Chapter 139: Not supposed to die
Translator: Lionwwang Editor: Lionwwang
I sit silently beside Phoenix’s body for a long time, looking at the dead woman, I can’t help but there’s a strange feeling coming out many times, as if I wish she would turn over and live again. But as time goes by, I sigh at last.
I don’t want to drink too much water, just take a few sips to relieve my thirst. After having a rest, I feel I’ve had more strengths. I look at Phoenix’s body, although I know she cann’t hear me anymore, but I still can’t help whispering to her: “Thank you!”
Then I pick her up, pushing her hard out of the side of the raft and let her body go. Her body falls into the sea, sinking slowly and disappearing little by little…
I can’t help but immerse my head in the water, open my eyes, and watching her body sinking down. Her body is stiff, her arms are opening slowly, her hairs are rolled up and spreading by the seawater. And then she’s floating away slowly.
Until I can’t hold my breath and my eyes are hurt by the seawater, I just shrink my head back and lie on the boat to breathe. I tell myself: Chen Yang, you have to do that.
I have to push the corpse into the sea. If put it on the raft, within the sun and the wind blows, it would be stinking very soon.
This radical woman finally had a little conscience before she dies. I hope she can rest in peace.
At first, I was desperate. I thought I was going to die this time, but now I suddenly got such a bottle of glucose water. In despair, people suddenly sees a glimmer of hope, even if it is only a tiny little hope, will still instinctively exert all efforts to seize it!
I’m the same!
I don’t know whether this bottle of water could support me through this. But at least now I’ve seen a glimmer of the hope! At least, I don’t need to die for the time being. Not now!
I can’t bear to finish it all at once. Only when I can’t support it, I just allow myself to take a small sip, a very small sip only! I’m fighting hard for my own survival!
With the orientation of the sun, I can tell the direction, and then I taking the oar and begin to row. I’m paddling eastward. According to my judgment, at least I saw the gunboat pursuing the stowaway ship, flying the Canadian flag. So, I think my current position should be not far from the west coast of Canada. It’s a blind judgment in absolute despair, but I’m still trying to inspire myself.
I start rowing and take a rest when I’m tired, although I know that when I try to row for the half a day, it’s still very easy to be taken off course when I’m encountered ocean currents. But at least it’s better than lying there and waiting for die without doing anything.
Glucose water can not only quench my thirst, but also help me replenish my strength! With this bottle of water, I’ve persisted for another two days. Two days later, I’m still alive, but I have only one breath left.
My body is as soft as cotton. I have no strength at all. I’m so hungry that I can’t even feel it. At first, the stomach felt cramped and uncomfortable. Later, the stomach has no feeling. I just feel empty. I look at the monies in the bags and really want to eat them!
But I know, if it is the white paper, maybe I’ll really try to eat them. But these are the banknotes. There are full of printing inks on them. If you eat, you’ll die.
The fortune turn of events finally comes on the third day! The water bottle is empty and there’s no any drop can be poured out.
I lick the bottle hard with my dry tongue, but still can’t lick any drop of water. But I feel greedily with the tip of my tongue, as if I could feel the residual sweetness on the bottle wall.
The wind has changed! I look up at the sky in surprise and find that the sun that has been exposed to me for so long has finally disappeared. The clouds in the sky begin to pile up and thicken, and the waves on the sea begin to rise violently.
If I’m not mistaken, it’s supposed to be a storm coming!
I’m really thirsty and hungry, but I’m also cold. My whole body is numb. At this time, I struggle to pick up the bags on the raft to tie the three bags together. Maybe they can add a little weight, which would be good for stability. Then I pull the rope on the raft and tie myself carefully. I sit quietly, holding the oar in my hand tightly. The oars are also fixed with ropes. I’m just waiting quietly for the storm.
The waves on the sea are growing bigger and bigger, and the hull of the raft are going up and down. Finally, a thunder is coming from the sky.
I only feel my body trembling violently, as if the whole sea is raging! A wave is tossing up the raft. A storm begins!
I can’t open my eyes at all. The raindrops are almost falling straight down all over my face. While trying to fix my body, I’m paddling hard at the same time, and the raft is thrown up and down like a roller coaster. I’m afraid of being thrown out several times. Fortunately, the rope is holding me tight. I open my mouth, but although it’s rainning heavily, but raindrops don’t fall too much to my mouth.
