obfuscational hazard

Seeing Stancliff was a glorious thing, Monkey Keys. We were finally headed back toward society.

“I’m your knight in shining armor,” Stancliff said with a grin.

“Where’s everyone else?” I asked, slightly offended no one else had come.

“I tried to wake Hobbes up. The key word being try. He tried to save you last night. Had half the dock ready to sail out here.” I smiled. That sounded just like him.

“So how did you make it here, man,” Nicolai asked the obvious question as we couldn’t see Stancliff’s ship anywhere.

“The ship is still under repair,” Stancliff said with a sigh. “It probably will be for some time. I found out with Hobbes last night there was a ferry service that comes to the island every day. I was able to get here on that. I got four return tickets. We just have to make it to the launch in the next three hours.”

“How far is the launch from here?” Finnius asked.

“About three miles.”

“Three miles, Stancliff?” I gulped. “We have a cubic tone of rubbish. There’s no way we’re going to be able to get it there with just the four of us!”

“Oh, this doesn’t look that bad,” Stancliff grinned patting the casket cooler. The original plan was to drag the campsite to the launch in one load. That degraded into dragging it there in two loads. After 400 feet, we realized it wasn’t going to happen at all.

“This casket cooler weighs a billion pounds!” Stancliff panted as he stopped in his tracks. We stood around realizing it was an impossibility to get our gear three miles in three hours. Ahead of us on the beach was a man with a fishing skiff.

“You know, we need this guy’s help,” Nicolai said. I agreed.

“Hobbes tried to employ the locals last night,” Stancliff began. “It was a less than fruitful effort.”

“Well, Stancliff, we have no choice,” Nicolai said. He and I marched to the man’s campsite.

“Howdy, sons,” the man said with a smile as we approached. What brings you to the casa de Frank?

“Well, we’re having a bit of boat trouble I’m afraid, Frank.” Nicolai said.

“We really hate to impose,” I said, “but could you possibly help move our gear to the ferry launch? We’ve come to the conclusion we’re quite incapable on our own.” Frank laughed.

“Why boys, we’ve all been there. I’d be happy to help bring your stuff. Only problem is, I only have room for one of you in there.” We decided Stancliff would go with the man. What was one more three mile trip for us?

Three miles in the noon sun with no sunscreen in the Northern Lands of Carolina turns out to be a lot.

By the time we made it to the launch, or bitten, burned bodies resembled lagoon creatures. We made it in time with all the gear though, and an hour later, we were sailing back to the mainland.

After another round of unloading the national treasure from a ship, we ran into our final obstacle; how do you load a compact car with four people and enough gear to establish a space colony?

“I think they’re going to try to get all that in that car!” a passerby said to his wife. “This should be better than a movie!”

“There’s no way they’re going to get it all in,” another lady laughed.

“There seems to be some general pessimism about our situation,” I said glancing around at the gathering crowd. “Folks, no worries. We’re pro packers.”

“We’ll see about that,” a gentleman in a fine Hawaiian shirt remarked.

“We can get this all in, right?” I whispered to Stancliff. He bit his lip and looked from the pile of goods to the car and back.

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t gamble on it…” he said reluctantly. The coffin cooler alone took up the entire trunk. We couldn’t close it entirely, but we managed to find a belt in one of the bags to tie it down with. Finnius and I got in the back next, and Stancliff and Nicolai piled goods on us until the luggage to air ratio was frightfully high. Bags from the trip were crammed into every inch of free space. Nicolai piled more bags onto himself, and Stancliff piled a few on himself in the driver’s seat. By the time the doors to the car clicked shut, we didn’t have an inch to move. The small crowd clapped.

I have my doubts about clowns driving very far in their clown cars. I guarantee they don’t do it while their skin is reminiscent of a leper’s. An hour later, we were back at Stancliff’s palace.

“It’s the lost boys!” Maid Megion exclaimed with glee as we crossed the threshold. “They’re back!” I fell into the couch as the guests gathered around us.

