Anchored Read online

  Published by Evernight Teen ® at Smashwords

  www.evernightteen.com

  Copyright© 2017 Brenda Beem

  ISBN: 978-1-77339-442-8

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: JC Chute

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To my husband Gary, the real Captain of Whistler.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I am grateful to many people, who year after year, support and encourage me. As I come to the end of Whistler’s voyage, know that I could not have done it without you.

  A huge thank you to the members of “Writers in the Rain;” Eileen Riccio, Suma Subramaniam, Martina Elise Dalton, Fabio Bueno and my “Friday Morning,” partner, Dennis Robertson. My writing groups force me to write better, dig deeper, and use commas.

  I also had excellent beta readers. Thank you Allie Urban, Barbara Lampman, and Allison Davey for your wonderful insights.

  My sisters in P.E.O indorse my novels and use the profits from sales to make the world a better place. They give meaning to my work.

  My friends, neighbors, and family encourage me constantly. You know who you are.

  McKenzie Tobeck; it has been fun learning from you as you promote my novels on social media.

  Cathy Durning and Florrie Parks; a big hug for the hours you’ve spent turning my novel into a screen play. Whatever may come of it, I will always be grateful.

  Jane Chute, my Evernight Teen editor, always puts the final polish on my stories. Jay Aheer designed the perfect cover. Thank you both.

  Evernight Teen, Stacey Adderley, and Sandra Pesso, I’m so appreciative that you chose my novels to publish. You are great to work with. It has been exciting to watch Evernight grow.

  And, last but not least, a giant thanks to my fans who ask when the next book will be out and leave wonderful reviews. You’re the best.

  ANCHORED

  Knockdown, 3

  Brenda Beem

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  I inhaled the salty air and scanned the sea. A six-foot swell was headed straight for Whistler. We rode the wave and teetered on top for a brief moment. The sails filled, and I gripped the wheel as the boat slid down onto the choppy waters below.

  My boyfriend, Takumi, stood behind me and whispered in my ear. “I already miss the island.”

  I smiled and wiggled out of his arms. “Takumi! You’re going to make me crash the boat.” I searched the debris-littered sea. “We’re getting close to San Diego. Why don’t you go below and get my cell? We might have service soon.”

  Takumi stuck out his lower lip. My big, strong boyfriend looked like a pouty, petulant little boy.

  “Please!” I said and burst out laughing as he kissed my cheek, and left.

  I was happy to be back out on the ocean. Soon, we’d find my parents, drop our friends off in Mexico, and then build a new home.

  My friends and I had come a long way. After surviving a mega-tsunami and sailing down the Pacific Coast hours ahead of an Ice Age, we’d anchored at an island off California. We’d been hoping for a safe harbor, but instead found one danger after another. Finally, Whistler sailed to a secluded cove on the far side of the island. There, the crew took a much-needed break.

  Takumi and I had spent our time at the cove exploring and gathering food. We’d found a little meadow that had a slow-moving stream and camped, hunted, and picked wine grapes. For seven peaceful days.

  Now, we were back on the crowded boat, continuing the search for our families. And the boat was even more jam-packed than before. Jervis, my brother’s friend from school, had rescued his two little sisters from a settlement camp in Santa Barbara and brought them on board.

  From below deck, I heard a shout. Angelina, who’d also been onboard with us since Seattle, came racing up on deck. “I got radio reception. Come and listen!”

  “I’ll take the wheel,” Takumi offered.

  The entire crew was focused on the radio when I arrived below. I looked for a place to sit, but there wasn’t any. Jervis had set up a small dome tent in the middle of the main cabin. It took up all the floor space. His traumatized sisters had been hiding out in the tent since the crew had returned.

  I perched partway down on one of the cabin steps and listened. The President was just finishing her speech.

  “What did I miss?” I asked.

  “Shush!” Angelina held a finger to her lips. “It’s playing on a loop. When it’s done, you can listen from the beginning.”

  “Can someone take over for Takumi so he can join us?” I stared at my big brother, Dylan.

  He signaled for me to wait, listened to the President sign off, and stepped around me to relieve Takumi.

  Zoë, my sister-in-law, was standing in the doorway of their cabin. Her skin had a faint green tint to it. She’d been throwing-up a lot. She said it was the seas, but we all knew it was morning sickness.

  I had a tough time thinking of her as my brother Dylan’s wife, let alone a mother.

  If the world hadn’t been devastated, Dylan and his twin, Cole, would have been checking out colleges right about now. But two months had passed since volcanoes in Indonesia had erupted, sending plumes of ash and chemicals into the atmosphere, and mega-tsunamis out into the Pacific Ocean.

  Cole was injured when tsunamis hit our boat. He drowned a few days later.

  Tsunamis also destroyed the Pacific coastal areas. And a new Ice Age began freezing over the Northern Hemisphere. Thick clouds that had formed after the tsunamis, still covered the sky. We hadn’t seen the stars or sun for months, but we’d been sailing south, and so far, had escaped the deep freeze.

