174
THE BETRAYALS OF GRIM'S PEAK
Sean J Quirk
Copyright © 2011 Sean J Quirk
All rights reserved.
SMASHWORDS EDITION
ISBN: 978-1-4657-4186-8
CHAPTER 1:
Fourteen year old Augustus Tomlin's day started out just like any other—normally. He got out of bed, dressed, brushed his teeth, then headed for the kitchen to join his adoptive parents, Earl and Marge for breakfast. This was the first day of their vacation, and admittedly, Augie (as he liked to be called) wasn't as excited about it as he would've been had Earl and Marge decided to take them all to Disneyland instead, because firstly, he'd been dealing with a paralyzing fear of water all of his life, and secondly, they were staying in a cabin on an isolated stretch of beach in the Florida Keys. Nevertheless, there was no way for Augie to know just then that by the end of the day he'd be traveling in an under-sea carriage drawn by four of the most incredible creatures he'd ever laid eyes upon, heading for destinations untold somewhere at the bottom of the ocean at a million miles an hour.
At the breakfast table Earl and Marge were engaged in light conversation when Augie walked in. Marge had prepared bacon and eggs with toast and there was a large jug of orange juice on the table too.
Augie filled his plate and took a seat.
“So what do you think?” Earl said leaning back in his chair. “I know, I know … the place needs a bit of work but we haven't been here since before you came along.”
Augie felt a little twinge of guilt at that statement, knowing that the reason for that had been him. “It's great,” he said.
“Can you believe it's been fourteen years?” Earl said to Marge who was pouring herself a glass of orange juice.
Marge's eyes settled on Augie. She smiled warmly. “We found you just a few miles from here,” she said.
“Hurricane Augustus ...” Earl added.
Augie nodded. He knew the story well. How could he not? Earl and Marge had once been avid sailors, and during a trip to the Caribbean they'd been caught in a hurricane that had somehow slipped right past the noses of all the weather service forecasters and forced to turn around; and that was when they'd found him, floating face-down in the water in the middle of the ocean. Figuring he'd been on another boat also caught in the storm they'd brought him back to land and immediately contacted the appropriate authorities who'd later deemed that there had been no record of any other boats out there at that time, nor had there been any missing persons reports filed. So, they had taken him in, adopting him immediately.
As he'd grown up, it had become pretty clear that Augie was suffering from a rather severe case of aquaphobia—the fear of water, and had taken him to Arizona where he'd spent most of his life, leaving their dreams of sailing around the world on their sailboat, New Horizons, behind.
And now Augie had come down to the Florida Keys despite his vehement protestations because Earl and Marge had thought it a good idea for him to come and see the place where they'd found him, and Augie knew, also because they thought that the trip might help him to overcome his wholly irrational fear.
Augie had tried everything to avoid coming along, even suggesting that they should let him go and stay with his aunt Frida instead, but Earl and Marge had stubbornly insisted it was in his best interests and had not relented. Augie missed home. Growing up in Arizona had suited him perfectly since the only substantial bodies of water near him had been swimming pools, and those had always been relatively easy to avoid, albeit at the consequence of being picked on incessantly at school. However, if he was being honest with himself, being the butt of everyone's jokes and constantly being referred to as the 'water baby' had grown tiresome, so he spent most of his days keeping his head down, his mouth shut, hoping just to make it through the day without attracting too much attention.
Augie spent the next few days dividing his time between doing crossword puzzles, reading, and helping Earl and Marge around the place, which had fallen into a minor state of disrepair. From what Augie understood, the place had once belonged to his grandfather on his Marge’s side, and he had passed it along after his death.
However, the fact that the expansive waters of the Atlantic ocean were lapping away at the shore only fifty yards away had not escaped Augie's attention for even a moment.
Augie was a smart kid. There was a part of him that wished he could understand more about his phobia, the specifics of it; why he was so afraid of water … He supposed it was reasonable to suspect that being found in the water as he had had something to do with it all, because apart from that he’d never had any real bad experiences with it; no accidents, near drownings, nothing like that.
On the third day Augie went to the deck that encircled the small cabin set so idyllically among all these palm trees and stared out at the water. At the end of the wooden jetty, his parents’ sailboat was moored. And here she had sat, protected in this cove, unused for all these years because of his crippling fear.
He felt a little guilty about that. Guilty, because they had given up their dreams on account of him. It had been difficult to ignore all the open-ocean-related paintings and photographs that hung on the walls of the house he’d been raised in. Additionally, nearly all of Earl’s spare time was spent building intricate and highly detailed model ships.
Augie new how much they'd given up for him, and on more than one occasion he'd overheard them talking about how much they missed sailing and how much they'd love it if they could all go out on the water one day together, as a family. However, they'd never mentioned in front of him; in fact, they hadn't brought up his fear once since they'd arrived, and for that Augie was grateful.
But as he sat there on the deck he knew he owed it to them to at least try to get a bit closer. So, he stood and headed for the end of the short flight of stairs, took in a deep breath and summoned every ounce of courage he had, then willed himself off the step. It was a small victory. The sand felt warm between his toes. So far so good. He took another step, then another, and clutched the small shell shaped medallion around his neck for comfort as he had done so many times before. It had been the only thing he'd been wearing on the night he'd been found. Although it was small, the medallion possessed a kind of weight to it that spoke to real craftsmanship; not like one of those cheap toys you'd find in a box of cereal. Augie had often wondered who had made it; who it had belonged to; and mostly, what the strange markings engraved into it's rim meant, but, as always, they remained a mystery to him.
Augie took a few steps toward the surging mass of creeping ocean, and the same peculiar thing that always happened when he got close to substantial bodies of water began; his heart pounded in his throat; his skin was clammy and goose fleshed; and he began to have a hard time breathing. It was as though his lungs were closing up.
