We must survive this (closed to queenclaire)

Nicole smiled at Robert, “Glad you guys saved us back there.” She turned and waved, “Goodnight.” She gave up her weapon freely. She felt better about them all being locked up at night since case someone went psycho and wanted to shoot some people. She made her way to where the ladies would be sleeping and found where she would be sleeping. She was happy to lay down, but had to keep from thinking about the day. She could hear some of the women still crying as it all hit them. She did not want to lose it. So, she did her best to tune them out and close her eyes. She just needed some sleep, then she could deal with what was going to come.

To keep her warm Nicole was given a thick wool blanket to cover her entire body and a small cotton pillow. There was a lot of crying a lot of wrestles people below decks as the Pigeon changed it course. I couldn't sleep as I stood on the bridge looking about. There was darkness before us and to the right was the dim glow of Seattle and the coast as it burned. Having Nicole onboard would be great for us, I thought, as I went over to the map and leaned over, scanning all of the small islands and their names and prayed that Indian Island would pay off. Normally I wasn't a religious person having stopped going when just a kid, but now seemed like a good opportunity to be asking for any sort of help.

The radio continued to give us garbled pleas for help as well as warnings. There was a call to stay away from Port Angeles on the Peninsula saying that it was overrun then there were calls the ferry service was still in operation, but we had not seen any as of yet and to keep our position secret I ordered all outside lights extinguished. Now the old Pigeon was rolling through the icy waters, the screw churning and the engine humming as people tried to sleep.

When it was about one in the morning I finally was able to sit down for the first time and felt my entire body ache as my eyes began to dip. Coffee wasn't working anymore. Finally fatigue was starting to win and a hand touched me, looking up it was my XO saying that I should get a few hours of rest and that he would take over.

Nicole was not a very emotional person. She always thought tears were a sign of weakness and that if you were going to cry, you needed to do it in private. With all that in mind, she was having a hard time dealing with the noise coming from the mourners. She knew they had the right to do so, but she also was dying for some sleep. She was hoping as late as it was, they would have drifted off to sleep already. Or even more callous on her part, thought they would have dehydrated. She shook her head at that thought. She had been desensitized by her job for the most part. She was going to have to make a change pretty quickly to not be labeled a bitch on this ship.

She watched as a lady, wrapped in her blanket shuffled passed her, crying still. Nicole started to wonder who she lost today. Was it her husband? Or a child? She could not imagine losing a child. She rolled to her side and stared into the darkness. She really needed to sleep, but now she was feeling bad. Mostly for hating the sobbing. She sighed as she sat up and wrapped her blanket around her. She just needed a moment away. She walked out to find a window. She just wanted to see out of the boat for a moment. Once she found one she stared out of it, watching. The sky had some orange in it towards the horizon. She guessed it was fire back on land. She suddenly was happy to not be one of the people stuck back there, yet she felt terrible for them all. They were living through hell tonight and she was worried about a little bit of crying keeping her up. She was a bitch.

Time drifted by slowly that night. Don't know when I nodded off in the chair but at some point I did and my dreams were rather blurry. Must have been all of the stress from today with our close calls but I don't remember what happened, just that I remember waking a few hours later just before dawn. The sky was still black but off to Seattle it was still a orange glow. Seattle was slowly being consumed block by block. Those poor people.

"What's our status?" I asked.

My XO appeared and said that we were ten miles North-East of Indian Island. There had been no radio contact with any other ship in the area though several small ships had come close but because of our blackout conditions they didn't see us. There was no contact with the military either and the news from shore was being recycled.

We were to maintain our current heading until dawn and then we can make to the island and again I was crossing my fingers that the military would not shoot us at first sight. Looking at my watch and stretching my arms I looked about for my coat then remembered I had given it to Nicole earlier. No worries as long as someone useful had it.

Nicole eventually found her way back to bed after helping the lady who was crying and pacing the halls. She sat with the lady for a bit and let her cry out her anger and grief. She needed to be strong for the lady and did so. Finally the lady decided she need some sleep. Nicole helped her to bed and then Nicole went to her own. She closed her eyes and thought about how her day would have been had hell not broken loose on the city. She decided that would be the best way to fall asleep, not thinking about the dead and dying. She would pretend she was in her own bed and all would be well. It helped, she slept rather nicely.

