Anomaly

by Scott Prussing

  Dad and everyone else look at me questioningly. But I’m as shocked as any of them, until the pieces slowly begin to fall into place.

  “And you didn’t see the need to mention this, why?” Dad asks. His voice sounds a tad stern, but I can tell he’s not really mad, just curious.

  I shake my head. “I didn’t know…or, at least I didn’t remember. I was mostly unconscious the whole time I was in the water. I had a faint sense of briefly being pulled through the water when I first fell in, but really the next thing I remember was waking up alone on the beach. I thought somehow the tide had carried me there. Once I woke up, I had more important things on my mind than worrying about how I might have made it to shore, you know. Like surviving.”

  Dad smiles. “Well, I’m even more glad now that you and Plush helped the mermaids get away from those Seals back in San Diego.”

  “Me, too, Dad,” I say. “Me, too.”

  Dad looks at Kai. “Kai, will you let them take you across to the island tonight, so you can scout out the place and make sure there are no surprises we can’t see from up here?”

  Kai nods. “Of course.” He looks at me and smiles. “I never swam with mermaids before.”

  “Don’t take ANY unnecessary chances while you’re there,” Dad cautions. “We may need you when we all go over.”

  “I’ll be careful, don’t worry,” Kai replies.

  “When will that be, Colonel Gallway?” Radar asks. “When are we going over?”

  “It may depend on what Kai finds,” Dad replies. “But I’m thinking we’ll go the day after tomorrow—just before dawn on the twenty-first. That’s the day Selene said we need to be there, right?”

  A chill runs through my body. The twenty-first—the anniversary of The Incident. And my eighteenth birthday, to boot. Happy birthday to me.

  I hope it’s one we all live to remember.

  CHAPTER 37

  WHEN DARKNESS DESCENDS, Kai gets ready to leave. I wish I could go down to the bay with him. I’d love to see Selene, Tamika and Colella and thank them for saving my life. Dad is having none of it, though. He’s taking no chances, keeping everyone inside the building, away from any spying eyes. He’s not going to risk divulging our presence until he absolutely has to. My expression of gratitude to my mermaid friends will have to wait one more day.

  “Be careful,” I tell Kai. “Like my dad said, don’t take any chances over there.”

  “I won’t,” Kai says, smiling. “I want to make sure I’m around for your birthday.” He leans forward and kisses the top of my forehead. “I think it’s likely to be quite a party.”

  The touch of his lips against my skin sends a shiver of delight through me. I have no idea what to make of the kiss. Was it just a friendly birthday peck in advance, or did it mean something more? I don’t even get the chance to study Kai’s face for a clue, because he’s already turned around and is heading out the door.

  Radar elbows me lightly in the ribs. She’s grinning ear to ear. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything now with everyone around, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to hear from her later. For now, though, I get a reprieve.

  We all move to the window, hoping to watch Kai as he heads down to the bay. We should have known better. All we manage is a brief glimpse of him crossing the street in front of our building before he vanishes into the deeper darkness of the night shadows. His stealth and quickness stand him in good stead, but it makes observing him at night all but impossible. We maintain our vigil for a few moments before drifting back one by one back into the center of the room. Dad and I are the last to leave the window.

  Throughout our journey, we’ve all been going to sleep soon after dark and getting up with the sun, but tonight is different. With nothing we really need to do tomorrow, we don’t have to rise at dawn. Even if we did, there’s no way anyone would be going to bed until Kai gets back. We’re anxious to hear what he discovers on the island.

  Enough moon and starlight filters in through the huge windows to keep us from having to wait in total darkness. Dad, Lieutenant Gregerson and two sergeants sit off by themselves, discussing strategies and possibilities for when we go over to Alcatraz. While they’re busy planning, we Miracles spend the time talking amongst ourselves, trying to imagine what we might find when we get there. Growing up in the world we live in, we all have pretty good—and pretty dark—imaginations. There’s no shortage of possibilities being offered, especially from Sneak, who regales us with tales of the deadly creatures he’s going to slay while he’s invisible.

