فصل 95

florian

The few remaining boats were filling fast. My pack swung from my shoulder on the single strap, causing me to slip and lose balance.

I saw the pink hat through the crowd. And then I saw Joana. The Polish girl was crawling behind with the baby. I moved through the throngs of people toward them. The sailor, Alfred, crept slowly in my direction.

“Joana, Emilia, hurry! Women and children first,” I yelled.

Joana turned, saw the Polish girl, and grabbed her.

“Hurry!” I repeated to Joana. “Get in the boat. I’ll help her in with the baby.”

“Take the little one,” shouted Poet, frantically pushing the wandering boy through the crowd. “Please, take him,” he pleaded.

“Opi!” the boy screamed, fighting to get back to the shoemaker.

A sailor helped Joana down a rope ladder into the lifeboat. She reached up for the baby.

The Polish girl refused. She motioned for me to get into the swaying boat.

People pushed past. The boat began to fill.

“Go! Get into the boat!” I yelled.

“She only trusts you,” shouted Joana. “She wants you to bring the baby down.”

“Damn it.” I handed Alfred my pack. “Hold this.”

The shoe poet tossed a life vest over my head. I took the baby from the Polish girl and climbed down into the boat.

“There’s too many people,” someone screamed. “We’re going to capsize.”

“Only one more,” a sailor said.

“Wait! No!” I yelled. “We have more people.”

“One more,” the sailor repeated.

“Emilia, hurry!” screamed Joana.

Emilia stared at us from above, then quickly pushed the wandering boy into the boat on top of us. The ropes snapped and our boat dropped down into the water.

Emilia was still on deck.

I was holding her baby.

Alfred was still on deck.

He was holding my pack.