There was nothing I could do as the wave spilled over and came down on the boat with deadening force. The Celestia's Prize under the overwhelming force of the water hitting it amidships heeled over and dipped into the water off the port side until it was on the verge of capsizing.
I hung onto the wheel as my feet left the ground and every window was busted out of the wheelhouse. The room filled with seawater and I held my breath underwater as slowly like a drunken sailor the Celestia's Prize righted itself.
I blinked and sputtered, as I tried to focus on the path through the swells up ahead of us as the water drained out from the wheelhouse. Why wasn't Jim helping me?
I could barely hold the wheel against the force of the waves on the slippery floor of the wheelhouse. I glanced around blinking my eyes trying to clear them of the burning sea spray being blown in through the shattered windows at me.
Everyone was gone!
I glanced the other way and saw Big Jim and Matt by the port side doorway. The door had been blown away by the force of the water.
Jim had one hand gripped onto the corner of the door frame, while Matt further inside the wheelhouse held onto him desperately with both hands. Jim's other arm was stretched out and I saw that he gripped one of Christina's ankles.
My horrified eyes traveled along out across Christina's stretched out form to where she held on to Serena's hands, who was suspended in midair well out over the edge of the ship as a cyclone waterspout tugged at her. How Jim was holding onto them I could not fathom!
There was nothing I could do but watch. I couldn't let go of the wheel or we'd all be in the water.
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Christina's fingernails were drawing blood as she held onto her Aunt with everything she had. Her leg felt like it was about to be ripped off at the hip and the hard grip on her ankle was agony itself, but she wasn't letting go. Serena was all she had.
No one had told her about her mother's condition, but they hadn't had to. It had been plainly obvious that her mother didn't have long to live. Serena truly was all that she had now.
Nothing could be heard over the roar of the wind of the storm that raged all around, but Christina saw Serena's lips move and she read their meaning, "Let go."
Christina's scream of "No!" was lost in the wind.
Serena's lips moved again, "I love you. Everything is going to be all right."