EPILOGUE:

The following night, Hobbes, Moni, Megion and I returned to the island. Perhaps I’m just a glutton for punishment. We took the ferry out, and packed VERY light. We just brought the Taj Mahal, a SMALL cooler and a sleeping bag. We camped on the ocean side of the island to avoid the sand flies. The rumors of it being desolate were true, but it was beautiful. The cost stretched forever in either direction with nothing but seashell and white sand beaches. The inland was blocked by a small sand dune. There was no wood to be found for a fire save one large log Hobbes and I managed to roll a half mile down the beach to the campsite. Using grasses and twigs we were able to light the behemoth.

Late that night, Hobbes and I stood on the beech watching the waves crash.

“Hobbes of Thickgrowth,” I said, “Here’s to Memorial Day ’09.” I raised my glass of mead in the air. “Here’s to the loss of our great steeds.”

“Here’s to the loss of Sir Jon the Gear Slayer.” He said.

“To the Trip of a thousand mountains.”

“To the canoeing of sandals.”

“To the saving of Rick…”

“And the saving of our feet.”

“Being lost and found again.”

“That goes twice for you, Feanor.”

“To Saint Nick,”

“And to people who own boats and are not saints.”

“Here’s to our mutual knight in shining armor, Sir Stancliff the Benevolent.” I said raising my glass higher.

“And here’s to us, for being here on this beech.”

“I’ll drink to that,” I said finally tilting the glass to my lips. We stood a while longer on that beech. “Hobbes…” I said finally. “Would you do it all again, even now knowing what the outcome is?” Hobbes stared a long moment over the water. At last, he drew in a great sigh and answered me.

“Not in this economy.”

The ship wouldn’t start again, Monkey Keys. Stancliff was flabbergasted. How could this keep happening? After a solid year of proper operation, why now, on the eve of the island adventure, was his ship dying.

“Hobbes,” he cautiously began. “I don’t think I can get this thing going again.” The pair had made it back to the launch where the others had finally arrived. They milled silently around the ship as Stancliff prodded it with various fix instruments.

“We can’t leave Feanor and those guys out there,” Hobbes protested. “There has to be something you can do!” Stancliff just looked up from the engine and shook his head. “We can’t leave them, guys! This is more than just a forest. They’re stranded out there, and we have to come up with something. You’d all want the same!” The crowed shuffled around anxiously.

“Hobbes,” Brian began at length. “What do you expect us to do, man? We have no ship.”

“Then I’ll get us a ship!” Hobbes ran down to the dock as everyone looked on.

“That a babe,” Moni said following her brother. The two approached the first ship they could find.

“Pardon me good sir,” Hobbes began. “Were you and your hearty crew thinking of disembarking toward the islands?”

“Why we were young squire,” responded the captain. “Why do you ask?”

“My sister and I seek passage to save a stranded comrade of ours. We were wondering if there was any room to spare on your vessel.”

“Oh I am sorry lad. There’s nary enough room for me and my kin. Do ask around though. It is the south and everyone is very hospitable.” With that, the captain fired up his ship, and sailed into the setting sun.

“Very hostile, more like it,” Moni mumbled. “I guess we keep trying?” Hobbes nodded, and they approached the next ship.

“Never going to break, eh Nicolai,” I said shooting him daggers. He just laughed and wandered toward the coffin cooler. “I suppose we should prepare for the worst. We should check the supplies we have.”

“Absolutely,” Nicolai said with a tankard of mead in hand. “We have drink a plenty… supply check done.”

“Guys,” Finnius said. “We don’t know how long we’re going to be here. We should probably make sure we have enough food and water.” Luckily, we did. The party had packed an astronomical amount. We had chili, sausage, omelets, hotdogs, and seven types of Twinkie to start with. They had also thought to pack a cooler of water.

“It’s good someone plans in this group,” I said.

“We clearly need a name!” Nicolai said triumphantly out of the blue. “I think team FUBAR sums us up nicely!”

“A little cliché,” I said lying in the sand. “What about Revenge of Gilligan’s Ghost?”

“Is Gilligan dead?”

