"But it's not real," Stu said. "Once he realizes he's surrounded by zombies, he'll hate it."
"Then he can follow us home then, right?" Crystal argued.
"Ella couldn't," Stu reasoned. "The only way she says she can be free is if a new King or Queen takes her place. John might be trapped here forever."
"I see."
"And there's another thing," Stu continued.
"What's that?" Crystal asked.
"What if he doesn't give us our freedom? What if he doesn't want us to leave, and keeps us against our will?"
Crystal couldn't imagine John would stoop so low, but this place was definitely having a bad effect on him. There was no telling what he'd do.
They picked up the pace and fell in step with the others.
"How long will it take us to reach the bay?" John asked.
"We can get there in several hours if we don't stop," Jake answered.
There were more pressing things to consider than John's ambition. "So, when we get there, how are we going to find this Ursula... thing?" Crystal asked. "I mean, she's a mermaid, right? So, won't we need some kind of boat?"
"Yes," Jake said.
"And just how are we going to get one of those?" John asked.
"There will be one waiting for us in the bay. The Queen has arranged it."
Nic snorted. "That's very considerate of her."
"She has also arranged for us to stay at an inn by the bay later this afternoon. There you must rest and eat, for we put to sea at midnight. That's when she's supposed to be most active."
"Sailing in the dark. In a rickety boat. With a man-hating ugly mermaid. Just awesome." John's laugh had no humor. "Well at least we get dinner and a movie before we face death. I should write and thank Ella for that."
"Dinner and a movie?" Jake asked.
"Never mind him, Jake," Nic said. "He's being sarcastic."
"I see." Though it was obvious to all that he didn't.
"It's so funny," Crystal said, looking at the houses all around them. “All these homes but no people. Where is everyone?"
The words had barely left her mouth when the walkers came out of their houses en-masse. They did not interact with the strange group but went straight to their regular routine of drifting on by.
"I wish you'd kept your mouth shut," John said. "These people give me the creeps."
Crystal had to agree with him. "Sorry."
Jake came to a sudden halt. "Oh, I almost forgot. I'm to give you these.” He raised his cloak and wriggled out a large burlap sack slung over his shoulder. They all huddled around to see what it was he was carrying. He opened the sack and withdrew the weapons they had taken from Jake's place. "Here. For when you have need of them."
"So, we are getting weapons!" John said, looking a little relieved. He took his sword, Nic took her short sword, and Crystal took her dagger. Crystal stared at her dagger, and though it was a little reassuring to have it back, thought she was terrified that this time, she might have to finally use it.
The day was wearing on. Crystal's feet were getting sore, and she hoped they'd reach the tavern soon. She was starving.
The clusters of buildings thinned out around them, and the cries of sparrows and coos of pigeons were replaced by the shrill cry of gulls forever flocking overhead. John bent down and picked up a stone. Looking up, he threw it at them as they hovered a few feet over their heads.
"I'm tired of all this walking."
"And stoning gulls helps this, does it?" Nic asked.
"That one had it coming."
"Child."
"Nag."
"Stop it, you two," Crystal said. "Your silliness isn't helping at all."
"Maybe not," John said. "But it makes me feel better."
They soon came up to a single-story building that was longer than the others. Though still white, it had a flapping wooden sign over the front just like any other pub Crystal had seen on television. This one was called, The Lady Jade. Seeing her sister's name like that made her think of home and how much she missed it.
Jake also looked up at the sign and came to a stop right outside the door. "This is it. We will rest here, get something to eat, and perhaps get a few hours' sleep."
"Then what?" Nic asked. Turning to Crystal she said, "Why is it named after your sister? Has Ella read your mind or something?" Crystal could only shrug, she didn't know, but hoped not.
"Then we walk to the docks, which are not far from here, and begin our quest."
John shrugged and was the first to push inside. Nic followed him in, and Jake ushered Stu and Crystal in after them. The first thing Crystal noticed were the walkers inside, although they were more aptly called sitters, because they were all sitting down and staring blankly ahead. In fact, the only people on their feet were serving boys and girls, although who they were serving was unclear, since they just carried trays from one end of the bar area to another, but never picked anything up or put anything down. As if they were just going through the motions, like faulty machines.
John made his way over to a large, empty table at the far side of the room and the others followed him there.
John watched a serving girl as she wandered by and raised his hand to get her attention. She turned at once, and with a huge smile, came to stand by his side.
"What can I get you, love?"
Was that a British accent?
"What's good here? I could eat a horse."
The girl laughed and leaned over their table, so John had a very clear view of her boobage, which strained to escape from her wench dress. "I'm afraid we don't have any horse, sir, but I'm sure a big strong fellow like you would like something meaty?" John made no attempt to look away and a big fat grin spread over his face.
"Ow!" John said, looking daggers at Nic. Crystal guessed Nic had kicked him under the table.
"This isn't Hooters, you know," Nic said.
"Don't I know it," John replied, rubbing his ankle.
"We have an awesome pie," said the girl. "Steak and mushroom. And there's potatoes and lashings of gravy, too. Would you like to order some?"
Crystal realized the girl had just named her favorite meal, which Mom made for them on Sunday afternoons.
