Anchored Read online

  The sky grew dark earlier every day. It was only four in the afternoon, but the sky was almost pitch black. Takumi lit the cockpit fire. I yelled down for everyone coming up to bring blankets.

  Soon, most of the crew members were on deck. Jervis looked apologetic as his little sisters clung to his side. Makala chased Boots around the boat and giggled. Angelina caught up with them and threatened to take them below if they didn’t behave. Makala glanced at Jervis’s sisters and grinned. Boots’s tail never stopped wagging.

  We were all relieved to be anchored. The open ocean had not been fun. Besides Zoë being sick all the time, none of us had gotten much sleep. We had to prop our feet against the walls to keep from falling off our beds. We’d roll out of bed when the boat hit a wave.

  Dylan and Zoë were the last to appear on deck.

  “I need to be by the fire,” she whined. “Our baby will get a chill.”

  Angelina pulled Makala up on her lap and made room for Zoë.

  Takumi put his hand on my shoulder. I leaned against the wheel. Dylan tucked a blanket around Zoë and joined me.

  I cleared my throat and everyone but Boots grew still. “Okay. This is what we know. There is something that smells awful in the water, and we think it’s crude oil. It might be bad for the fiberglass on the boat. No one is to use the water in the bay for anything.”

  Jervis raised his hand.

  “You don’t have to raise your hand, Jervis,” I said.

  “What about water for the bathroom? Can we put the bay water in the black bucket to rinse it out? And wash our hands?”

  “I’m sure we shouldn’t use bay water to wash our hands. It might dissolve the rubber in the bucket. It would help if any of us knew anything about crude oil.” I glanced around the crowded deck.

  Jervis’s sister, Rebecca, whispered in his ear.

  “Tell them,” he said and gestured out at the group.

  The little girl sat with her head lowered.

  “Tell us what?” I asked.

  “Rebecca said she wrote a report about crude oil spills for school last year.”

  “Tell us. All we know is that it coats animals and plants and they die,” Dylan said. “Do you know what it will do to the boat? What it will do to us?”

  Rebecca whispered in Jervis’s ear again.

  Jervis’s eyes got big. “She said that it is bad to breathe in the fumes. The air is most dangerous right after a spill, but she doesn’t know how long ‘right after a spill’ is. The fumes cause cancer.”

  I pulled my sweatshirt up over my mouth and nose. The others did the same or covered their mouths and noses with their hands.

  “What about the boat? Will it eat the fiberglass or take the paint off?” Dylan asked through his tee shirt.

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  “What about the water under the oil?” I asked. “If we clean the oil off the top of the water, will the water underneath be okay?”

  She shook her head and pulled Jervis back down.

  Jervis interpreted. “She said that as the oil falls apart, the bad stuff in the oil disappears into the water. Even when you can’t see it, it can make you sick.”

  I smiled. “Thanks. You’ve been very helpful. Is there anything else we need to know?”

  Rebecca looked at Zoë, then down at her shoes. “The poison in the oil is very bad for animals that are going to have babies,” she said softly.

  “Pregnant animals?” Zoë stood with her hand on her stomach. “Dylan, get me out of here. Now!”

  Dylan crossed the cockpit and took Zoë aside. “I’m sure she means animals that swim in the water, don’t you, Rebecca?”

  She shrugged again.

  Dylan walked Zoë to the stairs. “Go below and close the door.”

  Jervis helped the little girls below deck, then came back on top. He’d tied a dishtowel over his face. “What’s the plan?”

  “Obviously, we can’t stay here. And the farther into the bay we go, the toxicity will be worse.” Nick glanced back at the darkened city.

  Takumi stepped forward. “Before Whistler leaves, we should check out some of the boats around us to see if there is anything we can scavenge. We’re out of staples. Tonight, I used up the last of the rice. We’ve been careful with fresh water, and we still have the sun shower, but we’ll need more water in a day or so.”

  Jervis raised his hand, again.

  I moaned. “Stop doing that. We’re not in school.”

