Chapter Eleven
Eventually, Englehorn remembered that they were standing on a ship in the middle of a fog. He pulled back from Clytie. "We need to get through this fog," he said. "Let's get to the bridge."
Jack, Ann, and Preston watched the two of them walk up to the bridge together.
"I hope Darby's all right," Ann spoke up.
"I think the bullet just nicked him," Jack replied. "That probably hurt, though."
"That could have been you, Jack," Ann said gravely. "This rescue mission isn't going very well, is it?"
Preston sighed. "Seems to me that we're all gonna need rescuing by the time it's over and done with." He glanced around himself at the fog and shuddered. "I think I'm going to my cabin," he muttered, walking off.
Jack suddenly grabbed Ann and kissed her. "I'm so glad you're all right," he whispered in her ear. "That was too close."
"You were the one in danger, not me," she insisted. She sighed and settled in his arms. "We'll be at the island in less than an hour, Jack. I don't know what I'll do when we get there. I might go crazy." She squeezed her eyes shut.
Jack held her even more tightly in his arms. "No, you won't. I won't let you, Ann."
(LINE)
Clytie stood awkwardly on the bridge, watching the captain do everything by himself. She once again felt a bit useless. "Uhm, what do you want me to do?"
He glanced at her. "I need you to be my lookout. In a few minutes, we will have reached the rocks."
Clytie moved to stand at the window.
Jimmy came onto the bridge. "All right, Captain. Things are back to normal," he said. He looked out at the fog, then back at the captain. "Let me guess-- 'Crow's nest, Jimmy.'"
Englehorn nodded. "Go."
As Jimmy passed Clytie on his way out, he patted her shoulder. "Glad you're okay," he said.
"Same to you," she replied as he went out.
Englehorn frowned. "You and Jimmy seem close," he said bluntly.
Clytie turned to look at him, surprised. "We're just friends. He used to see me as more than that, but…" What do I say? That he realizes I'm pretty much yours? That would be a bit awkward…
"I assume by now he's noticed how things are between you and I," the captain said.
Clytie nodded. "He has." How are things between us, by the way, Captain? She smiled, remembering their kiss."Don't expect too much from him too soon," Jimmy had said That kiss... That was enough to satisfy her for now. Then she turned back to the horizon. And how are we going to get to the island without damaging this boat?
Darby came onto the bridge, his left arm bandaged just below the elbow.
"How are you, Mr. Galyon?" the captain asked from the wheel.
"I'll live, I expect," Darby replied. "But I don't think it would be a good idea to put me at the wheel. This arm is a bit weak, and it stings like mad."
"All right. Keep an eye on the instruments and await my instructions."
Things were quiet for a few moments.
Then, suddenly, Jimmy yelled from above, "There they are, Captain! I can see the rocks!"
"Slow us down, Mr. Galyon."
"Yes, sir."
"Captain, how are we going to… when and where are we going to stop?" Clytie asked nervously. Those rocks ahead looked huge.
"As soon as we get out of the fog, just before the rocks," the captain explained.
That doesn't leave us much room, Clytie thought.
"Just so you know, you can call each other Clytie and Eric in front of me," Darby said suddenly. Clytie and Englehorn stared at him. He held up his hands. "Don't look at me like that. I know what's going on between you. I know you're both private people, but…" He shrugged. "Some things just can't be hidden from a genius like me."
"Rocks, Captain! Straight ahead!" Jimmy suddenly cried.
(LINE)
The ship lurched. On the bow deck, Jack and Ann caught each other's arms, barely staying on their feet. Ann met Jack's eyes. "I'm not hiding in the galley this time," she said quietly. "This is it. We've arrived."
Jack nodded. "And I'll stay right out here with you." He held onto his wife with one arm and the rail with the other. "I think Englehorn's going to try to anchor just before it gets too shallow." He peered ahead at the rocks in the mist. "I only hope he has enough time."
The Driscolls held onto each other, waiting for either death on the rocks, or a successful stop. The ship was going very slow, but was still drifting toward the rocks. Clytie's and Jimmy's voices floated down from above, calling out various warnings to the captain and Darby on the bridge.
"We'll make it, Ann," Jack whispered to her.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, but kept her eyes wide open, staring at the dim, rocky horizon. "I know," she whispered back. "We're supposed to… All of us… We're supposed to be on that island…"
(LINE)
Thanks to the skill of its captain and crew, the Venture was safely anchored by nightfall. As soon as they had come to rest, Clytie had quietly walked to the bow, where she stood peering in the darkness at the shadowy blur on the horizon--Skull Island. "We're here," she whispered.
A cool breeze blew around her. She shivered. It was as if someone, or something knew, and it was expecting them… expecting her. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, looking up at the sky, hoping to see stars. She saw none. It almost made her cry.
God… why have you brought us here? Where is David? How will we ever survive? She leaned against the rail, looking down at the dark water below.
"Not thinking of jumping, are you, Miss Seaborne?"
Clytie straightened and smiled wryly at the captain. "No. Not this time."
"Good." He looked out toward the dark shape of the island. "We'll need everyone we have when we are on the island." He turned to face her. "Even if we find your brother, I can guarantee you, this will not be easy." He tilted his head to the side and stood akimbo. "But you know that, don't you? You've known that from the very beginning, and yet you never waver."
Clytie looked down. "I feel a bit like I'm wavering right now. I don't want to give up. I'll never do that, but…" She looked out at Skull Island, and once again, a cool breeze played with her hair and made her shiver. "Do you feel that? It's like there's… evil, coming from the island."
