Chapter Thirteen: Intertwined Fates

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GOD of a man

“It’s not hard to rectify the wrongs, what’s hard is the admittance wrong has been done.”

Chapter Thirteen: Intertwined fates

Dated: 11th August, 2425

Every sin has a potential to create a saint, provided either the sinner or the one sinned against is critical enough of the situation and balanced enough in subsequent approach. If we let the sin get ahead of us, it overlays every existing path with a new road that leads to only one destination, lit either by the intent of revenge or by anti-conscience, to the door steps of complete fragmentation of moral values. That not many are able to discipline their energies and channel their thoughts into a positive framework will be an understatement of facts. To be a saint, one has to accept either his or her mistake and rectify it while it still could be or forgive the one who committed the sin against him or her.

As Clara lay there hanging on to her life with diminishing pulse, or rather it was life clinging on to her, everybody else was involved in a pitched battle of their own, within their own selves. Nakata was fighting remorse for having committed a mistake he never did. He was trying to blame himself for the situation Clara was in, perhaps trying to divert his mind off the frailty of the thread of life Clara was hanging on to. Steve was fighting the guilt of having indulged in Clara leading to this situation, while Robin, Andy and Daniel were involved in the complexities of their own political ambitions. They wanted to gain all the adulation and accolades of their fellow men and rise in social stature on returning to Hatsu Saisho.

As midnight approached Clara continued to burn more and more, getting darker with each passing minute, almost as dark as the night that engulfed the ship and surroundings. The sea was rough and the winds were rocking the ship like a cradle. It was as if something sinister was going to take over her. Nakata was still sitting by her side, still awake, had been for the last two days, not blinking an eye once or so it seemed. Steve returned after the midnight change of guard at wheel, checked her pulse and fever, had a few words with Nakata and went to sleep. However something was cooking up in the wheel house that night. Some hushed voices could be heard if you were close enough to the three speakers.

“Do you think she will survive?” Andy asked.

“Doesn’t look like she will,” Daniel replied.

“Either way that’s unimportant,” Robin remarked.

“What do you mean? Are you not worried for her?” Andy asked.

“Nope, why should I be?” Robin remarked and continue, “And neither should be you two because she is neither our responsibility nor related to us.”

“What do you mean, how can we be so insensitive towards human suffering especially when it's happening right next to us?” Daniel asked.

“Look, what happened is not something that is favourable for us. However for Steve it is, good enough to propel him straight to the top most revered man in Hatsu. He will become a hero which he already is for what he’s done so far. But that’s no good for any of us, is it?” Robin replied.

“Offcourse, he will. The kind of work he’s done and the great risk he undertook will make him the most loved man and definitely the next President of Hatsu Saisho,” Andy replied.

“Not necessarily if we play our cards right,” Robin replied with a glint in his eyes and a smirk on his face.

“What do you mean not necessarily? How are we going to make people overlook his efforts?” Daniel asked.

“Politics my friend is not how good you are at using the situation in your hand. It’s about how deftly can you snatch the situation out of your opponents pocket and use it furthering your own goals,” Robin answered in a more intriguing way.

“I still don’t get it. How and what do you want to do?” Daniel asked.

“Simple, we are going to show the people the same picture in reverse,” Robin continued.

“Do you mind talking straight rather than in puzzles,” Daniel got a bit impatient and Robin gestured him to keep the volume down.

“Look, Steve will try to become a hero for his brave effort but we need to make people think it was him in the first place who was responsible for this situation,” Robin replied.

“And how will we do that?” Andy asked.

“All we need to do is point out to the people that Steve intentionally sneaked a weapon from the Phantom, with the sole intent of killing me in the first place for having his name recommended for this job. But he didn’t do it because he realized others were also present to witness his crime and he needed my services to survive at seas. We will claim he concealed and carried a dangerous weapon with the intent of threatening us to stay under his command and not to question him regarding what he did. We will tell the people that Clara got injured because his masochistic ego and craving for hunting enticed him to hunt the sharks who only wanted penguin meat which we had given to them, they wouldn’t have harmed Clara. Instead his misadventure infuriated the innocent creatures and they attacked Clara,” Robin spelt out his plan in detail.

“What about Clara and Nakata? They will contradict us and make us look ridiculous and possibly loose our face,” Daniel remarked.

“Easy, we will make people realize how Nakata is still a young bloke who can’t understand politics that someone like Steve is capable of. And as far as Clara is concerned, firstly by the looks of it, we will be throwing her body into the sea for the sharks’ to have a feast tomorrow morning first thing, and even if by any remote chance she were to survive, nobody cares or likes her anymore after the Frank episode. Steve is outnumbered and outreasoned my friends. So let’s rejoice and hope Clara’s agony ends soon and the dawn break is a new chapter in our lives,” Robin smirked even more as he finished as the two others also had a gleeful look on their faces as they day-dreamed of a hypothetical future of power and prestige awaiting them.

“Steve! Steve!” Nakata’s voice broke the silence of the night and woke Steve up while the three men rushed to the small cabin.

“What happened?” Robin asked.

“Clara, her temperature is falling drastically now,” Nakata replied as he put his hand on Clara’s forehead.

“Looks like the poison is spreading inside her body,” Steve replied as he got out of his bed. He checked Clara’s temperature and then her pulse, “Her pulse is getting week. I don’t think she will survive the night.”

“Please Steve, do something, save her,” Nakata pleaded.

“There’s nothing we can do Nakata, we have no medicines available on us. Looks like she won’t survive the night,” Robin replied for Steve who was lost in deep contemplation now.

“Please don’t say that. She can’t die,” Nakata laboured to complete his sentence as he was overcome with emotions.

“Perhaps we can try one last thing,” Steve said after grave thought.

