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-SEVEN
THE NEXT FEW DAYS PASSED IN A flurry of work. Dale was a fast learner; he picked up on his tasks quickly. Meals were almost always eaten with one’s fellow shift-workers, though at breakfast and dinner he met men working the night shift. He was quiet, preferring to listen to his comrades talk around him, or joke and gibe with one another. He was not the only quiet man there; nor was he the youngest. A stocky lad a few years younger than he worked the night shift.
Other than passing greetings, Dale did not get a chance to speak privately with Belly until the day before his nine-day stint ended. He had gone up top to see the ocean and Belly followed. The old sailor cast a keen glance around them before stepping closer to Dale.
“Listen here, lad,” he began grimly, “have ya said anythin’ to anyone about Peabody or the dirigible?”
Dale stared at him. Those were the very last words he had expected to hear out of his friend’s mouth. His eyes narrowed with a sliver of annoyance. “What does he have to do with anything?”
“Answer the question, Dale.”
That was easy. “Only Mr. Riley, because I wanted to know if Peabody made it.”
The tension in Belly’s stocky frame did not waver. “Riley, eh? You’re sure ya ain’t said a word to another soul?”
“Quite sure.” Dale drew himself up to his full height. “What does Peabody have to do with anything?”
Belly shook his head. “Can’t say exactly. I’m almost positive he came through the Rift, but he’s nowhere to be found—an’ neither is that invention of his.” He fixed Dale with a commanding look. “‘Til we get the lay of the land here, don’t say a word about either of ‘em.”
Dale snorted. “Trust me, Belly, that won’t be a problem.”
Something flickered through Belly’s eyes behind his beard and was gone. He leaned up against the railing, propping his mechanical leg out in front of him. “Shall I tell ya what I’ve learned about Rift City?”
Dale perked up. “Yes, please.” Belly had a nose for these things.
“This whole place is governed by four Families. They’re akin to royalty here.” Belly glanced at him. “Ya met members from all four when ya met the Committee.”
“Right.” Dale nodded. “I remember them.”
“Well, each of the Families controls a section of Rift City.” Belly waved a hand to the island behind them. “There’s more to the place than just the center of the city—there’s a passage through the mountain range that leads to grasslands on the other side of the island.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Belly nodded solemnly. “‘Tis where they grow all our food. They cart it through the mountain range to feed the city. Also, there’s a group of so-called crazies who sail that part of the sea an’ hunt drayas.”
Dale frowned. “Drayas?”
“From what I can tell, they’re like whales.” Belly tipped his head in the direction of the lamp hanging on a hook by the door. “Every lamp in Rift City burns draya oil.”
That was interesting. Dale’s eyes lingered on the lamp for a moment before he looked at Belly again. “What else?”
“Well, thing is, seems none of the Families like each other much.”
Dale restrained a snort; that did not surprise him.
Belly cast another searching glance around them and leaned closer to him again. “In fact, right now it seems they’re split clear down the middle.” He dropped his voice still lower. “The ones that control this Platform are stockpilin’ glitter-oil because they’re plannin’ to build an enclosed bridge to the next island over.” He spread his hands. “Expand their territory, as it were.”
That brought Dale up short; his jaw dropped. “There’s another island?” He had not spent much time wondering if this strange world boasted any other dry land.
“Aye. Lies to the northwest of Rift City.”
“And they want to expand to it? With glitterglass?”
“Dangerous work.” Belly nodded slowly. “But ya didn’t hear it from me. And if you’re smart, ya won’t say nothin’ to a livin’ soul yet.”
“Right.” It was Dale’s turn to glance around the Platform and lean closer to Belly; a troubling thought had surfaced in his mind. “Belly, I haven’t seen any guns here. Do you know if they exist?”
Belly’s bearded face grew grim. “Plenty of glitterglass knives floatin’ around, but pistols or rifles?” He shook his head. “Can’t say I’ve seen any yet.”
