Sea Sick: A Horror Novel

“I don’t know,” Ivor told her, “but he has a great deal of explaining to do.”


Jack took a step back. “Okay, I admit I lied. But I only did it because I’m worried about your daughter. The doctor gave me some signs to look out for earlier. Things to suggest that this cold bug going around was getting worse.”

The parents looked confused. Doctor Fortuné butted in. “Sir, you have to stop meddling in affairs that do not concern you. I assure you that there is nothing onboard that requires your concern.”

As if to disagree, the little girl in her father’s arms started to moan.

“She’s lethargic,” said Jack. “She’s pale. Her condition is worsening. Look at her.”

The doctor glanced at the girl and then focused his attention on the father. “Has she been having any chest pains or bouts of breathlessness?”

Ivor nodded solemnly.

“Okay,” the doctor said.“Let’s go into the office and have a look at her.”

The family headed for the consultation room and Jack started to go with them, but Ivor put a meaty fist against his chest. “I’m not sure what your situation is, friend, but I politely request that you stay away from my family.”

Jack could tell it was a veiled threat and decided not to push it. If his plan worked then the doctor would help the young girl, if not then the night would end as it always did and nothing would be any worse off. Jack’s only intention was to find out if the infected passengers could be helped – or even cured. Maybe if he found a way to save them, he would be released from the hellish prison he found himself in every day. Perhaps that was the reason he was here.

He needed to stay close to see what happened, so Jack took a seat on the same green bench he’d been sitting on earlier in the day. From inside the nearby office, he could hear the voices of the worried family and the concerned doctor. Ideally, Jack would like to have been involved in the conversation, learning whatever he could. He was almost certain that the little girl was the one to bring the virus onboard, but he had no idea how she’d caught it in the first place.

Jack looked at his watch. It was five-past-eight. There wasn’t long left. All around the ship there would be infected people gearing up to explode in fits of animalistic rage. There was nothing to lose now, so Jack stood up and pushed open the door to the doctor’s office.

Ivor glared at Jack as he entered, but didn’t say anything. His little girl was laid out on the examination table, breathing in shallow gasps. Her condition was bad. Jack already knew that, of course, but he had never been this close to one of the infected right before they turned into an eyebleeding monster.

“How is she?” Jack asked.

“She’s tachycardic,” the doctor replied. “You were right to bring her to me. I’ve given her something to slow her heart rate, but it is still worryingly fast.”

The girl’s mother, Vicky, was sobbing on a chair in the corner, while her husband stood beside her. Jack went over to them both. “I’m sorry for deceiving you both,” he said.“I could just tell that she needed help.”

“Thank you,” Vicky told him between sobs.

“How did you know?” Ivor asked. “You’re not even a nurse.”


“No,” said Jack. “I’m not. I’m a police officer, and ex-army like you. I guess I’ve become pretty good at sensing danger.”

Ivor seemed to lower his guard and shook Jack’s hand. “Major Curtis.”

“Sergeant Wardsley. Pleased to meet you, sir.”

Ivor laughed. “Been a while since I had a sergeant calling me that. Takes me back.”

“You been retired long?”

“Good ten years now. I married Vicky two years before I signed out. Wanted to spend time with her. Have a family while I still had some lead in my pecker. A few years later we had this little gift from God, Heather.”