He was frozen in place. His disobedient legs seemed as though they belonged to someone else, because he couldn't get them to move at all.
Augie pulled out his inhaler and took a long drag from it but the medicine had little effect as usual. He felt weak, physically, but there was also a curious sense of accomplishment mixed with embarrassment at the state he was in, and he he knew that this was probably as far as he’d make it today. After a moment he turned and headed back for the safety of the cabin, certain that Earl and Marge were spying on him through the small gap where the curtain had been pulled just a few inches away from the window frame.
Augie hadn't given up. He spent the next few days trying to get a bit a closer each time, and it was on the fifth day that he finally made it as far as the jetty and managed to set foot on the first board leading out over the water, which creaked softly under his weight. The sailboat wasn't there today. Earl and Marge had taken it out for a short stint.
They had tried convince him to go along, but thankfully, had relented and left him here, promising to be back soon.
Augie concentrated on his breathing. His chest hurt with each breath and he felt a little dizzy, but forced himself to breathe slowly and not give in the panic rising in the pit of his stomach.
The humid air was warm against his skin. He felt as though he were wrapped in an invisible blanket.
Just then Augie was overcome by the odd sense that he was being watched. He opened his eyes and near a rock outcropping to his right, he saw what at first glance appeared to be a girl’s head disappearing into the water leaving only the slightest of splashes.
He froze in place, blinking against the bright sun, trying to catch sight of the girl again. He scanned the rippling surface of the water. Augie knew she had to come up for breath eventually. However, a minute ticked by and then another, and still there was no sign of her.
“Hey!” he called. “This isn't funny … where are you?”
Augie inched forward anyway, trying to find a better view around the obstructing rocks, figuring she was hiding behind them. This was a private section of beach and she probably knew she was trespassing. He moved further and further, gripped in a strong worry that she might not have come up for air after all.
“Hello?” he wheezed. “Are you alright? Hello?”
But still there was no reply. Augie paused for a moment trying to catch his breath, however, it was only when he turned and looked to shore that he realized just how far from it he had ventured.
Oh no …
He forgot about the girl in an instant. His fear knocked him to the floor leaving him breathless, heaving, but the air would not penetrate his occluded windpipe. His panic had all but closed his airway. His knees felt weak. He felt like he was about to pass out. Oddly, Augie’s mind jumped to the countless doctors visits his parents had dragged him to, each time concluding that he did not suffer from asthma and that his symptoms were most likely just related to his anxiety. Nevertheless, in large part due to his parents’ protestations, he’d been prescribed the inhaler in any event.
Augie knew he had to make it back to the cabin, or at the very least back to the beach. He was in real danger here. If he fell in he would drown.
Crawling now, he turned for land and struggled forward. He felt weak, unsure, vulnerable, and gripped in a complete panic.
Something splashed in the water behind him. Startled, Augie jerked his head around around to find the source of the disturbance only to find that it had been blocked by the jetty.
He turned back to shore, but when he repositioned his left hand on the jetty he put it too close to the edge, slipped, and fell in.
The rushing water closed in on him fast. Disoriented, he couldn’t tell which way was up at first. When the bubbles cleared Augie saw a dark shape hovering off in the distance, maybe fifty feet away, but couldn’t be sure. Judging distance accurately down here was difficult. There was something malevolent about it. Sinister. Augie knew he was in danger. Sharks lurked in these waters.
The shadow burst forward with incredible speed. It was coming right at him. Gripped by panic, Augie flailed his arms uselessly, wishing he’d been able to learn how to swim, because right now he was totally exposed and helpless, and about to be eaten by the nameless creature fast closing in on him.
Augie suddenly sensed movement to his left. He turned and nearly had a heart attack, because, bearing down on him was a massive, winged creature. Time seemed to slow. Augie knew there was no avoiding the creature's attack, however, instead of the expected outcome, the beast veered off to the right revealing an even more incredible sight.
On it's back, riding it like a horse was a young girl—Augie knew it was the same girl he'd seen. She leaned toward him with an outstretched arm and Augie grabbed for it without thinking, and in the next instant found himself sitting behind her holding on for dear life.
The shadow in the water whizzed by harmlessly. Augie realized he'd barely escaped it.
A look of concern flashed across the girl's face, but she wasn’t looking at him. Augie glanced over his shoulder and immediately wished he hadn’t. Behind them, weaving in and out of each other’s paths, in pursuit, were three or four large formless shadows, perhaps more. Augie couldn’t be sure. They were moving so fast they were all blurring together.
Augie held on to the girl’s waist as tightly as he could. He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to hold his breath. His lungs were on fire.
The creature beneath him maneuvered at blistering speed as though cutting through the thin veil of air rather than the viscous curtain of water, up and down, side to side. Augie felt his stomach turn and prayed this rollercoaster ride would be all over soon.
Ahead, more dark shapes appeared. How many of these things were down here?
Augie pointed ahead, but the girl had already seen them. He felt the sudden flex of the creature’s muscles a moment before it abruptly changed direction and rocketed for the surface, barely managing to get his arm back around her waist in time to avoid being thrown off.
Augie sensed more movement to his left. He turned in time to see one of the creatures on a collision course, barreling towards their flank. He tried to warn the girl but he knew it was too late.
Augie braced for the impact which came a second later just as they breached the surface. He felt himself shaken loose from his seat and sent careening through the air. In the next instant he landed heavily on the wooden jetty. What little breath he had left was knocked from him and he could only lay there wheezing, struggling for air.
He knew he had to get off the jetty, however, blocking his retreat was the lifeless form of the girl who appeared to have been knocked unconscious.
