting old. The world is not what it used to be and I think Eric is also beginning to understand it. It's sad for me to see young people lose hope. Well, it is only natural since they did not even experience the pre-melting world. I remember that at their age I would have done anything to change the situation but I guess I was too little too late. I never had a chance to make an impact.' Splash!
""Bollocks Captain! In front of us, a huge iceberg!!! All the wheel to the left now!!!" Me self-contemplation stopped by the screaming of Anderson. I left the captain's quarters to see what was happening and I saw fear incarnate. A huge glacier started to completely crack and fall apart. The crew were in a direct course towards it. "Eric, Ragnahorn, sails!" I shouted and started to take control of the situation. "Anderson, direct us how to get the fokk out of here or I'll take your other leg. Bayartor, you at the wheel, Stir, you are with me. We will have to operate the jet engine now." I continued shouting loudly to all the crew members but everyone looked at me paralyzed with fear. I looked at them and thought 'I suppose it is understandable they had never experienced a tsunami before like me.' "Come on knuckleheads!! If you don't move I'll throw you into the sea meself! You're too young to die, now move it!" I yelled at them. Eric took command while I dragged Stir to the engine room. "This jet engine captain is a model of 2029. You, more than most people, must know that this engine didn't start in a decade." Stir yelled at me while under pressure. "Then it's time to wake him from the vacati..." Suddenly the ship rattled powerfully from a part that fell from the iceberg. The clock was ticking and we were running out of time. "If you ever want to cruise the New Vancouver you have to make this bloody work!" I told Stir and he looked at me with the face of a frightened child. Despite it, he was still full of admiration and went to work. I ran to the main deck to see the situation, it was bad.

Heavy rain and black sky covered the horizon in the few minutes I spent in the engine room. The main sail of the ship was ripped through the wind and in all the mess I saw Raghanhor unconscious on the floor. "Raghanhor are you okay!?" I shouted to him, "He is breathing captain but it's not good the sails were ripped from the wind!!" Eric yelled to me from the other part of the ship. I shouted back "Hold tight there Eric. We have to rely on Stir to run the engine. Biortor! direct us to the left and everybody hold on... " I spoke with Biortor that I couldn't spot Anderson anywhere. "Biortor where Is Anderson? And be concise. We do not have time for stories. I shouted to Biortor. "Do you think I'm a retard captain?! Anderson and Raghanhor quarreled on board and Raghanhor got the sail in his head and fainted. After that I saw Anderson running away. It's not clear where to." Biortor shouted back. "This Scottish bastard... Just keep trying to not get us killed Biortor, I'll find him.".

I ran on the rocking deck towards the back of the ship, "I need help here!" I heard Eric shout from the direction of the sail. 'Where is this stinky navigator?' Is what I kept thinking to meself until I got to the lifeboats of our ship and just as I thought I found Anderson there. "A limbless little cock! You're trying to run away in a crisis!" I shouted at Anderson and ran towards him angrily. Anderson turned around in a panic and before he could speak we both fell to the floor from the strong waves. "It's a boldy hellish storm, ay. It's better for us to take off from the ship. In such black skies, I have no fucking idea where to direct us!" Anderson spoke as the sound of the waves crashed into our ears from the background. "It seems to me that a brain is what you lack and not a leg.. You really think you will survive alone on a tiny lifeboat in the middle of such a storm? Listen.... I'm sorry I dragged us to this, but Raghanhor fainted and Eric is alone on board. I could use another pair of hands and a prosthetic leg... Do not abandon your lads whan they need you the most!" Anderson trembled with confusion and anxiety and could not move. I could not wait. I grabbed Anderson by his shirt and dragged him with me to the main deck. "Hold on tight guys..." Another Huge block of ice fell into the water, interrupting me shouting to my crew. This time it was a big one. A very big one.

A huge wave hit us. The ship trembled like a leaf in the wind. I flew to the other side of the ship and got a strong blow to the rear. I felt that I was beginning to lose me consciousness. A muffled voice woke me up. "Jokul, help!!!" Eric's screams were heard and I saw him cling to the edge of the ship fighting for his life. Anderson took courage and began to try to fold the main sail while I ran to Eric. Bitor put a board on the wheel so he wouldn't move and ran to help Anderson In the desperate situation "Hold tight Eric I'm coming!" I shouted. I limped to help Eric but then... Splash! A strong wave hit the ship so powerful that the only thing I could see in all the explosive shaking of the ship was Eric flying into the freezing sea. Before I could even digest what was happening a loud, deafening engine noise was heard all over the ship. Stir managed to turn on the jet engine and the ship began to sail at an uncontrollable speed. I fell over on me head and lost consciousness.

When I woke up we were close to the beach in Iceland where the town of Vik once was. The weather was sunny and the birds could be heard singing yet the staff remained quiet. Eric is dead, and that's a fact.