530 The Flood, Ch. 42
Chapter Forty-two
"We're going off the deep end."
"We're heading for a reset."
"We gotta make amends."
My boat was filled with a crew of lamenting lookalike pirates, and we were all looking at me, the captain.
Every thought in my head reverberated like an echo through our motley crew.
We spoke to ourselves. "Shut up you laggards!"
A moment of silence.
"Set a course for the university pool."
The crew snapped to work like the trained sailors we are, weighing anchor and setting sail. Soon we were making good headway.
The rising moon lit the skeleton of downtown as we left the Lesser Pacific Nobs to starboard, then passed Triple Peaks heading south.
A steady west wind helped us fight the flood tide through the new Excelsior Channel, and then through the mixed up ocean swells at the San Bruno Cutoff. But the breeze died in the wind shadow of Skyline Island, and we had a slow last few miles to our destination.
"You're stalling for time."
"What are you going to do when you get down there?"
"That's what she said."
"Jar har har!" A big laugh.
---
Locating the pool was easy considering the fact that it was under seventy-five meters of water. Despite all the confusion and breakdowns of the recent past, GPS was working just fine. On the chart it looked like we would be high and dry right here, as it was I was nervous about anchoring in this deep water.
"We only have ten meters of chain, and one hundred meters of rode," the crew reported back to me.
"If we can't anchor, I'll go down while you hover over me," I was getting used to barking orders. "You. Go below and get the scuba tanks."
"Aye aye captain," came the response, in unison.
But no one made a move for the companionway. Instead, my company of myself made toward me.
"They're in the V-berth," I said by way of clarification. "The front of the boat. That way." I pointed.
"Yes, sir," came back as a chorus, yet they were still hovering around me, getting the anchor ready.
"And go stow that anchor," I said. "The locker is at the bow."
"Right away, sir," came the response, and then they were on me.
Ten hands held me up on my feet as the anchor and chain were wrapped around my upper body and arms.
"What the fuck?" I screamed. "There will be no mutiny on my ship!"
"Aye aye," they said, then heaved me into the water.
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