The Gravity of a Winter's Rainbow

It was a storm approaching in the Winter; the wind blowing like a hurricane. This was not some feverish world concocted in a state of delirium but a very real place. And hurricanes just don't happen here. Water Splashed, cold as ice, up on the deck over taking the entire ship. My hand was glued to the safety rope as I made my way across. Lighting cracked neon against the dark sky and the noise of the pressure against the ship seemed like the cries of a living creature. It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, like noises in a swound. The rain fell like World War II rockets; unpredictable yet full of destruction. The salt water burned the back of my throat. I saw with a slopping mast and dripping prow we could not make it home now.

I tied down a loose line and yelled to Irnerio "We have to get inside!" He stood, half-stooped, over the wheel, paralyzed, wanting very much to look back over his shoulder at Karen but too frozen to risk even that. I made my way to him; choking when the water crashed on me. When I reached him I told him again, "We have to get inside."

Irnerio grabbed both my arms with iron fingers. We fled clutching each other as we made our way back. Almost to the door and nearly blind from the fog we saw a door open. From it emerged our son, Slothrop. Being only 70 pounds and standing no more than four feet off the ground he was quickly swept by a crashing wave into the starboard planks. Shocked and dazed we ran to find our son, hoping he was still alive. He wasn't moving when we reached him. He had a cut on his knee and crimson ran down his cheek. Irnerio picked up Slothrop and carried him gently back to the door.

Once safely inside we set Slothrop on the table. I grabbed the first-aid kit and started to shuffle through it. I didn't want to look behind for fear of what was there. I experienced this awful tightening across my chest, my temples instantly registering a rise in pulse rate. I could feel the tears start in my eyes. Irnerio turned around and held me tight. His tears hit my shoulder like words of their own. "He is gone."