  While we waited for the President to speak again, Zoë climbed onto the couch, walked the length of it, and jumped down into the galley. “Jervis, that tent is coming down,” she said, and pointed at a dome tent that took up all the floor space. “It was one thing when we could spread out all over the island, but this is ridiculous.”

  Jervis glanced over at me for help.

  I shook my head. “Sorry! But she’s right. There isn’t enough room for a tent in the middle of the cabin.” I couldn’t believe I was siding with Zoë.

  A muffled cry exploded from the girls hidden under the dome. Jervis glared at me and then Zoë.

  Takumi arrived at the top of the stairs. I moved to the chart table seat as the radio announcer introduced the President of the United States. Angelina stared at the radio as she pulled her little sister, Makala, onto her lap. Our ship’s dog, Boots, jumped onto the seat and joined them. Makala struggled to get down. Angelina glanced over at Jervis.

  “It’ll be okay.” Jervis smiled encouragingly.

  I didn’t know if he was referring to the girls, or something the President had said.

  Makala slid between the tent and the couch, and knocked on the tent wall. “Can Boots and me come inside and play?”

  Angelina sighed. “Not now, Makala!”

  “Stay away,” one of Jervis’s little sisters yelled.

  Makala’s lower lip trembled.

  Boots growled.

  Jervis opened his arms. “Makala, come here, sweetie. They don’t mean it.”

  One of the girls inside the dome cried out. “Yes, we do!”

  Angelina took Makala back from Jervis and crawled to the end of my bed.

  Nick, one of my brothers’ best friends, re-banded his pony tail, then joined Angelina and Makala. He held her hand. Worry lines creased his forehead.

  “What did the President say?” I asked.

  “Listen! It’s just about to start again,” Nick said.

  Seconds before the radio announcer introduced the President, Makala threw her shoe at the tent. The girls inside squealed. Angelina pulled her back, and angrily whispered in her ear. The corners of Makala’s mouth twitched and she reached down to pet Boots.

  I shook my head and focused on what the President was saying.

  “My fellow Americans, it has been two months since we experienced the greatest natural disaster mankind has ever known. I am proud to say that much has been accomplished here in the U.S. Troops have rescued thousands of families trapped by snow and ice. Resettlement camps have been set up along the border of Mexico, and in every major city in the south.

  “For the time being, the extreme cold seems to have stopped expanding south. There have even been reports of actual sun sightings in Puerto Rico and Florida as the emissions from the volcanoes dissipate.”

  “But our scientists do not believe the end is near. For the foreseeable future, snow and ice will cover the northern parts of our world.”

  Takumi and I looked at one another. Everyone had hoped that the Ice Age would end as quickly as it had begun. It didn’t sound like that was going to happen.

  The President continued. “Our neighbor to the north, Canada, has suffered even more than we have. Almost the entire country is covered in snow and ice. The Prime Minister and I have had many long visits, as we search for ways to keep our people and countries viable.”

  “As of today, Canada and the United States of America are joining forces. We welcome all Canadian
citizens to travel to our southern states. Canada and the U.S. will cooperate with rescue efforts, and will form a combined military to defend our territory and our people. Canada has pledged its resources to help support its people and ours.

  “Mexico, however, has closed its borders. The Prime Minister of Canada and I are negotiating a treaty that will allow some migration to and through Mexico for our peoples. We are hopeful that this can be accomplished in peaceful and diplomatic ways, but we are prepared for all scenarios.”

  My heart pounded. Angelina and Makala had family in Mexico. We’d promised to reunite them.

  Takumi put his arm around me and shook his head. I glanced at Whistler’s crew. Worry lines and frowns appeared on each of their faces. We couldn’t speak in front of the children, but we were all wondering the same thing. What were the U.S and Canada planning to do, if negotiations with Mexico failed?

  Chapter Two

  The cabin remained silent. Even the little girls seemed to understand that the news was not good.

  “Keep checking the radio. I’m sure our leaders will work things out,” Angelina said.

  I wondered what Cole would have thought. At times like this, I missed him more than ever. He’d always been the calm voice of reason.

  Takumi hugged me close. He had not heard from his family, and accepted that they had died when the tsunamis wiped out Japan. He wanted to go back to the island we’d been on. We could survive there. We had fresh water, food, and even a friend in the military.

  But we’d made promises to the crew. My parents were waiting for my brothers and me in Tijuana. Nick was anxious to get to Texas and join his family, who were herding their cattle south. Jervis was searching military bases for his dad. Angelina and Makala needed a ride to their grandparents’ farm in Mexico.

  Jervis shook his head. “We’re going to have to wait awhile to hear more from the President. We only have two house batteries and the starter left. I’m going to disconnect the one the radio’s hooked up to now. In a day or so we can connect it back, and see if there is an update.”

  He pulled up the seat cushion he’d been sitting on. Below the seat was a bank of batteries. On our journey away from the island, he had fully disconnected the entire row and then attached cables from the boat to one battery at a time. We had limited power to the port outlets and the radio when the boat was connected. We had a little diesel left, but decided to only use it to keep the engine battery charged. Without the engine to power them, the other batteries were slowly dying. Soon we would run out of our only way to charge our cells and hear the President.

