In a world of steamships and Progress, no one who sails due south across the Wild Sea ever returns.
No one knows why.
Dale Mortensen intends to solve the mystery. With the help of an old sailor and a reformed playboy searching for his missing sweetheart, he locates a captain and crew ambitious—not to mention crazy—enough to undertake the journey across the Wild Sea.
The Infinity and her crew sail south, but the truth of what really lies on the other side of the horizon is more amazing—and terrifying—than anything they can imagine.
It’s the adventure of a lifetime—and it may just get Dale and his friends killed.
Find out how this Young Adult steampunk adventure unfolds chapter-by-chapter every Thursday! Click here to start from the beginning. Or if you want to read it at your own pace, buy the ebook for $6.99 from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords or Sony, or get it as a trade paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Book Depository.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HORIZON
E. R. PASKEY
TWENTY-ONE
“WELL, COME IN, COME IN,” DEMANDED THE raspy voice. “We haven’t got all day.”
“Yes, sir. Of course, sir.” Banger almost tripped in his haste to enter the room and clear the way for the rest of them.
It was a far cry from the suave, flirtatious persona he had exhibited in the Hospital and it did nothing to ease the sense of foreboding building in the pit of Dale’s stomach. He entered the room behind Raphael, with Yutha and Minh trailing behind him. One glance at the room told him it had been designed to impress and intimidate. Where the walls were not lined with books and shelves of odd things that must be native to this world, they were covered in ornate wood paneling. Heavy crimson velvet curtains framed a trio of oblong windows set high in the wall to the right.
Gray light struggled through these windows to illuminate a large, heavy convex desk at the back of the room. Behind this table loomed five imposing figures. Well, Dale amended internally, four imposing figures, to be exact. The fifth figure, on the far right, was none other than Mr. Riley. And he’s hardly looming. Or imposing.
Riley did, however, appear to be lowest in the Committee’s pecking order. All one had to do was look at the table to see that the middle two stern gentlemen in striped waistcoats were on equal footing, while the others flanked them. Indeed, Mr. Riley’s presence at the table almost appeared to be a tacked-on afterthought.
“May I present to you, sirs, our newest arrivals?” Stepping aside, Banger swept a hand through the air in their direction. “Messrs. Raphael Franco Avarez, Dale Mortensen, Minh, and Yutha Inzin.”
“Thank you, Mr. Banger.” The raspy voice belonged to one of the men in the middle. He was small and rather portly, but the iron force of his personality made him appear much larger. “You are dismissed.”
With a bow, Banger exited the room. Dale had the sense he was rather relieved to be going. That’s odd.
Four straight-back chairs stood in a line before the desk. The raspy-voiced man turned a hand palm up. “Have a seat, gentlemen.”
Dale, Yutha, and Minh obeyed, leaving the last, closest chair for Raphael. He limped over to it and sat down, his face blank and his lips pressed into a thin line.
The man with the raspy voice looked them up and down before he said, “I am Mr. Matthis, chairman of the Committee for the Care of New Arrivals, and head of the Varangian Family. These are my associates.” He motioned to the man in the middle seat to his right. “Mr. Hamper, head of the Demascenese Family.”
Hamper nodded without smiling. His sandy hair was shot through with silver, but he was still tall and broad-shouldered.
“Mr. Haiduk, head of the Olabodese Family.”
The man on Matthis’s right raised a hand. He looked like a dark human beanpole topped with white hair and a bushy mustache.
Dale had vaguely heard of Olabode before—he thought it was a country on the other side of the Wild Sea somewhere near Demascene.
Matthis indicated the florid-faced gentleman beside him. “Mr. Wimple, head of the Elpine Family.”
Elpis is northeast of Varangia, if I remember correctly, thought Dale.
Wimple was taller than Matthis, but appeared smaller, like he was shrinking back into himself. He had the look of a solid man gone slightly to fat, and his shoulders seemed permanently slumped.
“And I believe you have met Mr. Riley, here,” concluded Matthis with a careless wave.
Riley gave them a small, jerky nod. Compared to the settled, well-dressed appearance of the others, he seemed shabby and uncomfortably aware of his status as a tacked-on afterthought.
Looking at him, Dale wondered why he was even on the Committee in the first place. He received the answer as soon as Matthis began speaking.
“I understand Mr. Riley supplied you with pamphlets to introduce you to our fair city. They are only an overview for a reason—things here in Rift City are quite different from the way of life to which you are no doubt accustomed.” Matthis motioned to himself, Hamper, Haiduk, and Wimble. “We are each representatives from one of the Four Families that founded Rift City several centuries ago. Riley, here, is our current representative from the last decade’s worth of new arrivals.”
