Unexpected: Day 10

Word Count: 72,014

Summary of Events:

Hilton managed to follow Meinwen to the south coast of Puerto Rico, but was unable to rescue her before she and Dr. Stiles were put on a boat that took them to Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis. Hilton drove back to San Juan and was able to get a flight to Basseterre, but when he arrived, he found a text from Meinwen telling him she'd been put on a passenger boat to Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda. The next flight leaving Basseterre for Saint John's was late in the evening, so Hilton booked a ticket and waited at the airport. Meinwen, meanwhile, was taken directly to the airport at St. John's and put on a flight to Dominica. The next flight from Basseterre to Dominica wasn't departing until the following afternoon, so Hilton didn't change his plans. Upon arriving in Dominica, however, Meinwen and Dr. Stiles were put on a boat to Castries, St. Lucia. Hilton, dismayed to find that every single flight to Castries involved at least one stop in the US — which was in the opposite direction — cancelled his flight to Antigua and went to the docks to see if he could get a boat, but there were none, leading him to despair until he was approached by a man who was clearly wealthy, and clearly French . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“You look as one who is defeated,” the man said in English, although his French accent was strong.

“I am somewhat,” Hilton admitted.

“What are you defeated in?” the man asked. sitting down beside Hilton.

“Finding a way to get to St. Lucia that doesn’t involve going to the United States,” Hilton replied.

“Do you dislike the United States?” the man asked.

“No,” Hilton replied. “They’re just not on the way to St. Lucia. They’re taking me horribly out of my way, and thereby wasting my time. I can’t maximise my time in St. Lucia by taking a day to get there.”

“Ah,” the man said. “Where in St. Lucia do you want to go?”

“Castries,” Hilton replied.

“Mm,” the man said, stroking his narrow chin.

Hilton felt his stomach uttering protest within him. He’d ended up sleeping through dinner earlier, and out of a desire to get on his way to St. Lucia, he’d foregone dinner altogether, which was causing his stomach to express increasing malcontent.

“I am on my way to Barbados to visit friends,” the man said. “I am just refuelling my yacht. Castries is not far off my route to Barbados. It would not be an inconvenience to take you. In fact, I may need to refuel there anyways.”

“How long would it take?” Hilton asked.

“I would have to ask my captain,” the man replied. “Since we would leave now much of the journey would pass over the night, I am sure, so you would be able to spend most of the day in St. Lucia, I would believe.”

“How much would you want me to pay you for it?” Hilton asked.

“Pay?” the man asked. “Mais non! You are in need, and it is no inconvenience to me to help you. There will be no paying.”
“You’re serious?” Hilton asked, hoping he wasn’t delusional with exhaustion.

“Mais bien sûr,” the man replied.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know French,” Hilton said. “What does that mean?”
“But of course,” the man replied. “Come, let us go to my yacht, they should be nearly done.”

Hilton stood up along with the man and followed him onto the pier until they reached a rather sleek looking white craft that looked like it would fit in handsomely at the piers of Monaco — not that Hilton had ever actually been to said piers, he’d just seen them while watching motor racing highlights.

The man spoke in rapid French to a man in a crisp-pressed, light-coloured outfit that included epaulettes, suggesting he was the captain of the ship, before turning to Hilton.

“The trip will take sixteen hours,” he said. “My captain estimates that we will reach Castries at noon. Does that please you?”

“Yes, it does, thank you,” Hilton said.

“Come then, let us board and I will show you to your cabin,” the man said. “You look like you would very much appreciate to make its acquaintance.”

Hilton nodded. He was quite tired, and to think all his problems were solved — at least until he got to St. Lucia — was relieving to him.

Pronunciations:

Mais: mae

Non: no'

Bien: b'yehn

Sûr: syuhr