“Unknown, but heck, it’s catchy.”

“I hate it,” Finnius said with teen angst.

“I guess we can be ‘Team Gather Firewood’ then,” I said getting up.

“I think Gilligan Ghost is better than that man,” Nicolai said with a frown. The three of us set about deforesting the surrounding deadwood. The tide was coming in, and it was necessary to cut as much as we could before it was inundated with water.

The island was beautiful in a desolate sort of way. Our team had chosen to make landfall as far from other campers as we could. There was no one to be seen. The inland was filled with a forest. On the far side, roughly a mile through, was the ocean side of the island. There was little known about this area, but most speculated it to be a barren desert environment. Our side was a mix of beach and swampy inlets. Several paths we had used to make it to our campsite were already filled with marshy sea water as the tide rolled up the beach.

I split off from the group and made my way into some dense undergrowth. Crabs were running amok under my feet. The forest curved inland, and various signs of wild horses were all around. As I lazily stumbled around picking up branches I happened to glance up.

“In a place like this, I would NEVER have expected to see you…” I said with a smile.

Four boats later, Hobbes and Moni had only managed to hear four different ways of saying ‘no’ to a fellow human being in need.

“Guys,” Stancliff said from behind as the pair was shot down for the fifth time. “We have to call it. It’s getting dark, and I really don’t think we can make it out tonight. Even if we could, there’s no way back. Let me work on the ship tonight. We’ll find a way.” Hobbes said nothing. He turned his gaze to the sea for a moment. Stancliff was right of course. There was little he could do now except wait.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Feanor.” He thought. “Alright, let’s go.” The team drove back from where they had come. The Lost Boys were alone.

“So why do you think, in a situation where the three of us are already lost, did Feanor take it upon himself to get MORE lost?” Finnius asked Nicolai in disgust as they peered into the woods.

“Is it more lost, or loster?”

“Loster sounds like lobster man. It has to be more lost.”

“Are you sure? I feel like, ‘Jane was the loster of the two’ is a sentence.”

“I feel like your brain is broked.”

“HA! Broken, fool!”

“I know that you idio…”

“Guys, come quick!” I yelled from the woods. The two looked at each other in panic, and ran into the brush. In a matter of moments, they came running into the glade I had found.

“Feanor, what’s all this then?” Finnius asked. “Are you alright?”

“Better than,” I said turning to him. “I found a long lost friend!” Before me, sitting amongst some large crabs, sat a Santa Claus doll.

“Saint Nick!” Nicolai exclaimed with glee. “At least there will be presents for us!”

“And maybe Christmas in July if we never get out of here,” Finnius said scoffing at the doll. “Let’s get back to cutting things…” We continued for over an hour until the sun had started to go down. With a lighter we found in a bag, we were able to start a fire. We talked for hours, us three. All of our goods were placed in the giant tent Hobbes had brought. The beast was unofficially referred to as the Taj Mahal from our trips in years past.

“Feanor,” Nicolai said at length. “You know it’s tradition we jump the fire.” I glanced at our inferno thinking the idea less than stellar.

“You know, Nicolai, with everything that has gone wrong this trip, what makes you think one of us won’t be burned alive on this beach?” He laughed and contemplated my comment at the same time.

“All I know is we have a saint to save.” He smiled and stood before us. “Feanor,” he said looking at me, “You’re with me.” For some reason, I was. Maybe it was the absolutely ludicrous nature of the trip up to that point, but I knew somehow we’d all be ok. With a look of assurance from Nicolai, he said, “On three…”

His countdown reached zero, and the two of us leapt the flames perfectly. We were in a full run a second later toward Santa’s glade. When we arrived, we found the place had been flooded and was now Santa’s swamp.

“The mission remains the same,” I said. “I’m going in.” The murk beneath my toes felt strangely soothing. The crabs that had infested the area prior must have made an executive decision to leave. A moment later, I held Saint Nick in my hands. A moment after that, we evacuated him to our fire. A moment after that, I was asleep in the Taj Mahal.

