Chapter 70Confluence

“So Minderella had three evil stepsisters and an evil stepmom?”, asked Minnie.Will thought for a moment, “I don’t think the sisters were evil, just badly behaved because of the mother.”.Naomi had a question about that “But why was she evil, just so greedy and horrible to the poor girl.”.He had taken several liberties with the story, mostly changing the name.And it sure took a lot of explaining because much of the folk lore behind the story just didn’t exist in this world.Minnie asked another question “Is she the same evil stepmother to Snow White too, and just got a different job?”.“Good question, I just don’t know, so maybe.” Will replied.The crew were sitting on deck deciding if they should go out today, or go tomorrow and have a later start.

Minnie didn’t care as long as she got to go, Naomi didn’t really either so it was up to Will, and it was all the same to him.So here they sat, procrastinating away.Telling stories to pass the time, the Grimms tales he could remember.But he was ‘nicing’ them up, there was a lot of brutality in the originals, he wasn’t going to bring any of that here.The versions he was telling were mostly the animated movie stories, they were much kinder and family friendly.

When he got to the part about the glass slipper left behind and the prince searching for it Naomi looked fairly disgusted.“But lots of people have the same size feet, and he didn’t even know her, and why didn’t…, no never mind. Just a story.”.Minnie like the story better because it had a happy ending and the main character had her name, mostly.“If we’re gonna go, we should go now.It’s going to be too late soon, they close up early here, probably even roll up the streets later.” Will stated.He could feel eyes on him as soon as he said it, so the explanation flowed.This had kind of broken the story mood so it was decided it was time to go shopping.Of course after changing clothes from slopping around the ship stuff to snazzy going out clothes.

Will stuck with his usual shorts, plain shirt and flip flops, he had to make them but they were perfectly serviceable.Naomi was in her usual sundress test she wore for outings, Minnie was a sight though.Wearing a yellow mid length skirt, black boots, a white and yellow checkered shirt and topped off with a yellow boater.“Holy moley, Minnie you look great.” said Naomi.“Yeah I do, you too, We’re styling today.”, replied Minnie.Pushing their shopping carts they all headed down the long quay towards the busy shops of Newton.

Now that they had been here a few times the crew had their favourites. Book shop for Will, that also carried inks and quill, paper and notebooks. The candy shop of course, bakeries, a butcher shop for steak and ribs for a late dinner. A stop at the cheesery for several wheels of different cheeses. Will had been unable to eat cheese for years, it gave him bad headaches. But now, the cheese was wonderful. No preservatives or additives, just perfect. Now a stop at the dairy for a couple of pints of milk for Minnie. The milliners and the clothes store too some time, Will was interested too and purchased a new boater as well as several new shirts. One cart was quite full but there was still so much more to explore.

As the wandered through the busy town everyone was happy to see them. Running into this acquaintance or one of the kids that just came off was nice and they were always stopping to chat. Minnie loved babies and would babble nonsense at them and always like to hold and play with them. Naomi not so much with the babies but the older children loved her. Will tried to stay more aloof, not unfriendly but a bit distant. What Minnie and he talked about, saying goodbye to friends through the years. Seeing all the children with their families, the kids that had voyaged with them. One day every single person they had ever met, would ever meet, would be long gone while they stayed the same. He worried how it would change Minnie, or himself. Is Naomi the same way, would she grow old on the boat or leave them one day. Hard thoughts. He made a conscious effort to ‘put them away’ for now, it’s not like there was anything he could do about it.

Scouring the shops in the market area, Will was hoping to find a few spices they didn’t have on the boat.He was also on the hunt for a pressure cooker, or something he could cobble into one.Most of the cookware available were either iron or copper.The latter wouldn’t work at all, too malleable.So iron it was, but it was looking like he would have to visit a smith to get it made.The reason he wanted a pressure cooker was for canning.

He had remembered that meat, fish, most vegetables could be preserved by pressure canning. His plan was to get the canner built and start canning as much as possible. If done right the foods preserved this way could last up to a year. It was all about the higher temperatures possible than the water bath method. There was a fair bit of prep time and it could be a slow process but they did have the opportunity on the upcoming trip. He had visited the produce stands and picked a few different veggies to experiment with. Especially tomatoes. Even if he couldn’t preserve it he could sure make tomato sauce now, and make pasta to go with it. One of the foods he missed was Italian and was going to try to reproduce some of his favourites. He was even going to try one shot meals. Browned beef, fresh peas, potatoes and onions in a quart jar. Fill with beef broth and pressure can for ninety minutes at ten pounds. Nice easy meal and emergency rations, like a MRE.

That is, if he could find a smith who could make this.So far he had talked to a couple who could do it but not very quickly.A very busy time for them apparently.Coming up to harvest season.So it was looking like the canner was next trip.

It was getting late afternoon now, coming up to dinner time. Everyone was happy with their treasures so back to the boat it was. Minnie riding in the first cart as Will pushed them along the nice smooth roads. “Whoa dad, watch those bumps, I nearly got tossed out like a shrimp .”. Will snorted “Well, you are a bit shrimpy there.”. She glared at him “We’re not all giant bald old guys you know, some of us are the perfect height, with silky fur and gleaming white choppers.”. Now the game was on, find the bumps. The trip back was made with much yelling and laughter…and bumps, good thing there wasn’t anything too breakable in the carts, Minnie was clutching her precious milk and shrieking.

