NOVEL FROG The Beginnings of an Idea
Chapter 2. The Beginnings of an Idea
Will was worried for Minnie and Naomis safety. They had dodged a bullet earlier when people had stormed the dock, trying to take the Rose. But if some of the surlier ones got wind that these three were immune to the lakes influence…well they would be captives before you knew it. Forced to work, probable slavery. That wasn’t going to happen. His old world did not have the best history when two cultures clashed. He could see Newton being overrun by the passengers, and even the crew of the Melody. A person could be reasoned with, a mob was all need and fury. He had an idea but it was dangerous on a few levels. Relocating everyone a few hundred miles up the coast, by lying to them. Telling them help was on the way but they had to get back on the lifeboats to meet the rescue boat there. Then abandoning all of them, to whatever fate awaited them all.
He had Minnie and Naomi take the Rose out to sea, to check out the Melody. Not to go on, but circle it. He told them it was to check for survivors and that was part of it. It was mostly to keep them out of harms way. He hadn’t liked the look in some of those peoples eyes, they were calculating, seeing what they could get. They would have them in cages, to keep the masters safe from the water. Nope that was never going to happen , he was going to talk to Peter and see how things were progressing and if his plan was necessary. He didn’t want to abandon Newton, but “What a mess”, he muttered as he walked on.
It was easy to follow where the horde of people had gone. Garbage, trash dumped everywhere. Meal wrappers and empty water bottles, typical behaviour from his old world. Turning a bend in the path he came across a tent city. Large inflatable tents, each capable of holding fifty people, lined up neatly. The noise level was more tolerable now, not so much screaming and crying, but this wouldn’t last. There were dozens of the Melodie’s crew milling around, carrying boxes of supplies and they directed him to where Peter was. Deep in discussion with several people, by their demeanour he could tell they were crew, not passengers. As he entered the tent he was noticed right away. An older man introduced himself as George and thanked him for the rescue. Same as an older woman named Elisabeth, she was nearly overwhelmed by the water, she said, and was about to jump from the top deck when the Rose came by.
Will did not want to bring too much attention to his presence in the camp, so he asked if Peter and a couple of the others would take a walk. Across the meadow was a line of trees, behind that was a slow moving deep river. They sat at the edge. “You realize this situation will turn bad very quickly, don’t you?”, Will asked. George had come along and spoke first “Oh yes it will, I have overheard a few conversations about how we should just take the town, and the boat. Force the crew to sail it home.”. This was exactly what Will was afraid of, but it was chilling to hear someone mention it so casually. Peter was a very competent captain, but on land he had no real power over these peoples, including his crew. If, no not if, when the tipping point came he was at as much risk as any. “Would it do any good to call a meeting and explain as much as we can?”, Will asked. Elisabeth fielded this one “We tried, on the way here, it was nearly a riot. People didn’t believe we are on another world, I barely do myself. This could be an elaborate trick, gases on the ship, actors..”. She trailed off.
“I assure you it’s no trick.”. The words came from behind them. From a smaller man, bald as an egg, wearing a long light yellow robe. Sitting at an ornate metal table with a pot of tea, and a plate of biscuits. “Hello again Will.” he said.
On the Rose Minnie was worried, very worried. Their day had started wonderfully, leaving on a long trip, new things to see, maybe new people to meet. Then that horrible huge boat had appeared and brought those mostly awful people. “I don’t like to see people in trouble, but after we helped they were all weird, looking and whispering, looking at us both, I didn’t like it.”. Naomi nodded “Me too, they’re not like us, or Will. I’m scared he won’t come back.”. They were drifting out by the Melody. There was no chance they were boarding that monster, Minnie couldn’t get lost but Naomi could get separated from her. It was just a terrible situation.