“What can we do,” Robin became curious and so did the rest.

“Lets’ just do it,” Nakata jumped at the mere mention of a possibility.

“It’s not us who can do something at this stage Nakata but perhaps you can,” Steve said.

“What can he do?” Daniel asked.

“I’ll do it,” Nakata replied, “What do you want me to?”

“Right now everything is collaboratively working against her. The poison of the wound is spreading fast making her temperature fall drastically. The fact that she hasn’t eaten anything, has lost blood and is weak as a result means her body cannot fight to maintain the right temperature anymore,” Steve spoke as if he was a doctor.

“So?” Robin asked the obvious.

“So, we have no choice but to provide her warmth from external source,” Steve said.

“Just what do you mean by that?” Andy got a bit suspicious of Steve’s intentions.

“I think if Nakata slept with her, his body temperature will provide her body the requisite warmth to continue it's fight for survival,” Steve’s reply shocked everyone in the room.

“Have you gone mad?” Robin was outraged just like others.

“That’s ridiculous! I will do no such thing,” Nakata was offended as well.

“I am not asking him to have sex with her,” Steve got a bit hyper but maintained his composure and continued, “All I am suggesting is if Nakata slips into her blanket his body heat will keep the blanket warm for her and we can use Nakata’s blanket over her blanket to give them a double layer so that it acts like a thermos. That way the effect of her falling temperature will be negated a bit and she might have a better chance of survival.”

“That’s one of the most stupid things that I’ve ever heard. Is it some kind of a sick joke?” Robin was not impressed.

“In that case is there anything else you or anyone else can suggest right now?” Steve asked one simple question which nobody could answer. “I am only suggesting the best thing that comes to my mind at this stage. Now either we can try this and hope it will be enough to help her win her battle against all odds or we can simply do nothing and wait for the inevitable to happen. What do you guys suggest we do?” Steve asked.

When nobody could answer it Nakata said, “Why me? Why don’t you do it?”

Steve was caught on sticky surface as he remembered how Nakata had caught him in the act with Clara. He looked blankly at Nakata, speechless for a while.

“Yes Steve, why don’t you sleep with her,” Robin grabbed his opportunity to put Steve into a tighter corner.

“Look, I am a married man with a wife, so I can’t do it. Nakata I request you to do it for me, please,” Steve pleaded.

Nakata was sensitive enough to judge the situation from the pleading look in Steve's eyes and accepted the responsibility, “Ok! I am ready to try this as well. It’s better if somebody did something than none doing anything and watching her die bit by bit, pulse by pulse.”

“Good! Now take off your and her clothes and hop inside while I’ll put your blanket on top of you two,” Steve said.

“What? No I cannot do that! I won't do that!” Nakata was taken aback and her refused to oblige.

“Again, I am not asking you to have sex with her. I am only asking you to sleep with her, without clothes because that will put your body directly in contact with hers’ and your body heat will be effectively transferred to her,” Steve said.

When everybody realized there was no other alternative left, they all goaded Nakata who reluctantly agreed to the suggestion. As Nakata undressed to get into the blanket with Clara, Steve requested others to leave the room as he undressed Clara. Nakata quietly slipped into the blanket, his heart pounding out of his chest and his breath stuck in now dry throat. This was his first contact with a female body in life. He was nervous, he was scared and he was palpitating. The first contact between his skin and the cold skin of Clara nearly made him faint. Steve put an extra blanket on the two and crept back into his bed.

The other three meanwhile got busy planning their own game.

“We are having a real lucky streak guys,” Robin could be heard whispering to the other two, “Lets’ hope Clara dies for certain now and we will turn the ship around and back to Hatsu Saisho. We will tell everyone how Steve shamelessly satisfied his sick fetishes at the expense of a dying girl.”

“Yes, we will tell everyone if it wasn’t for our presence he might even have taken advantage of her vulnerable situation and satisfied himself at the expense of a dying Clara,” Andy said.

“No, we will say, he would have taken advantage of her vulnerable situation. There is no scope or any use for the words might have, in present context,” Daniel took it atleast two steps further and the grin on Robin’s face widened.

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Chapter Twelve: He gave me all his love

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GOD of a man

“What a pity humans don’t realize the worth of what they have until they loose it.”

Chapter Twelve: He gave me all his love

Dated: 10th August, 2425

One thing that separates humans from animals is their ability to interact with their surroundings in a way that can alter them to suit their personal needs. Otherwise many other animal species have intelligence of varying degree but none can manipulate anything they come across in their immediate environs like humans. However this ability to conquer nature or atleast a part of it when collaborates with the innate greed to acquire everything as a personal entitlement, makes humans trample the hearts of those who give everything they have to make that person’s life worth living every bit of it. It’s not that humans don’t realize what they have lost when they do, it’s just that there’s nothing they can do to bring it back and that haplessness is pitiable.

Clara lay in her bed, stitched together but in unbearable pain, and the childlike honest Nakata sitting by her side nursing her and trying to relieve her pain.

“Is she going to be alright,” Robin was asking Steve, standing just outside the small room for the sailors.

“I don’t know, I just don’t know,” was all Steve could muster shrugging his shoulders, his face grim.

“You are going to be fine. Just hold on,” Nakata was pleading with Clara as if it was Clara determining her fate.

Time never changes its’ pace for anyone, however same time may have a different measure for two different persons sharing the same situation but from different perspectives. The unbearable pain the wound was inflicting on Clara was a slow torture she couldn’t help to accelerate towards either end. Time was indeed running very slow for her. On the other hand for those caring for her, time was running out too soon. They neither knew any way nor had any means to help accelerate Clara’s recovery. Rather every second that passed by her condition deteriorated further. The same time had two different measures for those present on that day on that ship.

“Can’t we do anything to relieve her pain?” Andy asked.

