Chapter 2 Four days earlier
W e are looking for someone special on this voyage. I’m told that nobody quite knows who it is, but I’ve heard the tales from our last stop in England. The whispers of a person that can return us back to before the world collapsed. How can one person possibly bring us back to before the ocean erased eighty percent of the world’s population and covered the cities?
They tell stories that the old world had buildings five hundred feet or higher. Cities on land and vehicles that bring them to each new destination. Lives where you had unlimited access to knowledge and simplicity. It’s been 30 years since the world changed, the world I wish I was born sooner to see. To envision such luxury, that sight feels so out of reach.
I was born in The New World. There are now only a few islands that stand above water and my home is on a giant ship. The remaining survivors have turned the ocean into their hunting grounds and each island into a black market. You can buy and sell anything there. The most “valuable” things in the markets are unfortunately women and children. They are constantly being sold off to their new homes or prisons for the materialistic wants that human beings still crave.
Our tribe is different, we stay far away from the inhumane bidding system but do offer our tradesmen skills for food and drinks. We help fix something broken and ask no questions so we can keep our crew alive. This is the world I’ve always known. Sailing to another place in hopes to find an empty island to claim, or at least a more honorable civilization to add ourselves to. But every time we only find another corrupt island run by our sad excuse for a post apocalyptic government led by the royals. There’s always power hungry people out there and when the world changed, they were quick to take control.
We are currently on one of those islands now. Parteis Island is the largest left on earth out of five. This is the island for trade work. Many injured ships will embark here looking for supplies to recover the hull. Some people are desperate for food and water, or others find work in other talents. We are setting anchor to gather more food and water for our crew and in return we have plenty of manpower to help someone in need.
Parteis happens to be my personal favorite island because I take semi private sword lessons. A perk of being the captain’s daughter is I don’t have to do straight manual work when we arrive, but I do however have to stay up to date on my swordsmanship. Not that I am complaining because I happen to enjoy the powerful feeling of holding a sword and in this world, you never know when it will come in handy.
The gateway lowers so we can get off the boat onto the island safely and I find myself the first to rush off the ship onto the island. I walk right up to the check in line and eagerly wait. Every single person checks in and out of every island. This of course is the process set by our government, who owns and maintains every island.
“Name?!” Demands the man behind the counter space. He’s a very large man, his shoulders are wide and thick. His body is built like a brick house. His long black hair is pulled up in a full man bun. He has a long beard that’s braided in around six or seven braids. Looking down the counter top that separates us from all the workers working the check in station, every man is built as broody as this one.
“Abigail Bearing, daughter of Charles Bearing the Captain of the Whispering Wisteria.” I declare. The man grumbles as he writes my name down. He studies me up and down for a moment but mainly fixates on my face and my dark brown hair.
“You’ll go through security first. New policy.” He nods his head in the direction of security and then looks back at me.
“Of course” I agree and move in that direction. There’s really no arguing with him, the government has never been kind to those who stand against the system.
Walking to the security line, I get this weird feeling someone is staring at me. I spin my head and look back towards the man but he’s no longer sitting behind the counter. I look around but he’s just gone but then I notice a man in a long forest green cloak walking away from that spot. This is not the same man, he’s built much different.. and taller. But I can’t see his face, only the back of him as he’s walking away. I turn back towards the security line, there’s no point in fixating on this person. I get up to the line and look around to see if I can find any of our crew members but it seems to be a line of mainly women.
They probably have a separate security line for the men, I thought. But then a thought enters my mind.
Maybe they are looking for the same person we are?
The line leads to the outside of the building. Once you pass through the security, you are officially on the island.
“Keep moving,” A woman yells. She’s a shorter woman with a pixie haircut, but has a Loud precise voice . She continued pacing the line back and forth, staring at each woman she passed. I look past her to see what they are looking for at the security doors. The women are putting their weapons off to the side, as security members are studying each one. They are patting the women down and seem to be asking a series of questions. They have to be looking for someone specific. My heart starts to race. Why am I getting nervous? It’s not like they are looking for me.
The line moves up and I’m next in line. Glancing at all four girls being talked to and I notice they let the blonde ones go through without questioning them. How strange, I thought. Now I can faintly hear them asking about who their families are.
“Next!” Yells the line pacing woman. I hesitantly move up to the security members.
“Put your weapons off to the side for inspection, then move up to the line on the floor.” There’s a white rope that is pinned into the dirt. I take off my sword and gently lay it down on the security counter. I’ve had this sword since I was a child when my father first started introducing swordplay to me. It’s a gorgeous long sword made of Damascus steel, with a Latin quote on the blade from the handle down saying, “Amor et melle et felle est fecundissimus” which means “Love is rich with both honey and venom.” The blade leading to the gold guard that is shaped in long leaves with a giant flower in the middle. The grip is black wrapped in a gold rough fabric.
I remove the dagger I keep in my left boot. The dagger I had forged at this island years back to match my sword. It has less meaning but has gotten me out of trouble here and there. These islands are full of thieves, rapists and murderers and they wait for the right moment when you are alone. Being a woman has its downfalls though being a woman with a dagger, well that changes the game a bit.
I lay down the dagger beside my sword and walk right up to the white line. I smile at the security woman standing beside me.
“I’m going to pat you down while asking a couple of questions. Answer them honestly and you won’t find trouble.”
“Okay,” I reply. I have no reason to be nervous but I’m so anxious. My hands are trembling suddenly, and my breath is picking (up)? its pace. I breathe out slowly to calm myself but quiet enough to not look suspicious. I really don’t want to prolong this experience any longer than I already have.
“What’s your business here?” she barks
“We are in need of food and water, so we are here to trade services.” I answer
“How long are you planning on staying?”
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure. It always depends on the services we trade to get the food and water. But to satisfy the question I respond, “A few days, just long enough to stock up.” She looks at me sharply. Shit, did I respond incorrectly? I take a deep breath in and slowly let it out.
“Who are your parents?” the lady questions with a raised eyebrow. What an oddly specific question, I thought.
“Charles Bearing is my father, my mother Wisteria died when I was but a child.” My gut clenches. Charles doesn’t talk about Wisteria often but her death is the one thing he speaks the least of. I imagine it’s so painful to lose the one person who has been by your side through the destruction of the world.
She studies my face for a moment, her stare burning into my soul. Can you look any more intense? I think. I focus hard to make sure I don’t roll my eyes. The last thing I need is for her to think I’m showing her attitude regardless if I’d like to do nothing more.
She finally looks away and shouts, “She’s clear!”
Obviously. I can feel the attitude in my thoughts. I grab my dagger and place it back into my boot. Then place my sword in the scabbard on my back and walk right through the security exit outside to Parteis Island.
Finally!