Will sighed “I hoped you would swing by, is this something you did, or what. Oh and by the way…thank you, for everything you did for Minnie and I.”. Elaith smiled fondly at him “You are so welcome Will, it brought me great happiness to help you and your friend.”, he took a sip and gestured for the others to have a seat at the table. By sheer coincidence there were enough chairs, cups and biscuits for all. Pouring tea, asking one lump or two took a few minutes but everyone was settled.
“So, what’s going on, if you made an appearance there must be a situation.”, Will said, “What excellent tea this is, a blend isn’t it, I taste orange pekoe, but there’s something fruity and something earthy as well.”. Elaith laughed, a light high happy laugh “My favourite it is, I blend it myself, but it took a while to perfect it. The secret is long steeping, to make sure the flavours all come out to play. I think even Minnie might like it, but it might just be more ‘yuck water’ to her.”. He laughed happily again. “What the Sam Hill is going on!” George shouted, standing up and throwing his teacup aside. The smile faded from Elaith’s face a bit and he gestured for George to take his seat “No need to be shouty, I’ll tell you, well not everything, but what you need to know”.
The universe has been rolling around for a long time, he explained, and sometimes accidents happen. Mostly things run the way they’re supposed to, but that one occasion, when someone helps an older man into a new life, and then doesn’t lock the door behind him, so to speak. All sorts of things can overflow and merge into other things, and the time stopping episodes were just one symptom of what was going on. “Your cruise ship popping over for a visit was the culmination of that, but I’m here to fix it. Like it never happened, on both worlds.” Elaith finished with a flourish. Will hurriedly held up a hand , Elaith smiled “No, not fixing that part. It wasn’t a mistake you coming here my friend, it was my mistake not closing the door, and locking it, putting on the chain, a chair under the knob. And then when that billionaire started playing around with magnets and rockets and cold fusion. He pried the door open a crack, just for billionth of a billionth of a picosecond. Long enough for this to happen.”.
As he was speaking the noise level was dropping, previously they could still hear shouting from the passenger area, now it was all quiet. Will stepped through the bushes around the river and saw the meadow was empty, no trace of anyone being here. He laughed and shook his head “Well done my friend.”. Then he saw it was just him and Elaith at the table. “They are back where they belong. It was a mistake, but not all. Peter could have been like you. In one possibility he and Naomi built a boat, like the Rose, and travelled for hundreds of years, in another you and he were enemies hunting each other for eternity. Those never happened but could have, if he had wanted to stay, he chose not to. We had a good long talk about it this afternoon.”.
Will had to admit he was immensely relieved that all the passengers had gone. Perhaps some of them were good people, probably many of them. But scared people are easily led into evil. “Could some of them have ever fitted in, become part of this world?” he asked. Elaith sighed “No, they were not run of the mill people, these were all wealthy entitled persons. They wouldn’t have settled for the simple life you have now, easy days fishing and catching shrimpies with Minnie and Naomi. They would have wanted more of everything until they had it all.”. The crew, some could have, but I talked with everyone and the decision was always to return.”. Will was a bit confused “How on earth did you talk to everyone, there was nearly two thousand people on that ship.”.
Elaith smiled his happy smile, it seemed to light up the meadow, looked around and beckoned Will to come close, “A wizard did it.”, he whispered and laughed. A bark of laughter escaped from Wills mouth. Ah, I wish my wife was here, he thought. He was a bit startled when Elaith placed his hand on Wills chest, over his heart “She’s right here, she’s always here Will.”.
The light radiating from Elaith’s smile grew until light was all he could see, it started fading, fading until he could see again. He was laying on his back on the deck of the Rose. Minnies and Naomi’s worried faces looking down. They were kneeling beside him, Naomi was supporting his head on her lap. “Holy cow dad, you went down like a sack of flour…boom!”, said Minnie, she was crying in shock. He reached up and patted her arm. “You cracked your head on the deck pretty badly Will, how do you feel?” asked Naomi. To be honest he felt pretty good, bit of a sore head but it was going away fast. “I’m okay, dunno what happened, just got lightheaded and maybe too hot.”, he started to stand and found his footing. Swayed a bit but that passed.
