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~ 30 ~

 

 

Paying the Ferryman

 

Date:  June 1st, 1999

Place: Where the George Washington Bridge used to be

 

 

 

+ Brian +

 

Since we’ve been here, there have been a lot of hard nights. The very first one, not knowing what was going on, but sensing whatever it was wasn’t good was pretty rough. Then there were the nights back in Philly at Charlie’s, when still unsure if they were trustworthy or if at any moment they would turn on us.

That feels like a lifetime ago.

Of course we can’t forget the nights when we were separated and the anxiety that came along with not knowing if our friends were dead or alive. All of those were horrible but they paled in comparison to how it felt last night.

Getting to the bridge only to find a dead end was heartbreaking on every level. Then seeing those people in the water, swimming for it, knowing they were going to die and then watching them slowly drown. I know I will never get that imagine out of my head ever. Even with my eyes wide open, I can still see this one person who was bobbing helplessly in the water. It was clear he knew how to swim. He wasn’t panicking at all, just bobbing as if at the beach on any given day having fun in the water. He looked over at the crowd of us and then went under and never came up again. He made the conscious decision to drown himself because it was supposedly better than the alternative.

That’s all I could think about last night. What was the alternative? What was coming that was so horrible that people were willing to die?

Howie passed out shortly after the guy went under the waves. He scared the crap out of us. It was all too much for him. He fainted and both Kevin and I vomited. I think I would have preferred to pass out. Don, Charlie and Larry just stood there dumb struck as they continued to watch the people in the water and then the people on the shore just sitting around.

We decided not to go back to the van right away. AJ and Alan would be eager to know what was going on and I know none of us wanted to tell them. Maybe because by saying it out loud, it would become a reality.

There was no way out of this.

Kevin gently laid Howie down by someone’s fire to keep him warm and then he turned to me, “We need to find a way to get across the water.”

I nodded. Of course we did but if there was a way, I’m sure these people would have thought of it by now.

He kept talking, “There has to be a boat we can steal or someone we can pay to help us get across. We can’t give up Brian, I know you want to, but we can’t.”

Placing his arms around my shoulders, he pulled me in an embrace which I wasn’t expecting. The shock of warmth and love made me cry. I needed that hug so badly at that moment and he knew it. I pulled him closer and we stood there for a good five minutes like that. No one cared or even noticed. I think everyone else around us wasn’t capable of those emotions anymore.

We stayed over by Howie until he opened his eyes. He felt like an idiot for losing it like that until I reminded him that he was only human and looking around at the people we were surrounded by, I think it helped.

When the three of us finally made our way back to the van, Don had already given his father and AJ the bad news, which I was grateful for. Nick was still asleep in the back, snoring lightly.

Very similar to the night we spent in that RV, none of us slept but none of us said a word either. I know for my part, I just kept looking out the window, trying to block out the faint cries I would hear every now and again. Wondering when at any moment if a sound from above would become deafening until the point where a fireball came from the sky and we were all obliterated.

By the time the sun came through the clouds, my mind had wondered all over the place at least twice. I felt the bags, thick under my eyes and tried to avoid itching at the hair that hadn’t been washed in days. We all smelled and looked kind of ragged at this point and I’m sure it’ll only get worse.

My cousin was the first to get out of the cramped van and everyone soon followed. “What’s the plan for today?” Howie asked.

“We find a way to get over there.” Kevin pointed across the river.

“I heard a few people talking about a guy who has a small ferry.” We all looked over at Don, “Supposedly he sneaks people over.”

“Why are they all still here then?”

He shrugged at me, “When I asked, they said the price was too high.”

“Do you guys even use money anymore?”

Charlie answered, “No, money is almost obsolete. I would say I haven’t even seen a dollar for a good two years now. We all operate on trade; although it’s more like a take what you can find type of world these days.”

“So why would he want money then?”

“That’s the interesting question. I would guess that he’s a Canadian working both sides of the coin. They have plenty of money. They use ours now. They got rid of that stupid looking crap they used to use.”

“I think I actually still have some Canadian money on me.” AJ laughed in spite of himself. “Isn’t that a kicker?”

“Maybe we should go try to find this guy.” Kevin seemed very focused and when I saw him glancing in the back of the van at Nick who was shivering and moaning, I realized why.

“Don and I will go look for him, its best if you guys keep a low profile. Remember you were celebrities here and the last thing you need is to be recognized. It would be a great way out for any of these people, especially since you are supposed to be dead already.”

Great, I had forgotten about that.

“We’ll pay whatever you need us to. Just make sure to make a deal. We’re running out of time.”

Don nodded at Kevin and then the two of them set out down the road towards the water. Alan watched his sons disappear from view and then turned to me, “More Spam? We need to keep up our strength.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

“Sounds good.”

“I wonder if one of these people will allow us to use their fire. It tastes much better cooked.”

As he walked away with his can of Spam, Howie came up behind me, “I wonder if he is aware how dire the situation is or if he’s just that willing to accept it.”

“He’s probably just used to it.”

“I’ll never get used to this.”

I sighed, “Me either.”

“We’re not used to it.” We both turned towards Larry who was stretching, “Believe me, this is killing him just like it’s killing you.”

“He just seems so well adjusted.”

“We’ve been living like this for years now. It’s amazing how the mind is so willing to adapt to situations. You know, if Amita had died before the attacks, it would have taken Charlie months to even get out of the house most likely. Now, it seems as though she never even existed, and such is life on this realm.”

“How can that be?”

“It just is, my friend…it just is.”

