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Gently lifting upward, feeling heavy before falling down then lifting upward again both Tri and Ruv knew that this will be so until many days and nights more.

The ground was never still, always both men felt that they were no longer the masters of their own moments.

Always being as moving yet standing still.
Knowing that the top of the water was not as that of the forest floor.
"Tis a long way down below" said Tri, breaking the silence, "The ground below is a strange world to us Ruv".
"Yes" came a thoughtful reply, "And between us and that strange world is nothing but water".
"Yep" came a knowingly response "and" he continued, "full of things that can eat us"
"So be it" Ruv announced "We will not be going there then, ok?"
"OK" he said in a supportive plea "lets stay on top".

He knew he was naturally to be in this presence yet he knew he was never invited. He had just entered in and was moving through this new way of being.
As Tri looked as far as his eyes could see he knew that all around him there was no one, only those on the boat with him.
In the long distance far, far, far away he realized that there was not another person who could walk and talk.
Yet he did fell no lost-ness because of that.
There will come a time again then other people would be near him.
Everywhere there was no life of people nor any trees, not any animals. Just no life, no living creatures anywhere.
Out there is only air and water. Water below, water, water was a new world to him.
Above this water earth was air. Just air, great area of air. No mountains, nothing.
Just water and air.
The flat water never changing to any hills, always flat water.
'There's no one else here!' Tri realized. 'Absolutely no one, nothing'.
This was new to young Tri.
The air of the sky was so huge that he felt there was no end to this greatness.
All around the amazed young man was openness, so large, so open that he felt almost too small to be his on tallness.
A being of nothing in a new world of nothing but water and air.
Tri looked and searched with his eyes into the distance only to feel that his eyes could not see away into the distance surrounding him because the "way way over there" was too far.
Drifting all day through this place of greatness in blues and whites he was simply being in it.
As he looked upward to the sly blue he watched clouds of beauty rising and moving up and up.
Slowly they changed their shape as if they were smoke rising above a fire.
Changing shapes, climbing, becoming bigger and getting larger.
The sun shining on one side made the clouds pure white.
With the blue sky behind the being - born new cloud was in a hurry to reach higher into the sky and be a new shape.
The calm nice blue of the sky seemed to welcome each new cloud as it raced up to be.

All around him Tri watched as clouds made themselves taller and taller. They were gentle and becoming giants in the sky. Tall giants rising quickly into the never ending blue sky.

Inside these tall giants Tri could see smaller beautiful flower like shapes starting.They seemed to be wanting to grow as fast as the taller clouds.

Tri stood on the open boat deck watching as many little beautiful shapes were being made, rising, getting bigger and racing upward. He noticed shadows of some clouds covering others.

Through this competition to be in the sunlight and be higher in the sky these clouds were being born to Tri. Bright white edges rising upward and outward, the sunshine making them brilliantly shiny and pure white against the blue sky or the shadow around them.

"A cloud dance" Tri said to himself, "Never seen a cloud dance before" he joked to himself, enjoying his own funny jest. "The dance sky is crowded".

He turned around in a slow circle and looking up he saw all up above him in all directions one big cloud dance, rising, racing and getting bigger.

All in silence this cloud dance in the sky entertained this young Tri for all of the afternoon.

Perfect blue of the sky that Tri seemed to be able to taste as he looked into the distant high up sky. The soft blue seemed to be pure and nice.

As he glanced toward the darker blue line of the horizon he began to try and understand how many days it would take him to walk there.

With no idea of that distance and time he began to know that he was away from himself. Fear was not the reaction to that, nor did he think he was lost. He just didn't know. All around him the horizon looked far.

Maybe it was one day walking, maybe he would walk many days to be at that distant horizon place.

"I've got no idea" Tri spoke out loud, nor did he care. Just a hell of a long way there.

As he watched the shiny brilliant pure white clouds changing up and up and becoming a new shape, yet changing again into other round shapes he felt that he was watching a new life beginning.

While splashes were passing by, not knowing what is war he kept his eye on each splash until he could guess where the next one would happen.

As the boat neared these silent splashes he could see a large fish jumping out of the water and falling back down again. 'Playing', he thought, yet what ever it was maybe playing is not its way to be.

