The Far Rowers

"Get those thoughts out of your head Ra! You have to concentrate!" he told himself, irritated by his own weakness, knowing full well that he could not afford to let his mind wander. Too many people depended on him.

A warm breeze caused the dense papyrus reeds on the far side of the river to bend submissively to the wind. The sand bank was covered with them, providing twenty foot crocodiles with the perfect hiding place as they watched and waited for a kill. Occasionally one of the fearsome beasts would surface noiselessly in the middle of the river, showing only its head and eyes above water before it submerged again a few moments later. Ra remembered their first spine tingling encounter with the creatures. A young man had been trying to fill a water barrel from the riverbank when suddenly one of the beasts reared its ugly head and lunged, knocking him off balance and into the water. Seconds later he was gone before anyone had even realised what had happened or had the slightest chance of doing anything. The sound of his screams as he was dragged across the river still haunted him. As Captain of the ship, Ra always blamed himself for his loss, but the entire crew believed it was his own carelessness that had le d to his death. The priests said it was an act of the Gods, but Ra didn’t want to believe in any God doing that to a boy.

Ra stopped brooding and focussed his mind. He walked slowly and deliberately to the stern of the ship. Taking slow deep breathes he ignored the pain in the left side of his chest as he silently counted the long line of oars down the port side of the ship. Ten, twenty, thirty..... he found it helped him to concentrate, to gather his thoughts before he turned his full attention to the task ahead. How best to serve his people.

Most of the crew were ashore now but he had no fear of the vast ship being swept out onto the great river. It was too firmly held in place by a huge oak anchor at the bow and a dozen thick ropes tied to palm trees at the bank. He had chosen the spot carefully. A sheltered, secluded inlet where they could moor the ship and pitch their tents right next to the shore. Armed guards constantly patrolled the perimeter and lookouts were posted at regular intervals along the length of the vessel making it impossible for man or beast to approach unseen. Ra knew he had done everything in his power to ensure the safety of every member of the expedition. Those who remained onboard as well as those who had chosen to camp out in the open. He only wished he could have done more. Provided more food, more shelter, more weapons, but there just hadn’t been time. When the end of their world came, it came without warning. Those who survived were lucky just to get out with their lives, but so very many had been lost.

Once his people had been a great sea-faring race. For countless generations they had traversed the world, trading in spices and oils, medicines and herbs. They had found huge islands where they built statues to the Gods, great rivers which travelled a thousand miles inland from the sea. Fierce tribes who one day would trade openly with them, and the next take a mans’ head as a trophy. Men who were black as night, or yellow as the sun. Brown skinned men from the east, or pale cold men from the north. Ra had seen them all. As many as a hundred ships would set out from their homeland making regular voyages around the world but every five years they would all return for a great festival. A celebration of all their achievements. A time to remember their ancestors, to tell stories of their journeys, and to pay tribute to their king. A great time of celebration and joy for all their people. Only this year it had been different.

Ra and his ship had been delayed for three days on their return voyage to their homeland, the fourth and largest island at the very centre of the inland sea. They had broken a rudder whilst passing two great pillars of stone and were forced to stop and make repairs. It was a frustrating time for all onboard having travelled half way round the world without incident only to be delayed on their journey home almost on their own doorstep. Ra ordered everyone to try and remain cheerful and look forward to the festival ahead.

"Within days," he told them, "you will all be with your loved ones. Do not be sorrowful now."