  Jervis grinned. “I’d like to see if we can find any marine batteries or radios. Maybe a couple of shortwave radios we can use to contact the boat, and each other, if we get separated in Mexico.”

  I nodded. “Those are great ideas. But our priority should be to find a nautical map. Or at least a coastal map of the Baja. At sunrise, let’s take the kayaks and the dinghy out in pairs to search the harbor for a couple of hours. Once we have a map, we can plan, and then Whistler can leave.”

  No one said anything, so I added, “Good. Tomorrow’s settled.”

  I pulled the neck of my sweatshirt down and stared at my brother. “Just so you know, when Whistler sails away, I won’t be on it. I’m going to walk to the border. Mom and Dad probably won’t arrive for a while, but I can see what’s what and watch for them.”

  “No way! We’re staying together!” Dylan cried.

  “You can’t sail to Tijuana, and Whistler can’t stay here while I go look for them. It’s too dangerous, especially for your baby and the girls. You have to get everyone to a safer place. Walking across the city sounds better to me than spending any more time than we have to around this toxic water.”

  “I don’t like this idea at all.” Dylan put his hands on my shoulders. “You’re not going off alone. That’s final.”

  I tried not to grin. He sounded just like our father.

  “She won’t be alone.” Takumi put his arm around my shoulders.

  “I’ll go too,” Nick offered.

  I thought for a moment. It would be nice to have a third person, someone to help out if Takumi and I got into trouble. But Dylan needed both Nick and Jervis to work the sails when the boat was out in the open ocean.

  “Takumi and I’ll be fine. Dylan needs you more,” I told Nick.

  Dylan put his hands on his hips. “Jervis and I can sail this boat just fine. Angelina knows what to do as well. If you insist on going, take Nick too.”

  “Really? Do I get a say?” Nick scowled.

  I cringed. Nick had offered to take on a great risk and we were talking about him like he wasn’t even here. “Sorry, Nick. Thank you for your offer. Takumi and I would love to have you watch our backs.”

  Nick shrugged. “Fine.”

  Angelina’s eyes welled, and she left to go below.

  I really needed to get her alone and find out what was going on with her.

  ****

  We closed the hatch that night and stuffed towels in the fresh air vent. We usually kept at least a little air coming in, but even with the hatch closed, I could smell the oil. I began to wonder if it was just my imagination.

  Rebecca whined and argued with Jervis. She refused to sleep in the girls’ cabin. But when Makala appeared with three picture books and a chapter book, Rebecca quieted down. Makala passed the books around and asked the girls which one they wanted to hear.

  “Hear? Angelina will read to us?” Naomi squealed. “We haven’t heard a bedtime story since… since….”

  “Sissy reads to me every night. Sometimes, she even makes up stories.” Makala stood tall.

  “Come on, Rebecca. Just this one night?” Naomi pleaded.

  Rebecca sighed loudly and pointed at the chapter book. “A Wrinkle in Time,” she mumbled, and headed into the girls’ cabin.

  It was a start. My grin faded as I messaged my parents and best friend. I told my parents we were in San Diego and would look for them at the border crossing. I encouraged my friend to travel inland.

  Jervis sprawled across the mattress on the floor next to me and rolled so all I could see was his back. Nick threw a sleeping bag on the couch next to Jervis. It was a crowded room, but after days of little sleep on the bouncy ocean, I was too tired to care.

  I powered off my cell, scooted over to make room for Takumi, and listened to the story. I was asleep in minutes.

  Boots’s yipping woke me early the next morning. Angelina let him loose up on the

  deck. She whispered that the girls were still sound asleep. Takumi and I dressed quickly. Angelina fed Boots and we nibbled on some very ripe wine grapes while Dylan, Nick, and Jervis got ready.

  We grabbed backpacks, a couple of pillowcases, and paired up naturally. Takumi was with me, Angelina with Nick, and Jervis with Dylan.

  Jervis and I were the last to leave. He kept staring at the closed door to the girls’ cabin. “I should go in and tell them what we’re doing,” he whispered.