“Unfortunately nothing,” Robin replied as they all walked inside the room to have a look at her and try to comfort her.

“Hold on Clara, you are a brave girl. You will get over this,” Daniel said.

“Do you want anything from us,” Andy asked.

“Yes! Can you please ask Steve to shoot me? I can’t bear this pain anymore,” Clara broke down as her agonising cries from pain became more intense.

“Clara!” Steve’s anguished voice reverberated in the whole cabin, “Why are you intent on wasting my efforts? Just hold on for a few hours and the pain will decrease.”

Everybody comforted Clara and tried their best to make her forget her pain.

“Andy, you better start the engine up again and get the ship moving,” Steve said, “And Robin you better grab some rest in the storage space. The night is about to fall soon and we need you to man the ship at night.”

“You are right. I will take my blanket and mattress to the storage space. I won’t be able to catch any sleep with Clara in so much discomfort over here,” Robin remarked as he grabbed his blanket and mattress from the common bedroom and walked towards the storage space. Andy meanwhile went to the wheel house to put the ship sailing on course once again.

“I’ll stay here with Clara,” Nakata replied.

“That’s fine Nakata,” Steve said as he left for the deck to do some fishing for the crew.

After dusk Andy and Steve prepared to catch some sleep while Daniel manned the ship waiting for Robin to get up after midnight to take control of the ship. Nakata was still there sitting next to Clara.

“How is she?” Steve asked as he entered the cabin.

“She’s just fallen asleep,” Nakata replied in a hushed voice as he gestured Steve to keep it quieter.

Steve came around and had a look at Clara. Her face was still red with the strain caused to her fascial muscles by the intense pain.

“You take some rest too now. There’s nothing else anyone of us can do to make her better,” Steve advised Nakata.

“I am fine. I don’t have anything to do as such. I’ll just sit by her side for a while. She may wake up and need water or something,” Nakata’s devotion was just an example of his extreme sensitivity and compassion for others. Steve nodded his head in acceptance of his wish and climbed up to his bed and went to sleep.

Robin got up for his midnight change, had a look at sleeping Clara and Nakata still sitting by her side, Daniel was relieved from the wheel house and he too had a look at Clara, asked Nakata if he needed any help and then went to catch his sleep. The night went by but Nakata didn’t move from his place, nor did he blink an eye.

In the morning Steve and Andy got up as well and asked Nakata to rest for a while but he insisted he was alright.

“She looks a bit pale today,” Robin said as he came in after being relieved from his duty at the wheel house by Andy.

“She’s starting to get a fever as well,” Steve said as he touched Clara’s forehead.

“Does that mean bad?” Nakata became concerned.

“I don’t know. I can’t say anything,” Steve shrugged his shoulders.

“Why don’t you go to bed and have some rest,” Robin asked.

“I am fine,” Nakata replied.

Their conversation was interrupted by a soft moan from Clara who woke up, still in pain but a bit less intense.

“How are you Clara,” Steve asked.

“Ah! This pain, will it stop,” Clara’s agony sounded louder than her words.

“I am sorry Clara but there’s nothing we can do to help you at this moment,” Robin replied. They all tried to comfort Clara one by one but how can someone make anyone forget the physical pain they are experiencing. Finally they left one by one to take care of daily tasks. But Nakata was still there sitting by Clara’s side.

“Nakata can you please kill me and relieve me of this pain,” Clara pleaded with him.

“Stop saying that,” Nakata broke down and so did Clara.

After some time Nakata came up with an idea, “I will read you from Christopher’s diary. That will help you forget your pain.” He rushed to the store room to bring the diary from his bundle of belongings.

“Can I have some water,” Clara asked Nakata as soon as he returned.

“Sure, just wait a minute,” Nakata rushed to bring her some water. He lifted her up slightly with one hand and held the glass to her lips with the other. She tried to support his hand with her own but her grasp was too week.

“Do you want to eat something,” Nakata asked to which she nodded her head in negative.

“What does it say next,” she asked.

“The next entry is for 11th January, 2012,” Nakata replied.

“YES!! I am on cloud nine. She said yes. Oh man, it’s all unbelievable. I am going nuts with excitement. However, the only problem is the tough bit still remains. I have to see her old man now. Should I get a life insurance? My only fear is he may not agree considering we are Jews and they are Catholic Christians.”

“They used to make such a fuss about their religions didn’t they? I mean how does it matter what name a person prays to GOD with? Isn’t it more important to be a good human being than being the same religion?” Nakata questioned.

“Perhaps it was the social pressures that affected their minds. Things like what people would say if their daughter was married to a man from another religion,” Steve replied as he came in to check on Clara and Nakata and over heard the reading and subsequent question.

“But isn’t it more important that the man someone’s daughter is marrying loves her truly and keeps her happy, goes out of his way to make her comfortable?” Nakata asked.

“That’s what Frank used to do,” Clara remarked as she tried to overcome her pain, her eyes momentarily got stuck on some distant object.

“We know that now because we don’t have any religions and we can think clearly. It wasn’t the same four hundred years ago Nakata,” Steve replied, “Religion used to take more lives than it could ever bring together under one roof. It was like every man had his own GOD. As Henry taught us, GOD and religions were created by men to control men. Every community created their own GOD, and gave HIM a name in their own language, and prayed to him in their own unique way, as language and physical behaviour among every community developed literally independently of each other. The communities were totally cut off from each other as there was no means of regular and well connected communication between various human settlements at the time when most religions developed. The religions, names of GOD and the methods of prayer developed independently for every community and then every community made it their moral responsibility to spread their own way as a unique way of praying, resulting in enormous blood loss over the centuries. ”

“He used to ask me everyday if I am happy with him, if he can do anything for me, is their anything I need to feel comfortable. He used to tell me over and over how much he loves me,” Clara was lost in her own chain of thoughts and missed all that Steve said.