The long dark fish was going somewhere, for why? Tri knew not. Nor was that fish aware of Tri and the boat he was on.

Two lives going different ways. What the fish did and what Tri did meant nothing to each other. Nor would each understand the life of the other.

'That fish' he thought 'can live and breathe under water, I can't do what it is doing, it can't do what I am doing'. 'So neither of us are the same, life of two worlds in the same time on earth, yet so different that we mean nothing to each other' he spoke to himself.

As that fish swam towards the other way Tri felt emptied inside for to that fish he was as thou a rock would be to him.

Watching the splashing of the passing fish becoming smaller and smaller he learnt that his existence to many life ways on the earth meant nothing at all to them.

'Best I do well with mine then' he vowed.

"Hey" broke the silence from below the deck came an asking to come quick loud call.
"Now?" asked Tri.
"Yep" invited Ruv.
With that Tri carefully walked towards the downward ladder, each step he took he had to make himself be stable again.

Walking like this reminded him of earthquakes when the ground rolled and moved in many ways.

T' was funny to him that he was uncertain of his standings as he walked. Maybe because in the forest he was his own master. A master of all that he was yet here on this earth quaking water he was as a stick of wood floating down the river.

Yet he knew that should himself be needed to be in care of himself then he would re become that of his own possession again.

Always his hands were ready for reaching for a part of this traveling floating board that would give him more standing and walking security.

His legs were walking as well as balancing him so that he never fell over with each new step.

Thinking before he took each step he had to know what he was going to do with the next leg he used. Slowly and with uncertainty he made his way towards a door way. Every step he took had his mind deciding as to which holding object that would give him his next security.

To see Tri now is something so different as to the Tri who would walk along fallen forest trees with that of a tree dweller.

Finally he reaches the door. With relief he opens it and falls inside the floor.

The laughter of his sailing companions does not embarrass him. Somehow he enjoys the ridiculous spectacle he makes of himself. Standing up again he reaches out to make sure that the door is shut.

Then with careful precision this wobbly man of the earth became seated at the stable table.

"Whew", he relaxes, that was some ride".

"Well this is right" responds Ruv.

Sitting at that table Tri reflected upon the little sun reflectors that shone from the boar towards the sun. It was as though little bright stars were scattered like a trail towards the horizon. Each only giving him a quick look and then they would be gone.

The sunshine reflection on part of the waves, as a kind invitation for him for about the blinking of an eye then they were gone. As each one began he would glance at it then begin to watch another.

Instead of looking at each one Tri looked towards the horizon and there were many many of these stars leading a way towards the distance.

On each side of that trail of twinkling sunshine reflections were waves that quietly raised and lowered. Breathing gently as wave after wave rose and fell slowly.

It reminded Tri of the plains he had walked, ran and ridden through during his life.

Great distances of long grass gently swaying with the wind. The grass would sway gently in the waves like that of the sea.

No sound, just movement, slowly changing direction of the sway. Each wave seemed to last about four of Tri's heart beats before the ship would float down the other side soon it would be rising into the next wave.

There would be no stop to this riding of these waves until he walked on flat hard still ground again.

"I'd better not think too much of it and just go with the flow" he reasoned.

Looking up he saw thoughts of concern on Ruv's face.

Enquiring, Ruv asked "You ok?"

Tri threw at Ruv "Yer, sure as hell".

"K then" finalized Ruv.

Both men of the land were away from their kingdoms where each knew his world. Out here they each, as a team had to be the sticks of wood drifting in the breathing ocean and accept it.