Inside the little room in the center of the Platform, the door banged open as someone else emerged into the rainy twilight. Belly clapped Dale on the back. “We’ll talk again.”
Dale nodded in response and went back to watching raindrops streak down the glass wall separating the Platform from fresh sea air. He studied the glass, noting the bits of glitter that still seemed to be embedded in it and the way it distorted the view through it. Nowhere near as clear as real glass but unbelievably stronger, and they’re going to build a bridge out of it.
He shook his head. How in the world do they intend to do that without running into Streamers?
~oOo~
DURING lunch the next day, Dale seized the opportunity to talk to Hawk. Might give me a chance to confirm Belly’s story. Not that he doubted the old sailor; he just wanted more information. In between spoonfuls of soup, he asked, “What do they do with all the glitter-oil we pump out?”
Swallowing, Hawk wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “They turn it into glitterglass for all sorts of things. Windows, more roofs sections to protect the city from rain, barriers in places along the coast…” He shrugged. “That sort of thing.”
Dale looked down into his bowl. “Is this the only inhabited island on this world?”
Hawk glanced at him sharply, his green eyes suddenly wary. “Heard the rumors, have you?”
The way he phrased it made Dale wonder if there was another rumor floating about of which he was unaware, but he nodded. “Can it be done?”
“Maybe. Who knows?” Hawk shrugged unhappily and jammed his spoon into his soup with more force than was necessary. Broth slopped over the rim and onto the wooden surface of the table. “I know I wouldn’t want to be part of that building crew. Even if it did get me back on the ocean.”
“Are they really going to do it?”
“Who knows?” repeated Hawk, twitching one shoulder in a semblance of a shrug. He dropped his voice lower. “The Families don’t agree on it, that’s for sure.”
“Why?”
Hawk’s eyes narrowed further. “For a man of so few words, you’re awfully chatty today, Mortensen.”
It was Dale’s turn to shrug. “Nothing else to think about.”
“You need to find a girl,” said Hawk bluntly. “Thinking too much in this place is just asking for a world of trouble.”
Dale raised an eyebrow.
Hawk dropped his spoon and leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “You’re all right, Mortensen, so I’ll give you a piece of advice. Be careful who you talk to and don’t ask too many questions. Better yet, don’t even think the questions up in the first place.” A shadow twisted his face. “Bad things happen, trust me. People Disappear.” With that, he took up his half-full bowl and stalked away.
His mind whirling, Dale watched Hawk walk away without really seeing him. People disappear because they ask questions? What kind of questions were they asking?
Hawk’s warning, coupled with Belly’s admonition to be careful, set off all kinds of alarms inside Dale’s head. Just like any city on the Other Side, it seemed Rift City had a dark underbelly. Problem was, Dale was not entirely sure what was going on, other than the fact that half of the ruling class wanted to expand while the other half apparently did not, and ordinary citizens randomly vanished.
Picking up his bowl, he drained the last of his soup and swallowed. I’ll have to see what I can find while I’m off.
~oOo~
AT the end of his shift the next day, Dale spent five minutes debating with himself whether or not he wanted to spend the night on the Platform and head back to Mrs. Yunker’s in the morning, or if he wanted to go ahead and leave. The decision was taken out of his hand when Hawk passed him on his way to the dining hall and sensed his indecision.
“Rail stops running when our shift ends, unless it’s an emergency.” Hawk tipped his head in the direction of the Rail Station on shore. “Nobody wants to sit out there at night.”
Dale fell in step beside him. “So technically our leave begins tomorrow morning?”
“Nah, it starts tonight; you just can’t leave the Platform until the morning.”
“I see.” Dale felt a momentary flash of disappointment, before he shoved it aside with a pragmatic shrug. “Will we get breakfast in the morning?”
“Of course.” Hawk grinned. “Told you the food was the best part of this place.”