There was no time to waste. Augie struggled to his feet, certain that he was only seconds away from blacking out, and grabbed her arms then began dragging her toward the shore. From the corner of his eye he could see the things in the water circling around the end of the jetty but he dared not look directly at them, afraid of what he might see.
He reached the sand seconds later and collapsed. He felt his breath coming back to him and inhaled deeply, letting the glorious air fill his lungs, still in shock at what had just happened.
What were those things in the water?
Augie got to his knees and turned his attention to the girl. She wore a pale, golden, skintight suit. Her long blond hair appeared to fall all the way down to her waist.
She was still not moving.
He gently shook her shoulders. “Are you alright? Can you hear me?”
Nothing.
Augie heard a loud splash behind him followed by a wet thud. A deep chill ran through him. Something had just landed on the jetty.
Augie spun and what he saw standing there on the wooden boards defied all logic and reason. It was a beast standing about four feet tall at the shoulder, it’s head hung low to the ground. It looked like some sort of mongrel hybrid mix between a panther and a crocodile. It’s black body was covered with what appeared to be scales and running down it’s mid-line were rows of spikes that terminated at the end of it’s thick tail. Long sharp claws protruded from the the ends of it’s feet.
It was a creature out of a nightmare.
Behind it, still in the water, the rest of them lurked. They weren’t following this one for some reason.
The beast sniffed the air and then took what appeared to be a cautious step forward. It followed with another. Augie sensed that it was wary of it’s new environment, unsure what would happen were it to venture too far into it. But with each step it grew bolder and it’s focus fell more and more on Augie, who spotted more and more of the creatures surfacing near the jetty. They seemed to be drawing from the confidence the one on the jetty was gaining from being out of the water.
The beast stared now at Augie. It’s pale yellow eyes locked to his. Augie knew that he had moments before this animal charged at him and ripped him apart. A chilling shriek rang from the beast. It’s muscles coiled then released, springing the nightmare from it’s spot as though shot from a catapult straight toward him.
Reflexively, Augie sprung to his feet and grabbed the girl's arm. He ran for his life, dragging her along with him, but didn’t make it far; the girl was heavy and there was no traction in the sand. Augie tripped and fell. He could hear the rapid gain of the creature’s footfalls and could practically feel it’s breath on his neck. Augie turned over on his back in time to see the snarling animal completely ignore the girl and launch itself over her, right at him, and that’s when the day got even stranger still.
The creature inexplicably exploded into dust with such force the motes stung against his face and then it was gone.
Augie sat up hardly daring to believe what had just happened. One thing, however, stood out above all, and the disconcerting realization brought a severe chill to him, because it seemed that the apparent target of the monster had been him and him alone.
Just then Augie heard his name being called.
He looked up and was surprised to see Earl and Marge racing down the jetty toward him, their faces filled with worry. Augie instinctively scanned the water behind them for more of the creatures but there was no sign of them.
“Augie!” Marge yelled. “Are you alright? We saw what happened.”
“Y-y-yes,” he stammered.
Marge dropped to her knees and examined the girl. “She’s still breathing. Earl, help me with her. Let’s get her inside.”
Earl was staring out toward the jetty.
“Earl?”
“Those things…” he said slowly. “That night we—”
“Earl!”
“Oh, right,” he said, snapping from his daze.
Augie, however, couldn’t help his curiosity, however ill-timed. “What night?” he said. “The night you found me?”
“Not now, Augie,” Marge said sternly.
Augie relented. For now. But he couldn’t help but sense that this was not the first time his parents had seen one of those things.
CHAPTER 2:
Back inside, Marge tended to the unconscious girl while Augie recounted the unbelievable tale to them.
Earl paced the room as he listened, stopping each time he passed a window to take a look toward the jetty, and while Marge seemed to have taken the news rather well, Earl on the other hand, had only seemed interested in the color of the animal’s eyes.
“I told you, Marge. Didn’t I tell you?” Earl said agitatedly. “We weren’t imagining it! That thing was out there that night, in the water. I’ll never forget them, like a snake—no, maybe something else … but evil as evil can be, looking right through me! That’s for sure. I’ll never forget it. And that blue light…”
That last statement had caught Augie’s attention.
“Earl!” Marge reprimanded.
“What blue light?” Augie asked trying to muscle his way into the conversation. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s time the boy found out the truth,” Earl said. “He needs to know, and it seems now more than ever. Besides, he’s old enough.”
Augie turned to Marge. There was a sad look in her eyes. She sighed and turned to Augie, then told him a tale just as fabulous as his own about the night he’d been found; about the blue explosion of light; about the thing in the water.
Augie had listened in shock, wondering why had they never told him any of this before. After they had finished, he paused, then said, “I think that thing was after me.”
“Explains why you’ve been so afraid of the water,” Earl said. “I’d be too if knew one of those things was down there. A part of you must’ve remembered.”
“He was just a baby,” Marge said.
“And a smart baby at that,” Earl chuffed, as though claiming credit for that. He pointed at the boy's head. “Somewhere in there he knew those things were down there.”
Beside them, the girl stirred but did not wake.
“Is she going to be okay?” Augie asked.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Marge said placing a hand across the girl’s forehead. Her assured smile was quickly replaced by a frown.
“What is it?” Earl asked.
“She’s really warm,” Marge said. “Like she has a fever.”
Augie looked at the girl worriedly.
“Augie, why don’t you run into the kitchen and get me a bowl of cold water and a soft cloth?”
Augie performed the task as quickly as he could. He wanted the girl to be okay. He needed her to be okay. Her arrival had brought up a lot of new questions for him, the foremost of which was where she had come from. Augie had always considered himself the victim of a boating accident or something along those lines, but that had been before today, before he’d discovered that Earl and Marge had not been entirely forthcoming with him about the night he’d been found. His mind kept going to the blue light they’d described and wished he knew what it had been.
