Robbie’s routine was as tiring as it gets on the Beira oil platform. Grab whatever breakfast leftovers in the cafeteria, enter out to the deck, and work wherever he was needed, fixing the electrics. Some days would be more forgiving, only needing to fix one or two fuses, other days were cruel and would drag him along the rig from dawn until dusk. Today happened to be one of those cruel days, with extra pouring rain! He wished he could cry.
Speaking of … Robbie could hear just that, but it wasn’t from himself. It was coming from the accommodations area. Robbie goes to investigate. It’s coming from under the pool table …
“Hello?”
“...”
“If you stay there, Rennick will eventually find you! So – better to come out now!”
A scrawny woman crawls out and stands up. She’s pale, her cheeks sunken in.
“You’re … not from our crew are you? What are you doing here? Are you a stowa-”
“I-I’m sorry! Yes – I-I snuck on to the rig and don’t work here but I swear it’s for a good reason! I swear – just – please don’t report me.”
“Nonono – I can’t help ya. My job means more to me than a criminal. I don’t put my job on the line like a piece of fish bait.”
The girl kneels in front of him, pleading with tears. “Please … I can’t go back to the mainland right now – I have nothing left there … please …”
“Geez … I ... urgh – fine. Fine, I’ll help your sorry soul – but I’m won’t give you the world or anything.” And so it was. For the next few weeks, Robbie would start getting up earlier so he and the stowa- … girl could split food evenly between them.
He asked one day: “So … what’s yer name?”
“Carrie …”
“Right … Robbie.”
And another day he asked: “For someone so bony, ya sure do scoff down those eggs and bacon, eh?”
“Mhm ...”
“Not much of a talker, are ya?”
“...”
And one day, he said: “You know, you remind me a bit of my daughter.
“Oh? What’s her name?”
“Olivia … she’s a little angel.”
“Ah … that’s sweet.”
But a week before Robbie’s work finished …
“I got brekky! Eggs and ba-”
The tray drops from his hands, the plates shattering into bits.
“Carrie?”
But she was nowhere in his room.
He sprints out, looking everywhere. Accommodations, the kitchen, but nothing.
“Robbie!” A voice called from outside. Two of his coworkers stood outside, holding Carrie by her arms.
“Care to explain who your friend is?”
“Let ‘er go! She’s done no harm!”
“Really? Caus’ I heard from the police that this lil’ lass is supposed to be on death row for murderin’ her ma! Is that no harm, Robbie?”
“You what?”
“Rob, I can expla-”
“Look – you’re a good pal to me Robbie, so I’ll give you a choice. Either you get rid of her, or you deal with her and the police when we get back on land.”
“I …”
“My job means more to me than a criminal.”
