* * *
Later that evening, Kyhawn, Earron, and Coita took off to white sand beach with their sleeping gear and cabacs. “We need to watch out for the white flower trees,” Coita said, looking around as if they were going to jump out at them.
“You can be sure none are anywhere near,” Kyhawn remarked. “Some of the others and I have already searched high and low for the white flowers. But be careful when you go to the waterfall lake. There are two of them growing on the left side near the waterfall.”
“We know.” Earron hurried along with a lantern in hand.
Before they reached the beach, Kyhawn once again explained his sandcastle theory to them. Though Coita thought the idea worthless, he went along anyway. Soon Earron and Coita’s bare feet were stepping on the white grains of sand. Kyhawn dropped his sleeping gear and cabac and sat on the ledge where the trees ended and the sand began. He laid his coat aside and pulled off his high cut leather boots. As he rolled up his shirtsleeves, he couldn’t understand why his friends never wore anything to protect their feet. He shrugged off the thought, and with a lantern in hand went to the water’s edge alongside Earron. “You’re using a cup. That’s a good idea,” Kyhawn said as he went for his dagger. “This will do me well,” he smiled.
Coita sat in the sand not far away from the shallow cliffs. He scooped a cup full of sand and started to construct a sandcastle. “You two can make yours together. I’m going to make a real tall one of my own.” He pressed his knees into the sand, laid his cup aside, and began to move the sand into a pile.
As they began to dream about lost treasures of their own, their doubts about whether a dagger-key would appear faded into the nearby waves. Coita, who had never made a sandcastle on his own before, glanced back and forth from Earron and Kyhawn to his pile, looking for guidance. Once he felt his pile was high enough, he started to square off the sides with his dagger, then laid it aside and started using his cup again.
“Yours is sure looking smart.” Earron stared at Coita’s sandcastle, then scooped up another cup of sand to make a tower on his own.
Kyhawn had carved a set of steps leading to an arched door. “This is starting to look like the one in my dreams,” he said with a smile as he leaned back to have a better view. When suddenly the moonlight reflected off his dagger, his dreams flashed through his mind. “It’s going to be here after the tide drops tomorrow morning.”
Shortly after Kyhawn and Earron had their sandcastle finished, it began to sprinkle. Moments later the moon disappeared; then it became a downpour. “Not again,” Coita groaned as he got to his feet and kicked his sandcastle.
Abandoning the idea, they gathered their belongings and headed back to camp. There they found many of the others inside the sleeping cabin where it was nice and warm. The rest of that evening they enjoyed the music composed by the two playing their stringed instruments.
The following morning, Kyhawn, Earron and Coita felt discouraged when they discovered the dagger-key hadn’t appeared like they had hoped. Kyhawn wanted to tell them the dagger-key had come from the chest, then mysteriously parted from it somehow, but instead he respected the captain’s wishes about not saying a word. Finally all he did was look at them. “I don’t know. I guess it rained too hard on the sandcastles before the tide covered them.”
As Earron gave Kyhawn a doubtful look, Coita kicked Kyhawn and Earron’s washed-out castle, stared angrily at Kyhawn, and took off to camp without saying a word to either of them.
Later that day, they discovered Gelhona and Jayden were missing. Though they were concerned, it wasn’t until the following day they began to worry greatly about their fate.
It was during that time, to raise everyone’s spirit, while waiting for the first of the three scheduled ships to pass, many of them began to set up a make-do camp at the clearing under the trees behind the bonfire shelter. The Captain thought this an exhalent idea. It gave many of them a sense of hope and something to keep them busy. However, the wait seemed endless as they cut and gathered wood for both the make-do camp, and firewood.
As the day passed, Kyhawn felt alone. His idea the dagger-key would show up again seemed hopeless. “Why doesn’t it appear? Can it be the rain?” The thought tore at him like pages of faith within himself were being ripped from his soul.
Coita refused to speak with him.
While Kyhawn helped to strengthen the wood shelter at the clearing, Earron did his best to get Kyhawn and Coita on speaking terms, but his efforts proved worthless. Coita stayed as far away from Kyhawn as possible. When Earron approached Coita, all Coita would say is, “He thinks he knows it all.”
Nonetheless, as the bonfire burned strong, and they waited for a ship to come their way, both positive and negative emotions filled the air. “It’s useless to waste good firewood we could be cooking with,” Darhcir said as he stood next to a much smaller fire and stirred a large pot of stew hanging over it.