  “Does Mexico even have an army?” Nick tipped his head.

  “Of course, Mexico has an army!” Angelina looked annoyed.

  “Canada and the U.S. will kick Mexico’s butt. If we do go to war, that is.” Nick smirked.

  Angelina stood with her hands on her hips. “What are you thinking? No one wins if there’s a war. There’s enough chaos already.”

  I’d never heard Angelina speak so sharply to Nick.

  She sat back down and continued to glare. “The entire coast is in ruins. People are homeless. Mexico might not have the severe weather the north has, but its coastal cities were destroyed by the tsunamis, too. The last thing anyone needs is a war.”

  Nick looked at me and then back at Angelina. “You’re right. I didn’t mean anything…”

  I jumped in and changed the subject. “Your grandparents live on the Baja peninsula. Are you sure they’re okay?”

  Angelina began tidying up the main cabin. “I’m sure. Loreto is surrounded by huge, steep cliffs. If they got the same warning we did, they would have had time to climb high above where the waves hit, or maybe even drive into the hills. The farm was probably destroyed, though. And I don’t know how they would have saved all the animals. But my grandparents and cousins will rebuild.” Angelina threw a folded blanket on top of a pile of bedding.

  Nick left to join Takumi on deck. Makala climbed on top of the blanket pile. The stack of bedding wobbled with the movement of the boat.

  Angelina watched Nick leave. “When I was a kid, my cousins and I used to hike the hills around my grandparents’ farm. The steep cliffs are covered in caves. We stayed out of them because of scorpions, snakes, and other critters. But I bet my grandparents and uncles found a way to clear out some of the caves if they didn’t have time to cross over the hills.”

  Scorpions? Snakes? War? I shivered and faced back toward the island we’d left. Maybe Takumi was right.

  When Jervis was through with the batteries, he began dismantling the tent we’d complained about. His sisters huddled together at his side, staring at the floor, while he stowed it.

  Angelina snatched Makala off the pile of bedding moments before it toppled over. “Jervis, you and your sisters can have the stern cabin if Makala and I can keep our gear stowed there.”

  Jervis smiled and gave Angelina a hug.

  “That’s my room!” Makala wailed.

  Jervis took Makala from Angelina. “Makala, it is your room. Will you share it with my sisters? Please?”

  Naomi, Jervis’s baby sister, smiled shyly up at Makala.

  “No!” his older sister cried. “I’m staying out here with you!”

  “That’s enough, Rebecca!” Jervis kneeled beside the girls while Makala clung to his neck. “Angelina was very generous to offer us her cabin, but I’m too big to climb into that berth. I’ll be right out here if you need me. I’ve let you get by with being rude. I know you’ve had a tough time. But that’s over, now. Momma is looking down on us and shaking her head. Be nice or be quiet.”

  Rebecca started to sob. I could see the pain on Jervis’s face, but he sat down on the couch and held Makala on his lap.

  After what felt like a long time, Angelina patted Jervis’s shoulder and took Makala from him. I picked up Boots and headed up top.

  For about an hour we sailed south. Finally, we dropped our sails and floated near what looked like an opening to a harbor. The mouth was packed with floating debris and partially sunken ships. There were no signs to tell us where we were. Even the buoys marking the opening were gone. I reminded Dylan to stay far away from the big ships. We’d had a near miss in Santa Barbara, when a sinking ship almost sucked us down with it.

  “I’m not sure this is San Diego.” I stood at the rail. “Maybe we should keep going.”

  Dylan shook his head. “We need maps. This area was hit harder than anything we’ve seen. We’re close to the Mexican border and sailing blind. Too much could go wrong. The coastal map the Commander gave us only went as far as the border between San Diego and Tijuana. Long ago, my family and I crossed the border into Mexico from San Diego. We were driving, but I remembered how close the two cities were.”

  I stared down at the map. “Dylan, San Diego is the closest harbor to Tijuana. But the city of Tijuana is inland.”

  “Really?” Dylan grabbed the map out of my hand. “Then why did Commander Wilson tell us to meet our parents in Tijuana? He knew we’d be on our sailboat.”

  I passed the pages on to Nick and Takumi. “Maybe the Commander knew our parents were going to be dropped off in San Diego and would hike to Tijuana? We never heard where the sailboat they left on was headed for. Maybe he thought we knew what he did?”

  Dylan handed back the map. “Well, we still have to figure out where we are, and then get some kind of chart of the Mexican coastline. Even a tourist map would be better than nothing.”

  We’d been at sea for five days and were ready a few days of calm water. “Okay, then. Let’s head in. I could use a night in a sheltered harbor.” I loosened the starboard jib line, ran to the port jib line, and held it ready.

  Takumi gripped the mainsail line. When Dylan spun the wheel and yelled, “Coming about!” we pulled the sails across the boat. We were headed into whatever bay this was.