It was approaching dawn and the sky began began to to lighten with an ominous red glow. Ree in the morning, a sailors' warning. The shore was still ablaze with black smoke rising up towards the heavens. I gave the order to make course for the northern tip of Indian Island where the dock was situated at a brisk five knots. The ship churned and began to turn towards the bearings as the wheel was spun and the engine purred. Such a lovely sound as the engine powered us through though we wished to go faster we would get there just as the sun broke over the mountains. The radio was used to hail anyone on the island but thus far we were only picking up static as the lookouts sighted the island through a light haze. There didn't appear to be any signs of battle: no smoke or flame nor any lights but we still continued on.

"Awake everyone and have them come on deck so I can address thrm" I said to my XO. Our group was doing a fine job and there was no objection for me appointing Nicole as our security officer as she was the most qualified of all of them. I will address them all about where we're going and then send them down for breakfast. With the additonal mouths to feed we would nee d more cooks than just our one man we started out with.

Nicole was awakened with the rest of the sleeping passengers on the ship. She was groggy from her lack of good sleep. She just hoped the next night would bring something more restful. She was not about to complain though. She was alive and that was much more than she could say about many on the mainland. She slowly made her way to the area everyone was meeting in to hear whatever they were being gathered for. She hoped it was good news, but she would not count on it. The world was crumbling apart and she was not holding much hope for survival. She stood off to the side, eyeing the crowd as it gathered. She was still weary of the people on the ship.

Gathered on deck a head count was made as I took with my back to the forecastle. Hands above my head to gain their attention I said, "People, listen. I know that you're all scared and looking for answers and your loved ones, but right now we need to focus at the task at hand." Pointing off to port at the vague outline of an island, "we're heading for Indian Island. It's a military munitions depot we believe has people holding out. We're going to dock on the north end of the island, but I ask that everyone remain calm. we're waiting for daylight so we can go in and they can see us as not a threat. All of your firearms are in the weapons locker. If they will allow us or some of you to stay then we'll leave you on the Island."

"What if they're zombies there?" one person asked.

"Then," I said, "We'll shove off for another place. We have more than enough fuel and supplies to get us somewhere else. Somewhere safe. Now, head below to the galley for some hot food and we'll be getting underway shortly." Wasn't much of a passioned speech but hopefully it would settle their ruffled feathers.

Nicole looked off to where Robert was pointing as he spoke of the plan for the group. It was a good plan, though there were a few murmurs in the crowd she could hear from where she was. She took note of whom they were so she could keep an eye on them. They were usually the first to rebel and try to take over power. She just hoped no one would do that in this situation. They were all in the same boat…literally.

She stood and watched as the mass of people began to file their ways below deck to get some food. She was not sure if it was the situation or the fact she was not a big fan of breakfast, but she was not very hungry. She knew it would be best if she ate. She needed her strength and energy to keep going. She needed to be alert.

even though its captain of the ship I was still regulated by ensuring that everyone had a good meal and rested as the ship turned towards Indian Head Island. Are rations for carefully distributed and I am sure that the men on deck or still alert as those in the room on the bridge we're still trying to hail the garrison on the island. We wanted to avoid any bloodshed so we were informing them that we were in bound as a civilian vessel with military personnel on board. We also had civilians on board as well and none of us were infected but knowing how the military work we were still going to be boarded and searched to ensure that there were no store ways or any other illegal contraband on board. Every crew member knew this message saying here a strict discipline even though everyone was clearly nervous. I went below decks to ensure that people were eating and though the small galley was crammed full of people the trays and plates for full as the people were given there food and the aroma will stick in the air of liquid eggs and boiling coffee. Coffee was a luxury that we took for granted back then it was always available to us in the morning for small fee and with many exotic flavors to enhance its tastebut now everyone will have to drink it straight black. I was at the end of the line and looked around and saw the back of the head of the police officer that I saw during the night and recognized that she was still wearing my jacket. A slight smile grew across my face as I remembered that I had given it to her to keep her warm. She could keep it so long is she alone kept it.