“I’ll read the next entry,” Nakata said as his attention was re-captured by Clara whose discomfort was beginning to rise once again.

“I better go and help the boys catch some fish,” Steve said as he left them again.

“The next entry is for 12th January, 2012,” Nakata continued reading to Clara.

“Damn! I am set for my hearing by the highest temporal authority at the Smith residence. I am meeting Stefani’s father at dinner. My GOD help me in this tricky situation. I don’t know which suit to wear. I don’t know which tie goes with my shirt. I don’t know which wine to buy. I am so nervous, and for a sailor, so scared.”

“It took me four months to coax him to talk to my father for my hand. You are the age of my son. It’s ridiculous and so wrong. I can’t face him, he told me. If I hadn’t threatened to take my life by jumping in the cold sea one of those days, he would have never talked to my father or married me. He was the President, yet so unsure, nervous and scared of talking to my father about it,” Clara said reminiscing old times.

“I’ll read further,” Nakata interrupted her realizing she is getting more uncomfortable remembering what happened between her and Frank, “The next entry is for 13th January, 2012.”

“YES!! I did it. I impressed him completely and he’s agreed. But I tell you man, even the military training couldn’t train me for this ambush. It was like fighting an enemy supported by mortar and machinegun -fire with swords. But I survived. He said yes and we are planning our wedding date which has to be very early because I think I might be hearing from my Commander soon to report for the duty. Looks like we might be heading for some action within the next few weeks and that is a bit of a dampener over such a wonderful occasion and the time of my life. But when duty calls, it has to be fulfilled.”

“He was so excited about our wedding he was literally jumping around like a teenager when my father finally said yes after intense pressure from the congress and myself. He was a completely changed man after that. It seemed like he had grown younger by atleast ten years, and I was on cloud nine too. I loved him,” Clara replied as her eyes moistened a bit and she moaned a bit louder with pain.

“I’ll read further,” Nakata said trying to distract her, “The next entry is for 14th January, 2012.”

“It’s official. We are leaving in the last week of February and I’ve been instructed to report latest by the sixteenth of February. We’ll have to have our wedding atleast two weeks before that. We’ve decided to have it on the 4th February, so that we may have atleast ten days before I rejoin duty. Can’t pre-pone it any earlier as we need to do a lot of shopping, invite everyone and make many other arrangements.”

“I remember my wedding was the most amazing Hatsu Saisho had seen. The whole city was decorated with snow sculptures, the festivities continued for a week. Everybody was so happy and I was on cloud nine. He gave me all his love,” Clara broke down crying profusely.

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have read the diary at all. I am sorry. I won’t read any further. Please stop crying,” Nakata also broke down, “Please try to take your mind off the past.”

“No, you continue reading,” Clara said crying while trying to stop Nakata from leaving the room to put the diary back with his belonging, “Please continue reading. I beg of you.”

Nakata reluctantly started to read the diary and read the next entry for 2nd February, 2012.

“Had some very hectic days over the last few weeks. Having my bachelors party tomorrow and the wedding day after.”

“I remember my hens’ night and his bucks’ night. It was so much fun. Each one of my friends was jealous that I was marrying Frank and I was happy and proud, and his happiness knew no bounds,” Clara broke down and started crying out loud, “I betrayed him, I broke his trust. He gave me all his love and only love and I killed him.” Her cries drowned every other sound in the surroundings, the birds, the sea, the engines, chatter of men, even Daniel woke up from his sleep. "I am a cheater, a murderer. I don't deserve to be forgiven," Clara's cries were incessant and more painful than the physical pain she was experiencing.

“What happened?” Steve asked as he rushed in with others to have a look.

“I was reading her the diary, she remembered Frank and now she won’t stop crying,” Nakata himself broke down, “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have read the diary.”

“That’s fine, it’s not your fault,” Robin tried to calm Nakata as everybody tried to calm Clara down. But Clara’s remorse at her actions became so grave she began to loose her breath and choke with emotions, her breathing became more and more laborious as she struggled to control herself. She started flinging her arms and throwing them on bed violently, kicking the bed and wall with her legs, even hitting her stomach at the wound with punches, so much so that Steve had to grab both her hands while Robin grabbed her legs. But Clara was inconsolable. Her remorse took complete control over her. She fainted.

“Clara? Clara!” Nakata shouted.

“Quick bring some water,” Steve asked.

Andy ran back with water but sprinkling water on her didn’t bring her back to consciousness.

“Check her pulse, check her pulse,” Daniel shouted.

“I am, I am,” Steve said as he grabbed Clara’s hand and checked her pulse, “The pulse is still running but very slow.”

They tried for a few more minutes but when she didn’t regain consciousness, Steve finally gave up and said, “Look there’s nothing we can do. We just have to wait and hope.”

“No!” Nakata cried out loud as he collapsed into a corner and cried his heart out. Everybody else stood motionless in the room for a while and then left the two inside the room one by one.

Afternoon became evening and evening became night, but Clara didn’t wake up again. Her condition worsened as her temperature first rose abruptly and she burnt till midnight, and then it began to fall alarmingly. Her face became darker and darker as the night progressed, as if the two were marching in unison. It was as if the shadow of death was covering her up like a blanket, slowly and slowly.

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Chapter Eleven: You are a brave girl!!

Content Warning: Contains sexual references. Recommended for mature readers only.

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GOD of a man

“It’s hard to destroy someone’s faith and even harder to restore it.”

Chapter Eleven: You are a brave girl!!