“Our purpose,” said Hamper in a smooth voice like dark honey, “is to familiarize new arrivals like yourselves to this world and our ways, and to settle you with work.”
“No doubt Mr. Riley has informed you that your ship passed through a phenomenon we call the Rift and that you are now on a new world.” Matthis waited for Dale and the others to nod. “Excellent. I am sorry to inform you that you will be living out the remainder of your days here in Rift City. There is no return to the world from whence you came.”
Dale swallowed a lump in his throat. He had known that from the moment he realized what the Rift was, yet hearing it from a dispassionate source felt like a blow.
“In time, we are sure you will come to love and cherish Rift City as your home.” Matthis laced his fingers together over his waistcoat. “The rules of life here in the city are simple. We do not tolerate thievery, violence, and the like. We speak many languages here, though Demascenes and Varangian are perhaps the tongues most widely used. Rift City’s most important rule is this: we do not go near the water.”
He drilled his eyes into each of them in turn. “I understand this will be hard for you sailors, but it is imperative that you steer clear of the water. It only leads to trouble.”
“And death,” said Wimble in a wavering voice.
“And death,” agreed Matthis.
Dale found his voice. “But, sir, what work will we do if we can’t sail?”
Matthis’s dark eyes glittered at him. “We are getting to that, Mr. Mortensen.” He glanced sideways. “Mr. Haiduk?”
Regarding Dale and the others over a pair of half-rim spectacles he had just donned, Mr. Haiduk proceeded to question them on their occupations. He started with Minh, who occupied the other end of the row. “What is your occupation, Mr. Minh, is it?” He frowned. “Is ‘Minh’ your Christian name or your surname?”
“I’m a ship’s cook, sir,” said Minh flatly. “And it’s my only name.” His expression dared them to comment.
“Ah, a cook.” Hamper smiled and shuffled a few papers lying on the desk before him, choosing to let the matter of Minh’s name pass. “Good cooks are in short supply, Mr. Minh. If you’re any good, you’ll have no shortage of work opportunities.”
Haiduk examined Yutha. “What of you, boy?”
Yutha opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His dark eyes were wide and frightened. “I—I—”
“Speak up, boy.”
“He’s my assistant.” Minh put an arm around Yutha’s skinny shoulders. “I am responsible for him.”
Hamper exchanged a glance with Matthis. “We will take that into consideration.”
“And you, Mr. Mortensen?” asked Haiduk next.
Dale cleared his throat. “I’m a sailor, sir. Was the engineer aboard the Infinity before she sank.”
“I see. Do you know any other trades or possess any other skills?”
Dale thought of mucking out stalls and milking cows and shook his head. “No, sir.”
Haiduk made a sound in the back of his throat before pinning Raphael with his gaze. “What of you, Mr. Avarez?”
“I am a sailor also.”
“And?”
Raphael lifted his chin. “Before that, I was a merchant’s son.”
Hamper made a note on the paper before him.
Matthis and the others spent the next twenty minutes quizzing Dale and the others on their various interests. Dale answered as best he could, though privately he thought it all a waste of time. If going near bodies of water was forbidden, what could they possibly have for a sailor to do?
Every so often, sheets of paper with scribbled notes changed hands, or Haiduk leaned toward Matthis or Hamper to exchange a quiet word. Riley had minimal input, and Wimble, almost none at all. He slumped in his chair, staring at nothing in particular.
“Well, gentlemen,” said Matthis at last, nodding to Hamper as the latter handed him a new sheaf of papers, “I believe we know what to do with you.” He spread the papers out before him and selected one in particular. “Mr. Minh, you will return to the Hospital until Doctor Carthage deems you sufficiently healed to take up work, by which time we will have found a suitable place for you.”
“And Yutha?” demanded Minh.
Matthis and Hamper traded looks. “He will stay at the Hospital until he has finished healing as well and he will then accompany you,” said Matthis. “Mr. Riley will arrange living quarters for you at that time.”
Minh stiffly inclined his head. “Thank you.”
Dale studied Yutha out of the corner of his eye. The boy looked profoundly relieved. His heart chose that moment to start thudding in his chest. Where are they going to send me and Raph?
“Mr. Mortensen,” said Matthis crisply. “We have no sailing work for you, but since you have mechanical experience, we will recommend you to Mr. Sivak in the Mining District. Mr. Riley will arrange living quarters for you.”
Mining District? Dale was not sure if he should be thankful for that or not. He settled for a sober nod.
“As for you, Mr. Avarez…” Matthis shuffled his papers again. “We have no shop openings at this time, but Mr. Haiduk assures me they have no such shortage in the Mining District. You will return to the Hospital until Doctor Carthage releases you, at which time you will also report to Mr. Sivak.”