They began to feel silly upon realising the distances one could walk was the width and length of the vessel.
They were not in full control of their environment in ways each was accustomed to .
In some ways it annoyed them both. Yet for once they had to place in trust the captain of the vessel whose decision making will effect all those on board.
His reasoning must they hoped, be as healthy as theirs.
"If he has the existence of all those on board as his responsibility, he must be ok"
"Bloody hope so" feared Tri.
"Things go wrong on boats so he must be on the case" Ruv for once seemed uncertain of his new found way of living.
This mused Tri for he had never seen his companion so uncertain before.
He had faith in him but nothing infallible.
Both agreed they should learn as much as they could by just watching and observing how it all happened on board.
They only had themselves with self made ways to ensure their lives would last longer while onboard this vessel.
Ruv was clearly not content to take anything for granted.
Yet Tri noticing this, tried to offer a compromise.
"If they are with us on land, we take care of them".
"True" a blunt mutter agreed.
"So why cant we do the same on this boat?".
"We'll just see what happens" Ruv meeting the reasoning's of Tri replied with defined uncertainty clearly in his voice.
Ruv he knew hated the idea of being on this boat.
He enjoyed watching vessels floating on the sea but had never shown interest in being on board one.
Tri's eagerness had other matters to deal with.
He wandered back inside in deep thought, leaving Ruv alone on the deck.

"Hi" interrupted Tri's pondering's.
She spoke like that of a happy bird who wishes to be warm with him, Zil smiled with her eyes.
Reaching over to her he held his hand on her foot that was beside him. Holding her foot he felt that together they both new that all was well.
Not needing to speak they both sensed the future will be theirs, that of a destiny they choose.
Conversations were going on around these two yet neither was involved.
Her happiness, joined with Tri's, showed in each face.
Ruv only needed to look once at the pair of persons to realise that a beginning of a new life and goodness were on their way forward as an existence they founded new societies.
Plans were being made, thoughts placed together, talks of what to do and what not to do floated between the two men of the land and these group of two women and the other three ship people.
Zil, shattered the seriousness of the group with a singing laughter that effected all in the room. Everyone knew that they were lucky to be safe.

"These are troubled times" commanded Stoney.
"When Tri would come to my home for a brew, talk would be the now".
"Yer, I remember" Tri supported him.
Stoney went to add that the local village people of manapouri joined him in the making of the ship.
"Many years" he jawed onward, "Many, many damn years".
Holding the room to his words he paused in thought. No one tried to hurry him. Each waited expectantly to be told more of this story.
"But" Stoney calls with that laughter that was his real way of throwing bad times to the go away place, "It was damn well worth it".
"I told the villagers that this boat would need be needed if we were to survive".
"Not many agreed or realised that you were correct Stoney" keeping the talk flowing Tri added.
"Well yer" Stoney sadly replied.
Laughing again he threw out - "We couldn't bring 'em all anyway, poor chaps and chappettes".
"Twenty five years and a lot of blood sweat and no tears" Stoney went on, "Twenty five damn years, we did it".

Silence controlled the room respective no sound showed everyone's thank you for Stoney.

"It's been a hard road to continue, but we hell I and we did it".
The man seemed to finally realise that the twenty five years was completed.
Leaning back he breathed a long breath of satisfaction, pride and tiredness. It showed on his face, that urge, to keep alive by planning for the future.

"So what have we got?" Stoney ordered.
"One captain" - sharply said before adding "And what else?" his eyes searching the group.
Those eyes knew to be true with knowledge.
"Seven of us all" he declared.
"Five men, two women" calling out, he demanded "Who can do what?".
Then he suspiciously went on "And who can't do what?".
Zil piped up reassuring all with "Food, my part of the team" hand open to all, showing her offering. Zil meaningly enforced on all.
"What we eat is what we are, what is that we have I will do my best to make such that we like".
"O. K. then" captain Stoney finalised.
"Whose next?" he enquired looking around the room.
"Navigator here, day and night weather man also here" responded the clean looking youngster.
With confidence that youngster added "Ema is the name, you know that, now don't forget it".