Augie watched Marge drape the cold rag across the girl’s forehead. Then she popped the lid on a small, plastic, tube-shaped container and withdrew a thermometer. Marge slid the thermometer between the girl’s lips and glanced at her watch. Three minutes later she pulled it out, took a look at the reading, and with a deep frown said, “Well, that can’t be right.”
“What is it?” Augie asked leaning over to try and get a look at the mercury reading.
“Must be a mistake,” she said. “Says her temperature is at a hundred and seventeen.”
“Is that bad?” Augie asked.
Marge chuckled. “At that temperature she’d be dead, sweetie.”
However, when Marge performed the reading again, and then again for a third time, each time coming up with the same reading, her cherubic face showed signs of real concern.
“We need to get her in the tub,” she said to Earl. “She’s burning up. Augie, go and get the tub started for me, okay? Cold water only.”
Augie headed for the bathroom and turned the faucet on. Earl and Marge weren’t far behind. Earl put the girl in the tub then emptied two bags of ice Marge had retrieved from the freezer in with her.
“We’re going to need more than that,” Marge said. “These were the last two.”
“I’ll run down to Frank’s—see if he’s still open.”
“Good idea,” Marge agreed.
Augie glanced out the open window and was surprised to discover that night had set in. It was a cloudless night. The full moon hung bright.
“Odd,” Earl said, pausing near the small window.
“What is?” Marge said.
“You hear that?”
“I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly. That’s what’s odd.”
It dawned on Augie that the frogs and crickets whose nightsong usually filled the air this time of night were completely silent. Nothing stirred outside.
“I’ll be right back,” Earl said, shaking his head then disappeared through the door.
Thirty minutes passed. The girl’s temperature had risen despite the freezing water. It was at one-nineteen now.
When Earl stepped back in with bags of ice, a familiar, very large figure dressed in shorts, a palm tree adorned button shirt, and sandals stepped in behind him carrying a medium sized leather bag.
Frank Berry was a longtime family friend, the proprietor of the the local tackle shop and market, and also just so happened to be the only doctor around for miles. Augie had seen the sign hanging above the door to his shop that read, ‘GET A FREE CHECKUP WITH TODAY’S BAIT PURCHASE!’ more than a few times.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Marge said.
“Lucky Earl caught me when he did. Another five minutes and I would’ve been headed home to the wife.” Frank let his eyes fall to the girl in the bathtub. “Earl tells me you found her on the beach?”
Marge nodded. “I’m afraid she’s not doing so well.”
Frank took a knee beside her and removed his stethoscope. With Marge’s help lifting her shoulders out of the water for a moment, he placed the small disk against her chest and listened to her heartbeat.
“Hmmm… Pretty high.”
He inserted his own, much fancier looking electronic thermometer in her mouth and waited. A moment later it beeped loudly and when Frank took a look at the reading he gasped. There was a look of genuine puzzlement on his face. He took the reading again and just like Marge, came up with the same result.
“A hundred-nineteen,” he said solemnly.
“Any ideas?” Earl said.
“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” Frank said with a confused expression on his face. “This girl—well, this is impossible. I’ve never come across anything like this. She shouldn’t be—”
“Alive,” Marge finished for him.
“Yes, well, exactly. And, honestly, I having a hard time even thinking of the next step. There isn’t a hospital for a hundred miles out here, and moving her with a temperature like that would probably kill her the moment we took her out of this tub.” Frank paused. “She have any kind of identification on her? Maybe we can find her parents.”
“No such luck,” Earl said.
“We should probably call the police,” Frank suggested.
“No!” Augie said quickly. “I mean, shouldn’t she stay the night so we can look after her?”
“Boy’s probably got a little bit of a crush,” Frank said, winking at him.
Augie winced.
“Yeah, probably,” Earl said, staring Augie down, who got the message loud and clear to keep his mouth shut. Earl probably hadn’t told Frank the whole story and Augie was glad for that.
At that moment someone knocked on the door.
“Who could that be at this hour?” Earl muttered.
“Maybe someone looking for the girl?” Frank said.
“Maybe,” Earl said.
Augie followed Earl to the door. He could hear voices outside. When Earl opened the door they were confronted by two oddly dressed gentlemen, both dripping wet.
“Yes?” Earl said. “Can I help you?”
“We’re looking for Mira,” the one on the left said.
“And we don’t have much time. I don’t know if you are all aware, but we have a serious problem waiting just offshore,” the one on the right said.
“Hundreds of them. Never seen so many in one place before. Highly irregular,” the one on the left said.
“The monsters in the water,” Augie said, chilled at the memory of them.
“Wolves,” the one on the left said.
Augie could almost feel Earl stiffen beside him.
“Who are you?” Earl demanded.
“I’m Pik,” The taller one on the left said. “And this is Erim. Hiram sent us.”
“A great man,” Erim said almost wistfully.
“Who is—?” Earl started but was cut off.
Pik turned to Augie and said, “What is your name, young man?”
“Augie,”
“Augie, tell me, how long has Mira been out of the water?”
“About two hours,” Augie replied, glad to finally know her name. “She’s sick.”
“Well, of course she is,” Pik said. “She should never have come up here.”
“It’s strictly forbidden,” Erim said. “She’s going to get into a lot of trouble for this.”
“But she saved me,” Augie said quickly. “If it wasn’t for her—”
“If it wasn’t for her,” Pik interrupted, “you wouldn’t have needed saving in the first place. She brought the wolves here and put you all in danger. And when they figure out how to come out of the water we are all going to be in a lot of trouble.”
“They can do that?” Earl said obviously unsettled by that last comment.
“The wolves are smart,” Erim said. “They may look like big dumb animals, but they are as cunning as they are ugly.”