"Same for everyone," Jake said. "And a jug of water, as soon as you can."
"Very good, sir."
When she left, Crystal checked out the room. "It's a very quiet place," she said. No sooner had she said the words than the whole place became alive with chatter and laughter. She looked up and raised an eyebrow. "I hate it when this place does that."
Stu smirked and nodded. "This place definitely responds to your requests."
Crystal frowned curiously and inched forward across the table. "Yes. Some of them. Not the questions we want answered though, like, how do we get home?"
They all nodded their heads in agreement, looking sad.
"So, Jake, this Ursula mermaid thing," Crystal said. "She swims about at night in a great big bay, so really, she could be anywhere."
"Right," Jake said.
"Well excuse me for being stupid, but tell me, how exactly are we supposed to find her?"
"With bait," replied Jake simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What bait? What do you have to do to catch a mermaid?"
"Light."
"Light?" Nic asked.
"Yes, light. As Queen Ella explained, she is a creature of the day by right, her affliction has made her a slave to the darkness. She is drawn to any light source, just like a moth to a flame."
"So?" Crystal asked.
"So, we'll draw her in with fishing lanterns. We'll just hand them on a long pole and extend them out over the water. Fish are attracted to them and thus are easier to catch with a net." He paused, then looked away, but not before Crystal saw fear in his eyes. "Ursula will also be attracted."
"And once we attract her, what then?" Stu asked.
"That I cannot say."
"Fab," John said. "How dangerous
is she?"
"Very. It's said her teeth are so sharp she can bite through limbs, and her claws can shred the planking of a boat's hull. If she has her way, she'll have us all dead and at the bottom of the sea before the sun rises. So, keep your wits about you. Eat your fill of the food here, for you will need your strength. When we're done, we each have a room to rest in. I shall come for you when it is time for us to leave. Just as the sun sets."
"How shall we stay awake? When we were in the palace, we all fell asleep at sunset."
"That magic only works inside the palace itself. Not beyond its walls. Have no fear, you'll wake when you need to."
"Maybe we can call reception from our rooms and request a wake-up call?" Nic said, but no one laughed.
They all fell into a contemplative silence. Crystal stared at her hands. What hope do we have against a sea-thing in the dead of night? She thought about each of her friends. How would Ella determine a single winner, she wondered? They were all in this together after all. And what would become of the losers? She put her elbows on the table, locked her fingers and, resting her chin on them, stared blankly into space.
Questions, questions. She was pretty sure of one thing. Whatever happened with this Ursula, it would not be the end of their trials. She closed her eyes, and pretended she was home with her mother and Jade. She would do anything to be home with them now.
And what was keeping that pie? Had they fallen asleep in the kitchen? She was starving! She'd need all her strength if she was going to tackle that horrible oily mermaid! She glared over toward the kitchen door and hoped the waitress would return soon with their food.
Somnia by Night
Well, the steak pie was simply amazing, and Crystal was fit to pop! But more than anything she needed to rest, so she made her excuses and allowed the booby waitress to walk her up to her room.
"Here we go then, love. It's the nicest room in the inn, this is. I'm sure you'll be very comfortable. Nothing but the best for guests of our Queen and all that. Can I get you anything else?"
"No thank you," Crystal said, as she took in her room. It looked so inviting with its crisp, white linen on the bed, and a cozy recliner by the window where she could look out to the sea. And what a beautiful view it was! She could see the boats sailing peacefully through the calm bay, reminding her of something though she couldn't put her finger on exactly what.
"No," she repeated. "I think I have everything I need."
"Alright then, love," said the girl. "You know where to find me if you change your mind!"
As soon as the waitress closed the door, Crystal jumped across the room and landed on the bed with a soft thud! She sank at once into the comfy mattress and pulled the pillows close around her head. This was very nice, she thought. It was very nice indeed.
With the windows open, and the sea breeze flowing into her chamber, Crystal soon fell into a deep, and undisturbed sleep. How long she was out for she couldn't say, but she was so rested, she had hardly ruffled a sheet or moved a pillow. Her eyes opened at last, and when she remembered where she was, she closed them again and wished herself asleep again.
But that wasn't going to happen. After a few minutes of trying, Crystal gave up. She rose from her bed and dressed. It was a little reassuring to be in a room with windows for a change. She walked over to look outside. The sun was low on the horizon, and it lit the bay a brilliant shade of pink. She had seen a sunset like this once before. But that was a long time ago when she was very little. When her dad was still with them. Oh, such a long time ago. The shadowy silhouette of ship-like vessels slipped calmly through the still waters. They were so peculiar––some modern, some old-fashioned, and other styles she had never seen before.
She recognized a Spanish galleon, and what looked like a Roman trireme with banks of oars, and an Arabian dhow with its distinctive triangular sail, plus an assortment of fishing boats of varying sizes, with their nets spread. As she watched, the trireme's oars began to move in unison and the ships' sails billowed out, swelled by the breeze. It was as if they had all been waiting for someone to look.
They drifted past each other; each vessel apparently oblivious to the others around it. But what does it all mean? she wondered.
