Page 85 of Totally Shipped
Alicia, Carlo, Stephan, Hutch.
Another plane had buzzed overhead, gallons of river water falling down on us, but too late. Lying on the hot ashy ground, I heard the planes buzz, but couldn’t see them, just hear them.
Buzz, buzz, hum.
“Rex?”
“Rex!”
“REX!”
“PLANE!”
GRAY
The plane circles, getting lower.
It’s a small plane, a Piper Cherokee or something like that.
We all are waving frantically.
It’s low enough that we can see the pilot and co-pilot. The co-pilot has the door open. That’s not unusual for these little planes’ it's the only A/C you can get. Whatisunusual is the co-pilot waving something orange at us.
And then he drops it.
“It’s going in the water.”
“Run! Get it!”
Killian launches himself into the waves as the plane dips its wings, then circles again. Wading through the surf, Killian is triumphantly holding up the orange object.
“What is it?” Leander shouts, asking the question for all of us. Killian jogs up the beach.
“Life jacket, but it’s been duct-taped together. There is something inside.”
He hands it to Rex, who picks at the tape. “A fucking radio!” Rex instantly turns on the handset.
“Radio check, this is the island, come in?”
“Read you loud and clear island, this is Piper three seven tango, go ahead.”
The cheers and screams erupt and Rex makes a shushing motion.
“Piper three seven tango, we are a party of seven, castaway at this location for approximately one year. Were shipwrecked from the Mary-Mo. Request immediate assistance, over.”
Fuck, is this really happening?
There is a pause, then, “Say again, island?”
“We are the survivors of a shipwreck. Boat out of Samoa called the Mary-Mo, approximately one year ago. Four males, three females including an infant, over.”
The drone of the plane comes and goes as it circles.
“Copy that, island. We will alert authorities immediately. Keep on this frequency. Does anyone in your party need critical assistance? Over.”
Rex scans the group of us; we are thin, and dirty, but smiling. Tears are flowing down Daisy’s cheeks. Leander tosses Keyara up in the air. Even Thea gurgles happily.
“Negative, but we could all do with a fucking burger and a shower, over.”