Morning came too quickly, and I was itchy. Itchy, itchy, itchy. Sand covered the ground of the Taj Mahal, so I assumed it was just that. Then I felt a nibble.

“What the crap,” I mumbled as I struggled to wake myself. Another nibble. Then another. My eyes shot open. “Ugg, bugs!” I shouted. Tiny flies were everywhere. They were so tiny, they had been able to ninja their way through the mesh windows of the hall. I was covered in them, and they had an affinity for human flesh. “Guys, bugs!” I swatted frantically as they feasted. The zipper to the Taj Mahal picked a perfect time to be impossible. I tore at it frantically, and finally made it outside. The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon. With nowhere else to turn, I ran into the ocean.

Ice water never felt so good.

Hardly a minute passed before Finnius and Nicolai had joined me. We laid there for a good thirty minutes as the parasites fluttered overhead.

“Going to pickup bug spray?” I asked Nicolai in disgust. He laughed again.

“Sunscreen too,” he said. I looked out over the water at the rising sun. In a matter of hours, we’d be roasted alive. I sighed. The sun was enough to draw the flies away at least. As morning rolled in they retreated to their burrows. I was able to find some peace back in the tent for a few hours. I was coated from head to toe in more bites than I’ve ever seen. I called it beach pox.

“So how you think we’re going to get out of here,” Finnius asked. I kept my eyes shut and tried to concentrate on something other than the building itch in my arms, legs and chest. It was a good question I didn’t have a good answer for. We had made it through the night, but the night had been hand fed to us. We three Neanderthals would have a trying time if we had to do much more. I shuttered thinking about the flies.

“Finnius,” I said after a while. “You know what I was thinking about while lost in the forest the other day?” He shook his head no. “I was thinking how it’s times like these that define the rest of my life. They let me realize how thankful I am for the simple things. Good friends, food and shelter. Those good friends will get here and bring us back to shelter for food. I know it.”

“Well, it is Hobbes we’re talking about…”

“…I hope it at least.”

“Guys, get out here!” Nicolai yelled from the beech. We emerged into the noon sun to see him waving. Further down the beach was a man in white. He walked steadily toward us with purpose. It was Stancliff.

Stancliff and his mighty crew had taken to the sea like leviathan, Monkey Keys. The ship tore away from our shore party and off down the river. All hands were ready for a phenomenal time.

“Oh, dear,” the Queen of Wings beckoned. “Slow us down so that I may shred these volatile waves.” Jamie donned her best aquatic armor and her primitive single-person skiff. The mighty ship slowed to a crawl as Nicolai threw a rope to the queen, and the vessel prepared for shenanigans.

“I do love a solid wipeout,” Finnius grinned as he peered over the stern. Jamie gave the “I’m ready to die” signal, and Stancliff dropped the hammer. The ship tore off at its fastest pace yet as the queen righted herself. Nary had a turn passed, however, before Nicolai noticed a troubling phenomenon.

“Yo, Stancliff,” he called glancing at the engine of the ship. “This thing s’pos ta be smoking?” Stancliff whirled around to see his ship’s engine become a cloud making machine. He quickly un-dropped the hammer bringing the ship and the queen to an abrupt halt. Finnius burst into laughter as his hopes for a face plant were realized.

“Why did you stop you plebe!” Jami groused as she emerged from the briny deep. “My head hurts!”

“The ship is acting a fool again!” Stancliff called. He removed the engine cover to discover the engine was lacking in anti-smoke sauce.

“You have no idea how to keep a ship running, do you?” Nicolai laughed. “I mean should I get out and push?”

“It might help,” Stancliff grumbled. “We may be able to make it back to the loading dock before this thing stops entirely.”

“What of the others?” Lady Kendal spoke glancing back toward the forest. “Surely we can’t leave them out there.”

“We haven’t a choice,” Stancliff said as he calculated in his head. “If we turn around and pick them up, we’ll never make it back to the launch. We’re going to be pushing it as it is. I’ll have to run her real slow.”