Crystal put her hand on the cold windowsill and gazed out across the waters. How beautiful it is. And how eerie. Somewhere out in those strange waters, Ursula was swimming. Perhaps, even now she might be calling to a ship's crew members, luring them all to a watery grave.
A sudden shiver ran down Crystal's spine. Soon she would be out there, too, their craft just another shadow viewed from the shore. If they perished in those quiet waters, what then? For the first time since arriving in this stupid land, tears welled in her eyes. What if I never see my mother again? Or Jade? If I die here, they will never know what happened to me. They will never be able to bury my body. She thought about her dad. But she wasn't missing him right now. In fact, if anything, she felt a little angry, though she wasn't quite sure why.
A knock on her door swept away her thoughts and she straightened up and dried her eyes.
"Come in."
Jake stuck his head around the door. "I hope you got some rest. It's time we started."
"Yes, I'm almost ready. Are the others all out there?"
"Yes. You're the last."
"Okay, give me a minute or two. I'll need to use the thingy."
Jake closed the door quietly behind him. She looked back out the window. The sun was slipping beneath the horizon and soon it would be dark. The images on the water were still out there, but harder to see. The growing darkness did not bring her comfort.
Crystal took a deep breath, dried her eyes, then went to join the others. They were waiting for her just outside the inn. They were all holding fresh torches, and Jake held two; and offered one to her. Just as she stepped out onto the road the sun slipped down behind the horizon, and they all turned to watch it. What if that is the last time we see the sun? Ugh. Stop it. This sort of thought doesn't help. She shook her head and turned back to her friends. Just as the last glimmer of light faded, the buildings around them began to change.
"Whoaaaa!" said Stu. The once-white, and perfectly picturesque buildings became dark and shadowy. They decayed before their very eyes and were now nothing more than broken ruins. What little light the streets offered revealed monstrous shadows which crept and strangled any object in their path.
Looking down, Crystal watched with awe as her pure white dress returned to its original color. She was getting to like the tingle, like the massage of a million butterfly wings all at the same time. In fact, all their clothes changed at once. It was like a huge pot of dye came from the sky and was bleeding through the fabric.
"Holy crap," Nic said. "It's happening again!"
"Why is everything so spooky now?” John asked. "Last time, everything just turned black."
"It is the hour of dreams," Jake replied. "Not all dreams are pleasant ones. Come, let's go down to the dock. Our boat should be waiting."
They instinctively huddled close to each other and followed Jake down to the water's edge. No one spoke. The shadows around them were too menacing, and the atmosphere too daunting to encourage any kind of normal banter between the friends.
“For the record, whoever's dreams these are, they suck," John said.
Crystal lowered her eyes. She had a pretty good idea who's dream they were living now. She hoped she was wrong.
"Do we really have to go out on the water tonight?" Nic said. “Can’t we wait until tomorrow? I don't mind saying, I'm scared."
Jake's voice was low, as if afraid to be heard. "As you should be. There are things out here, yet to be discovered."
"Yet to be discovered?" Nic repeated softly.
"Yes. As in all dreams, there are infinite possibilities. Who knows what we'll bump into here at the docks? I know of just some of them. The monsters that come by night are said to be the most terrifying. Stay close everyone, just in case. And watch your backs."
None of them needed to be told a second time. Crystal's heart jumped now at every strange shadow, and she stayed close behind Jake, waving her torch into every ominous-looking corner. She waved her torch into a lot of corners.
After a little while, they reached the boats. They were all moored in a straight line along a great wooden pier that ran for maybe half a mile. The dock was lit by a series of spooky green lanterns that gave off a little light, but not much. There was an eclectic bunch of vessels, ranging from fairly modern craft, to some really ancient looking ones. Some were a fair size, big enough to carry thirty or so people; and some were tiny rowboats, big enough to carry just one soul. Crystal hoped their boat would be a good size. I don't want to capsize out there in that black soup.
"Which is ours?" she asked.
Jake pointed to a large one, just a few feet in front of them. "That one. With the curly Q.E. on it."
"Q.E?"
"Queen Ella."
"I see." Funny, but this boat reminded Crystal of the Viking vessel she had recently seen in class. It had an imposing dragon warhead at its bow, and a dragon tail at its stern. A single striped sail was fully open, ready for launch. In the center of the sail was another ornate QE, though this was entwined within a nest of back, sharp thorns. A gentle breeze caught the fabric and it flapped like baby-thunder. Lit by the eerie pale light of the green lanterns, on deck and on board, the boat was both impressive and menacing at the same time.
"Ummm, can anyone actually sail a boat?" Nic asked.
"My dad has a speed boat," Stu said. "I've taken that out on the Chesapeake Bay on my own a few times."
"I don't think that's gonna help us much with this,” Nic said. "Unless you ever had a sail boat or worked with oars."
"Nope, can't say I ever did. I'm all steering wheel and vroom vroom," Stu replied.
"I rowed a small dingy once," John said. "But I mean, jeez, it was nothing like the size of this thing."
"Well, I think we're all about to get a crash lesson in rowing,” Crystal said.
"Just don't say sink or swim," Nic said. "I don't think I could handle the puns."
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