Ema the navigators life was spared as a trade for his trade of service, cautiously.
In these times of danger no one could be sure of another, for each had a history troubled and bad that caused havoc with goodness of human nature.
The more untidy bearded on whose eyes seemed to be hiding within him spoke slowly - "Ships problems are my problems" he stated in an orderly way. "You name it, I fix it".
"Right OK then" captained Stoney "We will be relying on that".
The younger woman feared for herself but never spoke.
She knew each of the group must be a part of a useful crew. She had nothing to offer, nothing.
Trying not to be watched as she tried to shrink into her seat.
Ruv noticed this but said nil.
"O.k. then, whose next?" Tri as always, his voice jumping forward.
"I will see danger, I will know danger, I will change danger into safe or I will change danger for us to use."
"I will go along with that" captioned a Stoney reply.
Ruv's wisdom was known only to a few for he simply added "When needed I am here".
That was all that he spoke.
No one challenged his words. They sensed that there was a final resting place of safety in his words.
They felt that in the dangerous future he would lead them through the unknown.
All eyes then fell on her. She knew she had to earn her way. Not knowing what to do.
No sound, eyes enquiring waiting for an offer.
Her eyes looked upward, she could think of nothing.
She only saw expectant faces silently asking her for an offering.
She tried to speak but could say no words, nothing, her tension started to show.
They watched and waited.
Placing her hands on the table, fingers outstretched, she burst almost as the others thought was happening into tears of hurt.
As she tried to say one word, it wouldn't begin.
Her self, scared, uncertain and wanting to offer. She just let loose with anything.
Suddenly a pregnant sound of her voice rose upward and a singing woman began to sing.
The expressions on her audience faces gave her support that she swallowed using this, her voice climbed and climbed into the song she knew so well that she had made herself.
No one moved nor spoke.
All watched, listening to something they had all missed and longed for a long time.
As each thankful listener listened to this voice of nature, each one reflected on how life on earth had changed so much.
Gone were the days when people could gather together in large groups to enjoy such sound.
Here they were, seven different origins of history gathered together on a boat as it sailed on the ocean all content to stop their existences to be in pleasure as she held them to her voice.
As soon as she finished one song she began the next without a pause.
To each of that audience she sang to their hearts. Looking into the face of each one she seemed to be healing the pains and hurts that the listener had so far endured.
Then she stopped.
Silence fell on the room.
No one spoke.
A smile as large as the sun flowered over all of her converted.
All was well within that room.
"I was name Lilly when born" was all she said.
"Well that's all sorted then" captain Stoney finalised.
"The team is here" and went on to say "The fixer, the navigator, the boat maker, the meal maker, the leader, the saver and the singer".
"Maybe we are all we need" Tri volunteered.
Laughingly the captain had to agree .
So with Lilly better positioned within the group she knew and understood the need for this assorted group of new ship crew that were in need of some human kindness.

During their childhood times the sound of their mothers voice calmed the baby in distress. Encouraging a baby to feel safe and wanted. When a baby knows what is making ones world hurt the mothers voice, helps the concerned little one be at peace.
And now after all the years gone by with each adult affected by the singing of Lilly, all were calmed and feeling to rest and sleep/
Some lay on the floor and began a much needed sleep. Others went below to rooms with doors that shut away the real world.
T' was a room of such that Tri followed Zil to until the morrow.

Yellow pink sky wishing all alive to be of the day was of the sky as the sun shone across the ocean.
In the history of the humans the sun had awoken many to fine days of living.
But of these ties that the sun shone upon a few survivors of civil ways. Dawn awoke all.
Gathering around the circle table, each of these folks watched Zil presented a meal of water, grain and tree roots heated to perfection.
Zil sat beside her Tri.
The group seemed to accept these two as a family, giving them that respect a family should have.
"The family is sacred" declared Ruv.
He had not spoken much throughout this evening. Everyone around the table knew what Ruv meant.
They all glanced at Zil and Tri, each seeing the glow of affection the pair had for one another.
All were content with that. The navigator cleared the table and all dishes and pots.
"Who's turn is it next time?" asked Ema.
"Mine" spoke the fix-it one, "No worries".
With that the group settled to talk each telling tales of how they had come to being on this vessel.
Ema told of the fanatics that had for two generations been spreading the chemical warfare that when taken as food caused the DNA of both female and male not to be able to have daughters.
"I don't know of the scientific words or details" he added, "just that no girls have been born since around the year 2070 or 2080".
"How they did it was a master piece of massive planning and deception".
"How?" asked Zil.
"First they put it in the basic foods that all ate like salt, flour, wheat, sugar, rice and water". "Then 'they' tricked main civilisations that the illness aids cancer, delum and more could be cured with different cures".
"And they stuck this stuff in the cures?" asked Lilly.
"Yep" he advised, "And" he added, "That's not all, water supplies were dealt to".

To be continued.