Vladimir Todorov - Archipelago N.Y. - Flynn

Flynn looked back at the sonar. The blinking dots were right above them now, moving quickly towards the stern. They had managed to slide under. Lucked out! Any second, and they would be clear… Then… Flynn spotted the other two blips on the screen, just ahead! Very close! Too close! He looked out of the window and his eyes widened.

Flynn was staring at the last two mines which had dropped lower than the rest. They were now directly at eye-level… rushing at them at an alarming speed! How could he have missed the damned things!

“Up, up, up!” Mr. Kowalski’s cry forced Flynn to jump into action. He grabbed the steering column and pulled it all the way back towards him. The Ark ’s bow rose sharply, throwing Mr. Kowalski off his seat. He grabbed for the nearest railing to steady himself then cried again, “Full speed ahead, boy! Go, go, go!”

With both hands holding on to the steering column, Flynn used his right foot to kick the throttle all the way down. The engines roared… The Ark lurched forward and started rising. He looked at the sonar for an instant, and then closed his eyes shut. What was the point? They would either make it, or… not! There was nothing more he could do.

The noise was deafening… the groan of the engines, the painful scream of the hull pushed to its limit… A long moment passed before the vibration started to ease a little… then stopped. Flynn cracked an eye open and checked the sonar. The mines were behind them. His eyes shifted to the depth gouge. They were now twenty feet under the surface.

He leveled the Ark and pulled the throttle back, then wiped the sweat off his forehead.

“You did it, Flynn!” Mr. Kowalski’s hand squeezed his shoulder.

“I guess…” Flynn took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

“Didn’t think she’d make it…” Mr. Kowalski’s hand stroked the dashboard lovingly, “But she did… I’m so proud of her! We built her well, I suppose.”

Flynn kept the Ark sailing underwater for another ten miles, before he brought her up above the surface. Everyone was now free to unbuckle and move their weary legs about the deck. Hatches were opened to let fresh air in. The journey was on. There was a long way to go.

Flynn engaged the autopilot, opened the cockpit skylight, climbed up and sat on the roof deck. The sun was rising above the ocean. Another hatch opened nearby. Tony Romero squeezed through it, walked over and sat next to Flynn.

“Do you think we’ll find it, amigo?” he asked. “Dry Land, I mean?”

“Oh, yeah!” Flynn replied. “We’ve got to… For Duncan’s sake… and for everybody else we left behind…” His words were barely audible, his mood dark, his heart clenched like a fist.

The two of them sat in silence for a while, staring at the wide horizon, bathed in all shades of orange and pink.

“Look!” Tony pointed suddenly at the sky.

Flynn glanced over his shoulder. He saw a small black dot, coming closer… A bird? So far out? It appeared to be heading straight for the Ark .

“I think it’s a pigeon!” Tony exclaimed as the bird swooped over their heads.

And Tony was right.

Seconds later, the pigeon landed on the deck, cocked its head sideways, its little red eye staring curiously at the boys. Flynn reached out and picked it up. There was something wrapped around its leg… A message! Gently, Flynn removed the small roll of seaweed paper, unfolded it, and with his heart pounding, read the three simple words: I love you . They were written in squid ink, still wet round the loops of Madison’s beautiful letters.

Flynn’s lips stretched into a big smile. He moistened the tip of his finger, smeared whatever was left of the ink and drew a little heart at the bottom. Then he rolled the note and attached it back to the bird’s leg. The pigeon flapped its wings, rose up and began its flight back east, in the direction of the Archipelago.

“What did Madison say?” Tony grinned.

“Mind your own business, Tony!” Flynn laughed, his heart now soaring just like the little bird… his strength suddenly restored…

Finding Dry Land was only the beginning, he thought. Sooner or later, he would be back… and no matter what, the Archipelago and Madison Ray would be waiting for him.

Text and Artwork Copyright © 2014 Vladimir Todorov

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