I feel that my raft has been thrown up and down many times, and every time I feel I’m really finished this time. But next moment, I’m surprised to see that I’m still alive!
The raft is undulating in the waves, and it is possible to be subverted at any time! I should be lucky, because although the storm came fiercely, it also disappears quickly!
Just like the beginning of the storm, suddenly, as if after a big wave, I suddenly feel the speed is dropping. The raft falls into a wave and gradually subsiding. The clouds all over the sky disappear in a flash, and the sun is shining again. I even feel that the light is colorful!!
Then I’m surprised to find that there’s already a lot of water in the raft! Almost with a cry of joy, I take out the bottle and carefully fill it with the water first. Then I throw myself on the raft and try to get a full drink. Finally, I think for a moment, take out a bag, empty the money inside, and carefully fill the bag with water.
I think, at least for the time being, I’m not dying of thirst! For the first time in my life, I suddenly feel that drinking water is such a luxury and happy thing!
The next day, I’m filled with hope! Originally, I’ve exhausted, but suddenly I’m feeling that I have more strengths! The feeling of hunger is still afflicting me, but I pick up the oars again!
In the evening of this day, I finally see a little shadow of sail from the distance! A ship is coming towards me. The ship is old, and I can even see the rust on the hull, the sails on the mast, the long fishing nets hanging on both sides.
I immediately recognize that it’s a fishing ship! I get up from the raft, raising my arms and waving to them vigorously. At the same time, I exhaust all my life’s strength and shouting loudly.
The ship has found me, and a very sharp whistle is coming from it. I breathe a sigh of relief. A string in my heart that has been tightly tightened for several days has finally loosened! I feel like a marathon runner who has finished running and at the moment of crossing the finish line. With all my strength gone, I feel my legs are soft and my brain begins to get dizzy.
The ship begins to shake in my sight. No, not that ship is shaking, but that I nyself is shaking! I try to open my eyes, but I find the ship’s shadow is more and more blurred. Damn, it’s getting closer and closer, but how can it get blurred?
I subconsciously raising my hand to rub my eyes, but at this time my body is soft. With a splash, I fall into the sea! The cold water is immediately flooding my head and pouring in from my mouth. I don’t have any intuition, just feel dark… Very very dark!
…
A strong ray of light comes into my eyes. I feel some pains in my eyes and dizziness in my head. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids just don’t obey the order.
It’s not just my eyes. I can’t even feel my body either, as if my body has been completely separated from my consciousness. I can only vaguely see a room around me. A torch is shaking in front of me, and the light is shining to my eyes.
Instinctively, I turn my eyes a few times and hear a few murmuring conversations in my ear. I recover a little and finally realize why I couldn’t control my eyelids. My eyelids are being opened by one hand.
Then the man let go of it, and my eyelids close gradually. My last sense is to see a board with some words on the wall. The words are in English so I don’t quite understand it. But there is still some joynesses in my heart.
I’m sure of one thing: I’m still alive!
After that, I’m falling asleep again.
…
“!@#$$%%$^^”
When I wake up again, and the words in my ear make me a little confusing. I can’t understand any word. I open my eyes laboriously and looking at the people around me.
A strong looking man is standing in front of me in baggy trousers with straps. He looks pretty clean, but has a lot of beard on his face, a high nose. He is strong and tall.
I try my best to open my mouth: “I don’t understand what you are saying.”
He sees me open my eyes and speak, with a surprised look on his face, and then he says many words in fast speed, and then he is shouting something.
As he’s shouting, I look around. It’s obviously a cabin, very narrow and fishy. The bedpanels under me are very hard, but very warm. I’m covered with a blanket.
A man comes in, wearing a thick coat, a bit dirty. I notice that he is wearing a hat, seems like the captain’s hat, tall, but very thin, holding a cup in his hand.
The man says something to the strong man first. Then the strong man goes out. He sits down beside me and hands me the cup.
I hesitate and take it. It’s a cup of hot coffee. I take two sips and feeling much more comfortable.
This man looks strange. From the color of his skin, the height of his nose and the outline of his facial features, I can see that he does not seem to be a white man, but he does not seem to be a yellow too. He should be a mixed-blood Eurasian.
Then he speaks to me in English, and this time I understand, because he only says one word.
“Korean?”
I shake my head.
“Japanese?”