As they neared the quay there was two heavily laden wagons waiting.“Oh good captain, it’s our restock”, said Naomi.Minnie jumped down from the shopping cart and ran ahead and greeted the drivers.Once again it was Rudy and Ed.“Hey guys, nice to see you, got our goodies huh, better be lots of nice biscuits on there, maybe some tea for the old guy too, oh and jam I love jam, makes my face fur sticky but so yummy”, Minnie prattled.Rudy laughed “We have everything you’ll need Minnie, lots of everything.”.Min jumped up on his wagon and he started backing down the quay.The loaded barges were still tied off, the unloading hadn’t started yet.They had run into Samantha and Dave while shopping, Will had mentioned that perhaps they should beach the barges.To make it easier to unload, and to store for the oncoming winter in case they weren’t back to move them.But, he reminded them, they only had today to decide as they were leaving later in the day.Dave had promised to let him know later.When Will mentioned this to Naomi as she came out of the hat shop with Minnie, she shrugged,“It’s up to them, you offered.”.She seemed to have become a bit less fond of Newton lately.

And then it happened again.Time stopped.Waves frozen in place, horses in mid walk, birds in mid flap.It had been a few weeks since the last time, Will nearly forgot it had happened.No damage was ever done but it was so disconcerting, the worry was that it would last forever.Being stuck inside your own mind.It was hard not to panic, but that wouldn’t accomplish …and it was over.His foot hit the ground, noises returned, he heard Minnie calling “Daaaaaad, are you okay?”.He called back that he was okay, Naomi was beside him and staggered a bit as she came out of the freeze too.“Will, why is this happening?It’s so lonely in my head, I don’t like being alone.”.Will shook his head “I don’t know, did this ever happen in the past, before Minnie and I arrived?”.She thought for a moment, “I don’t think so, but things were pretty bad after captain Magnus passed, I was much younger though.”.

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That gave Will something to mull over, he couldn’t imagine that Minnie and him coming here could have started this happening.Again he had to just let it go, there was nothing that he could do about it.

They had reached the dock and Ed was still waiting in his wagon, looking a bit scared.“Hey cap, it happened again huh?”, he said nervously.“Yeah it did, thank goodness it’s over now.”, Will replied.Naomi continued chatting to Ed as Will started down the quay,off to where Minnie and Rudy had reached the Rose.The sun was warm and the day was perfect.One of those late August days, the kind where you sit under a tree in your yard.Lemonade and a good book.Hmm, he reached for his notebook and made a note about lemonade.

They had brought up skids earlier for supply loading and Minnie had brought them down.Each wagon carried enough supplies for several weeks so loading would take a while this time.When Will made it to the boat Minnie and Rudy had started unloading.“Took your time huh?”, Minnie snarked when she noticed him finally.“Yeah, I went for an early dinner over to the tea house, it was wonderful, bacon sandwiches with a side of bacon.” Will laughed.The look of betrayal was epic, eyes wide and sad, ears drooping, tail down.“You went without me?How could you…?”.He laughed “I was two minutes behind you, come on now”.”

Standing by the skid he got Minnie to start tossing things to him. Rudy shook his head watching Minnie and Will throwing hundred pound sacks of flour like they were weightless. In this manner the wagon was soon empty, Min escorted Rudy off and she and Naomi brought Ed up. His wagon was equally loaded and was as quickly emptied. He too was escorted back. He and Rudy started unrolling the long hose that supplied water from a well into the Roses tanks. Will had readied their pump, primed it and soon had the hose gushing water. Their tanks filled quickly, this was washing water, but could be consumed as well, being well water. The black and grey tanks had been emptied and flushed with lake water just before entering the Newton harbour. This was the last chore and they were loaded.

Sitting in the mess with tea and milk, there were maps on the table in front of them all.Their plan was to follow the coast, far out though, to the north.The odds of finding another community were higher along the coast compared to an island.“How far we going dad?”, Minnie asked.“As far as we can.”, Will said, “Fuels good, and we can always stop at a shoal.”.Naomi added “We have supplies for months, it might get a bit limited but we won’t starve.”.Minnie added “Not with shrimpies and fishies, we might even find crab and this other things dad said.The blobsters or what they’re called.”.“Aren’t they called flabsters?”, asked Naomi.Will stifled a laugh “Lobsters.”, was all he said. “Yeah those guys.”, said Minnie, “We’ll be good.”.

A few minutes later Will was lighting the boiler, Minnie and Naomi were prepping the deck. Tidying lines, checking davits, sweeping off debris, just generally readying the boat. They were keeping a watch to see if the council had decided to move the barges, but no one showed. “They do know we’re leaving today don’t they.”, asked Minnie when Will came above deck. “Yeah, maybe they haven’t made a decision yet. Not our problem really, we offered.”, he replied.