"That's because there is, Clytie," Englehorn replied. He suddenly reached out to touch her shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't let any harm come to you."
She glanced at him sharply. "I know," she said. Then she frowned. "But… who's going to take care of you?"
"You did a good job of that today." He smiled crookedly. "I will never forget the sight of you walking out of that crowd for me, when Carl threatened to have Wilson shoot me. And then, when Wilson was aiming at me and you shouted at him like that…" He brushed a strand of her hair from her face. "You are one strong woman, Clytie Seaborne. I know that you fear that place now, but…" He turned to look at it again, feeling quite uncomfortable himself. "We all do. That is nothing to be ashamed of."
"All right." She watched him lean forward against the rail, blue eyes trained on the horizon. She bit her lip as she studied him. He looked so worried… Slowly, she moved to stand behind him, and gently, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, leaning her head against his strong, slim back. "You'll watch out for me, and I'll watch out for you, all right?"
He glanced down at her arms around him and smiled. "All right, Miss Seaborne. That's what we'll do."
Clytie shivered suddenly, somehow realizing that they would have to do exactly that.
The two of them stood like that for a few minutes, drawing strength from each other, then the captain said, "Clytie, you need to get some rest. Come on. I'll walk you to your cabin."
They walked in silence until they reached the door to Clytie's cabin.
"Good-night, Miss Seaborne," the captain said quietly. He bent to kiss her softly on the lips, then drew back and smiled at her. "Clytie."
"Good-night, Captain Englehorn." Clytie suddenly pulled his head down and kissed him warmly, then released him, grinning. "Eric." Then she slipped into her room and closed the door.
That night, Clytie had a rather ridiculous dream about dancing around the deck with the captain to beautiful, unfamiliar music, wearing her black dress and her hair in a bun. As they danced, he removed her hair clip and tossed it into the ocean, and her hair tumbled down around her shoulders. Then, Ann and Jack came up beside them, also dancing to the strange, haunting music. Then, quite suddenly, the music changed and became frantic. The dance went from smooth and graceful to wild and fast.
"We have to stop dancing!" Ann cried. "Or we'll die!"
But they couldn't. They were trapped in the mad dance…
Suddenly, Clytie woke up. She sat up slowly, shaking her head. What an odd dream that had been! She stood slowly and began to dress. Today, they would be on the island, so she dressed accordingly in a comfortable green shirt and tan skirt and a pair of comfy brown boots. She tied her hair back in a ponytail, then glanced at her reflection in the mirror. "This is it, Clytie," she whispered.
(LINE)
The passengers and crew of the Venture stood on the deck, awaiting orders. Jack, Englehorn, and Clytie swiftly assigned duties to everyone. Robbins would be in charge of the ship while Englehorn and Darby were on the island. The island party would split up into two parties--one led by Jack and one led by the captain. Ann, Darby, Bruce, and four crewmen would be in Jack's party. Clytie, Preston, Jimmy, Jake, and three more crewmen would be in Englehorn's. Each party carried pistols, rifles, Tommy guns, food, rope, flashlights, signal flares, and medical kits. To communicate, they would use the flares. Englehorn, Darby, and Robbins quickly came up with a flare code.
Then, they lowered the boats.
Clytie felt shivery with anticipation as she sat in the boat with her party. It seemed as if they were moving so slowly toward the island. She glanced at the rocks they were rowing through. To her shock, most of them were shaped like skulls, with fangs and huge eye sockets. A feeling of otherness washed over her. Abruptly, she thought, We don't belong here, but we are drawn here. We are supposed to come here, even though we are not a part of this place…
In the other boat, Ann leaned against Jack's shoulder, her eyes trained on the view ahead. There it was--the wall that had once held back the mighty Kong. She closed her eyes, remembering.
"Are you all right?" Jack whispered.
She nodded into his shoulder and opened her eyes. "I'll be fine, Jack. Just…" She reached to squeeze his hand. "Stay close to me. Don't leave me."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied.
Ann knew he was telling the truth, and it comforted her. She glanced over her shoulder at the other boat and caught Clytie's eye. Understanding passed between them. Ann knew that Clytie was having similar feelings of apprehension.
Soon, the boats came ashore. The men helped Clytie and Ann out of the boats, and everyone stood looking around. They were in the midst of ruins. It was all familiar to Jack, Ann, Englehorn, Preston, Bruce, and Jimmy. The stakes with skeletons of humans and animals atop them… The caves in the rock… The huge wall and the busted gate…
The captain shook himself. "Everyone--draw your weapons. We may have to use them against the natives."
Clytie shivered, remembering all she had heard about the Skull Island natives--violent and pagan, with little respect for human life.
"Stay close to me," Englehorn whispered to her as he passed by.
She was happy to obey.
At first, the two parties stayed close together. They scanned the area for any sign of David Seaborne, at first finding none.
Clytie fought down the urge to scream for her brother. She could feel danger emanating from this place… How could her brother be alive here? Hopelessly, she peered around her at her gloomy surroundings. No sign of David at all, not even the remains of his boat… Could it be that she had brought these people here for nothing, that David was at the bottom of the ocean?
"Captain!" Jimmy called suddenly. "Look!" He was pointing toward the wall.
The two parties quickly moved toward the wall.
"What is it, Jimmy?" Englehorn asked.
"It's… I think it's a shoe," Jimmy replied.
It was indeed a shoe, a man's hiking boot, propped up against the base of the huge wall.
Clytie broke from the group and ran to it, grabbing it up in her shaking hands. "It's--it's David's!" she cried. "He was here!"