I still shake my head.
“Mainland?”
I nod.
He grins. His teeth are a little yellow, but smiling kindly. Then he’s stuttering to me. This time he’s speaking our language! Although not very standard, and obviously a bit rigid, some words do not meet the meaning, but at least I can barely understand now.
“Hello! Welcome… Aboard! I’m Captain Vick!”
His pronunciation is funny, but I don’t laugh. Instead, I look at him seriously and say: “Thank you. Captain Wick… You saved my life!” Be afraid of he can’t understand me, I say “Thank you” again in English.
I know this word at least.
Fortunately, he understands me, and then he asks me a few more questions.
I hesitate for a moment and tell him frankly that I’m a stowaway. I don’t have a certificate, can’t speak English or French. Anyone knows I’m a stowaway at a glance.
Wick shrugs his shoulders, not too surprised. Then he is standing up, looking at me, showing a very serious expression: “Sir, you need not be too grateful for the rescue. Because that’s what any conscientious seafarer at sea would do. But for your identity, I have to say: you have brought me a big trouble! It’s a very big trouble!”
He is fear of I can not understand him, and at the same time he makes a gesture with his hand, a huge gesture.
“You… Have you reported to the police?” I’m a little nervous.
Captain Wick is looking at me for a moment and slowly shaking his head: “No.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. Then he is smiling at me: “You’re lucky because you’re from mainland. So was my mother. When she was young, she also smuggled to come to Canada!”
I look at him and say nothing.
But Wick’s tone changes. He is staring at me seriously: “If you’re just a stowaway, I can choose not to call the police and wait until we have arrived the next port. You can sneak out of the ship. I can take it as I never know… But now, you’ve brought a big trouble to me!”
I’m still looking at him and say nothing.
Wick steps back and pointing to the corner: “Are those yours? Are you really just a stowaway?”
I take a look. There are two bags full of dollars.
I see. Wick doubts my identity! It’s impossible for a stowaway to carry such a large sum of money!
“Sir, I now doubt your identity not only as a stowaway, but also as a drug dealer or an arms smuggler! You know, in the sea, only these two kinds of people will carry so much money! And in cash!”
I’ve calmed down, looking at Captain Wick and say: “What’s your meaning?”
Suddenly I see a strange look in his eyes. I’ve seen too much such looks lately. That’s the greedy!
I immediately calm down and take a deep breath: “Captain Wick, can we make a deal?”
“No! No! No!” He’s shaking his head at once and saying seriously, “I don’t trade with drug dealers! I am a legitimate crew working for a legitimate fishery company!”
I’m smiling.
To be honest, although I have never been a crew member, I also know something about them. How many of the crew really abide by the law?
Especially for ocean-going crews, even if they are doing business properly, it is very common for them to carry some smuggled goods when they are running ships in peacetime. It’s no secret that many crews smuggle goods to make extra money.
“I’m not a drug dealer.” I look at him, “My deal is simple, too.” I try to make my smile peaceful, “You saved my life, I am very grateful. As a return, I’d like to give you these monie. Hum, just take it as I personally donate it to your fishery company.”
I can see that Captain Wick, though looks serious and friendly. Actually, he is very cunning!
He stops talking, but looking at me quietly and listening to me.
Seeing that he does not want to interrupt me, I know that there might be working. I immediately go on saying: “Besides, I hope you can meet a little request of me. Then when your ship is in port, you can let me go ashore. That’s all.”
Captain Wick seems to be thinking. His eyes are wandering back and forth between me and the bags in the corner.
My heart is beating…
I don’t really expect him not to call the police. If he is a legitimate crew member, it is normal for him to call the police!
To be honest, I’m afraid that he would too value these monies! It’s not that I’m thinking too much, but I’ve seen too many things these days! If he is hard-hearted, he will kill me and throw me into the sea to feed the fish, and then these monies will naturally belong to him! If that’s the case, I can’t resist with my current situation at all!
I’m not over worried! The greed in his eyes just now didn’t escape from my eyes!
I just hope he doesn’t have any bad intentions. I don’t care about those monies at all. It wasn’t my money anyway, so I can just give it to him as long as I can get ashore alive.
And if he takes those monies, then I’m sure he won’t call the police! Because if I’m caught by the police, he can’t hide these monies anymore!
I look at Captain Wick quietly, and finally I see a smile in his eyes.