Island of the Unemployed

SETTING SAIL

They gazed upward to where a knife was held to Deja's face. There were shouts, then a roar, then a human projectile flew over the side of the boat. Then silence.

"What's happening? I don't hear anything." Vladi clung to one side of one of the pontoons with Sasha next to her. River and Kadee held onto the other side.

"I don't know," River responded.

"There's still four in the water," Adrienne called down to Marcus, as he clung to the sailboat's ladder, still sitting in the fishing boat. "You better pick them up."

"Me? Why me?" The humiliation of meeting people for the first time was bad enough. Adding the humiliation of putting his physical abilities on display, as he tried to control the boat with one hand, was something he would have preferred to avoid. "You know I can't row this thing on my own."

"It's just a little way. I need to stay here. We have injured people onboard."

Deja held her bleeding mouth. The last kick from Haden was a. painful one! The toe of his shoe pushed her teeth into the soft flesh of her lips, causing them to bleed profusely. She slowly got to her feet.

"Here. Sit over here." Lum walked up to her. He led her to a nearby chair and helped her ease into it.

"Lum! I thought you were dead!"

"Nope." He said with a slight shrug.

"What happened? How did you escape?"

"I'm not sure. I passed out, and when I woke up, the soldiers were dragging me onto the beach. I heard someone say that they needed to take the prisoners back alive. I stood up, shook off the soldiers, and ran back into the water." He said. "Stay here. I'll find something for your lip."

Adrienne walked to the side of the boat. "Stay where you are! Marcus will come around to get you!"

"Adrienne?" River muttered to himself. Was that Adrienne?

"Don't worry. Everyone here is fine!"

"Where's Deja?" River asked.

"She's pretty beat up, but I think she'll be okay." He looked back to where Lum handed Deja a towel. "And ah...there's somebody else here."

Lum left Deja, and walked to the side of the boat.

"Lum?" Vladi said. There was a moment of silent disbelief, followed by shouts of joy. Lum held the back of his head with one hand, and gave a slight wave with the other. Then Marcus appeared in the row boat, zig zagging his way toward them.

"Ewwww! Who eez that guy?" Sasha said.

"That's Marcus. He was in the container with Deja and me. Be nice! He can't help the way he looks."

"I don't vant him to touch me."

"Sasha! He's coming to rescue you!"

"I don't care. Just keep heem avay from me. I'm sorry. I can't stand luking at heem."

"Marcus! Why don't you pick us up first?" River shouted.

Marcus, who was heading toward Vladi and Sasha, saw Sasha's turned head, and understood. He changed directions, involuntarily letting out barely audible grunts, as he did so.

Deja mopped blood from her mouth with the towel Lum had given her. She hunched in her chair, bottom lip and left eye were badly swollen.

"Deja! Are you okay?" Vladi boarded first, and rushed to Deja's side. "Oh, my! Deja! What did they do to you?"