  “Don’t wake them. They’ll be fine. They probably won’t even get up until we’re back,” I reassured him. “And Zoë is here. She might not want to watch the girls, but she always comes through when she’s needed.”

  “Maybe! I just wish I’d told them I was leaving.” Jervis glanced at his sisters, and then headed up on top.

  Chapter Five

  Dylan, Jervis, Angelina, and Nick rowed the dinghy toward the damaged and partially submerged commercial boats in the harbor. We checked our watches and cells and agreed to meet back at Whistler in three hours.

  Takumi and I paddled the kayaks across the bay toward the airport. The toxic odors burnt our sinuses, and after a while, the smells seemed to lessen.

  The oil on the water glistened in the dim morning light. Rubber boat cushions, life jackets, and canvas, all covered in thick crude oil floated past. Loose dinghies, kayaks, and deck chairs poked out from under the crushed boats that barely stayed afloat in the bay. In our path, a giant yacht lay on its side on top of a large wooden sailboat. Two bright yellow kayaks were still strapped to its fly deck.

  The closer to land we got, the more difficult kayaking became. We paddled around an airplane wing and were suddenly blocked by a cement bulkhead that separated a protected breakwater area from the bay.

  Takumi pointed out the pilings inside the breakwater. Between us and the airport, there had been several marinas. That explained all the boats.

  A short way beyond the bay and marinas, were the ruins of an airport. Getting to the airport from the bay was beginning to look impossible. There were too many sunken and smashed boats.

  We rested our paddles across our kayaks and floated at the edge of the mostly intact wall. Crude oil spread across the bow of our kayaks.

  “How are we going to get there?” I stared at the unending wreckage.

  Takumi held up his paddle and gestured with it. “What about over there?”

  Off to our right, we could see the remains of a large building. At first, it looked like the structure had been built on top of the water. When we got closer, we could tell it was actually on high ground. There was a wide strip of land that went from the building rubble to the wall we were paddling alongside. When we got to the intersection where the land met the breakwater, we noticed that the land was actually a road that went from the marinas, past the destroyed building, and then to the airport.

  We climbed on top of the cement wall and hoisted up our kayaks. Directly ahead lay the ruins of the building we’d seen. Rubble covered and blocked part of the road. We drug our kayaks behind us and headed down the road. Part way past the building wreckage, Takumi found a broken sign.

  “Sheraton Spa an—”

  I squealed. “A hotel? There will be lots of …”

  Takumi put his finger to his lips and whispered, “Scavengers that have already been here! And might still be here!”

  “Really? But?” I stared at the partial wall that remained standing. “There were restaurants, and towels, and soap.”

  Takumi stacked my kayak on top of his. “Shush!” He looked this way and that, and then kneeled beside me. “We are on the edge of a big city. Whatever might have been left in that rubble is gone by now.”

  “So, wouldn’t that be true of the planes too?” I asked.

  “Maybe.” Takumi stared at the airport. “I don’t know. But I’d like to check out the planes, anyway.”

  “But what about the boats we just passed by? Our priority is a nautical map. A boat would be a likely place.”

  Takumi began towing the kayaks down the littered street. “My dad had a pilot friend who always carried a bag of maps with him. Even with all our technology, he felt better having a backup.”

  “But those would be aerial maps. They wouldn’t tell you how deep the water in a bay is, or how wide the mouth of a river is.” I steadied the kayaks while Takumi climbed up and over a pile of cement slabs and surveyed the area again.

  I handed the kayaks up to him, one at a time, all the while trying not to get oil on me.

  “You’re right,” he whispered as he restacked them. “I was just thinking we should look somewhere different from where Whistler’s crew is hunting. We can check out the boats on our way back.”

  None of this was making any sense. In the destroyed marinas, we’d passed by at least fifty pleasure boats, some with partially intact cabins. We could have stepped from one boat to the other, they were so smashed together. They probably would have been searched already, but it was unlikely any of the scavengers would have been interested in nautical maps.

  “Takumi!” I stopped him. “What’s going on? Why are you so insistent that we go to the airport?”