Time passed as eventually all the leaving chores were finished. The boiler was hot and steam was at full pressure, Will hopped down to the dock and untied the lines, tossed the bumpers onto the deck and climbed back on. Minnie applied power and they pulled away from Newton. Giving several long blasts to say goodbye, they steamed around the shore, out of the harbour and into the lake proper. All the crew were in the wheelhouse looking forward, excited about the trip and didn’t notice that the council had finally shown up at the dock. All they could do was watch the Rose sail away until she was gone.

Aboard the boat everyone was settling down into their usual routines, when it was just them that is. Minnie like first watch, Will would be either in the wheelhouse with her or on the foredeck reading or writing to-do notes. If Naomi wasn’t in the galley she would also be up on deck. Either playing cards with Minnie or Will, practicing her violin or just watching the endless waves. Will worried about her a bit, as he sat with her. She was so young to have this nomadic life thrust upon her. The business with the Menu and the abilities and skills it granted her, the extremely long life they had been given as well. All of this had already changed them, and who knew how it would affect them in the future. Would they become recluses living on their boat, not interested in others, not caring what happened outside their circle. Will hoped not and would do all he could to keep engaged with and on good terms with Newton, Laketown and any other communities they encountered. For now though, north it was.

As the council turned from the dock Dave said “I wish we had come sooner,just to say goodbye and safe journey.”.“Arguing with farmer Donethorn took longer than expected.”, replied Gemma.“And he’s still not all that happy, satisfied maybe, but I think he would have liked more”, added Evelyn.Samantha had been looking out to sea, shaded her eyes from the sun “What in the world is that?”, she said.Out in the harbour, where the Rose had passed a while ago, a white light seemed to be flickering.A huge area of water began to stir, bubbles rising faster and faster until it looked as though the lake was boiling.The lights were flashing for longer times, more intense.Creating a shape in and on the water.A huge rectangle of a shape, like an immense barn lying on the water.The formerly clear sky had clouded unnaturally fast and lightning was striking around the translucent object.People had come streaming to the shore to see what was going on.Gasps and screams could be heard as the lightning strikes intensified into one huge explosion of light and sound.As eyes cleared people could see something that made no sense to them.

A huge white ship had appeared several hundred yards off shore from Newton. The name Melody in huge letters fore and aft. Bigger than anyone could ever imagine in this world. Dozens of decks rose above the hull, small boats by the dozens hanging off her sides. Ablaze with lights, that first shone under the overcast skies, then quickly went out. Every light cut out at once. It might have been seabirds, or the wind, but the watching councillors thought they could hear screams.

“They’re on the water.”, Dave said, “and we can’t help.”, “The only ones who could are gone, why couldn’t they have waited another hour?”, asked Samantha. “No one could have known something like this was going to happen, even in a nightmare.”, snapped Gemma, “ Don’t blame Will.”. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that, it’s just…”, she gestured at the ship. The clouds that had gathered had as quickly cleared and it was easier to see the huge vessel now. It seemed to be listing to one side and down at the bow. No one knew how exactly how deep the lake was at this point but Dave remembered something Will had said. “Where that ship is, the water was too deep for the rose to anchor in. Will told me that while we were dining together, couple of weeks ago.”, he said. “So what, why does it matter if it’s deep or not.” replied Samantha. “Because if it’s shallow the ship might ground itself, but if it’s too deep they will sink.” Gemma said. At this point it looked as though either might happen.

Aboard the Rose Will was looking up into the blue sky. Why am I lying on deck? The worried faces of Naomi and Minnie was hovering over him, “Dad! Dad! Are you okay…you just flopped down like a fish. Wouldn’t answer me, scared me, what’s wrong?”, Minnie was nearly crying. Her small hands were nearly crushing his fingers as she held his. Naomi had used a chair cushion for a pillow under his head, and both were kneeling beside him. “You fainted, cracked your head pretty bad on the deck. How do you feel Will”. she asked. He thought for a moment, remembered. “I feel like we have to get back to Newton as fast as we can.”. He managed to stand after a shaky start. Turning to Minnie he picked her up and hugged her tight “I’m okay, I just got a kind of message. Sorry to scare you sweetie.”. He set her down and looked into her big brown eyes “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine.”. Turning to Naomi she also got a tight hug “Thank you, I don’t know what Min and I would do without you.”. He started towards the wheelhouse, steps becoming more surer by the second. “Minnie, take us back to Newton, top speed if you please.” Will asked. She spun the wheel and the Rose surged ahead, turning fast. He sat in his captains chair and poured a cuppa. I just hope we’re there soon enough he thought.

They hadn’t gone all that far and had just been idling along. So at their top speed they were rounding the coast within an hour, nearing the harbour entrance to Newton . As the passed the crumbled point Naomi gasped “What is that thing?”, pointing at the huge vessel dead ahead. “Is that a ship?”, asked Minnie. Will nodded. “That’s a big ship dad, what does it mean?”. Will stood, opened a window for a clearer look and shook his head “Big trouble Min, it means big trouble ahead.”.

End of book one.

The story of Will, Minnie and Naomi will continue in the next book entitled…

Old Man’s Tale; Tales of the Trio