“They’re on the beach,” Finnius shrugged. “As long as they don’t do anything stupid, we should be able to find them.”

Hobbes and I stupidly peered into the green goo before us.

“What do you think lives in there, Feanor?” he asked. “The surface is so smooth.”

“It looks like the marsh of the damned,” I muttered trying to peer through the gelatinous surface. “Come on, Hobbes. We need to catch everyone else before we’re lost entirely.” The two of us limped on at an increased pace. The thought of being stuck in the dead marshes after nightfall was enough to spur us on. A few minutes later I saw Maiden Moni peering back toward us through the haze.

“I found the fools!” She called over her shoulder to the rest of the group. The two of us collected ourselves as we climbed a steady incline out of the haze and into the twilight. We had reached another fork in the path. To our left was a small clearing in the forest with an abandoned looking cabin in the center. Along side it was an ailing flatbed chariot.

“I suppose we should see if anyone’s home,” I sighed as Hobbes and I passed the group and headed toward the house.

“Are you kidding me!” Brian said staying where he was. “Do you know who lives in the woods? Toothless cannibals at best! I don’t know about you, but there’s no way I want to be gummed to death. I just have this thing about digestive enzymes; they’re not me.”

“Well I’d prefer people to a bear,” I said glancing back.

“Yeah,” Hobbes agreed. “People are slower than bears,” The party followed us with Brian hesitating an extra few seconds. We approached the moss covered door and tried to peer through the frosty windows. Nothing in the glade stirred. With another sigh, I banged my fist against the door.

Twenty minutes of slow no wake had brought Stancliff’s crew close to the shore. The queen was now wrapped in towels and glared at Stancliff. He gave a meager “I’m sorry” look as the ship tapped against the dock. With a few sputters, the engine of the ship was finally silenced.

“Nicolai,” Stancliff said as he tied the boat to the dock. “I need you to take Jamie, Kendal and Finnius back to the palace with the ship.”

“Where are you going?” Finnius asked.

“To find your brother and the cast of ‘The Hatchet.’”

“Then I’m coming with you,” Finnius said with newfound resolve.

“I don’t know, Finnius.” Stancliff said sizing him up. “I’m not certain where to look. Are you going to be able to keep up?”

“As long as you are,” Finnius grinned. Stancliff smiled, and the two ran to his chariot.

“Come on. There’s not much daylight left,” Stancliff said as he sped down the road.

Nicolai stared after the two as he tugged the ship toward its trailer. He paused a moment as if in deep thought, and then continued to pull.

The group waited in anxious anticipation as my knocks rang out. Brian’s eyes were visibly darting about looking for some kind of weapon. Several moments passed, however, and no drunken hillbilly emerged. The cabin was abandoned.

“What if we let ourselves in just to see if there’s a phone,” Moni said.

“Well,” began Hobbes, “As much as I appreciate a good breaking and entering, I shutter to think where we’d be if the owners DID show up.”

I gave the door a quick tug. “It’s definitely locked.”

“Then what about this chariot?” Moni asked as she approached the flatbed. Without a moment’s pause, she pulled the door open and climbed inside.

“Moni, what are you going to do?” I protested. “Hotwire the Grapes of Wrath truck?”

“If that will get us out of here,” she said digging further into the vehicle.

“Get out of there, Moni” Hobbes said impatiently. “We’re not stealing abandoned chariots.”

“I was only going to borrow it,” Moni said. “But the keys aren’t here anyway, so I guess we’re out of luck.” Everyone fell silent. I looked at the sky hoping to see some remnant of Mr. Sun. He was now asleep. A darkening purple sky was all that remained.

“We have to keep going,” I said. Sir Rick led the way in the direction we had been going. I ran about gathering the largest branches I could find, and made another arrow pointing the way we went. There was no defined path through the clearing, so I could only hope Stancliff would find the markings. I limped up to the rest of the group to find Rick strangely absent.

“Where’d our knight go?” I asked glancing about.

“No clue,” said Hobbes. “He just started running up the path.”

