* * *
Washburrn embraced Alil, their gestures stiff and full of unease. Kyhawn, Earron and Coita were more then fifty yards out. Alil placed her hands over her cheeks. “If the monsters were going to attack, surely by now …?”
The rain dripped from Washburrn’s hood like grains of sand quickly falling through an hourglass. He stared at the dummy in the lifeboat, waiting for a tentacle to take it down.
“You’re not going out?” Alil asked as Romeous, Tailk, Werdna and Dylc stood next to a lifeboat.
“What are we waiting for?” Washburrn left Alil and went up to a lifeboat. “Are we going to let those young Zacs get all of the glory?” he asked as he reached for a lifeboat. Moments later, Dylc, Werdna, and Washburrn were also on their way. As they dared to cross the gauntlet of sea creatures, they all prayed in their own ways that the rain would continue.
As they drew closer to the large cruise ship, they blew their horns, shouting and waving their arms. Coita steadied himself at the front, one hand gripping the side and the other the horn. The looking glass was tucked between his legs.
“Use the looking glass!” Kyhawn shouted.
Coita peered through it for a moment. He turned to them. “They don’t see us.”
Werdna, Dylc and Washburrn stared out at the ship just as baffled as Kyhawn’s group. “These lifeboats are too slow,” Werdna tilted his straw hat forward to avoid the rain. “If these waves get any larger, we’re not going to last much longer.”
“Dylc,” Washburrn said sharply, “your pistol—fire your pistol.”
Dylc shook his head. “No pellets. There wasn’t enough time to load it.”
Washburrn quickly revealed his own pistol under his cloak. “Mine is,” He said handing Dylc the pistol.
“Keep your oar moving, Washburrn,” Werdna insisted.
Dylc fired the pistol. Everybody on shore and on the water heard it, but those in Kyhawn’s boat thought the sound had come from underneath. Their hearts raced ever faster until they realized it had only been a pistol. Earron glared back at Washburrn’s boat, giving it an angry, God-fearing look. “You mind telling someone first next time?”
Earron turned to Coita. “Can you tell if they heard it on the ship?”
Coita stared through the looking glass once again. “The ship’s slowed down. I can see ten or more of them aboard, but none of them is looking this way.”
Once again, the pistol fired. Although startled, this time the three quickly realized what had happened.
Earron said loudly, “Those pistol shots might be the only way we’re going to get their attention.”
Coita only knew one seashell horn code: a call for help. He kept repeating it.
“I guess if they can’t see us, they’ll hear us,” Kyhawn said. He plunged his oar madly into the water. “But it looks as though they haven’t yet.”
Coita pressed the looking glass to his eye and once more shook his head in disappointment.
Kyhawn glanced at Earron, and over his shoulder at Washburrn and the others, “They’re going to fire another shot.”
Dylc pulled the trigger, but there was only a clicking sound. “Powder’s too moist.” He shook the wet pistol at the ship and screamed, “Why can’t you hear us?” Almost losing his balance, he grabbed the sideboard, “Why can’t you see us …?”
Their hopes grew weak and spirits dimmed as their arms started to tire. Their looks now those of despair, the lifeboat began to slow down.
Coita’s eyes widened. “WOW! Look there, you guys! The island—it’s starting to disappear!”
“That’s it!” Kyhawn said excitedly. “That’s the reason they can’t see us. We’re invisible to them. We need to keep going.” His handsome narrow silverish-blue face glowed with confidence.
Coita looked puzzled. “Yeah …?”
Earron suppressed his fears. “It’s possible they’ll be able to see us if we’re able to go out far enough.”
While the bad weather became worse, Washburrn, Dylc, and Werdna retrieved the lifeboat containing the dummy and headed to shore. Washburrn glanced at the other two. “What are they trying to prove?” He took a deep breath, and cupped his hands around his mouth as he shouted, “The waters are getting entirely too dangerous. Come back, Kyhawn!” But Washburrn’s words were drowned out by the rain. Werdna blew on the seashell horn, but that sound too didn’t seem to have any affect.
Kyhawn, Earron, and Coita continued on. Although determined to capture the ship’s attention, they glanced back at the vanishing island in amazement.
Earron voiced their worries. “It’s almost gone. We should go back before we flip over.”
The next wave almost washed Coita overboard. Earron leaned forward and grabbed his leg. “We’re going back,” Earron insisted.
Feeling defeated, they turned the lifeboat around and fought the waves with each pounding stroke of the oars in the water as they forced the boat closer to shore.
The dreadful thought of being thrown overboard lingered on the edge of their minds. “Faster, Earron—the boat’s starting to turn!” Kyhawn yelled.
“We’re going sideways.” Coita’s thin face was consumed with fear. His hands gripped the sideboards. “Speed up, Earron!”
Kyhawn slowed his pace as he shouted, “Come on, Earron—we’re almost there!”
A wave crashed over them. Earron slipped trying to grab his oar. Kyhawn fell forward, almost going overboard. He grabbed the sides to center himself.
“Coita—where’s Coita?” Earron’s eyes widened with alarm. “Where is he? Do you see him?”
Kyhawn grabbed the remaining oar and crawled to the front. “He’s over here in the water,” he said in hopes that Coita might grab hold the oar.
Earron carefully went to help, “Where—where is he …?”
An arm emerged.
“Grab hold, Coita.” Earron stretched his arm over the side. His weight lowered the life boat deeper into the water. “Grab my hand!”