Dated: 9th August, 2425

It’s not that man never questioned his belief in GOD. In fact renaissance represented the epitome of conflict between faith and science, a dark era written in human blood as a script for a brighter future. And what a bright future it was indeed. In three glorious centuries that unfolded after that hard phase, man rewrote entire human history, sociology, geography and psychology with much more human blood, thanks to the advances science made. But it won’t be appropriate to point an accusing finger at science for the sins against humanity that were committed by men governed by the dictates of their own greed, selfish interests and scant respect for human dignity or morals. Money and power became so important, the essence of freedom renaissance provided the mankind that was earlier perfectly cocooned in a shell of superstitions in the garb of religion, was effectively lost among the pages of history. What Henry did nearly three hundred years ago was just the climax of a battle that started somewhere in medieval times. He killed GOD, or so everyone believed.

“Since that day, praying to GOD in any form was completely banned for the humans, every mention of the word GOD was removed from the daily conversation. Religions were banished. Henry instructed everyone, if they need to use someone’s name for the sake of a phrase, they use his. So we have phrases like; Henry helps those who help themselves, for Henry’s sake, etc.” Steve told Clara and Nakata the story about GOD and his last men.

“So how come we never knew of GOD before whereas you people know it?” Nakata asked.

“It was decided by the elders that since GOD and religion are very powerful subjects, their truth better be taught to everyone only after they have mentally matured enough to realize there is no GOD and all the religions were hypothetical creations of our ancestors to rein in men within the purview of ethical conduct as also to exercise control over those who were illiterate,” Robin replied.

“Perhaps your mother and father, and in Clara’s case, even Frank thought you were not mentally ready to be told the truth,” Steve added.

“Wow! That’s some kind of a story. What intrigue, what treachery,” Clara giggled.

“Anyway, it’s getting late in the evening now. Robin, you better get some sleep now as you will be staying awake and at the wheel all night,” Steve continued, “Nakata, we’ll read the diary latter. You, Daniel and Andy better catch some fish now for everyone cause our frozen meat has started to get bad, perhaps because we are at sea.”

“I’ll get the radio-activity readings before I go to bed,” Robin replied as he got up and grabbed the apparatus and headed out to the deck while the other three grabbed a fishing rod each and headed on to the deck for fishing.

As Robin set up the apparatus to check the readings, the others were busy setting their tackles and rods, Steve stood by the wheel in the wheel house as Clara slowly walked past him and stood right next to the control board with her hands turned around to rest her weight on the palms supported on the edge of the board.

“How long do you reckon it will be before we’ll see the first landmass?” she asked.

Steve looked at her standing over there, his eyes prying on her frame from top to bottom. He locked the wheel in the lock and slowly moved behind her and he sandwiched her body between his and control board. He planted a soft kiss on her neck, while his hands grabbed at her hands resting on the control board as he pushed his body hard against her back, “I don’t know!”

“You should be careful with what you do now. You’ve already rubbed Robin the wrong way and the other two guys are not too impressed by your influence especially when you have dragged them along. Anymore controversy will not be politically good for you once we return to Hatsu Saisho,” Clara reminded him of their company.

“Who will know our little secret,” Steve was unconcerned as he tried to crush her body between him and control table. She turned around and as she turned around Steve grabbed her and lifted her on to the control board and they began to kiss wildly as Steve’s hands navigated her controls.

“We forgot to take the bait,” Nakata’s words were cut short as he entered the wheel house and was taken aback by the sight of Clara holding Steve in between her fours and the two lost in a different time and space. They were themselves scared to their bones having been caught in the act. Nakata silently turned around and was about to leave when Steve said, “Use some penguin meat as bait.” Meanwhile Clara, her face flushed pale walked out of the wheel house and strolled to a corner on the deck trying to avoid eye contact with the other three men on the deck. Luckily for her, they didn’t notice her come. They were lost in their own discussion.

“We are with you Robin. Once we get back, we are going to make sure Steve is punished for threatening you,” Andy was saying.

“How dare he bring a gun along with him? He can potentially kill someone in a fit of rage,” Daniel was also busy placing his loyalties with Robin.

“We’ll deal with him once we get back,” Robin said and before he could say anything further, he noticed Clara and motioned the guys to cut the conversation out.

“Here guys, here’s some Penguin meat to use as bait,” Nakata came out and as he walked past Clara, he looked at her and as she hesitatingly looked at him, he quickly turned his head downwards as if he was ashamed of having caught them in the act. He was more embarrassed and pale then Clara.

“What happened to you? Why are you pale?” Robin asked Nakata.

“Oh nothing, it’s just the chill in the breeze,” Nakata replied as nobody inquired any further as no one was expecting anything.

Clara tried to walk away and back to the wheel house but then decided against doing it as she was still in a shock and her heart was pounding fast. She moved further away from the group into a corner. They boys baited their fishing rods with penguin meat and dropped them into sea to catch some fish. There were plenty around, confirming the radio activity levels were well within the survival limits for living organisms, a fact confirmed by Robin’s apparatus. Robin went back inside and went to take his nap while Steve manned the wheel.

The boys didn’t have to wait long before they caught the first fish and as they were celebrating their first catch on the seas Steve locked the wheel and came outside to have a look.

Their joyful celebrations were rudely interrupted by a big shock. They all nearly fell to the floor. It was as if something has hit their boat.

“What the hell was that?” Steve exclaimed. And once again something hit the boat and gave it another jerk.

“What’s happening?” Robin rushed outside, “Steve what are you doing, why are you not manning the wheel? What have we hit?” Robin was nearly pale with fear, panicky and hyper.

“Wait! I hear something,” Steve said.

“What, a sinking ship?” Robin was scared to death.

“Listen carefully! I hear a voice,” Steve said again.

“Help!” the cries became louder.