“Hi…”

We all looked over to Nick as he ventured out of the van and towards us. He was wobbly on his feet but at least he was awake and strong enough to make it, just barely, outside. He had the blankets wrapped around him as he plopped on the ground beside us. “Are we in New York yet?”

I did my best to fill him in, leaving out the more intense parts and ending with the guys trying to find us a way out of here. It was hard to tell if he was registering what I was saying. He was usually so full of emotion but he just sat there, nodding occasionally and trying to fight sleep.

When Alan showed up with our fried Spam, Nick refused to eat, claiming he wasn’t hungry just thirsty. He tilted his head back against the van and closed his eyes. AJ shot me a troubled look and all I could so was shrug.

It seemed like forever before Don and Charlie showed up again. I tried not to get my hopes up; I think we all felt the same way.

“We found him.”  Until we heard Charlie utter those words.

“And?”

He knelt down beside us, “He said he can get us across tonight after the sun goes down.”

“What did he want in return?”

They both looked at each other, “That’s the thing. The only way to do this is if he takes one of us in afterwards. He does work for the Canadians. He’ll sneak us in but using the guise that he caught someone. It’s the only way to justify his going across the other side.”

“So, one of us has to go with him?”

Charlie nodded.

“I’ll do it!” We all turned to Kevin, “Let me go with him.”

“No way, one of us should do it.”

“You can’t. You need to get everyone to Matthew.”

“And you are part of everyone! You’ll never be able to break out of there.” Don argued.

 “Let me go.” Alan Epps said as he cut a slice of Spam for his oldest son and handed it to him in a paper towel. “It makes the most sense for me to be the one.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why?”

“Dad…” Charlie stood up and started pacing. “First of all, you’re old and who knows what will happen to you when you’re in there.”

He lovingly put his hand on his younger son’s shoulder, “Exactly, I’m old. I’ve lived a good life and there’s less chance they’ll hurt me.”

“No!”

“Look, we can’t send any of you,” He said pointing at the five of us, “And you are the only one who knows how to get to Matt’s. You need Larry to help you figure out a way to get these guys back home and Don is the only chance I have of getting out of there.”

I could see the pain in Charlie’s eyes as he realized his father was right. Alan was the only one that made sense.

“I know you don’t like the idea, but I have complete faith that if there’s a way to get me out of there, Don will be able to find it and while I’m there I could look for Nick. Since he’s famous I’m sure he shouldn’t be too hard to find.”

“Dad, you won’t be able to kill anyone.”

“You’re right. But we can at least break him out and then take it from there.”

It actually seemed like a rock solid plan, if it worked. “We are running out of time and options kids. Let me do this, please.”

Charlie walked away as Don gave his father a nod, “Okay dad.”

I’m pretty sure the Epps family hates us for all the sacrifices they’ve had to make on our behalves. I wouldn’t blame them one bit if they just turned the five of us in and went home. It kind of makes me sick to my stomach to think that maybe that’s what I would do.

“He said to be there right as the sun sets. If we’re even a minute too late the deal’s off.” Don then turned to his father. “And we have a lot of planning to do.” He walked his father off a bit and sat down beside him.

The rest of the day, plans were concocted and reworked until Don thought we had come up with the best possible solutions. There would be two teams of us. The one in search of Matthew and the one staying behind to break Alan and the other Nick out of their prison camp. None of us knew what to expect once we got into New York which made the planning ten times harder.

In the end, I was going with Charlie, Larry, AJ and Nick while Howie and Kevin were going with Don. We’d be separating once again which didn’t make me too happy but Don needed help and Kevin and Howie seemed like the best candidates for the job. My cousin insisted I stay with the two young ones. My job was to keep them calm, but I knew it was because he didn’t want me in harm’s way. I’m sure if he had his way D wouldn’t be going either.

We made our way down to the water just before the sun went down. I really wasn’t looking forward to being so close to all the death and despair. The smell as we approached the small ferry was hard to deal with. It was a mixture of rotting fish and bodies, so much death everywhere around us.

The guy signaled us over right as the sun fell and we ran as best as we could. He let us aboard and told us to lie on the ground on our bellies. It was then a horrible thought came to me. What if this was a trap? What if he just decided to take us all in? Was there anyway to know if he was true to his word?

As we were halfway across the river he finally spoke, “When I tell you to, you’re going to have to jump off the boat and swim the rest of the way.”

“You never said that!” Charlie protested.

“Your choice, but whoever stays on this ferry is being brought to the camps. They’ll inspect every inch of this boat. You need to jump and stay hidden, just under the docks until I give you the all clear.”

The boat started to slow, “Best say your goodbyes now.” The ferryman said as he began to steer towards the docks.

I glanced over at Alan and gave him a smile. There was a very good chance I’d never see him again. Don grabbed his father’s arm as did Charlie. “Just come and find me.” He said as calmly as always.

“Time to jump boys,” the Ferryman said as he brought the boat to almost a complete stop.

“Nick you jump with me.” Kevin said as he grabbed our youngest member and gingerly placed him in the water, before jumping in after him.

AJ was next, followed by Howie and I. Before I jumped, I gave Alan one more smile and mouthed the word “Thanks.”

When my body hit the freezing cold water, I almost screamed. Luckily I had enough sense to keep my mouth shut. Once we were all cleared from the ferry, he sped up again leaving us all bobbing in the water like the guy I saw yesterday. I was so tempted to just go down and never come up. It would have been so easy to do that and I think it’s something that ran through all of our minds as we started to make the long swim to the docks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter End Notes:

Thanks for reading and reviewing :O) I can't believe i'm at chapter 30 already!