Plague Ship

The dance was the first opportunity for the younger members of the ship’s hotel staff to cut loose a little since the Golden Dawn had left the Philippines two weeks earlier. It was to be the highlight of the cruise for the waiters, waitresses, maids, and off-duty crew, which happened to be comprised of some devilishly handsome Norwegians. Ja

“No, it doesn’t,” the doctor said.

The door to the small hospital ward opened, and, a moment later, Elsa and Karin, Ja

“How are you feeling?” Elsa asked and sat on the edge of Ja

“Jealous.”

“You aren’t well enough to come to the party?” Karin scowled at the doctor as if it was his fault Ja

Ja

“Do you think Michael will like it?” Karin pirouetted.

“He’ll die for it,” Elsa told her friend.

“Are you sure he’s coming?” Ja

Michael was one of the passengers who sat at the table they served, a Californian with blond hair, blue eyes, and a body honed from a lifetime of exercise. It was generally agreed by the female staff that he was the best-looking guy on the boat. She also knew that Karin and Michael had made out on more than one occasion.

Karin smoothed her dress. “He made sure to tell me himself.” Passman cut into their conversation, “It doesn’t bother you he’s a Responsivist?” She shot the doctor a look. “I grew up with four brothers and three sisters. I don’t think not having children is such a bad idea.”

“Responsivism is more than not having children,” he pointed out.

Karin took it as an insult that she didn’t know what the group who had chartered the ship believed in.

“Yes, it is also about helping humanity by making family pla

“I saw the same informational placards they have placed around the ship,” Passman said archly. “But don’t you think Responsivism goes beyond social consciousness? For a woman to join, she has to agree to have her fallopian tubes tied. It sounds to me more like, well, a cult.”

“That’s what Michael said people tell him all the time.” With the stubbor

“Yes, but surely you see . . .” Passman let his voice trail off, knowing that whatever argument was put forth would stand little chance against a twenty-something girl with raging hormones. “Actually, you probably wouldn’t. I think you two should let Ja

“Are you going to be okay, Schnuckiputzi?” Elsa asked, touching Ja

“I’ll be fine. You two have fun and I want lurid details tomorrow.”

“Good girls don’t kiss and tell,” Karin said, and gri

“In that case, I don’t expect either of you to be good girls.” The two Germans left together, but Karin returned a second later. She eased up to the head of the bed.

“I want you to know that I think I’m going to do it.” Ja

“Karin, that is way too big of a step. You don’t know him that well.”

“I’ve never really wanted kids anyway, so what’s the big deal if I have my tubes tied now or in a few years.”

“Don’t let him talk you into it,” Ja

“He didn’t talk me into it,” she dismissed too quickly. “It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time. I don’t want to be worn out at thirty like my mother was. She’s forty-five now and looks seventy. No thanks. Besides,” she said with a bright smile, “nothing will happen until we dock in Greece anyway.” Ja

Give it some more thought, okay?”

“Okay,” Karin said, as if to a parent.

Ja

“Count on it.”

Their perfumes lingered long after the girls were gone.

Ja

She drifted off to sleep, and when she awoke a few hours had passed. She could hear the muffled rumble of the ship’s engines but could hardly feel the calm rocking of the Indian Ocean swells. She wondered how Elsa and Karin were enjoying the party . . .

Ja

She heard a crash the instant before the mugger wrapped his hand around her throat again and started to squeeze.

Ja

Passman staggered into the room. He wore a bathrobe and his feet were bare. It looked like the front of the robe and his face was covered in blood. Ja

Passman made an obscene cawing sound, and more blood dribbled from his mouth. Ja

She clutched her sheets tighter, drawing on the inhaler as she began to hyperventilate. Then another figure came into her room. It was Karin in her little black dress. She was coughing violently, wet, racking convulsions that spewed blood in a bright spray. Ja

Karin tried to speak, but all that came out was a watery gargle. She stretched out with her arms in a supplicating gesture, her pale fingers reaching for Ja