From the smell of it, there were a lot more dead fish on board. Perhaps they were down below. If that was the worst she found then she would count herself fortunate. Thinking of Pryde's cellar, she knew she could find a lot worse on the boat.
She took a few deep breaths before she went into the cabin. She saw a tiny room with a broken window facing the cliffs. There was also a steering wheel and other equipment. The bridge. This was where they drove the boat. She didn't see any sign of anyone having been on the bridge.
A stairway led down into the boat. She wished for the lantern as she descended into the darkness. As she had in the forest during the storm, she had to walk with her arms out to feel around. She felt a door handle and turned it.
She couldn't see any better inside the room, not until her hand touched a switch. A light came on overhead, another electric light like the lantern. The light revealed a tiny bedroom with a pair of bunks and a desk. Samantha's face turned warm when she saw a large picture of an almost-naked woman on one wall. A man had obviously occupied this room, but she didn't see any sign of anyone.
"Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?"
She didn't get any answer, not that she expected one. The crew of the boat might have jumped overboard during the storm or they might have been carried overboard by the waves. Or they could all be dead. She tried not to dwell on this possibility as she continued her search.
She found two more rooms-a bathroom and a miniature dining room. The only sign of life was a dirty bowl in the sink of the dining room. Someone had been aboard this boat at least. "Hello?" she called out again, but still didn't get an answer.
At the end of the corridor she found a metal door similar to the one in Pryde's cellar. It took all her weight to get the door open. As soon as she did, she smelled something burning. She couldn't see anything on fire, though.
Samantha took a step and then her foot struck something heavy. She tumbled forward, landing face-first on the floor. For a moment she lay there in a daze. Then she gathered her wits and felt around with her hands. She touched something warm and soft. Her hand brushed against coarse hairs, like those on an arm or leg. She had found someone!
Samantha shook the limb, but she didn't hear anyone stir. Whoever it was might be unconscious-or dead. She forced herself to keep from panicking at that thought. She got to her feet and then backed up until she touched the wall. She felt around for another light switch. After a few moments of groping around, a light came on.