“And there are ways,” Pik said.
“But the last one—it exploded!” Augie said.
“They come from the deep,” Pik said. “Their bodies aren’t used to it up here, but the longer they remain… Let’s just say that could change.”
Just then Pik’s eyes dropped to the medallion hanging around Augie’s neck. “Where did you get that?” he asked suddenly.
“I don’t know,” Augie said truthfully. “I’ve always had it.”
Pik turned to Earl. “Is this your child?”
“In every way that counts,” Earl said stiffly.
“You are not blood related?”
Earl glanced at Augie and put a comforting arm around him. He shook his head and said, “We found him not far from here when he was a baby.”
“In the water?”
Earl nodded.
Pik excused himself suddenly, taking Erim with him.
Augie watched the two men. Their voices were too low to make out what was being said, but it seemed Pik was the more senior of the two. The conversation they were having appeared to have turned serious. More than once the two men turned and glanced at him and Augie knew they were talking about him.
When the two men returned, Pik, looking right at Augie now, said, “It seems there is more going on here than meets the eye, but first you must take us to Mira.”
“Is she going to be alright?” Augie said.
“She’ll be fine, she just needs to drink a little sea water,” Erim said and at the same time pulled a small flask from a pouch hanging across his chest. “She just needs a little time, although we might need to leave before she wakes up.”
Pik said to Augie, “Lead the way.”
Augie lead them past Earl who reluctantly stepped aside letting them by. Marge and Frank were still in the bathroom tending to the girl. A shared look of surprise etched itself on their faces at the sight of the two men. Pik was tall, dark skinned, had long brown hair and was dressed in the same tight white outfit as Erim. Gold trimmed, tight, consisting of a pair of long pants and a vest, the clothes looked to Augie like uniforms of some sort. Erim was slightly friendlier looking; rounder cheeks, less imposing eyes, and definitely younger than Pik.
“Marge. Frank. These gentlemen are here for the girl.”
“Her name is Mira,” Augie said.
Marge, as though expecting the company didn’t miss a beat. She said, “Her temperature climbed another degree.”
Pik smiled. “Our temperatures run high to begin with. We don’t have the luxury of the sun to keep us warm as you do.”
“So you are from down there,” Earl said a little too vigorously.
Pik nodded.
“What the hell’s he going on about?” Frank asked. “Down where?”
Marge put a gentle hand on his arm. “We’ll fill you in later, Frank.”
Just then Augie heard movement in the tub. When he turned he saw that Mira had finally opened her eyes …
CHAPTER 3:
“You’ve got some explaining to do,” Pik said sternly.
Mira sat up in the tub apparently unbothered by the freezing water she was in. “What are you doing here?” Mira said instead of answering him.
“Your drac found us,” Erim said with a hint of jealousy in his voice.
“He’s a good boy,” Mira said proudly.
“What’s a drac ?” Augie said.
“An ancient creature,” Pik said. “Very rare.”
“He’s been in my family for a very long time,” Mira said, addressing Augie for the first time. Turning to Pik now, she said, “What about the wolves?”
“Waiting,” Pik replied simply.
“Hundreds of them,” Erim said.
Mira stood and stepped out of the tub. She was a pretty girl, slender and slightly taller than Augie who guessed her to be a year or two older than him. Her skin was pale and her hair was braided in places. A single string of blue beads were woven into her long hair.
“What did you come up here for?” Pik said. “Hiram is not happy with you.”
“I didn’t—,” Mira said a little defensively. “Well not on purpose anyway. I was running an errand for Emey and Krimwing went nuts and bolted with me.” She paused and glanced at Augie. “Next thing I know I’m trying to save—”
“Augie,” Augie said quickly.
“Augie,” Mira echoed. “Anyway. Like I was saying, next thing I know I’ve got twenty wolves on my tail going right for him.”
“What do you mean, for him?” Pik said.
“Exactly that,” Mira said. “They could’ve cared less that I was there, it was all they could do to get around me.”
There was a long silence. Pik stared at Augie who took a reflexive step backward.
“This changes things a little bit,” he said. “I had my suspicions when I saw your medallion…”
“What’s going on?” Earl said, stepping toward Pik. “What about it? Do you know what it is?”
Pik leaned in. “May I?” he said to Augie.
Augie nodded and found that he was holding his breath as Pik studied the medallion.
Pik stepped away and addressed Earl. “I couldn't tell you what it is or what it says—I don't recognize the language, but I can tell you that it is undoubtedly from our world ….”
“Your world? Where are you from?”
Pik’s voice took on a very serious note when he addressed Earl. “I will try to explain if there is time, but right now we all have another problem to deal with.” Pik paused. “It seems you are all in much more danger than we previously thought,” he said. He paused and addressed both Earl and Marge now. “I know that the decision I am about to put to you in a moment will probably be the most difficult you have ever faced, but, for you and your boy’s safety, I must ask that you allow him to come with us, because if you don’t, you will all surely die.”
“Now wait just one minute!” Earl said. “You can’t just take him.”
“There isn’t much of a choice,” Pik said. “And considering the events that brought him into your lives … surely you must have known that this day would eventually come.”
“We don’t even know you,” Earl said in a voice that went a little higher than usual.
“You are going to have to trust me. Those creatures out there came for your boy, and until we figure out why, you are all in extreme danger. You see, they have his scent, and now yours too, and believe me when I tell you they will not stop until they have him. You won't be able to protect him. We are his only chance.”
“No, I just won’t accept this!” Earl said angrily. “There has to be another way!”
Augie took Pik's silence to mean that there wasn't and was a little surprised when Marge turned to Earl and told him that it would be okay.
“Okay? Okay? Marge, have you lost your mind? We can't just give Augie to these people!”
