Chapter Eighteen

Day Eight, Afternoon

Kate located the bilge pump in the supply cabinet. She didn't have anything long enough to measure the amount of water in the engine compartment so she had to convince Ryan to go back down there and do the measuring.

"The shark could get me," she said, her eyes wide with genuine fear.

The knocks against the underside of the yacht had been unrelenting for the past hour. It was like the shark thought that it would eventually be able to swim through the hole it made. Her nerves on edge, Kate dismissed the absurd thinking. She despised the fact that her five-year-old daughter had to act in her stead. Life was unjust, and this was one of those moments when the harsh reality of her disability became painfully clear.

Kate took Ryan's hand. "I really need you to do this for me," she implored, looking directly into her daughter's eyes. "I would never put you in danger. The shark cannot reach you down there," she added, leaving unsaid the word, ‘yet'.

Ryan brought her fists to her eyes to wipe away the tears she seldom shed. Kate's heart fractured a bit more with the gesture. She kissed her daughter's temple and provided light with a solar lamp as Ryan descended the ladder.

"Put your hand in the water with your fingers straight and gauge how high the water is."

"I did it, can I come back up now?"

"Get up here, silly."

Ryan's relieved smile when her head popped out of the hatch did little to assuage Kate's concerns about their predicament, but she was immensely proud of her daughter for facing her fears.

"It came up to here," Ryan said, extending her hand to indicate an imaginary water line that hit the middle knuckle.

This was a better outcome than Kate had anticipated. Thankfully, the hose was long enough to stretch down to the water from the top of the hatch where Kate stationed herself. Operating the pump was akin to using a handheld bicycle pump. She directed the expelled water into the bucket that was now positioned beside her on her wheelchair's seat. When the bucket was half full, Ryan wheeled it to the bathroom to empty it into the sink. The gray water drained into a tank that could be discharged into the ocean by flipping a switch in the engine compartment. Kate knew she would need Ryan's assistance again later, but for the moment, they had managed the situation.

As they labored, the shark intensified its attacks on the yacht, striking with almost rhythmic regularity. Despite Kate's efforts, she couldn't shake the notion that the shark had a goal and it was steadily achieving it.

They managed to pump out about an inch of water over the next hour. When Kate felt comfortable that they had removed enough, she had Ryan fetch her logbook so she could record the time and the volume of water they had removed. This would allow Kate to monitor the situation as closely as possible. After they finished, Ryan happily shot off another flare. They stood on the deck waiting again until it became too disheartening for Kate to bear.

She woke Sam to administer more Tylenol and another painkiller. He was groggy and irritable, and when she accidentally jostled his leg, he snapped.

"Dammit, what are you trying to do?" he exclaimed, his face flushing as he inhaled sharply.

Having full memory of her outbursts in the months following her accident, Kate remained composed. "I know it hurts. The pain medication will kick in soon," she reassured him.

"I'm sorry," he muttered after a few moments, his pain subsiding.

"Don't worry, I understand." She offered him a bottle of water. He took a small sip, his lips cracked and his skin parched from dehydration.

They needed assistance—and soon.

"Where's Ryan?" he inquired.

"She's in her bunk watching The Little Mermaid on my laptop which hopefully has enough battery power that she can finish it," Kate said.

"There's something you're not telling me," Sam said, gripping her hand. "We're going to get through this. What's happening?"

Kate couldn't conceal the truth any longer, but she knew that Sam would feel even worse knowing he was unable to help.

"The shark has been ramming the hull repeatedly. We discovered a little over two inches of water in the engine compartment. Ryan and I have managed to pump it down to an inch, but I'm unsure how quickly it's accumulating," she explained, giving him a moment to absorb the information. "If the damage to the hull worsens, we're in serious trouble."

"How the hell is he doing it?" Sam asked, his voice tinged with anger.

"He seems to be targeting a specific weak spot," Kate replied. It was impossible to believe they were having this conversation.

Sam's hand remained on hers, offering a silent gesture of support.

"What's your plan?" he finally asked.

"I'm back to considering the Sea Doo. If I had Ryan throw some spoiled meat overboard to distract the shark, I could attempt to get help," Kate proposed, though she was not fully convinced by her own suggestion.

He shook his head in disagreement.

"I'm aware it's not the best plan," she admitted, frustration evident in her voice. "I'm concerned about you. You need medical attention urgently, and time is running out. The shark is fixated on the yacht, and it won't stop. Taking the life raft would be tantamount to a death sentence with that shark lurking, and we can't take that risk. What if it's after us and not just the yacht?" Kate exhaled, grateful for the opportunity to voice her thoughts, even though Sam seemed hesitant about the idea.

"I can take the Sea Doo, and you stay with Ryan," Sam suggested.

"That's not feasible, and you know it," Kate countered, her voice heavy with regret.

"I have one functional leg. You have none," he pointed out bluntly.

The stark reality of his words stung, but Kate understood he didn't mean to hurt her. Sam's grip tightened as he looked intently into her eyes. She averted her gaze, finding solace in the blank screens of the control console.

"Kate, look at me," he urged.

Tears welled as she turned back to face him. "I'm clutching at straws," she admitted. "The Sea Doo plan is stupid."

"No, it's not," he insisted, his tone firm. "We can manage my pain, and I can do this. You wouldn't have considered this option if the situation weren't so dire. You're more capable of protecting our daughter here than I am. You need to stay with her."

Kate rested her head against his chest, comforted by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His hand soothingly stroked her back.

"I never truly fought for us," he whispered, his voice laden with regret. "I loved you and Ryan, but I often felt like an outsider, and that was my own doing. I'm an adult; I didn't need to be the center of attention. The affair was entirely my fault. It felt wrong from the start, and I felt unworthy of the love from my family. My shame has been a barrier, but I'm ready to fight for what matters most."

Kate remained silent, absorbing his words.

"I will take the Sea Doo and fight for us. Ryan can't look after me if my condition worsens before rescue arrives. This is the only viable solution. Do we need to act immediately?"

"No," she replied, her mind slowly accepting the idea of him leaving for help. The thought of not being the one to go, left her feeling numb at the prospect of him facing the dangers on the Sea Doo. Sam was correct though; if he were to die and leave Ryan alone on board, Kate could never forgive herself. "Tomorrow," she added after a pause. "We'll assess the water level overnight and make a final decision in the morning."

"I'm the one who will go," he stated decisively.

She embraced him tightly. "I know."

Over the next hour, she prepared Ryan for bed and launched another flare. "Mom gets the middle tonight," she announced to Ryan, ensuring there was space for her beside Sam. For the first time in two years, she slept within the security of his embrace. The positioning made it more difficult for her to check on the water in the engine compartment, but it was a small price to pay. When she returned to their makeshift bed, Sam drew her close, and they drifted back to sleep together.

As the early morning light filtered through the windows, a foot of water flooded the engine compartment overnight.