Coita reached across the treacherous waters, but as quickly as their hands came in contact, the waves tore them apart.
The lifeboat almost flipped. Coita was swept under by another wave. Seconds later, he surfaced on the opposite side. Kyhawn reached out for him, but the force of the water took him under again.
Seconds passed. Coita resurfaced and grabbed hold of the lifeboat.
“I got you—hang on!” Earron yelled. “Hang on, Coita!”
Coita felt something touch his feet. His thin body hung onto the side. “Pull me in—pull me in!”
“We might tip if I do,” Earron warned, worried all three of them might end up in the water. “Here, I’ve got you. Hold on!”
“The creatures … Earron, please get me in.”
“We better.” Kyhawn leaned closer.
The lifeboat dipped into a wave and flipped completely over. Earron and Coita surfaced to find each other safe, but the lifeboat was gone.
“Coita—where did Kyhawn go?”
Coita shook his head without saying a word. His strength gone, he was frightened he’d be next, and swam as swiftly towards the beach as his thin body allowed.
Earron, now alone, slipped off his coat. Something touched my leg. He started swimming frantically, thinking it was a sea monster. But a few strokes later he looked to his side. “It’s you!”
“Seaweed dragged me under,” Kyhawn reported. Too tired to be afraid any longer, they headed for shore.
When Coita’s feet touched the wet sand, Tobben and Romeous were there to assist him.
Moments later Washburrn rushed in and grabbed hold of Kyhawn who was once again barefoot and missing a coat. Werdna and Alil supported Earron who almost collapsed from exhaustion.
After they were safe ashore with the lifeboats secured under the protection of trees, they gathered their belongings and started for the old camp. Washburrn scolded Kyhawn as he draped a blanket around him, even though he knew he’d done the same type of thing w
hen he was that age. Meanwhile Alil, Dylc, and Zeal were draping blankets around and lecturing Earron and Coita.
The foliage protected them from the rain pounding on the leaves above. All were devastated that the ship had passed by without being able to see them.
“I’m telling you—the island was disappearing.” Kyhawn breathed hard. “The further out we went, the more transparent it became. From our viewpoint it looked just like a … ghost island.”
“I know—we saw it starting to disappear too,” Washburrn confirmed. “Apparently it’s why they couldn’t see us, if that makes any sense.”
“If only we could have reached the other side.” Kyhawn lowered his head. “We would have if it hadn’t been for that storm. Then just maybe, we might have been noticed by someone aboard ship.”
As the group neared camp, the expressions on their faces varied from sadness to anger, with their opinions also going from one extreme to another. Many of them didn’t think they’d ever be home again.
Tailk, the rough-looking but soft-spoken Zac, came up to the captain, Alil, and Dylc. “I’ve an idea that might get us off this island.”
Captain Joenf pressed one hand to his cane. “So what is it?”
“We use all the remaining lifeboats. We tie them loosely together so they act as a flexible raft. That way they can break the waves with less chance of flipping over.”
The captain nodded. “Sounds good.” He stopped and turned to Tailk, “Actually, it’s an excellent plan.”
An elderly passenger rushed at them. “The camp’s been ransacked!”
“My valuables—they’re all missing!” another shouted.
A Zac came running out from the sleeping cabin horrified, “Someone please help me—my husband—he’s hurt bad!” She gripped Washburrn’s soaking wet cloak.
They hurried inside the cabin and found her husband lying face down. Blood dripped from the back of his neck onto the dirt floor.
“Kyhawn, give me a hand with him,” Washburrn ordered.
Kyltic moaned. “My head … what happened?”
Washburrn supported his shoulder. “We were hoping you’d tell us.”
“Wish I knew,” he said, sounding dazed. “Last I remember … I was retrieving our belongings.” He rubbed his elbow where new growth had begun to replace his missing forearm.
Kyhawn observed, “You seem to have been hit on the back of your head with a blunt object of some type.”
Washburrn agreed. “Most likely this.” He kicked a short heavy branch aside. “We’ll have Malnur or Shellean look you over.”
Malnur walked out from the medic cabin and slowly approached. “Malnur,” the captain shouted. “So what in Goducess’s creation went on here?”
“I was tending to Selton’s fever when the new crew-Zac rushed me from behind. I think his name’s Luxton.” Malnur rubbed his neck. “When I turned to see who it was, he pushed me to the ground and clubbed the back of my neck. You can look if you like.”
“Hum, there’s a bruise there,” the captain observed.
Malnur threw his arms out in a show of innocence. “When I came back around the place was … as it is now.”
The captain turned to Kyltic who was being tended to by Shellean. “So did you see anything?”
Kyhawn knelt next to Kyltic helping Shellean. “He claims he was hit from behind,” Kyhawn said. “He doesn’t know what happened.”
“Washburrn, take count of everyone,” the captain demanded. “I want some answers. Not tomorrow—today!” He led Kyltic, with the help of Alil and Dylc, inside the medic cabin along with Malnur.
“Yes sir.” Washburrn said. He then turned to Kyhawn with a raised eyebrow. “You know, Kyhawn, it doesn’t surprise me about Luxton.” He shook his head. “I knew there was something about him I didn’t like.”
Before long, Washburrn and Kyhawn realized three Zacs along with a lengthy list of personal belongings were missing. Alil informed them that Malnur’s story checked out with Selton and two other patients who witnessed the event. As for Kyltic, in light of his significant injury, they took his word he was innocent.
The Dagger-Key and The Lost Treasures of Kebadon Page 30