Marge, instead of addressing Earl turned to Pik and said, “What will happen if we don’t do as you say?”
“Once the wolves are sent they will find a way, and—”
“Wait,” Earl said quickly. “What do you mean sent? Who sent them?”
“I don't know,” Pik said. “But until we find out who it was you need to know that they will find a way to get to you. They will not give up on the hunt. You are going to have to leave. You can't stay by the water, but for your own peace of mind, you should also know that if you allow the boy to come with us they will probably not follow you.”
Earl turned to Marge, “You can’t seriously be considering this?”
“What choice do we have? You heard what he said,” she said in a shaky voice.
“I’ll protect him,” Earl said stubbornly.
“You can’t,” Pik said simply. “He must come with us if he is going to survive this.”
Earl and Marge stood in stone silence for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually Marge turned and spoke to Earl in a voice too low for Augie to hear what was being said. Their conversation, although intense, was brief. She turned to Pik and said, “You have to swear that you’ll bring him back to us.”
Pik smiled sincerely. “You have my word,” he said then turned to Mira. “The only way we’re going to get past the wolves is to hide the boy’s scent from them. And we’re going to need your drac to do it.”
“What? No!” Mira said adamantly.
“He’s the only one fast enough to lead them away and give us the head start we need, and he’s going to have to take some of the boy’s clothes with him.”
“You want to use him as bait?”
“You have a better idea?”
“He won’t do anything unless I tell him to do it,” Mira said crossing her arms defiantly.
Pik turned to her. His tone was hard. “You will tell him, Mira.”
“But…all those wolves?”
“Dracs are dangerous creatures in their own right, and much faster than the wolves. When they realize the boy is not with him, they will be reluctant to attack.”
“It didn’t seem to stop them before!”
“Their numbers and apparent desperation to get the boy accounted for that, I imagine,” Pik said. Now to Earl, he said, “We are going to need some of your clothes, preferably something that still has your scent on it.”
“We can manage that,” Marge said.
“How am I supposed to fit in those clothes?” Augie said starting to feel a little nervous at the prospect of leaving. “They're way too big!”
“We’ll make them fit,” Marge said obviously sensing the underlying concern. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine.”
“I'm not worried,” Augie lied, feeling Mira’s eyes on him.
“He’s afraid of the water,” Earl said. “Ever since he was little.”
Augie cringed. “I-I’ll be fine,” he stammered.
Mira chuckled beside him and Augie felt his stomach drop.
A few minutes later Earl came back into the room with a selection of clothes for Augie to wear. Marge picked out a pair of tan long pants and a blue button down shirt then set about getting Augie into them, who felt like he was being fitted with a tent. Earl had the bright idea to use string to secure the clothes to him, and after tying it around his waist to hold the pants up, he also tied several loops around his arms and legs.
Augie caught a glance of himself in the mirror. He looked ridiculous. What was worse was that every time he looked at Mira she was holding a hand over her mouth obviously trying not to laugh at him.
Augie had, however, drawn the line at wearing a pair of Earl’s shoes and after a brief, but rather ferocious struggle, had convinced his parents to let him go barefoot.
“Won’t he get cold in the water?” Marge asked.
“Nothing to worry about,” Erim said cheerfully. “He’ll be kept warm in our carriage.”
“Where are you going to take him?” Marge said.
“He’ll be safe with us,” Pik said simply. “The less you know the better, for now.”
“Will he have any friends where he’s going?”
“Mom!” Augie said, aghast.
“I’ll watch over him,” Mira said. “You don’t have to worry.”
Oddly, that seemed to placate Marge for the moment and she nodded thankfully to Mira,
Augie watched Earl put a comforting arm around Marge. There was a solemn energy to the room and he wished he could do or say something to make them feel better.
Pik turned to Mira and told her it was time to summon Krimwing. Mira nodded then closed her eyes. Apparently noting the confused expression on Augie’s face when she opened her eyes, she said, “Dracs are very sensitive creatures…they can read the thoughts of their handlers.”
“Oh,” Augie said trying to take it all in.
“I just told him to come up here and not to let the wolves see him.”
“But won’t the same thing happen to him? Won’t he explode?”
“No, not like the wolves. Dracs can survive almost anywhere.” Mira turned to Pik. “He’s outside, behind this dwelling.”
Pik nodded and said, “It’s time.”
Augie’s heart pounded. Marge had begun crying softly. He ran to her and gave her a big hug.
Even Earl had begun to choke up a little.
“You be careful down there, you hear?” he said.
Augie nodded.
“We’re going to miss you,” Marge said. “Don’t forget about us, okay?”
“I would never do that,” Augie said. “I promise.”
“Augie,” Pik said from the door. “We have to go.”
“I’m coming.”
To Marge and Earl, Pik said, “We’ll keep him safe and bring him back to you soon. And please don’t forget to leave as soon as we are gone. Stay away from the water, no matter how much you may want to return. You could be used as leverage.”
Augie said goodbye to Frank too, who was sitting on the couch with a bewildered look on his face. Augie was sure his parents would explain things to him after he was gone. With one more quick wave Augie stepped out of the back door to the cabin and laid eyes on the first of many incredible things he'd see tonight.
Standing there on four thick legs beside Mira was the drac. Even though it was night, the full moon illuminated it well enough for Augie to guess that it had to be at least fifteen feet long to the end of it’s tail. It resembled a dragon of sorts but not the ones typically seen in storybooks; this one had gentler, rounder features, and apart from two nubs on top of it’s head that Augie guessed were ears, it’s smooth pale skin was unblemished. It’s large eyes focused on Augie as he stepped onto the beach.
Augie tried to keep his distance from the imposing beast and almost fell over in fright when it suddenly squawked at him.
