Chapter 37 Daniel
Chapter 37
Daniel
Daniel was berating himself for letting Chuck convince him of this insane plan. But it wasn’t until Ore was in the room that he knew he had to abandon the madness. He hadn’t dared to look at her, partly because he really needed to focus on the task at hand, and partly because he feared that if he looked into her deep dark eyes he might melt. Right now, it was only adrenaline and a dash of dissociation keeping him in control and he imagined that a warm smile from her might break him down into a blubbering mess.
As it was, her presence had calmed him, and it wasn’t until she had burst through the door that he’d realised how worried he’d been about her.
‘Captain Wilsons.’ It was the radio again, but the internal channel this time. Even Vicky sounded stressed. It must be bad.
‘I’m hunkered down in the salon on the lower deck with all the guests. Well most of them … Ore is unaccounted for.’
Dudley interrupted. ‘She’s with us.’
‘How the hell did she get up there? Anyway … that’s great, but we can’t find Mel …’ There seemed to be some commotion in the background and the line cut out.
It took a moment for Daniel to even remember who Mel was. He hadn’t seen her in days. She usually kept to herself, slinking around the boat from her room to the gym to the pool and back.
‘I really hope she’s all right.’ Ore’s voice came from behind him.
Then Vicky was back. ‘Chuck is going out of his mind. I don’t know what to do.’ She was speaking quietly, defeatedly.
Just then, a wave flung itself over the cabin again, the clock smashed to the floor and a chair from the corner of the room slid across the floor and slammed into the wall.
Ore yelped.
‘Are you OK, Ore?’ Daniel couldn’t resist anymore. He spun round in his chair. The sight of Ore made his blood run cold. She was huddled in a white robe, and her left side was drenched in what looked like blood. Despite his better judgement, he got out of his chair and knelt in front of her, his eyes wide and full of fear.
‘What happened?’ He reached out for her instinctively, laying his hand on her shoulder and leaning in to look at the wound.
‘It’s OK, Daniel, it’s not what it looks like … It’s just, it’s um, steak juice?’ She looked up at him and the absurdity of the moment was overwhelming. He burst out laughing and soon enough she’d joined in.
‘Guys, I think that this cute moment is going to have to wait until we’re not in the middle of a cyclone.’ It was Dudley, but when Daniel looked over at him, he could see a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he spoke.
‘A cyclone?’ Ore’s laughter evaporated.
‘It’s not technically a cyclone; it’s just a violent storm.’ Ore’s face fell and it dawned on him that for those not versed in shipping terminology ‘violent storm’ didn’t sound that reassuring. It was definitely better than a cyclone though.
‘We’re charting out of it now, so in an hour or so, we should be in calmer water.’
Ore nodded, still looking nervous.
‘Don’t worry, you’re in safe hands,’ Dudley piped up.
‘I know,’ Ore almost whispered looking into Daniel’s eyes. The air between them stilled, and Daniel felt his heart ache.
‘Not as safe as Annie’s but still …’ Dudley muttered under his breath, breaking the trance of the moment.
Daniel was crouched in front of Ore, and another crash knocked him off balance.
‘Daniel!’ Ore reached for him.
‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ he said, dragging himself back over and into his seat. He was a bit embarrassed, but more than that he was touched by the concern in her voice.
Over the next half an hour the violence of the waves calmed. Daniel decided to check in with the rest of the boat.
‘Vicky, how’s everything down there? I think we’re out of the worst of it.’
‘We’re OK, still no sign of Mel though. I would try and find her, but I need to stay here and keep everyone calm. Some of the greener crew are totally traumatised.’
Daniel could sympathise. He remembered his own first big storm, back when he’d been a deckhand. It was really the first time he had understood all that talk of the ocean as a ‘cruel and unforgiving mistress’. That was when he’d come to terms with the fact that she could never really be controlled. It had terrified him and seduced him. He was a man who strove for control in all things, and here was one thing he could never tame.
‘Any idea where she could be?’ Daniel asked.
‘I sent Oscar out to scout the obvious places, but this boat is bloody huge, Daniel. It’s hard to know where to start.’ Even through the distortion of the radio, Daniel could hear the exhaustion in Vicky’s voice.
‘I think I know where she is.’ It was Ore, speaking like she’d just had a revelation.
‘How would you …?’ Daniel began but before he could finish the sentence Ore was stumbling to her feet. He stood up just in time to catch her as she lost her balance. The swaying was less severe, but the boat was by no means sailing smoothly.
‘Thanks.’ Ore steadied herself. ‘Just trust me,’ she said and locked Daniel in a stern gaze. Finally, he nodded.
‘We’re going to find her,’ he reported back to Vicky. And then he turned to Dudley. ‘You got this,’ Daniel said and before Dudley had time to protest, he was leading Ore out of the wheelhouse, the door slamming behind them.
‘I think she’s in the cinema room,’ Ore said and then frowned. ‘Although I have to admit I have no idea where that actually is.’
‘Lucky I’ve memorised the entire layout of the boat,’ Daniel said.
‘Of course you have,’ Ore replied, rolling her eyes. ‘Please, Captain, lead the way.’
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Daniel smiled to himself, pleased to be the beneficiary of that much famed English ‘teasing’.