“That’s Clara’s voice where is she?” now everybody panicked as they rushed in the direction of the voice and realized the impact had toppled Clara off-board and into the sea. The worst thing was, she wasn’t alone. Their boat had been assaulted by a group of hungry sharks as they clamoured to grab the penguin meat they were using as bait. The sharks wanted more and Clara had fallen straight into their dish.

“Steve!” everyone cried out in unison as they turned around towards Steve but Steve was no where to be seen.

“Where is this man when you need him,” Robin was infuriated. They were getting away from Clara while sharks were rushing towards her.

“What’s that sound?” Andy asked.

“That’s the motor boat,” Nakata replied as everyone rushed to the other end to see Steve rushing at the earnest in the motor-boat, gun held between his legs as he loaded ammunition bullet by bullet with one hand and manoeuvred the boat with the other.

“Bang, bang!” in a flash he was firing bullets as he approached the drowning Clara. No one counted how many shots he fired and how many sharks he hit but as he neared Clara and stretched out his arm and nearly grabbed her hand, she was pounced on by one that evaded Steve’s bullets.

The shark thrust it’s teeth deep into Clara’s stomach and back, and pulled her below the water as Steve took aim trying to avoid Clara and pulled the trigger.

“Damn it!” Steve’s gun had run out of bullets and he had none left on him on his motor boat.

There was no time to be wasted. He quickly turned the motor off, threw the rope attached to the motor boat into water, grabbed his hunting knife and jumped into the slightly warmer water than the Antarctic seas. He took a deep breath as he followed the shark dragging Clara down as she struggled with her last few breaths. Steve didn’t waste much time as he slashed open the sharks stomach as the shark with it’s mouth grasping Clara was too busy to defend itself quickly enough. Steve grabbed Clara’s hand, pulled her towards him, locked her between his legs, grabbed the rope and quickly climbed out of the water and into the boat. Clara had fainted by that time, perhaps because of water inside her body, and she was bleeding from the wounds inflicted on her by the shark.

Steve quickly headed back to the boat where Clara was pulled on board by others and as Steve secured the motor boat to the main boat, they turned Clara on her stomach and pressed the water out of her body. She finally regained consciousness but was immediately overpowered by the immense pain of the fresh bleeding wound inflicted on her by the shark and it’s effect aggravated by the sea salt that now contaminated her wound. They took her inside.

“Hold on Clara, you’ll be alright,” Nakata nearly cried.

“She’s bleeding, we need to stich her cuts up,” Steve replied.

“First make sure there’s nothing sticking inside the wounds,” Clara managed a few words out of her intense pain.

They had no painkillers to relieve her pain in the first place and now they needed to stitch her up with a needle as well.

Steve asked the other guys to leave the room, requesting Nakata to stay by his side as he had to take Clara’s clothes off to examine and stitch her wound. Clara was nearly screaming with pain.

“You are a brave girl Clara. Hold on,” Steve said as he examined the bite marks in her back. “There’s nothing in the back wounds and luckily they are small and not too deep.”

But when they turned her around to inspect her front side wound, to their dismay there was one shark teeth embedded deep in her stomach.

“Clara, there is one teeth stuck in your body. I’ll pull it out but you have to see for yourself if any internal organ is damaged,” Steve said.

“Everything is fine Steve. Nothing can be wrong with her,” Nakata broke down.

Clara nodded her head as she grabbed and pulled her hair in deep pain, clenching her teeth trying to overcome it.

“That’s my ovary. It’s injured my ovary,” Clara screamed as Steve pulled her skin away to show her the body organ that tooth was stuck in before he pulled it out. “Damn this bloody fish, I am going to die,” Clara cried out.

“No! No! You will be alright,” Nakata cried out more profusely.

“You are a brave girl Clara, you will survive,” Steve said as he inspected the internal damage, “and you are lucky too, there’ not much damage to your ovary or whatever you call it.”

He washed her wounds with harvested rain water that they were carrying as a part of their medical kit and then stitched her wounds one by one as she cried out loud due to the pain the stitching caused in addition to the wound.

“I know it hurts, especially because of the sea salt, but the same sea salt is going to act as a disinfectant. So hold on brave girl,” Steve said. He dressed her up again and looked at Nakata, “Nakata, she is your responsibility now until she gets better.”

“She is, yes she is. I will not rest until she gets better. I want her to get better soon. You have to get better soon, do you hear me?” Nakata was still crying.

Steve left the room to return to the wheel house while the nurse entrusted with the task to take care of the team was left to be nursed by Nakata.

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Chapter Ten: Right where Ono is sitting

Content Warning: Contains highly voilent description of incidents and religious content. Recommended strictly for mature readers.

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GOD of a man

“It’s not dogs I am scared of. It’s men who can’t be trusted.”

Chapter Ten: Right where Ono is sitting

Dated: 16th July 2147

Human beings are perhaps the only figment of natural creation that is inconsistent within its own behavioural patterns. While they love to bask in the limelight and claim all the accolades as their birthright for whatever great they accomplish, the onus of whatever wrong that ever happens is conveniently shifted on to GOD. Perhaps if it were not for GOD most of the humans would have been buried under the moral and conscientious weight of their own wrong-doings.

When humans blew their own beautiful world, a gift from GOD, with weapons they were proud of having in their arsenal, they may not have blamed GOD for doing it for them but when the aftermath of their actions increased in severity, GOD didn’t have one moment of rest from taking blame for every sinful act the humans committed, every torturous second human beings survived. If humans couldn’t go out in open due to radiations it was GOD’s fault who created radio-active isotopes whose prowess lasts centuries in open. If humans ran out of food it was again GOD’s fault for not providing enough for the wailing kids, their mothers and weakening fathers. If humans killed and ate their own kind to survive in those arcs, it was again GOD’s fault for not killing them before they lost their senses. Even Hatsu Saisho was no different in its prevalent atmosphere of general loss of faith. The humans may have been free to roam in open in the cold climes of Antarctica but it was GOD’s fault they were there in those cold terrains in the first place and it was GOD’s fault for not providing enough food to those who managed to cling on to life after all the mayhem. Faith was almost non-existent. Faith was surviving only in two hearts during that fateful night of 16th July 2147. Faith was on its last legs.

