Out of the Frying Pan

“Look, honey! The pool! This is just perfect!” Janet exclaimed.

“I’m glad you're pleased, dear,” Kevin declared as they meandered through the collection of white loungers to the edge of the pool. Janet was smiling that smile that made him feel weightless. A smile he hadn’t seen in quite some time.

“I can’t believe we’re finally doing this! And for free too!” Janet said as she gestured to the pool and the rest of the cruise ship.

“I know! I’ve never won a contest in my life. Never expected anything to come of filling out that entry form, but here we are.”

“Here we are indeed! Thanks to my husband, the winner!” She wrapped her arms around his waist and he embraced her shoulders.

A bell chimed.

“I think that means dinner is served,” Kevin said. “Let’s find the dining room.”

Holding hands they traversed the deck taking in the view.

“This is so lovely,” Janet sighed. “And it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

“I know. I’m so sorry for how the last few months have been.”

“It’s not your fault,” Janet said. “I don’t want to hear another word about it tonight. Or the next ten days. This is our vacation and we’re going to enjoy it. You're officially off duty, Detective Briggs.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” Kevin teased. “I’m totally on board with those orders!”

Janet rolled her eyes.

They followed the other passengers into the dining room. A hostess led them to a four person table at which a smiling couple in their early fifties was already seated.

“Hi, I’m Kevin and this is my wife Janet,” Kevin said as he extended his hand to the older pair.

“I’m Marvin,” the man said.

“And I’m Celia,” said the woman.

“Pleasure to meet you both,” Janet declared.

“Likewise.” said Marvin. “You two on your honeymoon?”

Kevin chuckled, “Not exactly, we've been married for almost seven years.”

“Congratulations!” said Celia. “Celebrating an anniversary?”

“No, I won a contest and we were in desperate need of a getaway, so kind of a surprise vacation.”

“You don’t say! We won a contest too!” Celia exclaimed.

“Well, cheers then! To new friends and our good fortune,” said Marvin raising his glass of wine.

They clinked their glasses and then made small talk until the food arrived. And once it did it became the main topic of conversation. Maybe it was the change of scenery or the high spirits of setting sail, but Kevin thought it was the best meal he’d ever eaten. The flavors were so rich and everything was cooked to perfection.

After the main course there was an announcement over the speaker, “Good evening, guests. Welcome aboard! We’re so glad you’ve decided to cruise with us. For the next ten days enjoy your time at sea. Please note the main ballroom is closed while some repairs to the roof are being made. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

By the time dessert was finished off everyone was laughing and smiling. Kevin felt so at ease, blissful even. He had no idea what time it was when he and Janet made it back to their cabin. But when he fell asleep it was into the deepest sleep he’d had in months.

In the morning Kevin’s head felt a little fuzzy, but he’d only had one drink last night, so he chalked it up to the heavy sleep. After a delicious breakfast he and Janet decided to lounge by the pool. And even though he’d slept soundly he dozed on and off all morning. He must have been more exhausted than he'd realized.

“Kevin.”

“Yes, dear,” Kevin mumbled groggily.

“I left the sunscreen in the cabin, could you get it before I turn into a lobster?”

“Sure thing,” Kevin said as he slowly sat up and arose from his lounge chair.

He tried to shake the drowsiness from his head as he wandered down to the lower level. After a few minutes he glanced at the cabin numbers and realized he was on the wrong side of the ship. He tried to keep an eye out for a way to cut across so he wouldn’t have to walk all the way around. At a big set of double doors he tried the handles but they were locked.

Suddenly he was being shoved by a pair of strong hands.

“Whoa! What’s the deal?” Kevin asked as he fought to keep his balance.

“This area is off limits,” said a muscular crew member with sunglasses as he crossed his arms and planted himself in front of the doors.

“Okay, okay. I didn’t mean any harm I was just trying to cut through to the other side,” Kevin explained.

“Walk around,” the crew member said flatly.

“Yeah, got it,” Kevin said. He turned away and started walking toward the back of the boat. He now felt more awake than he had all day with adrenaline coursing through his body.

