Chapter 11

As soon as Runner got a little comfortable with the dockside boys around, his natural curiosity led to him asking questions of the crewman (“Why doesn’t it go under the water like a rock does?” “What makes it go?”). Inevitably, those questions had attracted a knot of the farmboys, eagerly tossing out their own questions. Greene was ashore, lurking in the bushes with me. I was rubbing my newly unshackled wrists and trying to stretch my leg muscles enough to do splits. I hadn’t been able to do any decent exercises in nearly a month of bondage in the hobble chain. The other member of the crew was belowdecks in the crew quarters, presumably in his underwear. I was wearing his outer clothes. The crewman’s hat covered my messily cut hair.

There was a burst of excitement from the three farmboys with Runner as the crewman invited them all to take a look around on the deck—Runner, of course, brought Puppy with him. I had been adamant that Runner and Puppy had to be aboard before me—the crew had no real reason to let either of them come along; I was the only one of us worth anything to them.

The crewman had been hammering on the engine pretending to be fixing a problem with it. After the barrage of questions had slowed down, he invited the boys to have a close look at the engine. They followed him on a tour—excluding the crew quarters—firing off a barrage of questions of their own. Eventually one of them left on his own, and another was called away by his irritated father. The last of them left reluctantly as the crewman closed the engine cover and declared the trouble fixed. Watching the teen’s departing back, the crewman gestured toward the cargo hold. Runner picked up Puppy, carried her down the steps, and disappeared from view.

The next twenty minutes had an air of comic opera, as one crewman left the boat and entered the woods, Greene returned to the boat, left again, the crewman returned ... and at last I walked out of the woods. My heart was doing cartwheels in my chest, and I was barely able to breathe. Two townsmen were still on the dock, likely detailed to keep an eye on the boat in case the now-famous Runaway Slave should appear and attempt to board. They barely gave me a glance as I walked along the dock, the crewman’s ill-fitting boots covering the bruises on my ankles. My hands were in the pockets of my jeans, partly to hide my wrists and partly to hold the pants up. My shoulders were hunched against the convenient rain—and hiding the scrapes made by my slave collar. They just kept on talking as I walked by them. Barely able to persuade myself it was really happening, I walked up the plank onto the deck of the boat and down into the cargo hold. I threw my arms around Runner to give him a brief hug, then stripped off the borrowed clothes. I put on the leather islander outfit Runner had stolen for me.

A minute later Greene came down into the cargo hold. I lunged at him and gave him a hug, murmuring “Thank you thank you thank you...” I have no idea how long I might have gone on, but my flow of gratitude was cut short by the abrupt ignition of the engine. Above the thundering noise, I could hear two terrified yelps, one from Puppy and one from Runner. Runner grabbed me and pressed up against me, his face buried against my shoulder. I let go of Greene and started rubbing and patting Runner’s back, saying “It’s okay, it’s okay,” slowly pulling him down so he could wrap an arm around Puppy as well. Puppy was crying like a small child.

I looked up at Greene, who gave me a bemused look in return. He said loudly enough to be heard, “We’ll have some lunch a little later. For any of you who haven’t sworn off food forever by that time.” He chuckled. Picking up the clothing I’d discarded, he turned and bounded up the steps. I’m sure he was glad to leave me with the job of calming my two charges. But they were too freaked out by their first encounter with modern technology to begin even thinking about seasickness.

Greene led the three of us into the galley, where one sailor was already eating at a small table. Nearby sat a small fridge and a microwave. I felt uncomfortable without some sort of collar marking my status as a slave. I certainly didn’t want back the one I’d worn on the island, but I was technically violating the law by not wearing one. Under the circumstances, I knew nobody would object, and I suspected the crew would treat me a little nicer if I looked like a free woman, even though they actually knew I was a slave.

I had unbuckled Puppy’s leather collar and pocketed it, then headed for the galley. Puppy’s collar had been a disquieting reminder that, while Runner didn’t belong to anyone, I had technically stolen a slave by bringing Puppy onto the boat. I insisted to myself that I shouldn’t feel guilty about it, since Puppy’s entire potential life as an intelligent being had been stolen from her at birth. That put her servitude beyond all boundaries of fairness observed on the mainland. There were legal circumstances in which someone could be made a slave involuntarily, but none of them sanctioned what had happened to Puppy.

The sailor eating lunch was tall for a woman, and muscular. Her hair was cut rather short for a woman: probably to blend in with the mostly male population of the island. I judged her to be in her mid-twenties. She was the one who had pretended to service the engine, distracting the locals while I got on board. She seemed uncertain whether to stand as we entered. She was sipping a beer as she finished a sandwich. I smiled at her.

