The Rain 4 - WfW 22/1 - 4th part

Words for Wednesday 22 January as given by Mark:

     Deviled                    and / or           Gargled
     Interdependence                             Presence
     Watery                                            Yelling
     Figs                                                Andalusia
     Zoom                                              Snowdrifts
     Headphones                                   Exfoliate

 For this installment I used: Watery, actually I used it twice.
Back to the plane:

   In the early morning, just after dawn, the sleeping men and women aboard the plane were awakened by drumming and knocks on the plane. They woke to a floating, unpleasant feeling. The plane was adrift. Quickly they dressed fully and jumped out. Only Eva, father Paul and Ulla and Bo's three small children stayed in the plane. The children were easier to watch there, and they were not underfoot. The slight extra weight were deemed acceptable by all.

The brown fluff had now mostly sunk to the bottom of the water-filled depression. Only small floating islands of the fluff were still swirling and flowing on the surface of the water.
 The plane was totally clear of the ground and flowed, gently swaying and wobbling, north and a bit east, just as Allan had foreseen. The two person on each robe walked quickly through the swirling, shallow waters, taking care to keep the ropes taut. Those not holding on to a rope, and their replacements, went to the shore and followed the stakes up to Allan's Dunes to help re-covering and fastening the luggage. Luckily the damage looked way less in daylight. One or two of the suitcases in the upper layer were wet, but the water had not spread and with help from many willing hands and more rope - this time pre-soaked in the water around the plane - "Mount Luggage" was once again safe. It was now only a question of keeping it safe, a much easier job for the 10 remaining persons up there after the strengthening of the fortifications. On their way back to the plane, the larger group rammed the fallen staves back in and made the staked path swing further north in order to concur with the plane's current position.