“Quiet, Krimwing!” Mira whispered rubbing it’s head. The drac lowered it’s head and looked away from Augie. “He remembers you from the water,” Mira said.
“You can read his mind too?”
Mira shook her head. “Only goes one way.”
Pik walked over to Mira and handed her a bundle of Augie’s clothes that had been tied together with excessive amounts of Earl’s string. Augie was surprised to hear Krimwing let out a low growl at his approach, and could’ve sworn he saw a small smile flash across Mira’s face before she turned and secured the bundle of clothes to a saddle of sorts that had been secured just in front of what had to be it’s wings.
Pik mumbled something on his way past Augie that he was sure pertained to the drac’s behavior.
Augie was trying to keep his wits about him. He knew the time was near when he’d have to go back into the water with those things. He prayed the plan worked for all their sakes.
Pik said, “Okay, Mira, send him off. Makes sure he draws them away. You and Augie will ride with us. We have a four-hippocamp strong Sleeker waiting that should be—”
“They aren’t going to be nearly fast enough!” Mira cut in, glaring at Pik. “The wolves are going to catch us easily.”
“Not if Krimwing does his job properly!” Pik fired back.
Augie was wondering what a hippocamp was but didn’t dare ask just then. Mira looked angry, but she had no more to say.
Pik said, “Once we get past our borders we’ll be fine. The wolves won’t dare follow into our territory. They know the consequence.” There was a pause. “Send him now, Mira.”
Mira hesitated then closed her eyes once again and when she opened them the drac let out a short sharp squeal then disappeared in the direction of the water. A moment later there was a loud splash.
Pik reached into the bag hanging on his hip and withdrew several curved masks that reminded Augie of the dust masks Marge always insisted he wear whenever she dusted the house, and handed one to him and another to Mira. He said, “This will let you breathe.”
Augie saw that both Pik and Erim also had similar masks, although theirs looked quite a bit fancier. “Why do you need the masks?” Augie asked. “You can’t breathe underwater?”
“Erim chuckled. “No, of course not.”
Augie turned to Mira now. “But you weren’t wearing one when you came out of the water,” he said.
Mira shrugged her shoulders. “It must have fallen off,” she said.
“But you all live down there,” Augie persisted.
“What do you think we are?” Pik said with a smile. “Fish?”
“No, um, I just thought—”
“We breathe air, just like you, Augie,” Pik said and put his mask on. Then he headed away toward the water.
Augie took the mask. He didn’t much relish the idea of having to wear it all the time and found himself worrying about relatively inconsequential things—how am I supposed to eat with this thing?; do I have to wear it all the time?; it feels a little big like it's going to leak …. He had a lot of questions. Where did they live? What did they live in? However, when he got a little closer to the ocean all of those worries left his mind when he felt his breath begin to escape him as it had so many times before in his life. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the rolling mass of hissing dark ocean in front of him.
“Augie?” Mira said. “You okay?”
“He’s afraid of water, remember?” Erim said.
“I’ll be okay,” Augie said concentrating on his breathing. He had remembered to bring his inhaler but didn’t want to use it in front of them.
“Go on, put your mask on then,” Pik said impatiently.
Mira came up beside him. “Just stick with me. You’ll be fine. I promise.”
Augie paused then nodded and cupped the strapless mask over his nose and mouth, which somehow stayed in place as though held in place by an invisible glue. Incredibly, his breathing cleared up the instant he put it on.”
“See?” Mira said. “Let’s the air in and keeps everything else out.
She surprised Augie by taking his hand and leading him to the water’s edge. His heart was hammering in his chest. He couldn’t believe he was actually about to do this, but he knew these people had answers for him. They might know about his parents—his real ones—and be able to tell him who they were, and what had happened to them. And, most importantly, why they had never come looking for him.
Soon, Augie was standing chest deep, shaking, but not from the cold. Mira turned to him and said, “Ready?”
Augie was surprised by how well he could hear her voice through the mask. He wasn’t ready at all but nodded anyway.
“At the same time, okay? Hold on to me, I'll help you. One, two, three ….” Augie slipped beneath the surface with Mira. A bolt of panic surged through him but he fought it back. He couldn't afford to have a panic attack down here.
They headed for deeper waters. Mira was a powerful swimmer and seemed to be pulling Augie along as though he weighed nothing. Augie kicked with his legs but couldn’t be sure whether he was helping at all or just slowing her down.
Augie’s eyes had adjusted far quicker than expected. He realized just then that he wasn't feeling cold at all; in fact, the water was positively warm against his skin. He scanned the waters on each side looking for the telltale dark shadows of the wolves but there was no sign of them.
It appeared that Krimwing had been successful and he prayed the wolves wouldn’t catch on too soon. They would not be pleased at the deception.
Ahead, Pik knifed through the water, leading them deeper and deeper with each stroke. A little while later the sea floor came into view. Augie had to fight back another surge of panic when he started thinking about how deep they were and how far away the surface was. The sandy bottom sloped away gently and was mostly bare. Pik made for a large cluster of rocks probably twenty or thirty feet tall, and when they all rounded the first set of boulders Augie was confronted by the most spectacular sight he’d laid his eyes on to date.
There, waiting on the ocean floor were four large, elegant, yet utterly strange creatures that at first glance appeared to be horses. However, upon closer inspection, Augie noticed that instead of back legs their bodies tapered into tremendously powerful looking tails resembling those belonging to a shark or a dolphin, and were covered in blueish green scales that glinted brightly against the few beams of moonlight that had penetrated these depths.
They were beautiful.
Mira turned to him and smiled. “Hippocamps,” she said.
