Passage to Australia [Passage to Australia Trilogy Book One]

Chapter XI Man Overboard!

Chapter XI

Man Overboard! 

As soon as the door shut behind Paris and Aunt Fiona, Parker laid a hand on Erik's shoulder.  "I know you're old enough to make your own decisions, Erik, and I'm not your father, but will you take some advice?"

Erik knew what this was about, and though he didn't feel like talking of it, he nodded and allowed his uncle to lead him to the bed and took a seat on the edge of the mattress.

"I've noticed your attraction to Paris, but, given her aversion to you, I didn't think any harm would come of it.  Tell me, Erik, how far has this gone?"

Erik fought the urge to squirm under this direct question but forced himself to sit still and look Parker in the eye.  "The limit is what you saw."

"Good," Parker seemed relieved.  "I was worried that maybe..."  

Erik bristled at the implication.  "No," he retorted.

==========

Paul stood to his feet resolutely, a plan firmly cemented in his mind.  Ignoring the stars above he strode to the elevator and pressed the button to his deck.  With any luck, Erik would be out and he could execute his plan without interference, no matter how well meant.  He had a suspicion it had been his brother who put Paris up to trying to talk to him and he appreciated that, but it didn't change anything.  He had made up his mind and he was going to see it through while he still had the nerve.

The stateroom was empty and dark when he opened the door, so he quickly slipped in and closed the hatch behind him.  He fumbled around for the light switch for a minute before finding it and flipping it on.  Making straight for the desk he pulled a piece of paper out of the drawer and picked up the pen that lay on the surface.  He sat down in the chair and took a deep breath to calm his shaking nerves.  This was something he had to do; had to explain everything so there would be no one to blame, so everyone would understand that it was his decision.  Gripping the pen firmly in his sweating hand and placing his left hand on the paper to hold it in place, he began writing.

Dear Erik,

By the time you read this, it will be too late....

==========

It was good to get away from Parker's scrutiny, and Erik took a deep breath, automatically heading for the top deck.  He needed to feel the freedom of being on top of the world, or ship, in this case, gaze out at the dark water and let the quiet of the night erase the turmoil in the staterooms below.   And turmoil there certainly was.

So Paris had conned her way onto the ship, he thought.  It had been funny at first, but looking at her serious expression had dampened any humor he found in the situation.  She was in real trouble this time, and not just from Parker and Fiona; he could only guess how much she dreaded returning home to face her parents.

When he tried to comfort her, what had started out as an act of friendly sympathy on his part had quickly turned into a romantic moment.  He had felt something, gazing into her eyes, had seen something there that scared and excited him at the same time.  Could it be possible that he was falling in love?  No, he was too young, barely twenty.  It's been known to happen before, he remembered several stories of young people falling in love and even getting married.  Whoa!  Where did that come from?  Married?  Slow down, Troy, slow down.  Then Parker had shown up and the moment was gone, but the feeling remained, which, he supposed, is why he spoke for Paris when she couldn't seem to speak for herself.

"Lord," he found himself saying aloud when he reached the rail on the top deck and let his eyes roam the watery darkness.  "I'm sorry I let so much time go by without talking to you, but I'm back now, if you'll take me."  Erik smiled into the darkness.  It felt good to talk to God again after nearly two years.  The divorce had disrupted a lot of things that it shouldn't have, praying being one of them.  "I believe you do everything for a reason, and if your reason for bringing Paris aboard this ship was for me to fall in love with her, I thank you."  It was simple, but he knew it was heard and appreciated.  With a sigh of contentment he turned and leaned his back against the railing, feeling the cool metal through his shirt.  He felt sure he and Paris had a relationship now, and he was right with God again.  For the moment, life was perfect.

 A movement by the far rail caught his eye, and by the light of the waning moon he could see the silhouette of a man walking by the rail on the side of the deck.  The man stopped and looked around, the moonlight falling on his face for a moment before he turned away.  It was Paul.

What's he doing up here? Erik wondered as he started in that direction.  He felt a strange confidence that tonight was the night he would get through to his brother.  Paul stood before the rail and seemed to take several deep breaths.  He looked around again rather nervously, and spotted his brother advancing on him, already more than half way across the deck.  With a quick movement Paul spun around and braced his body to leap over the rail.  His purpose appeared to Erik with a flash and he lurched forward.

"Paul!  No!"  He screamed and lunged to catch his brother before he could get over the railing.  But he was too late and only caught the cuff of Paul's pant leg, sending a searing pain through his arm when the descent of the body was suddenly arrested.  His brother kicked, trying to loosen his grip but Erik would't let go. Not on your life, brother.  With his other hand he attained a better hold on the cuff and pulled with all his might.  He gained a few inches and placed his feet in a better position for leverage, still resisting Paul's efforts to free-fall.

He finally pulled his fighting brother over the rail and grabbed him roughly by the collar, glaring into the belligerent eyes.  "What the - What are you doing!"  He screamed at him, oblivious to the pain in his shoulder.

"Let go of me go!"  Paul struggled but Erik's grip only tightened.  "If I want to die you have no right to stop me!"

"Yes, I do.  I'm your brother!"  Erik spat angrily, noticing the fire in Paul's eyes that hadn't been there a few hours ago.  He had heard that suicidal people had sullen eyes, showing no wish to live, but he took hope from the light he saw here.  "Do you really want to die?"

Paul responded with a violent effort to free himself.  "What if I do?  What's that to you?"  He tried several maneuvers to get away but Erik had learned the same ones and blocked his every attempt.

"I care about you!  Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"If you cared about me you'd let me jump now and save yourself a lot of trouble later on."  Paul's eyes blazed dangerously.

A weight settled in Erik's stomach as his brother's meaning settled in.  "You mean you're going to try this again?"

 "What do I have to lose?"  And with that Paul took advantage of Erik's momentary relaxation of his grip and threw off his grasp.  Erik quickly reached again for his shoulder, caught it, and pulled, hoping to find another good hold so he could drag his brother away from the rail.  But when he made contact, Paul jerked to the other side, pulling Erik forward.  In vain he tried to catch himself, but the rail was too close and he couldn't grasp it in time.  The last thing he saw as he catapulted over the railing was Paul's frightened face.  Then something hard and dull hit his head and his vision went black.

==========

Parker burst into the cabin where the three girls and Fiona sat, his eyes wide and filled with something very akin to terror.  "Fiona!"  He gasped.

"What on earth?  What's wrong?"  Fiona rushed to her husband's side.  He waved a piece of paper about in his hand.

"Paul, he's - "

"He's what?"  Janine asked sharply.

In answer Parker handed her the letter which she read aloud.

"'Dear Erik, by the time you read this, it will be too late.'"  She glanced up at Paris and they shared a horrified glance before continuing.  '"I'm writing this so you won't blame yourself for my death'."  Fiona gasped but Janine continued in a hurried voice.  "'It's no one's fault but my own.  I can't get over the divorce and it's results, and trust me, you'll be better off without me.   I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused everyone, but maybe this can make up for it.  Again, please don't blame yourself; you did all you could.'"  She looked up helplessly, mirroring every other expression in the stateroom.

"He's not - he can't be thinking straight."  Parker muttered, leaning heavily on Fiona's arm.

"Maybe it's not too late," Brandon offered hopefully.  "How would he do it?"

The next sentence Paris heard froze her blood in its veins and made her vision blur for a moment.  It came ominously loud and clear over the intercom.

"Man overboard!"