Nicole had finally decided to grab some food. She sat down and ate as people sat around nervously eating and making small talk. Some broke into tears and others hung their heads silently. She could not help but wonder what these people had lost. She was sure she had not lost as much as they did. She sighed as she pushed the eggs around on her tray. She was still not hungry and was trying to talk herself into eating. It was not working. She looked around at the people at her table and tried to keep a warm expression on her face as their eyes met her own.

After ensuring that we were still on course and that we were still trying to hail the people on the island I went down below to eat. We had the galley and even though I was the captain of the ship I didn't have my meals served to me in my ward, but I had to get in line like everyone else. After getting a tray and having the same food piled up on it I went around looking for a table and found the police officer sitting seemingly by herself, wrapped in my jacket and pushing the eggs around on her plate. I decided to head on over and stood beside her with my tray and said, "Excuse me. Mind if I sit with you?"

Nicole looked up from her plate of now cold eggs to see the captain standing there. She smiled politely, "Please do." She realized she was still wearing his jacket at that moment. "Oh, I still have your jacket, I am sorry." She shrugged it off to give back to him. She looked at him, "So, we all survived the night. I suppose that is a good thing." She laughed softly and handed him the jacket, "Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"You go ahead and keep it" I replied with a smile and a sigh, "Chance are we will be having a lot more cold nights ahead of us, and we don't know when we'll be able to get you another jacket. So, go ahead and take that one. Don't worry about it, I have another," giving a nod towards it and gently pushing it back towards her with my left hand with the other I'm stirring the soft, beaten eggs with my fork.

Around us the other people were continuing to eat, not recognizing who I was so they didn't bother us. We were just two other people in the galley eating as the ship continued to move to the island.

Nicole was about to argue about keeping the jacket, but decided to take it. It was rather chilly and she was going to need it. She nodded and smiled sweetly at him, "Thanks." She looked back at her eggs and took a small bite. They were ice cold and not appetizing in the lease. She looked at Robert as she forced herself to swallow.

I confessed "I know it's not the best in the world," with slightly red cheeks, "None of us are culinary experts, but this stuff is better for you than going hungry" taking a bite myself then looking over at the cook who had this rather blank look on his face. He needs to cook them longer before looking at back at her. "Why don't you tell me a bit more about yourself. we're going to be stuck together, might as well know at least a little bit more than you're a police officer."

Nicole looked at her eggs, "I am not much of a breakfast eater...that is why I am not eating much." She took another bite. It was better than going hungry, but she was not used to food this early.

She looked back at Robert as he asked about her. She shrugged, "Well, not much to tell. I am not from around originally. I feel bad about being here and not feeling as bad as most on this ship." She sighed and looked at her plate again, "I did not have family here...they are back home...so as far as I know, they were well. I did not see my loved ones die...I lost my partner. I watched him be torn apart, but that is not the same as a child." She looked back at him, "I guess I feel out of place here...like I don't belong since I don't really understand their pain."

Not want to sound cliche but I said "We're all in the dame boat here" thats what came ro my mind and I didnt realize the pun until after I said it and I was kicking myself for it. "I dont have any family out here either but last j ight we had to do a lot of awful things in order to survive" my eyes turned downwards to my plate as I remembered hearing the voices of those that were left behind on the shore and their panic stricken voices calling for us on the radio and we couldn't help them. "Its hard for everyone but we're not done with this yet. I need you to hold together and at leave eat a little more that way we don't waste anything. We don't know when or if we can get redeployed so eat up. Please"

Nicole snickered at his remark about all them being in the same boat. Quite fitting considering. She watched him as he looked at him plate, seeming to be in thought over what happened to himself. She nodded at his next remark. She knew they were far from done with all of it. She did not plan on losing it, but she was sure there were a few on here really close to their tipping point. She ate another bite, not wanting to waste her food.

"You're not married at all?" asking while looking down at her hands. It was a bit rude to be thinking of such things. She did mention her family,but something in the back of my mind was asking to do a bit more personal. I wasn't married, never have been. She was pretty looking with that dark blue uniform on and able to carry herself well and to handle the rough situations around her. I thought that maybe if we were to get on that island, perhaps there would be a way for us to send out communication for the rest of our families to join us or to tell them that we were safe.