Augie marveled at the sight before him. The hippocamps were harnessed alongside each other in a rather complicated looking black rigging, and not in the typical two-by-two pattern of a regular horse-drawn carriage. Behind them was a white conveyance that was shaped similarly to an egg, although much sharper at the tail. It’s top section was made out of a transparent material that he figured was glass and there were two flattened sections protruding from each side that appeared to be stabilizers for the vehicle when it was in motion.
When Augie got a little closer he also noticed that there was a three or four inch thick pole sticking out of a circular gap in the front of the carriage that ran several feet above the hippocamps’ head. At it’s end another section had been joined at ninety degrees, from which four large blue emeralds hung, each strategically placed to dangle right in front of each of the animals.
Augie couldn’t even take a guess as to their purpose.
Pik reached the conveyance first and opened a door in it’s side then motioned for Augie and Mira to go through. Mira let go of Augie’s hand and he went for it, doing his best to guide himself through the narrow gap without clumsily crashing into it’s side.
He heard Mira shouting something at him but he was far too focused on the task at hand to hear what was being said. He went through head first and was taken quite by surprise by the fact that there was no water inside the carriage. Augie hit the floor hard and slid into the far door where he hit his head hard against it, which brought his hapless slide to an abrupt stop.
“What the—?” he said, rubbing his head, trying to see through the stars in his vision. Where had the water gone?
He turned just in time to see Mira land gracefully on two feet beside him. She took her mask off. “Feet first,” she said between giggles after she'd taken her mask off. “I was trying to tell you, feet first!” She paused when she noticed he was rubbing his head. “You alright?”
“Yeah,” Augie said embarrassedly. He turned his attention to the open door. The water had stopped at the entrance. “But, how?”
“Oh, the Water Arch keeps it out,” she said distractedly while admiring the carriage, but didn't explain what that was. “Wow, I’ve never been in one of these before! It’s a Sleeker model. Best you can get. No other carriage can go even half as deep! And it’s Eel approved!”
“Eel approved?”
“You’ll see,” came the cryptic reply.
Augie checked out the interior. There were five seats in all; four passenger seats and one for the driver up front. Situated directly in front of it was the rest of the pole thingy Augie had seen outside. It was mounted to a rectangular shaped block that came out of the floor by a shiny silver ball located at the top of the block, and finished off by two handles.
Augie figured this was the steering mechanism and was curious to see how it worked.
In each corner was an odd looking light source. Upon closer inspection each flickering light turned out to be a small flame, burning bright white.
“That's a Grimlight. The air concentration makes it burn bright like that,” Mira said. “It’s our main source of light.”
Augie turned to see Pik and Erim enter the Sleeker in the same easy fashion as Mira had done, which irked him for some reason. Pik took the driver’s seat. Erim took a seat behind Pik, while Mira led Augie to the back where they occupied the last row.
Erim turned and said, “Better hold onto something.”
Mira grabbed a long handle that ran across the back of the seat in front of her. Augie did the same.
Pik yelled something to the hippocamps and they took off like horses fresh out of the starting gate at the Kentucky Derby.
CHAPTER 4:
Augie felt the Sleeker shudder and shake all around him as it was being pulled through the water at tremendous speed by the hippocamps.
In the driver's seat Pik steered with ease, expertly maneuvering the Sleeker as close to the sea floor as he could, undoubtedly a ploy to keep the wolves off their tail, but also ensuring Augie's nerves remained on edge, who, several times was certain they were going to collide with the jagged rocks coming at them from all sides only to find that they were whisked onto a safer course at the last possible second.
It was fascinating to watch the hippocamps in motion as they propelled themselves forward so effortlessly with each powerful stroke of their muscular tails. They appeared to be following the blue emeralds hanging before them that Pik manipulated by maneuvering his end of the pole this way and that; pulling his end left meant the other end went right, pulling his end right meant the other end went left; up and down worked in the same manner. The hippocamps followed in unison and Augie couldn’t help but think of a fish following a shiny lure.
“It’s much harder than it looks,” Mira said with a note of awe in her voice.
“What are those shiny things?”
“Wimballs. They’re connected to the trimstick. The hippocamps are trained to follow them.”
“They don’t have anything in their mouths?”
Mira looked confused.
Augie tried to explain. “Our horses—”
“Horses?”
“Um, yeah,” Augie said, forgetting for a moment that his world was probably just as strange to her as theirs was to him. “It’s a big hairy animal with four legs that we ride around on.”
“Fascinating. And you put something in their mouth?”
“Yes, a piece of steel that’s attached to a rope and you pull on it to steer them.”
“Doesn’t that hurt them?”
“I guess, maybe it could,” Augie said, although he didn't know for sure.
“How barbaric!” Mira said.
He could only shrug his shoulders at her response. He supposed she was right. He'd never really thought of it that way.
The sea floor suddenly dropped away from them but instead of the ride smoothing out, it became even wilder.
Pik arced the hippocamps upward for a moment then without warning twisted the Sleeker into an upside position, where, for a moment it seemed to pause before setting into a horrifying, gut twisting dive into the darkness below. Augie grabbed on for dear life, sure that he'd left his stomach somewhere in the darkness behind them.
Mira, on the other hand, seemed to be having the best time ever. “Say what you want about him; but the man knows how to drive!” she trilled, her eyes wide with excitement.
Augie wished he could share in her enthusiasm, but was more concerned at that moment about the fact that they were headed even deeper. He tried to keep his expression even and his concern hidden from Mira, knowing that even the most cursory of glances by her would reveal the dread on in his face. He didn't want to be thought of badly by her, because for reasons that eluded him she didn't seem to be reluctant to speak to him. She was cool and exactly the type of person that would be at the very top of the 'Who's Popular' list at his school; the type of girl who turned their noses up at boys like him; the type who'd make fun of him before giving him the time of day.