500 words a day

789 words 18th november 2009

All the way along the coat it was the same story, either no boats at all or nothing worthwhile. When they reached Folkestone it was the same, the docks were completely deserted. All they could find was a small dinghy, with a tiny little out board motor and a set of oars.


         ‘We’ll never get anywhere in that,’ said Harriet.


         ‘What else can we do?’ said Gus.


         ‘Maybe we’re looking in the wrong places.’ said Fergus. ‘Look, this all happened so quickly right. It was only three weeks ago when we heard about Manchester, most people didn’t believe it or didn’t do anything, that’s why there were so many bodies. There wasn’t time. Boats that were in Marinas and waiting at the docks, they would be easy to get out quickly, that’s why they’ve gone, but what about one’s in storage?’


         ‘What’ do you mean?’ said Gus.


         ‘Yeah, of course,’ said Harriet. ‘People keep them on their driveways and places like that but we need something big. There’s big old storage sheds, must be. Dad used one near Southend in the winter. There’s got to be one round here.


         They found some near the coast at first, with river or canal access to the sea, but they were empty. Then they started looking further afield. Harriet seemed to think that some places were built further away and that they stored the boats in the winter then spring time they were towed down on trailers. It took them until late at night to find one. A huge place, in an industrial estate, 5 or 6 miles form the coast at Folkestone.


         There a lot of smallish boats but on one side 5 or 6 huge gleaming boats.


         ‘Oh my God! ‘ said Fergus. ‘These are massive. Which one shall we take?’


         Each of the boats was mounted on a huge trailer. They opted for one with a mast and sail as well as two huge outboard motors


         ‘There’s no way the jeep will be able to pull that,’ said Gus. ‘We need something much bigger.’


         ‘Look,’ said Harriet, ‘I’m knackered. Why don’t we find somewhere to sleep, then in the morning, look for something?’


         ‘We can’t hang around,’ said Fergus. ‘Look Harry, we don’t know how close they’re getting. We have to move now!’


         ‘We’ve got a lot to do though,’ said Gus. ‘We need fuel for the boat, a big truck, plus fuel for that.’


         ‘Look I haven’t slept for 2 days!’ said Harriet. ‘I couldn’t. I just need to rest, please!’


         Fergus and Gus told her to wait in the shed, on the boat, while they went out to look for a bigger truck to pull the boat down to the harbour. She found a bed below deck and was asleep before they pulled out.


         ‘There were a few trucks by the docks,’ said Fergus. ‘I’m not sure how safe it is down there though. There’s bound to be cameras and shit’


         ‘It’s either that or the motorway and we know they’re no safe,’ said Gus.


         They agreed to go towards the docks but to try not to go right by them unless they had to. The first one they came across was in a petrol station, but it had no keys and no fuel.  Fergus had a brainwave to check out the local Little Chef and there they found 5 or 6 trucks in the car park. The third one they tried had half a tank of fuel and the keys in the ignition. It took them almost and hour to work out how to unhitch the trailer. Once they had, they drove straight back to the boat shed. Gus was driving.


         ‘Jesus! This is a powerful little bastard,’ he said speeding round a corner, nearly crashing into a bust stop. ‘Without the trailer you can really get some speed up.’


         ‘Just be careful mate,’ said Fergus.


         Back at the shed they tried to figure out how to attach the boat trailer to the truck. In the end they found a large chain which they wrapped and locked around the truck and the trailer.


         ‘What do you think Harry?’ said Gus. Harriet woke up as soon as they arrived back and climbed down form the boat.


         ‘It’s gonna swing around isn’t it?’


         ‘Yeah,’ said Fergus, but if we go really slowly, it should be ok.’


         They found plenty of fuel there for the boat which they loaded into the back of the truck and set off immediately. They wanted to find somewhere with a large enough launch ramp, away form the main harbour, where the cameras may be a problem. It didn’t take them long. They found one a few miles along form the harbour towards Dover.








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Steve Wybourn





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