“What’s the situation?” Henry Sherman, the then President of Hatsu Saisho asked his trusted weatherman Jonathan Mayer.

“It doesn’t look good at all. I reckon we are going to experience another tornado later tonight. And this one seems to be pretty intense. We are better off moving everyone to the dugouts,” Jonathan replied.

It was GOD’s fault that due to the radiation humans died quicker than plants resulting in immediate stoppage of Carbon Dioxide emissions by humans while the plants struggled for years to survive, generating Oxygen. It resulted in an un-natural imbalance in atmospheric composition which resulted in the shifting of weather patterns across the globe in unpredictable way. Antarctica became the hub of Tornado activity. It seemed as if GOD was hunting for humans with his thunderbolts. GOD couldn’t be trusted anymore.

“Mr President! Emergency! Please have a look at this,” Natalie Cosgrove, a citizen of Hatsu Saisho who was intrusted the task of closely monitoring the weather cried in horror.

Everybody rushed to the window to have a look.

“What the Hell!” Henry exclaimed, “Everyone quick, to the dugouts as quickly as you can.”

The Tornado had started taking shape. It lowered it’s proboscis towards the sea level spilling water all around like a sprinkler and started approaching land. Time was less, time was precious.

“Leave your belongings inside and rush to the dugouts immediately,” Henry shouted at the top of his voice as everybody ran helter skelter in panic picking up bits and pieces they thought were important.

“Molodyozhnaya” the Russian research centre had been the roof and home of all the surviving humans for more than a century now. It had withstood toughest of nature’s assaults with aplomb for years, including some of the roughest tornados so far. But now it was old, crying for repairs which were no more possible due to lack of resources. It was GOD’s fault there was nothing worthwhile to exploit in Antarctica. And it will be GOD’s fault if “Molodyozhnaya” fell to the furies of nature today.

Everybody rushed to the four huge dugouts in snow to escape the furry of the tornado. Women and children being the slowest were instructed to use the two dugouts closest to the research station. First lady Amelia Ross herself took charge of making sure every woman and child safely reached the two dugouts. She herself entered the one that housed the only Church left on earth at that time. Father Alan Ferdinand and his little son Joe Ferdinand were the only two souls in Hatsu Saisho who still prayed to GOD. Father Alan vehemently reasoned with everyone to return to the fold of GOD. He religiously maintained the dugout as a proper Church which housed not just the Holy Bible, but also Quran, Gita and Guru Granth Sahib. Their followers may have perished or their faith may have perished but Father Alan made sure their religions survived, at least as long as he was alive and hopefully as long as his son survived and managed to impart it to his next generation. But tonight Alan and his son were part of the group that was taking refuge in the farthest dugout along with Henry and other congressmen.

The tornado struck bringing along with it a storm so harsh in intensity for a stretch of time there was a fear the thick roof of the dugout might be blown away.

“Damn! Is this some kind of furry? What is GOD trying to do? Kill the remainder of us and wipe out our existence and along with us HIS own,” Henry lamented.

“If GOD wanted to wipe us out, HE would have done it by now! There would have been no place safe on this earth for Humans. HE is just testing our patience and giving us an opportunity to strengthen our faith in HIM,” Alan remarked.

“The old man’s gone nuts,” a congressman commented.

“Yeah, make his stand outside the dugout for the rest of the night and let him strengthen his faith. We’ll find out tomorrow morning if his faith is stronger than his body,” another one commented.

“I am not the one who has gone mad. It’s you people who have lost their faith in HIM. HE doesn’t want us to take our lives intentionally but HE tests our abilities to survive every now and then,” Alan replied.

“I agree. Let’s test your abilities,” Henry remarked as he pushed Alan out towards the exit of the dugout jokingly.

“GOD helps those who help themselves. HE doesn’t want anybody to die but HE wants everyone to survive on their own,” Alan answered with his belief.

“Shut up old man. Keep your religious blabber to yourself. You say one more word and we are going to throw you out of the dugout for the remainder of the night,” Henry sounded agitated.

“Don’t touch my father,” little Joe came to his father’s defence.

“And you too,” Henry glared at Joe who latched on to his father’s legs as he got scared. Alan sensed the mood of the situation and backed out of any further discussion. The night passed on and was finished off by a beautiful and sunny morning.

As everybody came out of the dugouts, their hearts nearly popped out of their mouths as everybody started crying and screaming. “Molodyozhnaya” had finally fallen to nature. But that wasn’t the only thing lost. The Church had been ravaged as well.

Henry gave out a loud cry as he came out of the dugout and looked at the site where once the only remaining Church on earth was situated, the dugout that was the shelter of his wife and kids along with many other women and children the previous dark night.

“Amelia,” he cried out as did many other men who had lost their wives and children along with him. The tornado had taken a lot from Hatsu Saisho in one night. The humans were left homeless and many of their women and children had been annihilated.

Alan got out of the dugout, saw the destruction and cried. He may not have lost anyone in that trail of destruction as his only living relative, his son was by his side, but he had a very kind heart. Men who believe in GOD always have one.

As everybody was wailing and crying Henry noticed Alan crying as well. “Why are you crying? You should be happy now. Your GOD has taken our home as well as our families. Ain’t you happy? We joked with you last night and look your GOD has punished us. Are you happy now? Why are you crying?” Henry lost his cool and grabbed Alan from his neck, pulled him up on his feet and dragged him around in a circle and threw him to the ground.