~oOo~
BRIGHT and early the next morning, Dale, Belly, Hawk, and the rest of the men off-shift for the next five days departed the Platform and crossed the glitterglass bridge back to the shore. The senior members of the drilling team took the first Rail car back to the main part of the Mining District and everyone else fell in behind them. Dale and Belly brought up the rear. Once again, it was raining, but the salty sea smell in the air made Dale feel better.
“Ya going to the Hospital?” asked Belly gruffly.
Dale nodded.
“I’ve got some things to do first, but I’ll stop in later. Now that they’ll let me in,” added Belly acerbically.
Once they were settled into their Rail car and it was humming along on the Rail back to the mining district, Belly looked over at Dale. “Tell Raphael to keep his trap shut about Peabody, will ya?”
Dale nodded again, his mouth twisting into a frown. That would not be hard; he had no desire to speak of Peabody or his invention in the first place and this would give him a perfectly legitimate excuse.
The slight, serious young Rail attendant Dale had met before manned the station. His back was very straight as they approached him, but he relaxed when he saw Belly.
“Hello, there, Charles,” said Belly affably.
“Morning, Belly.”
Charles had another book tucked beside him. Struck by a sudden flash of hope, Dale asked, “Does Rift City have a bookstore? Or a library?”
The boy glanced at him sharply, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. Before he could speak, however, Belly laughed. “Now, now, Charlie, relax. Dale here means no harm. He’s a reader too.”
“All my books are at the bottom of the ocean,” said Dale glumly. He felt a pang of loss at the remembrance.
A flash of sympathy crossed Charles’s face. “That’s hard luck.” His hand dropped to pat the book by his side, as though to assure himself it was still there. “We’ve got a library, and there’s a small bookstore, but…” He shrugged sadly. “We don’t have nearly as many books as I’ve heard there are on the Other Side.”
It took Dale a second to realize Charles meant the other side of the Rift, not the other side of Rift City. “Do you have any printing presses here?”
“Yes, but they’re Family controlled.” Charles paused for a moment, apparently holding a debate with himself. “The Family from Demas prints more books than anyone else.” Lifting his chin, he continued in a rush, “That’s why I’m learning Demascenese.”
Dale’s ears pricked up at this. “You are? Where? How?” He was aware of Belly looking askance at him—Dale never asked this many questions in a row—but he ignored the old sailor.
“There are evening classes at the University. You have to pay for the classes and your book, but it doesn’t cost much and the Professor is good about helping people who don’t have a lot of money.”
“What days are they?”
“Beginner’s classes are Tuesday and Thursday evenings at seven-thirty. Intermediate classes are Monday and Wednesday. Those are the ones I’m in.” Charles cast a glance around, as though looking for a supervisor, and leaned a little closer to Dale over the station desk. “If you decide to start, I wouldn’t spread it around.” His thin face was deadly serious.
“Now, now,” Belly said with another laugh, “no need to get melodramatic on us.”
“I’m not.” Charles fixed Belly with a stern glare that looked strangely old on his young face. “Some people here in Rift City think everyone connected with the Mining District is a second class citizen, too stupid to know anything.” He slashed a hand through the air. “And there are miners who think anybody who reads or wants to learn anything is uppity and looking down on their fellow man.” A flush had risen in his pale cheeks.
Belly shook his head. “That’s human nature, that is, lad. You’ll find that wherever you find people.”
“My point is,” said Charles sharply, “keep your head down until you see how things work here.”
Dale suspected Charles had received a great deal of grief from both groups of people. “Were you born here?” he asked abruptly.
Charles nodded. “My father died in the nickel mine a few years back, leaving my mother with five children besides me.” He jerked his head back in the direction of the Mining District. “My older brother works in the copper mine.”
A faint trace of bitterness underlay these last words, giving Dale a mental picture of an older brother who was larger and physically stronger than Charles. “He doesn’t like the Platform?”
“You’ll find few people do.” Charles’s thin lips twisted in a wry smile.
Now Dale looked at Belly. “Why?” He waved a hand in the direction of the Platform. “We pump out all of that glitter-oil to make glass and things, don’t we?”
