DESTINY

THE ISLAND  By Tessa Harvey          Edward Starkey sat in the shade of a pebbly part of the sandy beach, totally exhausted. Grief swept over the middle-aged man, threatening to pull him under like a raging tidal surge. He missed Taffy, his Chief Engineer and mate for almost all of his long naval career. Several times Edward had faced precarious situations, financial concerns, adequately supporting his precious family.     Taffy, formerly known as Emrys Jones had a heart as big as his pride in his Welsh heritage. But he also never lost his faith in a good God. "God didn't want robots," he had said once, "so he gave us free will."     Some people are genuinely honest and hard-working, but if they have any faith in God, it turns on a dime. Taffy meant, if inconvenient, following the easier path of never taking responsibility. Two of his sayings were: "misers like company," or as his wife had once said "liars need an army of sycophants to s...

THE ISLAND  By Tessa Harvey     Dennis marched with confidence for about twenty minutes. He had no phone, but even if he had, there was no coverage. Slowly the jungle seemed to become more and more tangled. Then the little boy stopped suddenly. A very pretty green snake was dangling down in front of him. The reptile slowly opened its wide mouth as though lazily yawning. The boy felt mesmerized by those black glistening eyes. The snake swayed. Dennis froze. The forked tongue flickered.     Staring in to that mouth, Dennis had a bright thought. It could not swallow him! He had a chance. Behind the snake appeared a nasty, leering face. Elijah! Agh!     Then, as though in a scary movie, a boy's voice whispered very low down. "Fall down child. Snake ok. Man not. No noise. Follow me. I am friend, Malati."     If he had been a few years older, Dennis would have thought something like "Yeah, so what. You're just a random like rescuer. Get lost. I got...

THE ISLAND  By Tessa Harvey     When the person called Dee opened her eyes, the boy sighed heavily and walked disconsolately away. Those odd boys had said it would be great to be on a real island. Tom said it had coconuts. So what! You could buy them at mum's supermarket. No water - none! But the sand was just like sand anywhere - except it wasn't. There were bits of clothes, ripped bags. A dead kitten. It was all awful. The kitten was tiny and sad and very much not alive. It lay limp and dead.     His mind veered away, but it was still the truth that real people might be like that somewhere. Where was his mum? She had heart problems. She did not run after him when he was little and ran away, giggling and hoping, looking back.      His dad was hurt and limped, but had hugged him hard, glad to see his boy had escaped physically unscathed.     Where was Connie? Fine. Dennis was eight. Time to be strong and brave. - a warrior.  He forg...

THE ISLAND  By Tessa Harvey     When Deidre opened her eyes again, it was still dark. Her face hurt so badly, tears were no longer possible. She felt a presence near her and was afraid. "Who are you?" she asked, querulous.                  A very small voice answered. "Dennis, miss. They sent me with a drink." Dimly, Deidre could see a shaky hand holding a juice carton containing a fixed straw. "Heaven," she thought. The child patiently held the container steady, even though she felt him crying. The drink did something amazing to the brain. She could think! Best of all, words were possible. Blinking, Deidre could see the small tousled boy. She searched her aching head for a name.     "Dennis," she croaked. The boy looked inordinantly pleased. Then his face quivered. "I can't find Connie," he whispered, afraid. "The people say we have food, but some of us are missing. I can't find my mum," he added.     "What...

THE ISLAND  By Tessa Harvey     Elijah was lying nearby. Not being stupid, he made sure he was in the shade before feigning slow collapse. Before this catastrophe he had just been an unobtrusive, but skillful thief. So he lay down a bit and watched and listened.     The stupid female crying for "Don" should have opted out of life years ago, he figured. These new laws were good. Clear the debris of society's oldies. Still, Elijah had managed to "find" a good haul in her nearby bag - plastic cash, a credit card and nice necklace.     A hand tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me mate." The voice was steely, but polite. Elijah forced open his eyes. "Oh, who are you, sir?" he asked, weakly as though confused. "First mate, Lester Shayle, as you know well Elijah Cummings. I suggest you hand over your ill-gotten gains, as they say." "Now!" he added, still soft and smooth, but all the velvet had gone from his voice."     Elij...