“Rick!” I called out to my own echo. “Come on, let’s try to catch up.” We increased our pace and the forest seemed to thicken around us. As we rounded another bend we found more telltale signs of questionable humanity. No trespassing signs dotted some of the trees on the path. At length, we found a large house atop a hill that appeared so Amityville we left well enough alone. Finally, we rounded a bend to see Rick waiting for us next to a gate and the road.

“The way out,” I sighed as everyone broke into a run toward the exit. I smiled at Hobbes as we lumbered on behind them. We emerged on the side of a road I hadn’t seen before. To our left sat another abandoned chariot.

“Well where do we go now,” Rick said looking both ways. “I think the launch may be to the left.”

“What if they never made it back to the launch though,” I said. “We’d be no better there than we were in the forest. Do we know which way the palace is?”

“I think it’s right,” Brian said. “I can’t be sure though.” As we talked, Hobbes walked around the abandoned chariot. He kept peering in the windows and began feeling under the doors.

“What on earth are you doing?” I asked him at length.

“Guys,” he said. “I think this is Stancliff’s chariot…” Everyone gathered around in interest.

“Well, where is he?” Megion asked.

“Good question.” Hobbes said feeling around. “And why didn’t he leave us the keys?”

“Maybe he didn’t know we were coming out here,” I said glancing back in the forest. “He could have gone in looking for us.”

“Stancliff!” Hobbes yelled back into the dark woods. There was no reply.

Stancliff and Finnius pulled up to the forest’s edge. As they disembarked, Stancliff peered into the trees.

“There’s a maze of paths back there,” he said. “I think I know one that will lead us to the drop-off point. We really need to hurry though.” Finnius nodded, and the two ran headlong into the woods. They ran for some time. Finnius felt himself tiring steadily, but pressed on. At several forks in the path, Stancliff paused and glanced in each direction. He then made a quick internal judgment and ran forward. As suddenly as they had entered the woods, the pair was greeted with the open air of the river, and the clearing where the shore party should have been.

“Hobbes!” Stancliff yelled as he walked toward the shore. “Feanor! Where are you guys?” Everything was quiet. “Those idiots had to run off somewhere, Stancliff mumbled peering in all directions. Five separate paths lead out of the clearing in varying directions.

“Hey, Stancliff,” Finnius called from the beach. “I found something!” Stancliff came running up beside him. There was a note in the sand.

“The path at 8:30,” Stancliff mumbled glancing at his watch. “We’re 30 minutes too late Finnius. Which path does he mean?”

“There!” Finnius said as he saw an arrow of sticks.

“At least they did SOMETHING right,” Stancliff smiled. “Come on, Finnius. We have a half hour to make up.” The two took off down the labeled path. At each fork they were able to follow our signs. Soon they had crossed the dead marsh and entered the abandoned cabin clearing. The path ended here, and the pair paused to knock on the door to the cabin.

“Well where did they head off too now?” Stancliff said as the two meandered around the clearing.

“Here,” Finnius ‘Mantracker’ said as he came across the largest arrow yet. The pair was off again. Before long, Stancliff stopped in his tracks.

“What is it?” Finnius inquired looking around.

“Did you hear that?” Stancliff asked coking his head to the side. Finnius took a few steps forward and listened. Faintly, against the chirping bugs of the night, he heard it.

“Stancliff!”

“It sounds like Hobbes,” Finnius said. The two ran forward, and around the next bend, saw us all.

“There!” Hobbes yelled pointing at Stancliff. “And Finnius too!”

“Praise be the luck of the silver,” I said with a smile. Stancliff and Finnius came running forward. “It sure took you two long enough!”

“It took US?” Finnius protested. “You’re the ones who went bushwhacking.”

“It’s good to see you guys again,” Stancliff said shaking my hand. “Let’s get out of here.” Before long, we all made it to Stancliff’s palace to hear the tale from everyone. Our merriment lasted long into the night.