“Right on the ocean,” said Charles promptly. “Close proximity to Streamers. There are some who’d like to see the coast closed off completely.”
Belly snorted. “Then the poor souls whose ships get sucked through the Rift are up a certain creek without a paddle, as it were.”
That brought up another question, and since Charles seemed to be in a talkative mood, Dale thought he would ask. “How do they find shipwrecked sailors?”
Charles shrugged a thin shoulder. “There are a few groups of volunteers who band together and walk the coast every night. They keep lookouts posted during the day, but it’s almost impossible to see anything at night unless the ships are on fire or they explode.”
Belly was slouched against the railing as though he had heard it all before, but the keen look in his eyes gave him away. This was new to him as well. “Ain’t they afraid of the Streamers?”
“Not these men.” Charles shook his head; his tone implied he thought they were crazy or stupid or both. “There’s a Family Scion in the lot.”
“Ya don’t say.” Belly sounded taken aback. “Honestly?”
Charles nodded. “Corwin Hamper. His father’s none too happy about it, from what I hear, but he won’t stop.” He glanced sideways and his gray eyes widened in panic. “There’s Avery—you’d better go.”
Belly pushed away from the railing. “Stay out of trouble, lad.” He shoved Dale none-too-gently in the small of his back in an effort to make him move.
Dale solemnly tipped his head to Charles. “Thanks for the information.” He and Belly sauntered away as a barrel-chested man with swarthy skin drove past in a small automobile.
“That’s Avery.” Belly narrowed his eyes at the departing man’s back. “Not in charge of Platform workers, but he likes to think he is. Hassles Charles on a regular basis.”
“You’ve only been here a couple of weeks, Belly.” Dale shook his head in bemusement. “How do you manage to find everything out so quickly?”
“Talent.” Belly’s smile took on a sly edge. “That an’ I listen well an’ I know who to talk to, should I ever need to talk.”
As it turned out, Belly had a room at Mrs. Yunker’s as well. He and Dale dropped off their bags and took the Rail across the river into East Lowersedge and then up through West Middlesedge to the Station outside the Square. As they waited for a Lift to take them down to boulevard level, Dale gestured to the multi-leveled city around them. “I’ve never seen anything quite like this.”
“That makes two of us.” A crackle of thunder drew Belly’s attention up to the glass above them. “Oh, fer a raindrop. Still, I’m glad I’m on the Platform and not in some dirty hole in the ground—at least we get to see the ocean.”
Wordlessly, Dale clapped him on the back.
The nurse on duty at the Hospital’s front desk recognized both of them. “It’s about time you arrived,” she said with a cheerful smile. “Your friends are nearly beside themselves wondering what’s happened to you.” They signed her clipboard and she waved them down the hall to the lift.
The lift opened on the second floor to admit Mrs. Weatherby. For a split second, she looked surprised, but then her face smoothed into a welcoming expression. “Let me guess,” she said briskly. “Shift work?”
“Aye, ma’am, you’ve hit on it.”
Dale glanced down at Belly, wondering why the old sailor had left off the bit about the Platform, but he knew better than to ask.
“I hope you explain that to your friends. Mr. Avarez has been practically beside himself.” Mrs. Weatherby smiled slightly. “I’ll send Yutha down, shall I?”
“Thank you,” said Dale.
The lift let Dale and Belly off at the next stop, but Mrs. Weatherby remained inside. Dale felt a weight lift off his shoulders as they approached the door to the ward room. Raphael might be upset about how long it took us to come back and visit, but we’ve got so much to tell him.
Raphael and Minh were involved in a card game at a little table in the corner, but they both craned their necks to get a look at the door when they heard it open. For a second, Dale was startled at the pinched, haggard look on his friend’s face, but then Raphael’s expression melted into one of triumphant delight.
“Finally!” Throwing his cards down on the table, he slapped his hands down on its surface and pushed himself up to standing. “It is about time you came to visit! We were beginning to think you had been devoured by Streamers.”
