by Mitch
His response was serious, “The Aquatic people know about things we know nothing about!” and let it at that.
Festival of Lights
La`no promised there would be a victory party to honor Careah and Kedar for their guiding light, piloting them through the ploys of the satanic inspired war mongrel ants. The celebration would begin on Bright Lights of Creation, the anniversary of the world’s creation. Every cottage, house, and business place was adorned with an array of bright glowing colorful lights that transformed the country into an enchanting fairyland, the celebration lasting a week.
Every person in Hi-Why-O was issued a one-day pass entitling them to eat in any restaurant and ride on any carnival ride. This included stage shows, ferry, and amphibian ships. All amphibian ships were loaded to capacity. If the weather was favorable, they would sail the outside seas at night. Since Kedar and Careah had no credits in Hi-Why-O, they were given unlimited credits to buy anything they wanted. A drawing was held, the lucky ones would have the privilege of flying in the Corsairs to see the outside world.
Hi-Why-I and Hi-Why-T, twin cities bordering each other, are popular resorts untouched by the war known for the best feasting of fresh seafood, sporting one of the most beautiful beaches in the country of Hi-Why-O. You can loll on the beach that has a pristine shoreline, miles long, and a clean sea breeze with intoxicating fragrances of fermenting flowers. Luxury beach villas, an activity center beyond one’s imagination, sailing, swimming, and playing is at its best. Browse antique shops, stroll through the specialty shops. Take a cruise on the modern aquatic luxury liner, Merica, to the outside if weather permits.
Careah and Kedar started the day with breakfast at the Breakfast Nook. The rest of the morning was sightseeing, eating, and tasting things that never crossed their palate. Large crowds followed them everywhere, children wanted to see them fly.
Won took Careah and Kedar by their hands, “Would you consider doing a show for the kids?”
Kedar responded, “Let’s do it. It will be fun. We owe it to the little ones who are very well behaved and courteous.”
Won was overjoyed and replied, “Good, we’ll start tomorrow. The amphitheater Savoy was chosen for its seating capacity; 350,000 plus.”
Their next adventure was on a glass amphibious mobile. It had bottom and side windows for viewing and studying marine life and teaching children. Kedar remarked, “This was the first time he had fun learning.” It was very exciting going on the Aquatic mobile when the moonbeam lights were on. Eels lit up in multicolor, flying fish with lights flashed in and out of the water. Sea lions had small reflectors reflecting lights off other lights. Deep water fish had lights on top of their heads to see in the deep.
There were shopping marts by the lakeside where you could buy anything the heart desired, including arcades, craft shops, sport shops, and a night club with ballroom dancing. They came to a stand of something unfamiliar, an aura of invisible aroma enveloped their nostrils. La`no explained, “It is popcorn from a ship that sailed across the ocean and traded with red people. Coming back, the ship sank in the Great Sea close to Israel. We salvaged the cargo including the corn. After planting and harvesting the corn by accident, we found it best roasted until it popped open. Won added butter and salt making it more enjoyable to eat.”
The big day arrived, Careah and Kedar were the guest VIPs in Hi-Why-O. Leaving the Bel’s, their air car glided over a smooth highway to the Savoy. The Savoy had an Aquacade entertainment section where the Aquatics’ exhibition of singing, swimming, and diving to music was performed. The high water cascade was in several steps, emptying into the most beautiful blue water pool, unlike anywhere in the world. This amazing pool was lined with colorful marble tiles and inlayed pictures of every known sea life, and all was part of the young Aquatics act. Everyone was dressed fit for a King’s ball. La`no and Won were dressed in magnanimous and dignified apparel from head to foot. Each had on their gold crowns of authority. Careah and Kedar were dressed in beautiful gorgeous outfits, each with a crown showing their royalty. Aquatic maids dressed in superb gowns of floral design in different styles, displaying their beauty floating among the arrangements of flowers, were hypnotic.
