Hysteria

Chapter 12 - The Alliance Of Survivors

Flying over the waves, watching them crash into each other soothed her. As if knowing Brooke needed something magical a pod of dolphins started jumping beneath them. They all gasped and commented on them, even Tylar who had so far kept to himself.

"Cor look at that one" Aiden expressed in wonder "that was at least a metre out the water."

"At least a metre, easy lemon squeezy" stated Ashana encouraging her chosen dolphin to do better. They all took bets on which dolphin would jump the highest but they couldn't agree on which dolphin was who's which Brooke found just typical. In the end they just sat and watched each dolphin fly out the water then re-enter barely making a splash. Sadly they moved away from the dolphins but the conversation continued all the way back to the ships and Brooke forgot all about her panic attack, it didn't even enter her thoughts anymore.

As they approached the ships she noticed some new arrivals, huge cruise ships had gathered together to create a huge floating city. They had erected walkways between the ships while helicopters and small ships ferried people from the military ships over to them. She began to wonder how much fuel they all had and when it would all run out, she dreaded to think what would happen then. They themselves headed for the command ship and Brooke realised she would be staying there for a while; she wouldn't be among those being taken over to the cruise ships just yet.

"How many people do you think they can carry" Danny asked trying to guess the size of each ship, for some reason he kept thinking of Titanic.

"I don't know but it's probably double if not triple what we can" Bradley theorized. "They will have the same problems as us though, decreasing food, fuel and tempers."

"Do you think we will beat the creatures" Brooke asked the Major who looked hopeful.

"One day" he replied trying to sound positive although something in him doubted they would, "the Americans almost did it. We just have to make sure we take out every one before we start celebrating, we are not American after all." Roland just smirked as he gazed out the window.

Watching all the ships clustered together Brooke found herself drifting back to a memory of a dream, it was one of the nicer memories she had so she often thought about it when she needed something happy to think about. She must have been ten at the time or at least Skylar would have been, Brooke had seen it all through her eyes as if she was Skylar, the heroine of the dream.

The dock was filled with people waving up at random strangers, bands playing music that could barely be heard and banners waving gently in the summer breeze. Stood at the edge of the dock Skylar stared up at the giant ship, she couldn't believe she was going to be on it for a whole week. She was ushered towards the gangway, Oliver as usual a few steps behind.

It was a wonder to behold, so much splendour but when you could afford it why not. Brooke had thought she would never see such a thing in real life but now she was feeling the same exhilaration as young Skylar, she could barely believe it and was so excited at the prospect. It hadn't taken long for Skylar to learn the way around the ship although Brooke still found it confusing even if it was a dream.

Things were starting to make sense; how her dreams appeared and disappeared without her doing anything and she constantly doubted she had the imagination to dream it all up. In her dreams Brooke felt free from all the constraints that brought her down in her waking life.

They began to lower and there was almost a sense of disappointment amongst the group, the joyride was over so now the work began once more. Brooke had gotten used to all the jolts and shakes the helicopter made as it descended through the air. The deck cleared as they touched down then everyone hurried out and towards the main ship. The pilot powered down the helicopter then sat there for a few moments, officers and sailors hurried back on deck continuing their jobs and paying little attention to her. Briefly looking back at the pilot Brooke soon realised the real reason why no one had volunteered for this mission, overhearing various people comment on the amount of fuel used to rescue one man. She only hoped what she brought back from Skylar's bedroom made any kind of sense and helped fight the creatures.