Back on the top deck Kevin took notice of the fenced off area where the ballroom ceiling was blocked off. There was another crew member wearing shades leaning against the fence a few feet away from a gate with a “Crew Members Only” sign. Kevin's head still felt a little foggy but not enough to keep him from becoming suspicious.

“What’s the matter?” Janet asked as they made their way to dinner.

“Nothing, dear,” Kevin said. He put on his best smile. “Just hungry.”

Janet smiled back but didn’t look wholly convinced.

After another scrumptious meal Kevin’s concerns seemed to melt away and the evening passed in a haze of contentment. As did the next several days. In fact it became difficult to remember how many days they’d spent at sea. Everything blended together in a stream of uninterrupted relaxation and fabulous meals. Until one morning Marvin and Celia never showed up for breakfast.

“Where do you think they are?” Kevin asked.

“They probably just slept late,” Janet suggested.

Then at dinner that night the older couple didn’t appear again.

“Do you remember their cabin number? I think we should check on them.”

“Two twelve, I think, but I’m having a hard time remembering.”

“Hmm… after dessert we’ll go and see.”

Leaving the dining room they navigated their way through the ship to cabin two twelve. Kevin knocked on the door. There was no response. He was about to knock again when a crew member materialized.

“Can I help you, sir?”

“Just wanted to check on friends. They weren’t at meals today.”

The crew member glanced down at a clipboard. “It appears the occupants of this cabin were admitted to the infirmary.”

“Oh no!” Janet exclaimed. “Are they okay!”

“Of course, ma’am. I’m sure they’ll be right as rain in no time. It is quite late so I suggest you make your way back to your cabin.”

Janet nodded and took Kevin’s hand as they walked away.

“Something strange is going on,” Kevin whispered.

“Don’t say that. Just because there are reasons to be paranoid at home, doesn’t mean there’s danger lurking around every corner!”

She was getting upset and Kevin didn’t want to unsettle her.

Janet sighed, “Let’s just get to bed. Maybe we’ll see Celia and Marvin in the morning.”

But they didn’t see them in the morning. And as Kevin looked around the dining room he noticed that nearly a third of the tables were missing people. He was about to raise a fork full of omelet to his mouth when he paused abruptly. The food. It was so good. Too good. He put his fork down.

“You okay, honey?” Janet asked when she finished eating and noticed his plate was still full.

“Not hungry,” Kevin said.

As waiters came around to collect plates, the one that came to their table eyed Kevin’s untouched omelet. “Feeling alright, sir?” he asked.

“Just a bit seasick,” Kevin replied.

“I can take you to the infirmary, sir. I’m sure they can assist you.”

“Thank you, but I’ll be okay.”

Kevin watched as the waiter stopped to whisper something to a hostess at the kitchen doors. Kevin averted his eyes quickly as the hostess looked his way. And he knew that in leaving home they’d escaped a frying pan just to land in a fire. He needed to get a grip on things and make a plan before they burned.

All day Kevin felt his skin crawling as though anywhere he went there were eyes watching his every move. It was risky but he needed to confirm a suspicion, so on the pool deck he sat next to a man reading a book and said “Excuse me?”

The man looked up from his page.

“My wife and I won tickets for this cruise," Kevin said. "And, well, I didn’t read the details carefully enough because I was so excited about winning. So now I can’t remember what date we’re supposed to return. Could you tell me by chance?”

The man squinted a bit. “You know, I don’t recall. I actually won a ticket in a contest too!”

“Really!” Kevin exclaimed in feigned surprise. “Well, enjoy your book.”

This was bad.

Throughout the day he studied the signs posted around the ship looking for something he knew should be there but wasn’t. When he wasn’t inspecting signs, he scanned the horizon. There was something in the distance. A haziness on the water that he could always spot from somewhere on the boat.

He and Janet were in their cabin when the dinner chime sounded. Immediately Janet moved toward the door, but Kevin reached out an arm to block her way.

“Janet, dear, I need you to trust me. We can’t go to dinner. We can’t eat any more food on this boat. In fact I think we need to get off this boat.”

“What?” Janet asked incredulously.