  Takumi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “If my parents got a plane out of Japan, this might be an airport they would have come to.”

  I gulped. “So, do you think…” I searched for the right words. “Do you think your parents might still be hanging around the airport?”

  Takumi chuckled. “I haven’t gone that crazy. But it’s likely the passenger lists will have been left on the planes. If my parents did catch a flight back, it would have been a tight schedule. The flights from Japan to the U.S. take over ten hours. They would’ve had to book one of the last planes headed for the States. And when they arrived, the airport ground crews would have been gone. The luggage from the last few international flights should still be in the luggage hold.”

  I didn’t know what to say.

  Takumi began walking, then stopped, and turned to me. “It’s a long shot. And even if they landed here, it doesn’t mean they’re still alive. You know what Seattle was like. San Diego would have been the same. The people on these planes probably wouldn’t have had a way out of the city. Remember the Alaskan cruise people, who didn’t have a ride to the airport and took our cars?”

  I nodded.

  “I’m pretty sure my parents are gone. But I just wanted to see, you know?” He lowered his head. “It’s hard not knowing.”

  I gave him a hug. “I’m sorry. What exactly are we looking for?”

  Takumi spoke softly. “First, I want to check the cockpit for the origination of the flight. If I find one from Japan, I’ll look for the passenger list. If I can’t find a list, I’ll check the luggage hold. See if I can find a bag with their name tags.” His expression fell. “Sorry I didn’t tell you.”

  “That’s okay. I get it. Let’s go check out the planes. Which ones fly to Japan?”

  Takumi listed off a number of airlines. What he wanted to do seemed impossible, but he had taken on the mission to find my parents for me. Helping him, no matter how slight the chance for success, was the least I could do.

  I took his hand in mine, squeezed it tight, as we hurried forward.

  In every place we’d been since the disaster, I’d been amazed at what survives and what does not. The enormous hotel and grounds we crossed was in ruins, yet a couple of palm trees only a few yards away still swayed in the wind. I was staring up at one of the trees looking for coconuts when Takumi suddenly dropped the line to the kayaks and grabbed my arm.

  I gasped and looked down. I’d almost fallen into a huge, deep, tiled hole. “Thanks!” I caught my breath.

  Takumi held me close and whispered in my ear. “That was a swimming pool. It either cracked and all the water drained out, or people took the water.”

  I flashed on the last pool I’d seen. Had it only been a month since I’d got word of the tsunami coming at my school dive practice? It felt like a lifetime ago.

  We gathered up the kayaks and walked carefully around the pool. Takumi was in stealth mode and not talkative. I got it. We were on land. On the edge of a huge city. And our record with strangers in new places wasn’t very good.

  Every once in a while, Takumi would motion for me to be still, and would climb up on top of a car or pile of rubble to check out the area ahead. It was eerily still, but we couldn’t afford not to be cautious.

  We arrived at a huge redwood tree that had crashed over the top of a fountain. Takumi scrambled onto the trunk and pointed. “We’re getting close. Let’s leave the kayaks here. It’s too hard to keep towing them, and if they get stolen, we can always get others off the boats from the marinas.”

  We hid the kayaks under the branches of the downed tree and made better time. I checked my watch. Only two hours to go.

  “Hurry,” Takumi whispered as we raced toward the closest planes.

  In the distance, I could still see the wreckage of hundreds of planes and the collapsed airport terminals. We were on what looked like a parking lot.

  Either the tsunami had picked up and deposited jet liners across a huge parking lot, or the pilots had tried to land on the lot. Cars, trucks, busses, and planes were all smashed together across the pavement. Many of the planes were charred. They must have crash-landed and caught fire.

  The smell of death was all around us. I pulled my sweatshirt over my mouth and nose. We moved quickly past planes full of charred bodies that were still belted into their seats.

  Directly ahead, two mostly intact planes rested on top of one another. I studied an Alaska Airlines jetliner. A rubber evacuation slide was deflated, but still partially attached to an open door on the side of the fuselage. I looked at Takumi.