As dawn dawned the following day on the Northern Lands of Carolina, I rose to activity all around. People scurried about with tents, food, chairs, sleeping bags, cloths, pillows, toothpaste, lanterns, and anything else they could conjure up a necessity for on an island. It was the day we were to start out journey out to sea. We would be camping on an island eight miles by one mile in a stretch of islands lining the coast of the mainland known as the Outer Banks.

It didn’t take long for the obvious inquiry to cross my mind; what of Stancliff’s ship? I managed to find Hobbes who was somehow in the know.

“Well, Stancliff found the problem and everything should be a-ok,” he said. “Yesterday’s two technical problems seem to have been completely independent of one another.”

“That’s good.” I replied watching some of the palace denizens load things into the ship. “I’d hate to become a castaway.”

“Nonsense,” Nicolai said sauntering up to us. “That baby is good as new. I made sure of it myself. We’ve been testing it all morning. Now be sure you get in the chariot with Stancliff and me so you get out to the island first. Everyone else is going shopping for more garbage.”

“What else could they possibly want to bring!” I said flabbergasted at the notion. “That boat is already loaded to the brim.”

“Sunscreen, bug spray… probably toilet paper. I don’t really know. It’s not important though.”

“We are going to the great obelisk of Sonic though to get a delicious slushy treat,” Jamie said as she passed me and got into her chariot. “You should come, Feanor. It’ll be delicious.” I began to recall a past journey involving sweet green nectar, and felt myself being swayed.

“Bah, Island Feanor,” Nicolai scoffed. His argument was a compelling one. I jumped into Nicolai’s chariot along with Stancliff, Hobbes, and Finnius. With the boat in tow, we headed for the cost.

“We’ll make landfall first,” said Stancliff as he drove. “You guys can start setting up the camp, and I’ll head back to pick up the next load of people. I think if we bring all this junk over in one load we can get everyone there with just the two runs.”

The ship’s load was even more impressive when I saw it up close. As we backed the ship into the water and began to board, I had great difficulty finding a spot to sit. The ship sat low in the water with all the goods.

“Looks like people didn’t pack too light,” Nicolai remarked as we pushed away from the dock. Our bogged-down ship sputtered against the small outlet river, and we were off. Stancliff took special care to keep the engine from being overpowered as we headed into open water. He then gave the ship full power. We all expected the usual rush as the ship planed out, but there was too much weight. The stern continued to drag lazily through the water.

“I need everyone to get on the front,” Stancliff called. One by one, we clamored over the mounds of bags. Soon I was sun bathing on the bow of the ship and staring up at the cloudless sky. Our added weight in the front managed to level the ship out, and we were able to make it to the island.

The unloading of Stancliff’s ship resembled the landfall of the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. Stancliff dropped the anchor several hundred feet from the shore. We lazily looked over the absurd amenities that needed transporting to the beach.

“This is going to take forever…” Finnius moaned as we dropped over the side. Trip after trip, we loaded our bodies with as many bags as we could. At one point a coffin sized cooler needed transportation. Had the water not been waist high, there would have been no moving it. We resorted to floating the behemoth to the shore, and then quad-dragging it a foot up the beech. Finally, we had the ship unloaded.

“Alright guys,” Stancliff said. “Hobbes and I are going to return to the mainland and pick up the rest of the party. You decide on a place for camp and get things in order. We’ll be back in a half hour.”

“You can count on us little bro,” Nicolai said slapping the cooler. We all watched with slight apprehension as the boat sputtered to life.

“Thank goodness, “I said with relief. “For just a second I was worried.” Hobbes waved as the pair sailed off into the setting sun. For team beachhead, the work had just begun. The three of us set about picking a campsite and moving our goods through the crab downs. Tents were erected, and firewood was gathered. We started the campfire, and began cutting down more dead trees.

We had been toiling for nearly an hour when Nicolai paused. With a sigh, he wandered to the edge of the water and starred out to sea.

“What is it, Nicolai?” I asked as I stepped up beside him. It wasn’t a question I really needed to ask.

“He’s not coming back.” Nicolai said as a weary smile crossed his lips. I followed his gaze over the lazy waves, and we said nothing.