23^rd May,2011

The plane flew over the illuminated area once more. Those magnificent trophies for the sharks the blazing globes-continued to burn in the waves. If only they could have burned in the sharks’ bellies! The plane circled once and flew off into the night sky. They did not see it again.

Heidi was given the sparklingly clean isolation ward. There she was met by Natasha Popova.

One of the mates went to the bridge and spoke to the captain. “You’ll be going below to isolation ward now, of course.”

The captain filled his pipe, and then asked, “What for?”

Stress, bruises, exposure, exhaustion – Heidi had gotten her full share. But the joy of being rescued works wonders. Heidi regained her self-control. She tried to do everything herself: take off her own clothes, walk, pour her own water….it was if she were showing her gratitude for being rescued. She could not manage everything the weakness she felt was stronger than she was. But she tried. And smiled as she did. She had held out alone in the ocean and now she wanted to hold out among others.

A captain was drawn over the window of the isolation ward: half the ship’s company was milling around noisily outside, as though Heidi was about to give birth.

……. When she asked for a style dryer, Natasha realized that Heidi was fine. She gave Heidi hers.

The young pilot was ready to meet the captain. And the captain came.

“Well,” he said in English, “how do you feel?”

“Okay!” Heidi replied brightly. “It’s all over now. Thank you.”

“We’ve been in touch with Honolulu,” the captain told her. “Now we’re sailing towards one another – an American ship and ours. We should meet in about four or five hours. You’ll be transferred to it. Get some rest.”

Heidi nodded. “Captain,” she blurted out, “ I don’t know what would have happened to me if you’d come half an hour later than you did. Or not come at all… I don’t know.”

And I don’t know, Mochalov wanted to say, but refrained because he knew quite well what would have happened. He laid his hand on her shoulder for an instant, “It’s all right.”

The Soviet refrigerator ship and an American military vessel met five hours later, as estimated. Dawn was approaching. The storm still raged. Almost everyone came up on deck to see Heidi off. She kissed the sailors, hugged the ship’s doctor and shook hands with the captain and his mates. The boat from the American ship approached. In the light of the deck lamps a rope was tied around Heidi – for safety’s sake. Then she was led to the Jacob’s ladder. Heidi dashed fearlessly to the twelve meter drop and descended. Below she was caught by her countrymen. She waved and waved until the boat was concealed from view. The ships parted.

From – No Man Is An Island

Written by Gennady Bocharov