“Why are you crying?” Henry said as he kicked Alan in his stomach, “What does your GOD has to say now? What does HE want next from us? Tell me. I am the President of Hatsu Saisho and I will make sure what your GOD wants is provided to him right away. Tell us what HE wants.” Everybody gathered around Henry and Alan as Henry kicked him. Joe rushed to his father’s rescue and clung to him crying, “Don’t hit my father, please don’t!”

Nobody else stopped him but Henry stopped for a while on his own to let Alan have a breath.

“Where is your GOD now? What does HE want? Tell me,” Henry roared in anger.

“What is GOD’s fault? It was their time to go so they died. If GOD had wanted to kill us all why would have HE spared our lives?” Alan reasoned and reminded everyone how they are still alive.

“We are alive because out dugouts were not in the way of the tornado, otherwise we would have been wiped out as well,” Henry replied highly agitatedly. “There is no GOD. It was a lie created by intelligent men to rule other men,” Henry continued, “There is no GOD. Have you seen HIM?”

“There is GOD and HE is the one who created everyone and not the other way around,” Alan replied with anguish.

“No there ain’t. There are only two kinds of men on this earth: those who rule and those who are ruled. Those who were strong ruled with their strength while those who were intelligent ruled in the name of GOD by scaring people,” Henry continued, “Nobody have ever seen GOD. Even you haven’t. Today I am going to finish the name of GOD once and for all on this earth. You are going to say, there is no GOD. C’mon now, say it Alan: There is no GOD,” Henry was roaring as everybody watched what was happening.

“That sir, is a lie and I cannot be a party to it. There always was, there is and there always will be GOD and that’s my final statement,” Alan replied.

“Oh yeah, then where is he?” Henry’s question thundered.

“HE is always around us. HE always has been, trying to guide us, telling us the right way but we never listen to HIM,” Alan replied. “From Lord Rama to Jesus, From Prophet Muhammad to Guru Nanak, HE came to us, gave us his message again and again, but we didn’t listen to HIM and those who did forgot what HE had told,” Alan continued.

“He came as Lord Rama, lived like an ordinary human being with us and taught us how to live our lives, but we didn’t learn our lessons. He came as Lord Krishna and told everyone that HE is GOD and this is the way HE wants us to live, but we ignored his advice. HE came as JESUS and told us, I am the son of GOD and here’s HIS message of love and peace, but we didn’t bother to adhere to it. HE came as Prophet and told us, I am the Prophet of GOD and this is what he wants but we distorted his preachings and misused them for our own sinful ends. HE came to us again in the garbs of an ordinary human being, Guru Nanak Dev and again reminded us of love, peace and spirituality but we didn’t believe in him. Sir, GOD has come to us again and again to remind us of HIS will but we never cared to listen,” Alan replied futher.

“You don’t even realize how there have never been two prophets in the world at the same time. It’s always been one prophet in many centuries,” Alan continued, “And you don’t even realize how HE has progressively deserted us, left us on our own. HE tried to teach us as a human being but when we didn’t learn, HE came first as GOD, then as son of GOD, then as Prophet of GOD and finally once again as an ordinary human being, but we didn’t care to listen. What we are suffering today is a result of our sins, greed, ego and wrong doings. Don’t blame GOD for what happened. HE didn’t make atomic bombs and HE didn’t fire any. HE just watched us make a fool of ourselves silently. Even today HE is trying to remind us of giving up on sins and return to the folds of spirituality. This destruction is just a reminder of HIS powers and presence.”

By now Henry was agitated beyond all extents of sensibility, “You are saying that GOD wanted to show me HIS power by killing my wife and kids? I tell you what! I am going to kill your son in front of your eyes now. If your GOD is so powerful ask him to stop me if HE can.” He pulled out his hunting sword and grabbed Alan’s son with his arm around his waist, “Call your GOD for help now.”

A pin-drop silence fell everywhere around as everyone looked intently at what was happening. “Tell your GOD to save your son if HE can,” Henry roared as nobody tried to stop him, “Or otherwise, fall to my feet and say: Henry is my GOD, and I will spare your son’s life.”

Alan knelt on his knees, his heart jumped to his mouth as he choked with emotions, his eyes filled up to their brims as he struggled to say, “If this is what GOD wants, then I hope my son’s purpose has been fulfilled. Amen!”

Henry realized Alan is not going to buzz. He warned him again but when Alan didn’t buzz from his faith, Henry cold-bloodedly chopped of Joe’s head with one single swing of blade. As Joe’s head fell on ground, he let go his lifeless torso slip from his grip and fall to the ground. Alan broke down and crawled to the lifeless body of his son, grabbed his head in one hand and fell in a heap on his body as he cried out loud. He cried for a while before he finally said, “Oh GOD, I hope my son’s purpose has been fulfilled. I didn’t desert my faith. I hope I have passed my test. Dear GOD, please accept my son as your own and give him a place in YOUR lap. Amen!”

“Still praying to GOD? You say HIS name one more time and your head is the next on line,” Henry’s thirst for blood wasn’t over yet.

“Oh GOD, please give some sense to these people,” Alan replied.

“Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!” chants reverberated in Hatsu Saisho as no one in the crowd was on Alan’s side. But he was happy to be on GOD’s side.

Henry raised his sword once again and the last remaining heart on earth that had GOD left in it was finally stopped forever.

Alan and his son were not given a burial in the Hatsu Saisho cemetery. Their bodies were thrown into a crudely dug pit far out of Hatsu Saisho along with anything related to GOD that was recovered from the wrecks of the Church.

They lie buried right where Ono is sitting, waiting for his brother to return, right where he stood long after the ship his brother was sailing in, sailed out of his sight.

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