“I know it seems crazy. But I think we’re in more danger on this ship than we ever were back home. Even with all those death threats from the mob, I have never felt as afraid as I do right now.”

“Kevin, this isn’t funny.”

“It’s not a joke. I think they’re drugging us and I think the people going to the ‘infirmary’ are going somewhere much worse. People are disappearing.”

“That’s insane!”

“Is it? Answer me this. How many days have we been on this ship?”

“Five…no, six. Wait…Could it be seven?”

“You don’t know, Janet. Neither do I. And the only reason I’m clear enough to realize that I don’t know is because I haven’t eaten anything today. I think something awful has happened to Celia and Marvin and I don’t want us to be next”

“Celia and Marvin are in the infirmary.”

“There is no infirmary.”

“Of course there is.”

“No, there isn’t. I’ve been looking all day. There’s not a single listing on any sign anywhere on this ship for an infirmary.”

“Then where are they?”

“I have a guess and if I show you and prove that something bad is happening here. You have to promise to get off this boat with me.”

Janet just stared at him.

“Well? We don’t have time to waste. They’re going to notice our absence very soon and come looking for us. Do you trust me, Janet?”

Slowly she nodded.

He took her hand and led her to the top deck. His heart was hammering in his chest. He was getting more clear headed by the minute and the threat of being discovered was growing larger.

When they reached the fenced off area around the ballroom ceiling Kevin got to work. Having been undercover as a member of the mob he’d learned some useful skills. Lockpicking was one of them.

In a matter of seconds he had opened the gate and tugged Janet through behind him. There was a large tarp covering the glass ceiling. Kneeling at a corner, Kevin slowly pulled the edge of the tarp up. Immediately a green glow emanated from below. Peering down Kevin sighted a more terrifying scene than he’d imagined. Laboratory equipment and stretchers of people filled the room. Janet gasped.

“What are they doing to them?” she whispered in terror.

“I don’t know. And I’m not interested in sticking around to find out. We have to get off this ship tonight.”

“How?” Janet asked.

“We have to jump.”

“You’re not serious. We’d be stranded in the middle of the ocean!”

“We might be stranded, but not in the water. We can make it to land.”

“How can you be sure?”

“There’s an island. I think we’ve been sailing in a circle around it all day. Maybe every day.”

“But what then? What if whoever is behind this,” she gestured to the lab below, “has people on the island too?”

Kevin couldn’t help but smile. Janet was sharp even with the drugs in her system.

“They probably do. But on this boat we’re completely trapped. At least on an island we may have a chance. I never wanted you to be in harm’s way, not at home and not here. But we are in danger. Jump with me and we’ll try to avoid becoming lab rats.”

Janet stared into his eyes and then nodded. Resolve was starting to take root in her, Kevin could see it.

“Okay. I guess it’s time for a late night swim.”

They snuck back to the gate and crept out onto the deck. Flattening themselves against the walls they moved toward the back of the boat. If Kevin had managed to keep his bearings they just needed to jump off on the right side toward the rear to have a straight shot toward the island. On their way they quietly grabbed two life preservers. They had nearly reached their destination when a crew member emerged from a door they had just passed.

“Run,” Kevin ordered.

Together they sprinted down the deck. The crew member chased after them relaying a message into a radio as he ran. Kevin could see they were almost there. Just a little bit farther.

“Kevin!” Janet cried.

Kevin looked back. Half a dozen crew members were pursuing them. Two of them were gaining fast. The life preservers were heavy and the extra weight was slowing them down.

“Keep running!” Kevin shouted.

A few yards more and they saw other crew members coming toward them around the back of the boat.

Kevin came to a halt and grabbed onto Janet. “Quick!” He helped hoist her onto the railing and then hauled himself over. “Take my hand!”

Janet grabbed his fingers in hers.

“Jump!” he yelled.

He felt a hand pulling at his shirt but the crew members were too late. He and Janet were dropping fast to the dark waters below. He prayed they would make it to the island and that he hadn’t doomed them. But at least they’d saved themselves from the fire. And whatever hell they landed in next, they’d get through it together.