A Pocket Full of Shells Read Online Free Page B

the pale moonlight, she could just make out the shape of her husband, rowing along with one of the other crew. Having gone to bed early, Annie was fast asleep upstairs, blissfully unaware of the fact that both their men were at sea. Mary knew the older woman really did worry, even if she pretended not to. "At least one of us will get some sleep," she thought.
         As the night wore on all of the boats landed some fish. Not a huge amount, but enough for their families. A wind began to blow, announcing the impending storm. Pulling up the nets with whatever precious catch was in them, the fishermen hastily made ready to sail back to the safety of the shore. They were a mile out, not wanting to risk going any further on that particular night. The sudden swell of the sea tossing the boats made rowing difficult. James and Tom, being the strongest, took the oars. Pat and Joseph, the oldest and youngest on board, bailed out the water deposited by every wave breaking over them.
         "We need to climb on the back of the biggest wave that comes along, James," Tom shouted above the howling wind, "It will carry us to shore if we're lucky."
    The young man listened to every instruction that was given him by the older, more experienced sailor. James had been in rough seas before, even as a child, and knew the importance of keeping a level head.
         The shrill whistling of the wind through the door broke into Mary's sleep. Her baby was lying at her side, warm and content. Slowly she eased herself off the bed so as not to disturb the sleeping child and took up her watch at the small window. It framed a scene the young woman would remember for the rest of her life. Angry, black clouds raced across a charcoal grey sky. The light from the full moon revealing a boiling sea that, from time to time, threw up into the air small dark shapes. Mary knew those were the boats that had gone out earlier, one of them carrying her husband.
         James felt a numbness in his arms, and looked to see if he was holding the oars. He couldn't tell if they were still in his hands, the cold having frozen his fingers around the wood. Tom was shouting words at him, some of which the wind stole away. Others he managed to hear and follow.  Pat went very still and was looking past James at something behind him. It seemed like the boat stopped moving for a second, and then they were lifted up as if a giant hand was balancing them on its palm.
         Mary could not take her eyes off the scene being played out before her. She focused on one of the boats that had been lifted by a huge wave, heading towards the shore. Praying that James was on it, she held her breath as it got nearer. From nowhere, a bigger wave rose up and swallowed the boat with its crew. Her eyes searched until they hurt, dark clouds obscuring her view. When the moonlight broke through, all that could be seen was the empty, angry sea. Not a boat in sight. Feeling like a knife had been thrust into her heart, Mary ran upstairs to wake Annie.
         Some of the other boats had been lifted along with theirs. James never took his eyes off Tom, waiting for his direction. Timing it as best he could, Tom gave the signal for Pat and Joseph to get behind James, tipping the bow of the boat up into the air. A vessel to their left had reached the top of a nearby wave. Moving forward, gathering speed, it was hit by a huge swell coming in from the side. Just as the sea was engulfing the helpless boat nearby, James and its crew were plunged into darkness. Pat and Joe continued to bail out water in anticipation of taking on more. It seemed like they were flying through the air and James was vaguely aware of other boats alongside them, surging forward, on the crest of the wave.
    ******
         Annie was distraught at what she had been told. The two women clung to each other and cried, until Mary stood back and wiped her tears away.
         "Will you keep an eye on Catherine, please? I will go