“When’s it going to be time to eat?” complained crew-Zac Luxton, and two passengers with him.
“When I say,” Darhcir replied, not caring for Luxton’s impatient attitude.
Luxton frowned, while him and his two friends went to the other side of the clearing.
A moment later while Darhcir added some spies. A passenger dressed in her fancy garments, walking her pet caterpillar on a leash waved pleasantly at Darhcir. “The stew smells delightful.” She continued to smile, as her Oowed servant stood nearby. And as the two of them continued to chat about this and that the space between them grew thin.
Meanwhile rain fell off and on throughout the day without any signs of a sea vessel, even the looking glass’s they used to spot ships coming thus far seemed useless, but that day too faded as the sun started to vanish beyond the horizon. As there were no signs of Gelhona and Jayden, many feared they had been eaten alive by a white flower tree. Wanting with all their hearts to be rescued, most of them remained at the clearing talking about ways in which they might warn a passing ship about the sea creatures. They finally decided to use a seashell horn.
“But they’ll have to be close to hear it,” Tobben remarked as he scratched his green skin where a bug had bitten him.
“Heck, it’s a cruise ship.” Dylc implied. “It’d have to be one enormous sea monster to reach the deck of a cruise ship that isn’t half sunk. And the captain has already informed us the seashell horns will do,” Dylc argued. “Do you have a better idea?” he asked as his thoughts started to turn toward Jayden and Gelhona.
Tobben shook his head. “No. I’m sorry to say I don’t. But Zeal and I are working on it.”
Dylc slowly nodded. “Let us know if you do. But as far as I’m concerned the seashell horns will capture their attention. Even if they have to drop anchor near the shallow cliffs in order to reach us, there is no way those sea monsters are going to be able to reach the main deck.”
Dylc felt restless. After talking with the captain, Washburrn, and Alil about taking a search party out to find Jayden and Gelhona, he felt some satisfaction knowing the captain was in complete agreement, along with the others. Before the hour was out, Dylc and a few others were fast on their way to search for them. But after searching much of the island except for the ruins, they returned a day later empty handed, with on signs of them or anyone else.
As their conversation of what might have happened to them grew old, Dylc and those who went with him joined the others on the clearing in their wait for a ship to rescue them. The night faded, and the endless wait became another day. Meanwhile the captain regained his eyesight well enough to come to the beach with Shellean and Nevets.
During this time Kyhawn stood on the clearing next to the shallow cliffs when he noticed storm clouds approaching. The thought soon faded as he got on his knees, looked over the cliffs, and studied the waves splashing against the rocks beneath him. He glanced at Washburrn, Alil, and Dylc.
Washburrn and Alil looked at him, waiting for him to speak. Washburrn peer
ed into his large brown eyes. “You’re rubbing your chin. Now what’s going on in that creative head of yours?”
“It’s about both the rain and the sea creatures. Earron and I have put an idea together in order to warn the ship about them. Plus,” Kyhawn said with excitement, “we might be able to take the life boats out to the ship if they aren’t able to dock in front of the cliffs. I mean, that’s if my theory proves true.”
“Well, then let’s hear this theory of yours?”
“When we first arrived, it was raining. None of us saw any strange sea creatures then. Haven’t you guys noticed that every time we did see them, it wasn’t raining? A sprinkle maybe, but nothing hard.”
Kyhawn’s theory baffled Dylc, who didn’t like puzzles of any type. He wanted things to be plain and simple. “What’s your point, Kyhawn? Who keeps track of such nonsense?”
“Hold on there, Dylc,” Washburrn said. “I think I know what he’s getting at. Go on, Kyhawn.”
Dylc stood before them with skeptical eyes, and his arms crossed. “I’m listening.”
“When it does rain, those sea creatures don’t bother us when we’re in the water. Like the other night when La’mamm, or whoever he was, anyway when they took the boat out the only time those creatures attacked them… it wasn’t raining.” Kyhawn looked at Dylc with his hands out in front. Kyhawn’s hands moved up and down as he spoke. It was as if he had to use his hands to help get his point across. “Dylc, sir… the only time anyone has been attacked, it hasn’t been raining.”
Before Kyhawn had a chance to finish, Coita held the looking glass above his head and shouted, “SHIP! There—there’s the ship. Out there.” He jabbed the looking glass into the wind.
