Chapter 26
Blood. Bridie dreamed of blood, rising, oozing, pulsing. She reached out, tried to cup it in her hands. No, she couldn’t move. A giant claw held her, dashing, crashing, smashing her against the face of the deep. She heard a wail, Ma calling down curses. Fear! All fear. Why hadn’t she realised? Like a whetstone to Ma’s tongue. Fear for Bridie’s future, fear for Alf, fear for this baby crushed in the grip of a storm.
No! She lurched upright. They couldn’t lose another baby.
Her head swirled. She moaned, sank back down onto the bed. What time was it? How many hours had she been huddled in this bunk? She stretched her cramped legs, tried again to raise her head. The room swam. She blinked, tried to bring the cabin into focus. Saw Ma’s head rise in the bunk opposite.
‘Am I alive,