The Aquatic men’s blue uniforms were perfectly pressed, advertising every muscle was solid as blue steel. The band shell concaved hemispherical back, serving as a sounding board, so they didn’t need amplifiers, although they were used on special occasions, and this was a special occasion. La`no came out on the stage, 350,000 plus stood up and bowed slightly, then sat down without any noise and became very quiet. The audience was excitedly anticipating Careah and Kedar’s introduction, and children waited anxiously to see them fly. The heroes of the war were all seated in the loge next to La`no and Awn’s throne.
Careah and Kedar needed no introduction. As they came out on stage, everyone stood up, cheering and giving a standing ovation. La`no raised his hand to quiet the people as the Good News’s Corsair came and hovered over the stage. The Corsair’s door opened, Eli walked down several steps to the stage, motioned for Tara to come down. She turned and reentered the ship. TV cameras focused on the air ship so the people who couldn’t be there could see the show.
Nothing had ever stunned Careah, nor Kedar, up to this moment, as their four children flying out of the ship.
For the first time, Kedar was speechless, Careah’s tears flooded down her cheeks. The astonished audience stood up and applauded the most spectacular sight they had ever witnessed. The four flew to their parents, hugging, kissing, laughing, giggling, “Mom, Dad, you never expected us to come here, did you?” They replied rapturously.
“No, we did not expect this unexpected pleasure,” they said, turning to thank La`no for this reunion.
He pointed to Tara, “It was her idea to bring your family here. We shepherds agreed to let her and Eli go to your Hamlet, and convinced your children to come here.”
Tara whispered to Careah and Kedar, “Believe me it took a lot of convincing and begging even to get them in the Corsair. We had to promise to go back and get their girl and boy friends if they liked it here.”
Careah responded, “Won said you are a connoisseur of people, I would add you are a connoisseur of human hearts.” The young fliers were escorted to the loge where Ke`no, Te`ro, and their friends were. When the excitement subsided, the show started.
Aquatic people would perform first. Nowhere in the world are better singers swimming and diving to music than Aquatic ladies There has never been a greater performance executed to perfection, flawlessly. Aquatic children stole the show; the little tikes really were showing off for the younger Wees. Their dancing water act was rhythmical art in motion. 32 Aquatic children, five years and younger, sat on open pipe ends; water was level in the pool. Each time the musical notes in the song were played, a child or children would be pushed up in the air sitting on top of the waterspout. Different height depended on the volume and pressure of the water for each note. They received more laughs and applauds than the rest of the show put together, especially when several did acrobats on top of the bouncing spouts or swayed with the rhythm. The Aquatic’s program lasted two hours.
Next, Careah and Kedar were to demonstrate shooting the bow. Careah’s eyes fell on several Aquatic children. She asked the children to come up on-stage. As the children were coming on-stage, the audience sounded like a beehive being disturbed with a stick. Never dreamed what was going to happen to the children. Careah, more than glanced at them, seeing the sweetest, most loving angelic smiles. Their eyes had the eagerness of a child at their own birthday party anticipating opening their presents. Careah went to Queen Ador and whispered in her ear. The Queen nodded yes with a wide grin, then went to Won and whispered in her ear. Won informed her, “Every Aquatic child is very talented and extraordinarily brave. I get a giddy feeling watching the Aquatic children playing with ours in the surf, digging in the sand, scouring for special shells. I think it will be great, yes, do it.”
Careah an
d Kedar went to the children. One of the Aquatic boys cocked his head to one side and his eyes crinkled when he smiled, and he giggled like a coly bird. Careah took him by his hand and waited for Kedar. The one Kedar went to had a deep easy laugh that turned into the giggles of a humming bird (the giggle of the humming bird is not audible to humans), his eyes flashing with excitement. They each cradled the boys in their arms and began to rise very slowly, wings spread wide, lifting them higher and higher. The crowd began to clap with “wows” and “oohs.” From high up, they turned around and did slow figure eights and long lazy loops.
Trouble in the Deep
Kedar spotted something that wasn’t right about a mile or so out in the lake. Water was churning, bubbles breaking the surface, and a heavy spray zigzagging high into the air. He motioned for Careah to look where he was pointing. As they descended to leave the children with their parents, he spoke into the video watch La`no had given him and described what they saw. La`no called his men to meet him at the boat dock. His men were waiting, boat jets idling, he and Eli jumped in and jetted in the direction Kedar had taken. Kedar was closing in on the sight, Careah following with bows and arrows ready. She yelled, “It looks like an Aquatic man tangled in something quite large.” Before they got there, the Aquatic man, and whatever it was, disappeared beneath the water.