Down by the plane they kept to the shoreline, watching the plane's progress from there. From time to time one of the persons at the rope asked to be replaced, and enough hands were ready to take over the ropes. The progress was slow. Shortly before the sun reached zenith, the plane stuck on a stretch of higher ground. They used the respite to get something to eat, and those going to replace at Allan's Dunes, were armed with thermos with hot coffee made over a fire in the plane's kitchen. Granny T watched over it like a dragon, and almost spewed fire at anybody getting too near.
  "Shouldn't we anchor up for the tonight when the sun sets?" Hank asked. "We can't see where we're going and the luggage crew still needs to be replaced at short intervals."
"It's a choice between two evils," Tom answered. "Either we keep on stumbling along in the dark, or we run the risk of the plane sinking before we reach the fabled isthmus. I begin to think that faster is better. One: we need to get dry. Two: the watching of "Mount Luggage is wearing us out, and three: the water might well rise so much as to make the current too strong for us to fight against."
"May I suggest that Robert and I 'run' ahead along the shoreline, armed with lanterns and look for my fantasy-isthmus" Allan said with a soft laughter.
"Splendid idea." Tom answered. "Have Father Paul hand you two of his lanterns each, then you can leave one in a strategical place should need arise."
  Allan and Robert got the lanterns, a couple of left over stakes, and wiser from experience, Granny T also handed them a small thermos with hot coffee. "Thanks" Robert said.
  "Take good care of the flask," Granny T retorted.
  Eager to make haste in the watery daylight Allan and Robert quickly walked along the shoreline, overtaking the plane, the walking replacement for the rope holders, and even the replacement for "Mount Luggage" in Allan's Dunes, who was hurrying landwards.
 They were soon wet again, but not cold, and they made good progress. After what seemed like an endless journey, but in reality was little more than an hour they stopped and drank some coffee. Allan handed Robert some of the sweets, he had bought: "I bought these for my granddaughter, in what now seems like another life," Allan said. "It's mostly sugar, and a couple of those now and then should boost our energy."
  "Yes leftovers from another life," Robert said dreamily. "But I would not go back, even if I could. Here, now, I feel that my actions, all my life is meaningful. It's somehow simpler, easier. Hold onto this rope, tie that knot, save that drowning man, and speak gently to everybody ... I can do this ... I  mean, I am, maybe for the first time in my life, able to make a real difference, to be of value to somebody else. Maybe we won't survive, but  ... no regrets"
  "No regrets," Allan said. "I get what you mean, and yes, I feel the same way, more alive, more real, somehow." Allan stopped. He sensed it was not the time to talk about Mary.
  They continued in silence, a good silence
  Shortly before dark Robert stopped. "There's something ahead of us in the water. It could be your fantasy - what was that fancy word again?"
"Isthmus, I think it means the same as peninsula. Let's hope that is what it is."
It was. A lot of the not yet soaked brown stuff had gathered in the shallows between the shoreline and the peninsula. In the semi-dark they had trouble seeing where the land began and the water stopped, but when they reacted dry ground, they could see that this was in fact Allan's fabled peninsula. Like a sleeping sea monster it stretched from the shore and far out into the water, Allan and Robert agreed that more of it would sure be flooded as the rain continued, but as they used the binoculars they saw hills rise in front of them. To their right, towards the east the hills seemed a little lower, in accordance with Allan's theory that the gap was out there somewhere. Also the water-currents, running along the peninsula towards the east supported the theory.
  "Now what?"
  "Now I regret that we're only two. Ideally one of us should return with the good news, and the other stay here on the top of the peninsula with the lanterns. But that is not going to happen.Neither you, nor I am going to stay all alone out here for hours."
  "No," Robert agreed. "I would not like to stay here, nor for that sake return alone. No-one should be alone in this new world. Let's put in the stakes, tie the lanterns to them and return the way we came."
  They found a nice high place not too far from the mainland to put in the stakes. As everywhere, where the brown fluff had been washed away, the ground was hard and crusty and it was hard work to drive in the stakes. They bent one of them out of shape, and mangled the tip of another, lightweight plane metals were not the best for this job, but they had to work with what they had. Robert adjusted the wicks in the lanterns Father Paul had fashioned from old bottles, tin cans and frying oil. His sprained ankle had not permitted him to work along with the others, but he was inventive, and true to his priestly calling always available for a talk, day or night.
  "I'm beginning to get cold," Allan said. "Let's get moving. My granny always said 'Old bones; thin blood' when she stoked the fire of her old stove during cold winter days. Now I begin to understand."
  "No, it is getting colder," Robert protested. "Or maybe I'm getting old as well. Let's ask Tom how the temperature is progressing when we get back".
  They were both cold and miserable long before they got back. Two things kept them going. Allan's candy and the fact that they could not get lost. Following the shoreline would sooner or later bring them to the plane. And sure enough. As they were about to sit down and gather strength for a last push, or even hoping that the plane would get to them, they saw the feeble lights of the lanterns in the windows of the plane - placed there by gentle hands as beacons for returning travelers.
  Even before he head their report, Tom commandeered them to wash off and get inside the plane to get some rest and warmth.
  Shortly after they sat inside the plane, swaddled in blankets and holding a mug of hot and sweet coffee Tom joined them and all listened to their report.
  "Good news," Allan said. "Fantasy - that's the peninsula - is less than two hours north of here. We staked the highest point near the mainland. I suggest we run the plane aground there and tie it to as many stakes as possible."
  Everybody was happy to hear the news and some even applauded Allan and Robert.
  "We have had to slacken the restrictions on people staying inside the plane." Tom said. "Sarah and Fred has been examining a bunch of us, and we're most of us at the edge of exhaustion and hypothermia. It's getting colder all the time."
  Hank added: "Maybe we should make everybody but the necessary rope holders and luggage watchers come aboard and instead ditch some of the seats. People's health and well being is worth more than some seats. We might even be able to find them, or most of them later on, when the rains have stopped again."
  All were in favour of this decision, and armed with tools from the emergency bucket Hank, Allan and Robert unfastened the sturdy rows of chairs, alternating between a left and a right row. Each row of seats were carried inland by three eager persons, who then washed off and got aboard.
   When everybody but the people holding onto the ropes and the crew at Allan's Dunes were aboard, coffee and a snack was served by Granny T and Matthew, the painter, who was an amateur chef as well.

  The plane's speed was lower than a person could walk, so the time it took the plane to drift up to Fantasy was nearer to five than two hours, Replacement were sent regularly to Allan's Dunes and a new route staked, leading from Fantasy to Allan's Dunes.
  Daniel Sutton, the Butcher from Allan's scouting group was carried aboard the plane by the returning group. He had collapsed on the way, and he was now pale, incoherent and his breathing was fast and shallow. Sarah and Fred examined him and said he suffered from hypothermia, and probably some underlying heart or lung trouble too. They treated him with medicine from the plane's emergency kit, warm blankets and scalding hot coffee, but to no avail. Father Paul held his hands and prayed for him as he died in the early hours of the new day.
  At first light the people aboard the plane gathered at the shore and looked while father Paul, Allan, Tom, Hank, Sarah and Fred consigned Daniel Sutton to his watery grave. After a while of silence and prayers, father Paul said a final prayer. Just as he had concluded it and everybody answered with Amen, a group of people came running from Allan's Dunes: The water was almost at "Mount Luggage".

to be continued