He gathered Minnie into a close hug, rubbing her small back until her shoulders stopped shaking, “It’s okay, we’re good.” Naomi was also pulled into a group hug, she was as upset as Minnie was. He had to reassure them that he was fine, no headache, yes he would like a cuppa. They sat for a minute. It had been shocking to see Will topple like a tree, but he was showing no side effects.
The Rose was just steaming along at one quarter speed, no land in sight. Weather was fine and fair, hardly any wind and the lake was heaving two foot waves but no whitecaps. Will did a sounding and found bottom about fifty feet, so he dropped anchor as Minnie cut the throttle. They found purchase and were holding well. “Let’s have an early dinner, I’m mighty hungry today.”, said Will. Of course Minnie agreed being the bottomless pit that she was. “Oh yeah, let’s barbecue those ribs we bought in Newton, and have some potatoes and carrots and peas all baked together, with butter, lots and lots of butter, and pie for afters, with that clotted yum cream, oh yes let’s have an early dinner.”. And she rushed off to start the grill. “That’s my girl.”, he laughed. Naomi was still beside him and looked a bit sad, he sat on the railing beside her. “What’s the matter, can I do anything to help?” Will asked. She turned to him, tears in her eyes and on her cheeks, “I never really knew my parents you know, they were gone when I was little.”, she sniffled a bit. Will searched for, and pulled out a handkerchief. She went on after a wipe, “Seeing you and Min, how much you love her, and watch out for her. I don’t think she knows how much you care.”. Shaking her head “When I see you guys I just wish…. I just wish I had known my dad more, he would have been like you, wouldn’t he?”. She dropped her face into her hands and sobbed, with loss and wishes that could never be. Minnie came back on deck and saw what was going on. She rushed over.
“What did you do dad, why is Naomi so upset, fix it, fix what you did!”, she yelled at Will. Naomi lifted her teary face, “Will didn’t do anything Min, I’m just missing my parents, and my sister too.”. Minnie came and sat by her and looked up into her face “But I’m your sister, you’re my family…you and dad”, she took Naomi’s hand, “The day we met you I knew, that you would be with me, love me like I love you, like family does.”. The raw emotion in her voice made Will so proud of his little…friend, daughter, companion, all of those. He reached out and held Minnie’s hand and Naomi’s “I will never know your parents, but if they were anything like their little girls then they must have been wonderful. Regina is a good friend and has been a help to us since we got here.”, he had to clear his voice a bit. “But when you first came on board, you reminded me of my own daughter, and when you asked to stay I was overjoyed. I might not be the most emotional guy in the world, and I don’t show my feelings too much. All that you are, what you do, what you bring to our odd little family, I want you to know that I love you like my child, a child of my heart. And if you..”. He was interrupted by first Naomi wrapping her arms around him and crying into his shirt, then Minnie hugging both of them.
“Geez dad, took you long enough to figure that out.”, Minnie said after a minute. Will gently flicked her ear “Hey give me a break, I’m old remember.”. Naomi had settled a bit, but laughed “Your not that old, dad.”. When he heard that he was delighted and put his arm over her shoulder, Minnie was sitting on his other side, held close.
Being on the Rose with his two most important people, life was pretty good.
The Other World
The Festival cruise ship Melody docked at the long windy quay at Cozumel with no problems. Passengers departed to visit bars and beaches, to find unique gifts and keepsakes. To go on excursions to see local wildlife or ruins. This was the huge ships first time here but over the next decades she would be here at least once a week.
Captain Peter Jensen could rest now, the ship was docked and safe. She had performed wonderfully, meeting and exceeding all expectations. The passengers had been raving about all the amenities available, how spoiled they felt with the constant care from the crew. It made his job easier when there wasn’t a constant litany of complaints to deal with.
Life was pretty good.