“Emily! Come here! Come here Emily!” Katia’s mother yelled. “Quickly!”
Katia did as she was told and came out from under the table, Mr Snuggles still held under her arm. She ran onto the deck to her mother.
“What’s happened to Daddy? Why is he sleeping? Mummy? What’s wrong Mummy?” Katia asked.
“Emily. It’s important that you do what I tell you and do it fast, okay? Now, I need you to get me a tea towel, damp with water. Leave Bunny here,” Katia’s mother instructed.
Katia nodded. “It’s Mr Snuggles,” She corrected.
Katia gave the toy to her mother before running into the kitchen and soaking a tea towel. So many thoughts were going through Katia’s head at the time. ‘Has Daddy died?’ ‘What’s wrong with dad?’ ‘What’s happening?’
Katia reached the door when another bolt of lightning stroke the boat, right in front of Katia. With the door alight, Katia was forced to escape through the side door, this was the only other door leading to the deck.
The fire had spread quickly to the side door, blocking Katia from the deck to get to her mother.
“Mummy! I’m trapped Mummy!” Katia called out.
“Emily! Come here!” her mother ordered, avoiding the fact that Katia couldn’t get out.
“I can’t! I’m trapped!” Katia repeated.
Katia’s mother made her way to a narrow opening at a window. “Emily. Listen to me. I have to look after your father, I can’t get to you. Pass me the towel,” she explained. Katia passed the damp towel through the opening. “Good girl. Now, you’re on your own. I believe you can get out here alive. Get off the boat however you can. You’re a good swimmer so make your way to that island over there. I will come and get you. Bye darling. I love you so much my brave little princess.”
“I lo-lo-love y-you too.”
“Shh. Shh. It’s going to be okay. I have to go to your father. Bye Emily,” Katia’s mother waved.
Katia tried getting back to the kitchen so that she could get a bucket of water to reduce the fire. The kitchen was no more.
She made her way through the burned down kitchen towards an escape route. One of the walls had collapsed so Katia could easily get into the water.
Katia climbed over fallen planks of wood, crawled under wood resting against wood and jumped into the sea.
All of a sudden, a cry came from the boat. “No!” Although Katia was only eight, she knew that the cry was from her mother. Katia heard a splash followed by another as the boat began to burn.
A body drifted Katia’s way, a dead body, her father’s body. Terrified by the number of tragedies in one day, Katia kept herself afloat while she thought it all through.
She glanced back at the boat. The ‘Elle Petite’ had sunk.
A tear rolled down Katia’s face. “Mum!” she shouted.
A sudden sharp pain of loneliness hit Katia. For the first time in eight years Katia felt lonely.
