فصل 95

joana

Florian was right. The light was a ship. The passengers in the boat with remaining strength waved their arms to be seen by the searchlight scanning the water. Florian moved to row us toward the rescue ship.

The baby stirred. The wandering boy looked up at me. “A boat has come to pick us up,” I told him.

“Is Opi on the boat?” he asked.

Sailors unfurled a large knotted net down the side of the ship. I didn’t know if I had the strength to climb up. My hands were numb with cold.

“Are you a good climber, Klaus?” Florian asked the wandering boy.

The boy nodded.

The lifeboat swung up next to the ship, bobbing frantically. Florian kept his feet in the boat and held on to the nets. Two sailors scrambled down to help people up.

“We’ve got a newborn baby,” Florian told them. The sailors took the baby from me and carried her up. The children were brought up next, and then all of the adults. I tried to check the pulse of those who remained in the boat. Five, wet and without coats, were dead of hypothermia.

Soon Florian and I were the only two left.

“You first,” he said. “I’ll be behind you.”

My fingers were too frozen. I couldn’t move them. I had to climb by putting my elbows in the ropes of the net and pushing up with my legs. I was nearing the top. My foot suddenly slipped on the slick rope and kicked back, hitting something.

I heard Florian yell. I screamed and felt a heavy jerk on the net.

The sailor on deck reached over and grabbed me. “Keep climbing,” he commanded. “Don’t look down.”

“Florian!” I screamed. There was no reply. “Florian!”

The sailor leaned over the edge, grabbed me by the shoulders, and pulled me onto the swaying deck of the ship. I turned to look down.

Florian was gone.