They could see the Aquatic man trying to free himself from the creature’s corkscrew hold, but he kept losing his footing on the smooth lake bottom. Kedar wanted desperately to help the man, but fifty feet of water forbid his help. He bellowed, “What can we do? The creature is squeezing the life out of him!” The water churning violently sent sudsy foam to the surface, making it almost impossible to see what was happening. It was hopeless for either one to help the Aquatic man.
Careah pointed, seeing torpedo-shaped bodies coming carrying forked spears like Sargo speed boats inches from their feet with La`no and his men in the speed boat not far behind. The lead Aquatic man howled, “It’s Flash!” then yelled, “that thing has to be stopped fast!” They tried to attack the creature but with little success. Sarg lunged and grabbed its tail but let go as if he had been hit by lightning. His white eyes darkened as he, body shaking violently, rolled over on his back, then rose to the surface.
By then, the speedboat was above Flash and the creature. Again, the Aquatic men using their forked spears attacked at battle-ramming speed, penetrated its tough skin, causing it to go to the surface spinning and rolling. La`no and Eli were holding strange wicked looking bows with short deadly arrows in it. Kedar had helped La`no and Eli make two crossbows several days ago. He taught them how to shoot until they could hit a two-inch spot at a hundred feet.
Kedar and Careah were above its head but dare not shoot for hitting Flash. Careah flew closer to its head for a better target. The creature saw Careah, it had in mind a brutal intent, and made an upswing gliding toward the surface to grab her. As its head appeared above the water, arrows slammed into its head. Its grim mouth opened large enough to swallow her in one gulp. Shaking its head violently, trying to free the arrows, it let out a horrible hissing scream. Sparks flew between the two arrows, causing its blood to boil.
It untangled enough to let Flash free only to wrap him again. Flash frantically tried getting his arms free to use his tempered blue steel knife. Finally, his knife yielding arm freed and he made deep gashes in its side. Then came an unseen surge of electrical voltage shooting to the knife, up his arm, causing his body to jerk violently. The knife fell to the lake’s bottom. The voltage seared through him, causing his body to stiffen, excruciating pain twisted his face, then he went limp and slipped into darkness. As the creature rolled, tightening its grip on Flash, they could see his eyes were open but not moving.
The slimy creature’s large head turned toward the sound of the hissing boat. It screamed a quivering cry, still squeezing Flash, and streaked for the speedboat. La`no and Eli, a little nervous, had the crossbows aimed at its head. No command was given; their forefingers touched the hair triggers simultaneously. No one saw the two spent high-velocity arrows until they hit. One in the right eye, the other in its open mouth. The arrows did not slow the crazy creature even for a second. It collided with brute force, penetrating the boat’s hard bow, blood seeping from its wounds, uninviting mouth open, white fangs gleaming dripping poison, and struck for its nearest victim. Two more crossbow arrows hit it in its accordion throat, right below the jaw.
It became more vicious, lashing about, and smashed the left side of the boat, nearly upsetting it. The boat filled with water instantly and all abandoned the sinking boat. The critter turned insane with a killing glare, smashing the water with its long tail. Kedar’s voice echoed, “The brain, we have to hit its brain!” It turned for the Aquatic men and grabbed one by the leg as the creature’s head came out of the water.
Someone yelled, “It is Rush in its jaws. Kedar and Careah had several arrows in the creature’s brain, there was an explosion of scarlet mixed with green slime. Its screaming rent the air before it died. It released Flash and he slowly sank to the bottom. Rush would need several stitches in his leg. A surge of life revived Sarg, he rolled upright, grabbed the creature, and headed out into the deep where other sharks helped him dispose of it. The Aquatic men grabbed Flash and took him to the surface as Queen Ador met them. She had heard someone saying in Won’s wrist video watch that Flash was killed by the creature. She streaked to her husband’s lifeless body, screaming,”Flash, Flash," weeping and sobbing.
