were flaming spots of diesel everywhere. Jay got another of the survivors to the Fraulein Betta and helped her aboard. He saw Antonio swimming toward the other two survivors. He headed the same direction, but the fire encircled the three.
Jay scrambled aboard Fraulein Betta. He pointed at Antonio. Hermann didn’t hesitate. He steered the boat toward the flames. When the boat broke through the ring of fire, Jay reached down and helped first a woman, and then a man aboard.
“Hurry! Hurry!” Hermann said. The fire ring was closing.
Jay reached down one last time and dragged Antonio aboard through the flames. His left sleeve ignited again and Jay struggled to get the shirt off. He couldn’t dive into the water. The fire was everywhere. Hermann had the engine going and they were motoring out of the danger area, but it was long seconds before they left the fire behind.
Jay, the flaming shirt thrown overboard, held his left arm tightly against his body. It hurt like the dickens.
The last man they’d pulled aboard worked his way over to Jay. “Let me see. I’m a doctor.”
With a groan Jay held out his left arm. “I’m Dr. Marcus Tanner.” He inspected Jay’s arm. He looked up at Jay’s face. “This isn’t good.” He looked at Antonio. “Is there a first-aid kit aboard?”
Antonio, nursing a few scorch marks himself, nodded and started to go into the cabin, but Betta brought the first-aid kit out. The woman that had been pulled aboard before the doctor took the large backpack from Betta. “I’m Sue. His wife. I’m a nurse. Thank you.”
Betta nodded and retreated to the cabin to care for the young girl that had been pulled aboard.
Sue opened the first-aid kit and began to hand Dr. Tanner the things he asked for. Though it was a very good first-aid kit, it only had a few items needed to treat serious burns. And the burns on Jay’s arm were serious.
Well away from the fire now, Hermann brought Fraulein Betta up to the other three boats. The girl and woman Jay had rescued were transferred to the trimaran. Those aboard had picked up the girl’s parents after they abandoned the Mercury Express. The other woman was the girl’s Aunt.
His arm bandaged, Dr. Tanner took Jay down into the cabin of the boat and helped him into his bunk. “You’re going to need a lot of rest and fluids.”
Jay nodded. “You’re the doc.”
“Yes. And thank you. You saved both my wife and me.”
Jay shrugged. “Just doing what needed doing.”
Dr. Tanner left Jay to allow him to rest. But Antonio came down a few minutes later, sporting several bandages himself, from minor burns.
“Thanks, man,” he told a groggy Jay. “You saved my life back there.”
Jay repeated what he’d told Dr. Tanner. “Just doing what needed doing.”
“Thanks for doing it. Anything you need just let me know.”
Jay nodded and then closed his eyes. The painkiller that the doctor had given him was putting him to sleep.
It was several hours before Jay’s bladder woke him. He hurried to the forward head and did his business, and then joined the others sitting around the cockpit. He was holding his arm tightly against his chest.
“Let me get you a sling for that arm,” Sue said, moving to the first-aid kit backpack that was sitting nearby.
Antonio told Jay, “Doctor and missus Tanner are staying aboard to keep an eye on you.”
“I think that might be a good idea. I don’t feel very well.”
Sue was arranging the triangle bandage to support Jay’s arm. “The least we can do.”
“Ja,” Hermann said. “Both good sailors, they tell me. Can help with the boat while you’re sick.”
Jay looked around. The other three boats were cruising under sail again, as was Fraulein Betta. Jay could see their running lights. They were rather spread out, he thought, but said nothing.
“Thank you, Sue,” Jay told her when she
Jay scrambled aboard Fraulein Betta. He pointed at Antonio. Hermann didn’t hesitate. He steered the boat toward the flames. When the boat broke through the ring of fire, Jay reached down and helped first a woman, and then a man aboard.
“Hurry! Hurry!” Hermann said. The fire ring was closing.
Jay reached down one last time and dragged Antonio aboard through the flames. His left sleeve ignited again and Jay struggled to get the shirt off. He couldn’t dive into the water. The fire was everywhere. Hermann had the engine going and they were motoring out of the danger area, but it was long seconds before they left the fire behind.
Jay, the flaming shirt thrown overboard, held his left arm tightly against his body. It hurt like the dickens.
The last man they’d pulled aboard worked his way over to Jay. “Let me see. I’m a doctor.”
With a groan Jay held out his left arm. “I’m Dr. Marcus Tanner.” He inspected Jay’s arm. He looked up at Jay’s face. “This isn’t good.” He looked at Antonio. “Is there a first-aid kit aboard?”
Antonio, nursing a few scorch marks himself, nodded and started to go into the cabin, but Betta brought the first-aid kit out. The woman that had been pulled aboard before the doctor took the large backpack from Betta. “I’m Sue. His wife. I’m a nurse. Thank you.”
Betta nodded and retreated to the cabin to care for the young girl that had been pulled aboard.
Sue opened the first-aid kit and began to hand Dr. Tanner the things he asked for. Though it was a very good first-aid kit, it only had a few items needed to treat serious burns. And the burns on Jay’s arm were serious.
Well away from the fire now, Hermann brought Fraulein Betta up to the other three boats. The girl and woman Jay had rescued were transferred to the trimaran. Those aboard had picked up the girl’s parents after they abandoned the Mercury Express. The other woman was the girl’s Aunt.
His arm bandaged, Dr. Tanner took Jay down into the cabin of the boat and helped him into his bunk. “You’re going to need a lot of rest and fluids.”
Jay nodded. “You’re the doc.”
“Yes. And thank you. You saved both my wife and me.”
Jay shrugged. “Just doing what needed doing.”
Dr. Tanner left Jay to allow him to rest. But Antonio came down a few minutes later, sporting several bandages himself, from minor burns.
“Thanks, man,” he told a groggy Jay. “You saved my life back there.”
Jay repeated what he’d told Dr. Tanner. “Just doing what needed doing.”
“Thanks for doing it. Anything you need just let me know.”
Jay nodded and then closed his eyes. The painkiller that the doctor had given him was putting him to sleep.
It was several hours before Jay’s bladder woke him. He hurried to the forward head and did his business, and then joined the others sitting around the cockpit. He was holding his arm tightly against his chest.
“Let me get you a sling for that arm,” Sue said, moving to the first-aid kit backpack that was sitting nearby.
Antonio told Jay, “Doctor and missus Tanner are staying aboard to keep an eye on you.”
“I think that might be a good idea. I don’t feel very well.”
Sue was arranging the triangle bandage to support Jay’s arm. “The least we can do.”
“Ja,” Hermann said. “Both good sailors, they tell me. Can help with the boat while you’re sick.”
Jay looked around. The other three boats were cruising under sail again, as was Fraulein Betta. Jay could see their running lights. They were rather spread out, he thought, but said nothing.
“Thank you, Sue,” Jay told her when she
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