Greene gestured toward the woman. “Rochelle Bailor.”

I smiled at Bailor, who nodded in return. “I’m really grateful for all your help.”

Bailor smiled back nervously. “You really a Noosemeister?”

I always felt pride at the designation, even when, or especially when, it was just reminding myself. I grinned. “I really am.”

“Could you ... maybe show us later? I mean, I know Justin said he seen you, but I ain’t never seen one.”

I bit my lip. The vibration from the engine and uncertain rocking motion would cause trouble. “I’ve never done it on a boat. I wouldn’t be at my best.” I brightened. “Justin told you about you being invited to one of the Academy parties, right?”

Bailor looked at me cautiously. “Yes, ma’am.”

I shook my head while trying to read her expression. “Oh, please don’t call me that. Just Amy. Academy students are slaves.” There, her reaction when I’d said “Academy” again. Despite Greene’s assurances of my hanging prowess, Bailor’s face told me that she wasn’t entirely convinced I had any association with the Academy. And therefore she didn’t think that the promised reward and party would really be forthcoming. I tried to think how I could convince her. Even hanging might not do it, considering the difficulties here. I might just be a talented amateur. I put the problem on hold, reluctantly.

Bailor wiped her hands together, her meal finished. “I’ll go relieve Jimmy.” She rose, nodded at Greene and left the galley without looking at me again.

Greene gave her a puzzled look as she passed; he couldn’t read her the way I could. Greene turned back to me and shrugged. “One of them’s got to steer.” He gestured to the table, where he had piled cold cuts on a platter beside a stack of sliced bread, open bottles of mustard and mayonnaise with a spreading knife sticking up from the latter, and several unopened beer bottles. His gesture swept wide enough to include Runner.

I took a seat, looked at Runner and gestured toward another seat. Runner had probably never used a chair before, but he’d watched closely as I pulled one out, sat and scooted back in. Runner copied the move exactly.

I looked at the beer. I’d never acquired a taste for the stuff, and was sure Runner hadn’t. And I could imagine Puppy’s reaction to it. “Ummm ... have you got bottled water, or something like that?”

“Oh!” Greene snorted. “I just put those out automatically. If I’d been on an island without beer for a month, it’d be the first thing I thought about.” He went to the fridge and pulled out several clear bottles.

He twisted off the caps on two bottles, handing one to Runner. Runner took it, looked at it uncertainly, then imitated my first sip.

I pointed to Puppy. “Maybe a bowl? She’s used to drinking out of rivers.”

A minute later I set the cereal bowl Greene had located down in front of Puppy and poured about half a bottle of water into it. Puppy gave it an experimental taste, then began lapping eagerly.

I put a sandwich together for Runner; I guessed that sandwiches were not common on the island. I was constantly on the lookout for any possible situation where Runner might react differently from an adolescent island settler. So far, there had been none. I spread mayo on the bread but decided to skip the mustard. Plenty of time later for Runner to discover intense spices. Runner looked at me questioningly as I handed him the sandwich, and watched as I took a bite of mine. He nodded, took a bite from his sandwich, and grinned at me.

I picked up a few bologna slices, rolled them up in a tube and held them down for Puppy. She sniffed the meat, bit into it experimentally, then snatched it out of my hand with her teeth and wolfed it down quickly.

The other crewman came down into the galley. Greene gestured toward him. “Jimmy Pellis.”

I hadn’t seen Pellis close-up before. I would almost have described him as a boy. He was smaller than Bailor, with curly hair. He was obviously younger than me, hardly older than Runner. I gave him a friendly wave. “It must have been your clothes I was wearing. I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your help.”

Pellis gave me a tight smile. “No problem.”

Oh, shit, a different problem here, just as bad, maybe worse. I didn’t need to look at his crotch. His face alone said how horny he was.

I’d considered the possibility of sex with my rescuers. I didn’t have a strong objection. In fact, Pellis was damn good looking. Only an inch taller than me, but he was compact. I could tell he had muscles even if they didn’t show. And he smelled real nice. But there were three problems. One was that I had serious reservations about engaging in sex in such an uncontrolled situation. Doing it with a monitor on duty in the party pavilion was one thing, but doing it on a boat in the middle of the ocean attended only by horny sailors who could overpower any resistance that Runner, Puppy and I could muster together was entirely different. Greene had been nice so far, but sailors were ... Second was the problem of Runner. I had seen through Runner’s disguise soon after meeting him. The hornier the sailors got, the greater the chance they might realize that Runner was a slave by Purity Island rules. I had to steer events away from that situation.