Earron grabbed the looking glass. A moment later he shouted, “I see it!” Everyone stood up in excitement.
Soon the ship was in view for all to see. Everyone on the beach and clearing had a look of hope in their eyes. Kyhawn quickly finished explaining his theory to Washburrn.
While Washburrn and Kyhawn stood alone, Washburrn gave him an odd look. “Sounds a bit farfetched, but if so, we’ll need to hurry. Odds are they’ve seen the island by now.” He shook his head. “I’ll make sure there’s a lifeboat on the beach before you and your friends return.”
“Thanks, Washburrn—thanks for believing in me.” Kyhawn clapped him on his shoulder and quickly went up to Earron. “You ready?”
“Yeah, I want to see if this will really work.”
Coita came up. “Where you guys going?”
Earron turned to him, “Come on, we need your help.” Earron quickly explained what they had planned.
Coita shrugged. “Whatever,” he said as he thought, First he thinks a key will appear on a washed-out sandcastle, but it didn’t. He’s come up with some weird ideas before, but this one cracks the ice. He thinks he knows everything.
Caught up in the excitement, Earron and Coita found it difficult to leave. Trapped on an island filled with adventure, they wanted to stay a while longer, but at the same time they didn’t want to get left behind there.
Captain Joenf squinted as he peered through the looking glass he had taken from his cloak. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to dock the ship’s bow out in front of the shallow cliffs.” He slightly smiled, handing the looking glass to Nevets who was waiting impatiently for his own look. Nevets placed his walking crutches beside him and smiled.
Alil crouched beside them as they sat on the edge of white sand beach. “Washburrn and Kyhawn have an idea to at least warn them about the sea monsters. Even if those monsters aren’t able to reach the main decks, the least we can do is caution them about the monsters being in the waters.”
The Captain looked at Alil and nodded with a look of concern.
Moments later they heard the voices of Zeal and Washburrn.
“What in Goducess’s creation are you Zacs going to do with that lifeboat?” Captain Joenf asked as they hurried past dragging the life boat. Alil, Nevets and Shellean also had a curious look on their faces.
“We don’t have time to explain.” Washburrn gestured at Zeal to keep moving. “Where’s Kyhawn?” Washburrn exclaimed.
“There they are.” Zeal nodded to one side.
“Make room, make room!” Earron shouted as he, Kyhawn, and Coita came up alongside them in a rush to get down to the waters edge.
“What are they doing?” Nevets moved his crutches even closer to his side with one hand, while he placed his other hand over his healing stub below his knee and looked at them enviously.
The captain grabbed hold of Earron’s arm. “What are you youngsters doing with those dummies?”
“We don’t have time to explain, sir. Just hope it works.” Kyhawn gave Shellean a small smile as he went by her.
The captain, Alil, and Nevets shook their heads.
“Hurry up with it!” Washburrn slung his hood back. “We don’t have much time.”
Kyhawn put one dummy into the lifeboat and tied it in place. And with the help of the tide, they pushed the lifeboat out to sea. Although skeptical of the idea, they were all hoping Kyhawn would prove them wrong. Shortly after they launched the lifeboat, thunder echoed across the sky, but there was still no rain. Moments later the lifeboat was attacked by a sea creature.
“Wow—look at that!” Earron’s eyes lit up with alarm.
Coita looked at it fearfully. “It’s almost longer than an average fishing boat.”
Everyone was in awe. The gigantic tentacle crushed the lifeboat, but as soon as drops of rain started to fall, the tentacle disappeared under the waves leaving the dummy behind. It was as if the creature was afraid of the rain, Kyhawn thought. Seconds later the lifeboat split apart and vanished underwater.
Washburrn stared at Kyhawn, baffled. “Terrific—now I suppose since it’s raining, we’re going to sacrifice an additional lifeboat.”
“You saw the creature go under when it started raining. How else are we going to know?”
However, the captain and Dylc were not amused. The captain got to his feet. “Washburrn, I forbid you to launch another lifeboat.” He shook his cane, almost losing his balance.
Washburrn turned to the captain. “It’s raining. Don’t worry.” He wasn’t sure if he believed in Kyhawn’s theory, but he wanted to, and so did everyone else.
The captain waved his arm. “All right, go on,” he groaned. “We’re not going to get off this island on those lifeboats anyhow.”