Won and Tara were there with the speedboat that she and Tara designed for more speed than any other speedboat. It had twin atomic jets aft and a huge tilt atomic turbines jet providing propulsion on the bottom for lift and direction. Secretly, it had been clocked at nearly twice the speed of any boat. Placing the Queen’s husband in the boat, they arrived on shore in no time flat. Their doctor was waiting to examine Flash. After he was satisfied, he pronounced him dead.
There was a deadly silence after the announcement. Queen Ador broke down weeping, crying, “My darling Flash, please come back.” Eli jumped on Flash, pushing on his back trying to press the water out of his lungs. He noticed burn marks on his body, turned him over, made a fist, and hit Flash on his chest over his heart. Nothing happened; again, he smashed Flash on his chest. Flash’s men came at Eli ready to pounce on him thinking he was mad. When Eli raised his fist and hit him again with a smashing blow, the Aquatic men dragged him off of Flash, ready to tear him apart. Flash’s unconscious body moved, his eyes flickered as his lips tried to form words. He tried sitting up, Eli broke free of the Aquatic men and forced him to lie still.
Queen Ador was all over Eli, hugging and kissing him and got on her knees sobbing, weeping, and crying, “How can I ever repay you? I will always be indebted to you, Eli, always!”
Won and Tara, who had tears flowing down their cheeks, came and hugged him as his wife flooded him with kisses and whispered, “I really love you!”
The Aquatic men, ashamed, came and knelt before Eli, head and eyes lowered, reaching for his hand to kiss it. He humbly asked them to rise saying, “Bow to no man, only to the Lord.”
The Aquatic men confessed, “We love our leader more than anyone can say, if ever you need anything within our reach, it is yours!”
Queen Ador’s tears magnified her sparkling light-jade eyes as she went to Careah and Kedar, speaking with a soft smile, “Thank you, my dear friends, for your sharp eyes and helping my husband.” Again, she snapped a smile tracing her feminine characteristic, proving she was all woman. Careah noticed she was one of the most vibrant women in or out of the water. Queen Ador turned to La`no, “You people are the most precious possessions a person can have.”
Finally, Eli let Flash sit up and all got quiet as he looked at Eli, saying, “If I would have had the strength when you hit me, I would have punched you back.” Everyone broke out laughing. Flash could only shake his head as he got up and clapped him on the back, putting his arms around him, “Thank you, my wo
rthy friend.”
The doctor looked at Eli, “I do not understand, how you knew to hit Flash over his heart?”
"One day, I saw electricians working on number four derrick. The younger of the two touched a high voltage wire leading from the transformer to the ceiling lights. He dropped over and didn’t move. His buddy checked his pulse and breathing, there was neither, so he declared, ‘He is dead, Eli.’
“I went to help get him down from the top platform. Before I got up there, he slipped out of his buddy’s hands and fell to the platform below on his chest, bounced to the next platform, landing on his chest again. Somehow, his body rolled over the edge, and again, he fell to the last platform on his chest. By the time we got to him, he sat up in a daze, burn marks were on his body also. We made him lie back down until he gained his senses. They asked me to say nothing because they had been fooling around. Since he was okay, I had forgotten about it until now.”
The doctor thanked Eli for doing their country a great service. He related, “Up till now, no one has survived a deadly shock, it has always been fatal. I must do a study on this.” Then he asked Flash, “Why didn’t your men get electrocuted when they jabbed with their forks?”
“We have rubber handles on the forks for a better grip.”
Careah asked, “What was that terrible thing?”
Flash volunteered, “It was a large, overgrown freakish lamprey; an electric eel.”
His wife came back at him almost scolding, “If you knew it was an eel and that big, why did you go out there alone?”
“I wasn’t sure what it was until I got close. It was closing in on Sarg’s mate. As I hit it with my fork, it took me down to the lake bottom, preventing me calling for help. If it had not been for the Wees, Eli, and the rest of you, I may not be alive.”
Most of the audience had gathered at the lakeshore to see what was happening. Since everyone was safe, it was decided everyone would go home, come back, and resume the show the next day. Eli got a call from his editor to check on a disturbance on the outside world. He and his wife left for home saying they would meet later.