Minh shot Belly and Dale a look that clearly indicated Raphael was the only one laboring under this delusion. He did, however, look relieved to see them.
Grabbing a set of crutches, Raphael settled himself between them and limped over to Dale. His dark eyes were alight with fiery curiosity. “Where have you been? What took you so long to return? Did the nurse refuse to let you in?” He barely paused for breath before rattling on, “Have you seen my Elena?”
Dale waited patiently for the barrage of questions to end and determined which question he would answer first. “I haven’t found her yet, Raphael.” He shrugged, feeling a little guilty. “Haven’t even been in the city for the last nine days.”
Minh glanced at him sharply. “Where were you?”
Dale opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment the door banged open and Yutha hurtled in on his crutches.
Belly scrutinized him with bemused amazement. “Never realized a body could move that fast on those things.”
“I’m talented. Mrs. Weatherby said so.” Grinning wildly, Yutha raised one of his crutches to poke Belly in the side. “Why haven’t you come back to see us before now? We’ve been waiting.” He drew the word out like it was a ghastly disease.
“Because we’ve both spent the last week workin’ at a place called the Platform. An’ don’t poke me with that thing, lad.” Belly made to snatch the crutch from Yutha and the boy gleefully danced out of his reach.
Dale let Belly tell them the majority of the tale, filling in only those spots directly pertaining to him. They both showed Raphael, Minh, and Yutha their tokens and explained their significance.
“I’ve seen ‘em before,” announced Yutha proudly, nodding to Dale’s token. “Not that blue, but everybody who works here has one that’s white. Mrs. Weatherby has hers on a gold chain. We get one when we start working, right?”
Belly nodded.
“Tell us about the city.” Raphael leaned forward, his eyes very bright again. “I am losing my mind in here.”
“Well…” Belly glanced at Dale and raised his eyebrows in a question.
Dale shook his head; he was more than content to let Belly paint pictures for them with his words. The old sailor was good at that. He stretched out in a nearby cot and locked his hands behind his head as he listened.
He had missed the others, especially Raphael. They were best mates, had been inseparable business partners for the last two years. Looks like that’s over with, said a sad voice in the back of his head. They don’t intend to send him to the Platform.
Dale abruptly cut into the conversation, drawing everyone’s attention. “How much longer are you going to be stuck here?”
“More like trapped,” retorted Raphael, but he shrugged. “The old dragon said it will be another week or two at least.” He shuddered. “My friend, you will have to visit more often or I may have to attempt jumping out of that window.” He nodded dramatically to said window.
“Good luck.” Dale cracked a smile. “We’re mining the stuff they use to make that glass. I don’t think you’re going to be able to smash it.”
Yutha laughed as Raphael fell back on his bed with his arms splayed. “Don’t laugh,” groaned Raphael. “You and Minh will be released in a few days and then where will I be?”
“You’ll live,” said Minh pragmatically.
“I found out there’s a library. Maybe I can bring you a book,” offered Dale.
“Yes, yes, a book will obviously solve all my problems.”
Belly snorted. “You’re worse ‘n a woman, the way ya carry on.” He rose to his feet with a grunt. “Don’t think I can stand anymore of this.” He clapped Yutha on the back and nodded to Minh on his way toward the door. “I’ll be back to visit later. We’re off the next five days.”
Dale, however, stayed until Mrs. Weatherby finally booted him out that afternoon. “I can hear your stomach rumbling from halfway across the room,” she scolded. “You may return tomorrow.”
No amount of protestation, pleading, or bargaining would sway her. She remained immutable, deaf to everything but her decision. Dale found himself hustled back down to the Hospital’s lobby and out the door before he quite realized how it had happened.
With a sigh, he set off to find a late lunch and then the library, the University, and the bank to set up an account—or perhaps the University and then the library and the bank. Depending on how many interesting books he happened across in the library, it might be best to arrange for his language lessons first.
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