Earron and Coita strapped the second dummy into another lifeboat. Kyhawn and Washburrn waded into the water waist deep and shoved the lifeboat out to sea.
Alil tried to stop them. “You’ll be killed!” she yelled.
“Don’t go out too far,” Earron pleaded, the waves brushing against his ankles. He worried, but deep down he wanted to believe in his good friends theory.
A passenger shouted, “Oh my! Hurry—there’s one of those snake monsters.”
“That’s only the dummy floating,” another passenger said.
“They’re going to waste another lifeboat,” Nevets complained. “There’s no way those pathetic creatures can be afraid of rain. They live in the water. Why would they be afraid of rain?”
Kyhawn and Washburrn gave the lifeboat one last shove and quickly returned to shore unharmed.
“Are you Zacs barmy?” Earron shouted at Kyhawn.
Kyhawn raised his hood over his wet hair. “We had to, Earron.”
As Alil came up alongside Washburrn, Washburn rested his elbow on Kyhawn’s shoulder and stared at the lifeboat. “I sure hope this works.”
While the minutes passed, as most of them stood under the trees and watched the lifeboat remain undisturbed.
Coita put his hands on his hips and stared at Kyhawn. “How did you know the monsters wouldn’t attack?”
“I didn’t.” Kyhawn looked at them modestly, “Just a theory, that’s all … a theory.” Kyhawn stood at the water’s edge and peered at the dummy. One of its arms dangled over the si
de. Kyhawn held his head back and let the rain beat down on his face. He thought, yes, a steady rain. He smiled confidently.
“It’s too far away.” The captain snatched the looking glass back from Nevets.
Alil overheard and drew near. “It’s not that far away. Let me take a look.” She gazed through the glass. “They’re close enough to see us,” she announced as she handed him back the looking glass and ran to the shoreline alongside Washburrn.
The captain put the looking glass to his eye and squinted as he viewed the ship. Unable to see a clear image, he grunted, and rested it on his lap.
“If you’re not going to use your looking glass …” Nevets held his hand out to the captain like a kid begging for candy.
“Take it. I can’t see too well anyhow.”
“They’re not seeing us!” a Zac shouted as she jumped up and down along with many of the others, waving her hanky back and forth. Zeal picked up a seashell horn and started to blow a message in code beckoning them to come near.
“They see us! I know they must!” exclaimed another.
“That ship should be slowing down and turning our way.” Nevets shook the looking glass out at the ship. “It should be coming this way by now.” He struck his straw hat repeatedly, leaned forward, put his face in his lap, and started crying. “It’ll be a year before my leg grows back. What am I going to do until then?”
Washburrn stood at the water’s edge with the only other looking glass. “Terrific—I don’t think they see us.”
Alil stood next to him bundled up in her cloak and a blanket. “Surly they see us. Who can they miss an island over four miles wide?” She slung one end of her blanket around him.
Kyhawn rubbed his chin, then tagged Earron’s side. “Come on!”
Earron and Kyhawn exchanged indescribable expressions with each other. Then Kyhawn grabbed a lifeboat and within a few moments they were on their way. But not before Washburrn had given them a looking glass. “Take this with you,” he insisted. “And be careful—it could get dangerous out there.” He wanted to stop them but they had to do something, and fast.
Coita had snatched a seashell horn from Zeal. “Wait for me!” he shouted as he hurried with a slight limp. He made his way into the water as quickly as he could and climbed aboard.
“If they’re not coming in, then we’re going after them,” Kyhawn said as he and Earron jabbed their oars into the water and rowed hard. All three of them looked upon the dummy as representing hope, though deep down they feared they might not be protected.
Washburrn glanced around at everyone on shore. Everyone felt the same way he did; they wanted to stop them, but they knew this might be their only way home.
“I do believe the lads are our only hope,” Professor Romeous commented, then offered a re-enforcement of Kyhawn’s theory. “All creatures fear at least one form of physical matter. Apparently these do rain.” He observed the dummy. “This is spectacular. What else can this mean?” Romeous stood next to a lifeboat, wondering if he dared join them.
Earron steadied himself and glanced at the sky and the ship, then at the water. “I sure hope it doesn’t stop raining.” The dummy was slumped over as if asleep.
Kyhawn took a quick glance at the shore. “No one else is joining us.”
“Yeah, they have better sense than we do,” Coita muttered.
The Dagger-Key and The Lost Treasures of Kebadon Page 29