And third, it wasn’t really me that Pellis wanted. He wanted Rochelle Bailor, but she wouldn’t have him. I wanted my lovers to want me, not just a hole to put it in.

Cautiously, I ventured, speaking to Pellis, “I’m looking forward to showing how much I appreciate it when you come to the next party at the Academy.”

Pellis wheezed out a sharp breath. I had known he was ratcheting up his internal tension considerably. But I had to get him to bring what he really wanted out into the open.

His face reddening, he said, “What about showing your appreciation here? Now?” He gave me a shaky smile.

Perfect. I paused, sandwich held negligently in one hand, and gave him a wistful look. “That could be a lot of fun, Jimmy. But I want to make sure you get the most you can out of it. At the party, I’d give you a real girlfriend experience, or act however else you want me to act. Something you’d never forget. And if there’s a student there you like better, you could have her instead. Or me and her. Or him. And you’d see another student snuffed by hanging, and that’s exactly what all of us are trained for. She’ll put on a show like you can’t imagine. You can’t find video of it anywhere. We don’t allow that. The only way you can ever see a Noosemeister snuffed is by being there.” I leaned forward slightly, holding his eyes with mine. “I don’t want you to miss out on that.”

I could see the wheels turning. I’d avoided putting it as a threat, but I had made it clear that it was either/or: sex now versus the party later. He couldn’t do both. And I’d be in control of who was invited to a party. And then he realized something else: that the reward—the money—also depended on me.

In a choked voice, he asked, “You promise? On the party?”

As sincerely as I knew how, I said, “I promise.”

He looked at me a moment longer, then nodded. He took a final bite of his sandwich, picked up the beer bottle, and left the galley. Just as he was leaving, I read that same doubt in his face that Bailor had shown. This is all fine, his face said, as long as she’s from the Academy. How do I know she really is?

Greene snorted as he watched Pellis’s retreat, and turned to me. “He doesn’t get out much.”

“I gathered.”

Greene shrugged. “I already ate. Come on up to the bridge later, if you want.”

I nodded. “Thanks for everything, again.”

As he nodded and left, Runner finished chewing the last bite of his sandwich. He looked at me. “Is anything wrong? I don’t get what’s happening.”

I rubbed Runner’s thigh and briefly leaned my head on his shoulder. “Everything’s okay. For now.”

Puppy barked, leaned in between us and licked my hand.

I laughed. “I’m sorry, Puppy! You’re still hungry, aren’t you?” I rolled up another tube of bologna.

Arms crossed over the railing and chin resting on it, I stared out at the rushing water alongside the boat. My stomach was ... almost comfortable, but Puppy had been looking slightly queasy and was now napping in the cargo hold.

Runner craned his neck, looking around as much of the periphery of the boat as he could see, and shook his head. “I saw the engine, when the...” he gestured, mimicking somebody working on the engine, “showed it to us. How is that engine pushing us, Amy?”

I considered how to answer. “It’s like there’s ... arms, not real arms, metal arms, under the boat, going like this, swimming.” I made a paddling motion. “The engine is making the arms do that. An engine is one kind of machine. That’s something that can do work, like people can. You’ll see a lot more of those later, to do different things.”

Runner nodded. Moments later he straightened, began unzipping his pants, and suddenly remembered. “Amy, I need to pee.”

I called out loudly, over the engine noise, “Justin? Where’s the head?”

His voice came back, “Go back in the galley. Far side.”

I led Runner back to the galley, and discovered a door I hadn’t noticed earlier. Inside was a toilet and sink, both relatively clean. “Just pee into the water.”

Runner nodded, pulled his shorts down, and aimed—it was not, after all, that complicated an idea. I said, “We usually leave people alone to do it. I’ll be right outside.”

When I heard the tinkling stop, I reentered, and showed Runner how to operate the flush lever. “Oh, and watch.” I turned the tap to start running water into the sink. “Rub your hands together under the water. Where I’m from it doesn’t rain nearly as much, so people rub water over themselves. They like to feel clean.” Runner washed his hands, looking up at me questioningly to make sure he was doing it right.

Runner was intently scanning the horizon ahead. Nothing but water was currently visible. “What does the Academy look like, Amy?”

I puzzled over how to answer, and then realized Runner intended to try to see it from mid-ocean. “We won’t see it from the boat. After the boat we’ll have to go there another way.” I wondered how we’d cover the 100-plus miles from the port to the Academy. Would Greene drive us?

Runner looked disappointed, and turned his attention elsewhere. “What’s that?” He pointed.

