I've made changes to the story - I don't think I got Mallam and Persusis right the first time round. I've also completely rewritten Chapters 99 and 100. Let me know what you think of the changes.
X
Earth 2665
Joe West looked out at the choppy, blue-grey ocean and knew that they would have to leave this place soon. With every year that passed, the great fish shoals were moving further, and further north and they would have to follow them. In time, the small coastal village would be abandoned, as much of a place for ghosts as the hulking metropolis of New York now was. He'd begun to lose count of the number of times he'd taken his family, along with the others who followed him, on such a migration. And somewhere along that journey, he'd begun to lose hope.
He heard footsteps on the shingle behind him, knew it must be Iris, and took a moment to compose his face into more cheerful lines before he turned to face her. His daughter, the eldest of the children, was now sixteen, turning into a remarkably beautiful young woman - something that made his heart ache whenever he thought about the future. She was carrying a steaming mug of what they had come to call 'coffee' - the real thing was no more than a memory now.
''Morning, Dad.'' she held the mug out to him.
''Thanks' he took a long drink, quite enjoying the strong, herby, flavour, before asking her ''I don't suppose Barry's come back yet?''
''No, Dad.'' Iris kept her voice neutral, knowing that her father still thought a lot of Barry. For her part, her eldest foster-brother's discontent had become an irritation. If he truly had this 'wanderlust' of his, he should just go and get on with it. To change the subject, she looked at the fish traps he'd been hauling onto the beach. ''That looks quite good.''
''Better than yesterday'' he allowed. 'Quite good' was right - enough to eat fresh and to smoke for bad weather days, but not enough to trade. He should take the boat out - he'd have to do the rounds to get a crew together.
Iris helped him haul the fish traps across the shingle and up the track to the West's home. Nearer to the cottage, he could hear rather tuneless, three-part singing and couldn't but echo Iris's rueful smile. When he ducked into the kitchen, ten-year-old Wally was sitting at the table with Caitlin and Cisco, his two younger adoptees. The three of them were singing a fisherman's song with a rather dubiously worded chorus.
Iris and he joined them at the table. The West family was - almost -complete.
X
He'd quarrelled with Joe, which, after two days, he did regret. But his opinion hadn't changed - there was far more to the world than the life of a migrant fisherman on America's north-east coast -or Canada's north-east coast, which it no doubt soon would be. After the quarrel, he had stomped down to the river, intending just to walk off his bad mood, but then he stopped by the moored boat.
Joe had told him, more than once ''Don't go there again - it's dangerous.'' but he was at odds with Joe, wasn't he? He was fifteen and old enough to know to keep away from the crumbling buildings. On impulse, he'd hopped into the boat, grabbed the oars and began to row up river. The tide had been against him, which made it harder to make headway, but did let him work off some of his frustration. For all that, he hadn't wanted to give up and in late morning he had reached what remained of New York.
The city fascinated him. He was way too young to have known what it was like when people lived there - and Joe never liked to talk about the old days. He was fascinated by the fact that people had once been able to construct huge buildings like these and the rusting transports that now stood abandoned in many of the streets. He would have liked to have lived back then and learnt to do that too.
''Much better than life now'' he'd said one time, over a family meal, seeing the hurt in Joe's eyes and the flare of anger in Iris's. His oldest adoptive sister did not like him, so that barely mattered - but he did wish he hadn't hurt Joe.
''You do your best for us'' he'd told his absent foster-father.
For two days, he'd explored the city, keeping to the flooded streets, or staying on the bank while he cooked the fish that he'd scooped out of the water, sleeping in the boat. He'd grown tired of a fish diet and decided to head for home - although there wouldn't be all that much more to eat there. He manoeuvred the boat in a circle, ready to head down river.
And then he saw her.