Raphael’s nostrils flared. “Mr. Matthis, I assure you, I do not need to return to the Hospital.”
Matthis raised a dark eyebrow. “Doctor Carthage assures us that you do, Mr. Avarez.”
Dale felt for his friend; the idea of staying in the Hospital another few weeks made him cringe inside.
Realizing protest was useless, Raphael subsided, but he was clearly less than pleased. His mouth twisted into a frown.
“Should you have any further questions,” said Matthis brusquely, “feel free to contact Mr. Riley.”
Riley nodded. His demeanor was still anxious, but he did look genuinely pleased to be of further assistance to them.
Perversely, Dale wondered what would happen if they contacted Matthis or Hamper instead. Something told him it would not be a good idea—as yet they had no idea how things worked here. It might be best to avoid purposefully making enemies.
Matthis and Hamper rose in unison—almost making Dale wonder if they had rehearsed the motion—and the rest of the Committee followed suit. Dale, Raphael, Yutha, and Minh climbed to their feet as well. Clearly, the interview was now at its end.
“Again, welcome to Rift City.” Matthis held out his hand for them to shake. “We do hope you will become productive citizens.”
Other than Belly’s odd disappearance—which Dale thought he would be better off asking Riley about privately as soon as he got the chance—one thought had been building in the back of his mind throughout the entire course of the interview. Given Riley’s words at the Hospital, he had expected an explanation of the mysterious Streamers that had eaten Manji, but none of the Committee members had said a word about them. As he shook Matthis’s hand, he looked down at the shorter man and asked, “Sir, what of these Streamers?”
The older man took his hand back in a hurry. “Ah, yes. The Streamers.” His voice was raspier than usual as he cast a chastising look at Riley. “You needn’t worry about them, young man, as long as you stay away from the water.”
“But—” Dale looked at Riley, who gave his head a tiny shake, and cut himself off. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“That’s the spirit.” Matthis’s stern features lightened. Picking up a small black horn from the table before him, he spoke into it. “Send Banger in.”
A moment later, somebody rapped sharply on the door.
“Enter,” called Matthis.
Banger opened the door and stepped inside. “You called, sir?”
“Yes.” He waved a hand at Dale, Raphael, and the others. “You’re to take these three back to the Hospital and Mr. Mortensen here wherever Mr. Riley tells you.”
“Yes, Mr. Matthis.”
It was over.
Feeling relieved, but also a little guilty that he would be leaving the others behind, Dale left the office and stepped out into the corridor. Raphael, Minh, and Yutha limped after him, with Riley and Banger bringing up the rear. Banger slid around to the front of the line and led them back out into the lobby, through the front doors, and outside.
“Mining!” spat Raphael contemptuously, when they were all loaded into the automobile. “Pah!” He glared at Riley. “Is that really the best they could do?”
Riley shrugged. “If you had skills or connections that meant anything, perhaps something better could have been arranged. As it is…” He sighed.
“Why didn’t they talk about the Streamers?” Yutha’s dark eyes were wide again. “Why wouldn’t they tell us anything about them?”
Riley sighed again. “The Committee prefers not to go into details regarding the creatures.” He seemed reluctant to say more.
“But you believe New Arrivals ought to know,” said Raphael sharply.
“Of course, I do. I was a New Arrival myself, once, and I know the kind of curiosity an event like that breeds.” Riley met Dale’s eyes across the automobile and tipped his head toward Banger in a way Dale took to mean it was not safe to talk openly.
That in itself was curious.
As Banger pulled up in front of the Hospital, Dale said quickly, “I’ll come visit you, I promise.” He looked from Raphael, to Minh, and Yutha, and back.
“We shall hold you to that, my friend.” Raphael smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. He clapped Dale on the shoulder and managed to sound only slightly bitter as he added, “You can tell us all about Rift City.”
Banger escorted Yutha, Minh, and Raphael to the door and back into Mrs. Weatherby’s care. As he exited the vehicle, however, Raphael addressed Dale in an quick, earnest undertone. “Keep an eye out for my Elena. Please.”
“I will,” Dale assured him.
The gratitude in Raphael’s dark eyes spoke volumes.
When Banger returned, he addressed Riley. “Sir, where shall I take you?”
Riley considered the question for only for a few seconds. “West Lowersedge.” He glanced at Dale, his expression kind. “I think you’ll have an easier time settling in there.”
Find out how this Young Adult steampunk adventure unfolds chapter-by-chapter every Thursday! Or if you want to keep reading right now, buy the ebook for $6.99 from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords or Sony, or get it as a trade paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Book Depository.
Copyright © 2013 E. R. Paskey