I smiled. Really, it’s so much like being with a three-year-old sometimes. I saw where Runner was pointing. I’d seen this structure on the boat before, without paying much attention. I was about to describe it as the mast, and briefly wondered why a boat without sails needed one. Then I saw the thin strip of metal running up the side of the tall wooden pole. My jaw fell open. Why didn’t I think of that before?? I said excitedly, “It’s ... I think it’s a radio antenna, R ... Caleb.” Ignoring Runner’s puzzled “A what?” I took Runner’s hand and half ran, half leapt up the steps to the bridge.

Pellis was at the wheel at present. Greene was writing in some sort of ledger. The log, I guessed. I burst out, “Justin, you’ve got a radio, right?” Stupid, stupid, Amy, I felt like such an idiot!

Greene looked up in surprise. “Well, yeah.” His expression added “Duh!”

“Can you reach a telephone land line with it? Talk to somebody on the mainland, by phone?”

“Ummm ... yeah, I guess. I haven’t tried that before, but I suppose I can get patched through.”

I nodded almost spastically, and went on, “Well, look, I can make things a lot easier for you. I need to talk to the Hanging Academy. Tell them where I am, where I’ll be ... I mean, you’d have to tell them that, where you’re going to dock. But you won’t have to take me to the city. They can pick me up and do all that.”

I waited, shivering with excitement, as Runner looked at me with an expression that said, Okay, Amy, you really have to explain this to me. Greene put on a headset, flipped switches, adjusted dials, and began speaking into a microphone. Minutes later, when he turned to me and said, “I need the phone number,” I almost told him, but my eye caught Pellis’s, watching the by-play intently. Two birds about to be snuffed at once, I thought. I call home, and at the same time provide proof to the skeptical. “I don’t know the number. It’s not like I call there myself. You’ll need to get that from the operator.”

I saw Pellis press his lips together and give a barely perceptible headshake. He thinks I’ve just proved I’m not from the Academy. He thinks I should know the number. Just wait, Jimmy. If I gave a number to call, Pellis and Greene would have no way of knowing who I’m really talking to. But if Justin finds the number from the operator, there’s no question it’s the Academy.

I waited with Greene as Directory Assistance sought the number. Eventually, Greene said, “Could you put me through to that number?” I spotted a toggle switch labeled “speaker” on the radio console. I reached forward, glanced at Greene for permission and flipped the toggle, and a voice emerged from a grilled circle in the console, “ ... ging Academy, this is Bonnie. How can I help you?”

Through a wavery curtain of tears, I could make out Runner’s incredulous expression, as he looked under the console to see where Bonnie might have been hiding all this time. Greene looked at me questioningly, and I waved frantically for the microphone. Greene handed it to me, and I said, my throat knotted, my voice shaking, “C-could you connect me with the Dean’s office?”

“Certainly, ma’am.” There was a sharp clicking sound, then... “Dean’s office. This is Tina.”

I tried to speak, but couldn’t hold back the sobs. I’d felt sure I could keep it together better than this. I took a deep breath, as Tina’s voice, full of concern, asked, “Sir, can I help you?” I finally managed to choke out, “Tina, it’s Amy.”

There was a long silence. I looked at the console, and up at Greene. “Are we still connected?”

At last a choked whisper emerged from the speaker. “Amy! Where are you?? How are you??”

“I’m okay! I’m okay!” I sniffled desperately to clear my nose so I could keep talking. “I’m on a boat. We’re headed for land. I’m with some sailors who rescued me. I’m going to need somebody to come get me. I’m going to let you talk to Captain Greene. He’ll tell you where to come.” I handed the microphone back to Greene, and fell forward onto my crossed arms on the table. I could no longer hold back the sobs, and gave in to them.

I felt Runner beside me, squatting. Runner’s hand was on the back of my neck. “Amy? Amy? Does it hurt to talk to that thing?”

I looked up and did my best to smile. My sobs suddenly morphed into a laugh. “It doesn’t hurt. Caleb. It feels ... better than anything. Ever. Oh!” I looked up at Greene, and said softly, indicating the microphone, “I need it back. When you’re done.”

Greene nodded, saying into the microphone, “About 10 pm, I think. Somewhere in there. Depends how choppy the water is.”

Tina’s voice, businesslike now, said, “Okay. Is there anything else we need to know?”

I made a beckoning gesture for the microphone. Greene handed it back, and I said, “Tina, we need transportation to the Academy for three people. There’s me, and someone from the island who’s going to come back with me, and a puppygirl.”

“Puppygirl?” Stunned Tina replaced efficient Tina again. “What island?”