DESTINY - PART TWO THE ISLAND By Tessa Harvey       Deidre had been dreaming she was with Don and a couple of friends. They had been to their usual local cafe for a warm croissant and latte. Ordinary latte, not pumpkin spice anything, a drink that likely had never met a pumpkin! But the sandwiches they then ordered to take out with them for lunch were literally, sandwiches!!     She groaned, her back was on fire, sunstroke? But they never ever lay out long in the sun. Turning stiffly, despite her aching head, she actually spat out a mouthful of real sand. Trying to open her eyes was not possible. Deidre groaned again. "Don," she tried to cry out, but seemed unable to move. Salty tears ran down her face. Then she became aware of other inchoate sounds - moaning, mumbling, crying.     "Oh God!" she cried, croaky, almost choking, her tears streaming, adding to the salt encrusting her face. Then she remembered - and began to scream. Mountainous waves, thund...

DESTINY  By Tessa Harvey     Turning reluctantly to leave, Edward heard sloshing noises in the companion way and a young boy's voice. The ship's boy, a helper for the cook, a youngster living in a cardboard box near a pub, waiting for a dad who never returned.      Tony had waited a year and cried when "cookie" rescued him.     "Sir," he cried, now skidding around the door, "I've come to get Daisie. Oh look, wow, sir, you are the best. You are saving them." The captain turned back. The boy'd deep faith in him was overwhelming.     Without hesitating, the boy rushed into the flooded area. He passe two tiny half-dead kittens, talking to them as he did so. "Here Penny, our captain's got you. Come on Roscoe, baby. Where's mum and baby Danny?" "Oh here, come on. Don't worry."     Tony hesitated. "Look sir, I'm really wet. Could you push them in your pockets with mum, please sir? And the mean mate said to ...

DESTINY  By Tessa Harvey     As the boats were lowered carefully, Lester Shayle was given clear instructions and diligently followed them. There was a new deeper respect for the captain and so Lester forgot ambition and gave his all. Families were to be kept together. Crew were included in each of the six- life craft. Their experience would be invaluable.\     Seeing the mother of the two toddlers struggling, Tom and Josh approached the captain. Josh tugged his sleeve nervously, and Tom asked if they could help. Edward looked at the eleven- year old. "Do you mean it?" he asked. They both nodded, resolute. "Fine, but you will be watched."     "We know the little girls, sir," ventured Josh, only nine. Their so-called guardian had assumed the boys were older, or lied.     The boats were launched safely. The last boat was of the remaining crew. Although the ship had already been checked, the captain made one final search alone.     He d...

DESTINY  By Tessa Harvey     The storm was a living fury, raging and terrible. Crashing thunder, monstrous winds made their convergent sound horrendous.     People huddled together in their cabins in families or with friends. The crew, clinging to rails, tried hard to look after everyone, but most of all to look after the ship, their haven. Many sought God as an anchor, clinging to hope.     Then the crew became aware of something they had all feared. The anchor, facing  the tempest head-on was slowly, unwillingly it seemed, beginning to yield, to give ground. Some passengers sensed the anchor dragging, but kept it to themselves so as not to frighten others.     But, inexorably it gave ground, slewing the stricken ship sideways. A grinding, groaning noise was added to the cacophony.      The passengers and most of the crew assembled in the dining room. The captain prayed. Then the storm stopped. But it was a temporary lull...

DESTINY  By Tessa Harvey     The captain was kind to the abandoned boys, Tom and Josh. Angelo offered to have Tom temporarily and Dennis and his parents were happy to have Josh. The captain went to find a man called Davo Daniels.     Davo was at least sixty years old, strong, wiry and above all, loyal. He worked hard and was usually cheerful. His craggy face lit up when he saw the captain, and greeted him cheerfully.      "Bit of a quandary, sir! Stay or leave the ship, and yes, I do think land is near as those rascals believed." Edward looked at him sharply. "You have been at sea over forty years, and I count you a friend. I have no wish for the sea to crash through the glass of the upper deck and drown us all. Is it wise to stay, or go? I need some advice."     "What does the Chief Mate advise?" queried the elderly sailor. "Lester Shayle believed we should stay with the ship. There are passengers on board who are elderly. Some women ha...