Page 72 of Leveling

Chapter 50

Beckett heard rustling and footsteps—everyone rising from their bunks, going to the bathroom, and leaving through the hatch. He climbed out and met them in the galley.

Dan stuck his head out of the small kitchen, “Is that Beckett up at the crack of dawn? Eggs for you, coming, with a straw for your coffee.”

Beckett said, “Thanks man, I’m hungry. I also desperately need a painkiller. Is Dr. Mags around?”

Sarah said, “I’ll go tell her you’re up.”

A few minutes later Dr. Mags came in with two pills and water in a glass with a straw to wash them down. She inspected the outside of the gauze. “No bleeding through on your left hand. We’ll change your gauze tonight. No water though, so no shower, sorry.”

Beckett said, “I should be apologizing to all of you.”

Jeffrey put a plate of eggs in front of Beckett and Dr. Mags spoon-fed him.

Beckett asked, “How much longer will I be wearing these bandages you think?”

“A week on the right, maybe a bit longer on the left.”

“So someone will be spoon-feeding me that whole time?”

“Yep, it’s a good thing you’re on this boat with us, or your friends and family would have to. You have friends and family, right? You haven’t told us anything about yourself.”

“My aunties, and they would love to spoon-feed me.”

“Two aunts that dote on you, that’s a blessing these days.”

“They’re all I have left, but only one is a blood relation, they’re married to each other—”

Over the loudspeaker, a squawk and Captain Aria’s voice, “Beckett, we have Nomads starboard.”

Beckett’s jaw dropped. “Oh.” He had been so long waiting, that he had almost stopped really waiting,activelywaiting. Or maybe he hadn’t started because he never understood what it entailed. He had come out here looking, but sitting on the deck with binoculars didn’t seem the way to go. Instead he was mostly just letting the bridge look. Trusting Captain Aria would notice.

Maybe it was asinine, to go to all this trouble and then not actually look. Maybe. But he also wasn’t in the place he thought Luna would be. She would be northeast.

He also knew she’d be alone. There wasn’t a lot that he knew with certainty, butthat. She had lost her family and was scared and alone and hungry and had come to the Outpost for harbor.

He guessed he had given her that, but he felt pretty guilty about everything else. Terrible actually. Worse with each day that went by.

Had she hated him? Wanted to get away? Was she only going along so he’d give her food?

He closed his eyes as her face flashed in his mind, “I love you Beckett.”

He opened them.

Dr. Mags got up and Beckett followed her.

Sarah said, “Your moment of truth Beckett, go read the edict!”

Jeffrey asked, “Do you need me to go get your copy?”

Beckett said, “No, it’s memorized by now.” He added, “I hope they aren’t combative.”

Dan stuck his head around the corner. “Combative Nomads—what are they going to do, splash you? You’ve got this.” He untied his apron to follow Beckett up the steps.

Beckett climbed out to the deck and was instantly blinded again.

Stupid sun.

Captain Aria stood at the railing of the upper deck by the bridge looking through binoculars. “Looks like about eight, it’s a small group. Heading northeast.”

Beckett followed her gaze and yes—hazy, blurry, far away—eight Nomads. Standing on their boards, straight up and down, it was majestic really, like they walked on water.

“Can we get closer so I can speak with them?”

“Sure, you have your edict after all.” She offered the binoculars, but he held up his bandaged hands with a laugh.

She handed the binoculars to Dan and returned to the bridge. The ship’s sails turned, shifting its direction, and the motor roared to life.

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