Chapter 10 – The Struggle
Sully reacted on pure emotion. He did not stop to consider the fact that for anyone to jump overboard in the middle of a storm like this, was almost certainly suicide. His knew only that was where his heart song was and that the idea that she was lost to him forever was unthinkable.
He was sprinting across the deck before her feet had entirely disappeared over the rail and dove headfirst into the churning sea, hitting the water only seconds after she did. His hands reached out and felt the fabric of her skirt and he was able to grab hold and bring them both to the surface.
Staying there, however, was much more of a struggle. Michaela was unconscious and an absolute dead weight in his arms, with both skirt and petticoat wrapping around both of their legs and trying to drag them down as waves continued to crash over their heads.
Sully could not tell if she was even breathing and could do nothing to try to pump any water out of her lungs if she was not, because it took all of his strength and concentration to keep them afloat. He wanted to try to get her skirts off, but he needed one hand to hold her and another to help keep them afloat. He looked up towards the dark shape of the ship, but it was already several yards off and he saw no sign of help, other than a small, loan figure who appeared to be tossing a few items overboard.
Suddenly Sully was able to sense movement and realized Michaela was coughing, gasping for breath, and his heart felt much less like someone was squeezing it. The situation they were in was dire, but at least she was alive for the moment.
"Michaela!" He screamed in her ear. He knew they had to try to get rid of her heavy skirt and petticoat or he would not be able to sustain keeping them afloat much longer. She looked around, disoriented and another wave of water crashed over them, but she instinctually put her arms out and started to paddle, helping to keep the afloat. Sully attempted to reach for the waist of her skirt and gave it a violent tug, tearing the fabric. She became more aware then, realizing what he was trying to do and let him continue to keep them both afloat while she struggled out of both skirt and petticoat, letting them drift down to the ocean floor.
There was no verbal communication possible with the loud crashing of the waves around them and they both repeatedly found themselves pushed under the water, only to struggle back to the surface. Despite his need for both hands to try to paddle with, Sully kept a firm grip on his wife, knowing they could be torn apart by the power of the sea at any moment. He pointed towards the ship, which was now quite a distance away. He knew they could not catch her now and those aboard probably assumed they had already drowned, but he had seen that figure throwing things overboard. Reaching out blindly, his fingers encountered something solid. It was a very small wooden cask. He motioned for Michaela to grab it and they found it was just about enough to help keep both of them afloat.
They floated there for what seemed like hours, although it was probably only minutes before Michaela noticed something else floating in the water and reached out to grab a length of rope. Sully shouted something at her then, but she couldn't make it out. Then he reached over the barrel and taking the rope from her, managed to tie one end around his waist before throwing it back to her. She understood then, that he wanted her to do the same, so that they could not be separated.
Even with the added cask to help them, staying afloat was still a constant struggle, but every time one of them was pushed under, they would remember their daughter, and remember they were tied to the other, and find the strength to push themselves back to the surface.
As their strength ebbed, it became less about thought and more about instinct, as they continued to fight the storm to stay afloat.
Finally, the wind and waves began to calm and the rain settled down into nothing more than a light drizzle as dawn began to break. As the noise of the storm slowly receded they found they were more easily able to keep themselves draped over the small cask to get some rest and they were able to hear each other.
Only then did Michaela noticed the throbbing in the back of her head and reached up to feel congealed blood in her hair.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
"Boom got loose and knocked you overboard," Sully replied, looking around as the weather cleared in the hopes of some site of land and realizing that even the relatively warm tropical water was starting to feel cold.
Michaela realized then that Sully must of jumped in after her, most likely dooming himself as well as her. She knew that even if they could manage to remain afloat, if another ship did not find them in the next day or two, they would die of dehydration or exposure. "Sully," she choked out his name, overwhelmed by what he had done in jumping in after her, yet horrified that their daughter was now likely to lose both of her parents.
Sully wanted to comfort her somehow, but the cask was between them and he had little energy to keep himself afloat if he let go of it. The sun was coming up now, and he could tell which way was East, but he had no idea where they were or if they were still near any shipping channels or islands.
"Sully!" Michaela pointed.
He squinted, and off in the distance, he could just make how a small shape poking itself out of the sea.
"Land," he stated.
"We'll have to swim," she said.
The land was out on the horizon, presumably several miles away. They didn't have much choice, and Sully truly was not sure if they had the strength left in them to make it there, but he didn't see an alternative and he knew that if anyone could make it, the ever stubborn Michaela Quinn would. And so, keeping the thought of their children in their minds, they ran the rope through the small cask that had become their new best friend, and began to swim, dragging it along to give them a resting place.