The Stranger in the Lifeboat

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Philippe scooted over and put his hands on top of hers. “So do I.” Little Alice
glanced up. Perhaps that made three. I felt a sudden division in the boat, as if
we’d been sorted by our beliefs. I suppose, when I think about it, much of the
world is separated this way.
“Please help us,” Nina whispered. “We’re so thirsty.”
The man looked only at Alice. Then he closed his eyes and leaned back. It
seemed like he was taking a nap. What type of response was that, Annabelle?
As I keep saying, he is maddening.
But as he slept, the sky began to change. A ribbon of white clouds grew to
large puffs, and those white puffs began to gray and thicken. Soon they
blocked the sun.
A few minutes later, raindrops fell. Slowly at first. Then heavier. I saw
Lambert tilt his head, his mouth gaping open, swallowing the droplets. Nevin
gasped, “Is this real?” Yannis ripped off his shirt and so did Jean Philippe,
rubbing the fresh water over their salt-crusted skin. As the shower turned to a
downpour, I heard Nina laughing.
“Grab anything that can collect water!” Geri hollered.
I found the notebook tub and dumped the contents under the canopy. Then
I raced out to catch the raindrops. Geri was doing the same with the bailer.
Jean Philippe held up two empty cans and let the fresh supply splash into it.
“Thank you!” he screamed to the heavens. “Oh, thank you, Bondyé!”
We were so busy rejoicing in the storm, we didn’t realize how much water
was collecting in the bottom of our raft. I moved my knees and slipped. The
plastic box spilled its water everywhere.
“Damn it, Benji!” Yannis yelled. “Get back up! Fill it again!”
Lambert still had his mouth open like a fish, and Nevin, lying on his back,
was angling the tray on his lower teeth, funneling rainwater to his lips. I saw
Alice smiling; she was soaked from top to bottom.
Then, just as quickly as the storm arrived, it ceased. The clouds parted and
the sun returned.
I looked at the plastic box, which was mostly empty thanks to my fall. I
turned to the Lord, who was awake now, watching us.
“Keep it going!” I screamed.
“So you believe I created that storm?” he asked.
It caught me off guard. I looked at the empty tub, then said: “If you did, it
wasn’t enough.”
“Wasn’t one raindrop enough to prove who I am?”