  Finally, Kai returns. He’s been gone for hours, and I was starting to get worried. His dark hair is still wet, but he looks no worse for the wear.

  He reports immediately to my dad. I don’t feel like waiting, so I take advantage of my position as a colonel’s daughter and go over to join them. Radar tags along beside me.

  Kai flashes me a smile and continues with his report. “The island is empty of sentient beings. A few poisonous serpents from my world seem to have made the place their home, though. They’re deadly enough, but can be easily avoided during the day, as long as you stay away from dark holes and crevices. Night is a different story—I had to kill two of them. I caution you to be VERY careful if you find yourself on the island during darkness.”

  “Good to know,” Dad says. “We’ll try to time the first arrivals with the breaking dawn. If a few snakes are all you found for us to worry about, I’d say we’re pretty darn fortunate.”

  “The portal remains open,” Kai cautions. “Something could come through at any time. I found signs that some werewolves and minotaurs entered your world within the past few days.”

  “If you say the place is empty now,” Lieutenant Gregerson asks, “how did they get off the island?”

  “There’s a petty big boat tied up to a dock on the other side of the island,” Kai replies. “I’m no expert, but it seems to be in working condition. I came across a werewolf near the dock. Perhaps one member of any party that crosses by boat brings it back, for the next group to use. That would be my guess, anyhow.”

  I notice a contradiction in what Kai has told us so far. “I thought you said there were no sentient beings on the island.”

  Kai grins. “I did, didn’t I? Perhaps I should have been more precise with my language. I meant that there are no longer any sentient beings there. The werewolf I saw met with an untimely end.”

  I suspect the “untimely end” was the result of one of Kai’s arrows, but I don’t press for details.

  “Good job,” Dad tells Kai. “This kind of reconnaissance is invaluable. We’ll keep a close eye on the island tomorrow for any sign of movement. With luck, we won’t see any.”

  “I’ll go back tomorrow night and make sure there are no unexpected surprises waiting for you,” Kai says. “If anything comes through during the night I can’t deal with myself, I’ll come back and let you know.”

  Dad nods. “Excellent. Trying to figure out what to do with that portal is going to be challenging enough. It would be much worse if we had to fight our way across the island.”

  Dad turns to me. “Have you or your friends had any insights about what you’re supposed to do when you get there?”

  I shake my head. That’s one of the things we had been talking about earlier.

  “Sorry, Dad. Not yet.”

  “Well, now that we’re here with nothing else to do, you’ve got all day tomorrow to see if one of you can come up with something.” Dad flashes a wry grin. “Whoever sent us here seems to think one of you, at least, will know what to do, so who am I to argue?”

  I don’t know if Dad really believes that or if he’s just trying to keep us in a positive frame of mind, but I appreciate the effort. I wish I felt as certain as he’s making himself out to be.

  One thing I do know is that now would be a really good time for my Power to show up.

  CHAPTER 38

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.

  The long awaited day is here—December 21st. I’
m finally eighteen. Unfortunately, I don’t feel any different today than I did yesterday. There was no midnight magic; no Power that miraculously appeared when the clock struck twelve.

  Yesterday was a completely uneventful day. We all stayed inside, hidden away while we waited. Pairs of Marines took turns watching Alcatraz, replaced every half hour so eyes and attention stayed fresh. No one reported seeing anything move on the island.

  I can think of at least a thousand things I’d rather be doing here in the early morning hours of my birthday than getting ready to venture across the bay to Alcatraz. But that’s what we’re doing. Everyone has returned their gear to their packs and readied their weapons. The entire company is now gathered in the lobby of the building that has been our home for the past two nights. At least I’ll get to see and thank Selene and her sisters in just a little while.

  Kai is gone, having spent the night on the island. The plan is for him to meet us on this side of the water to confirm that everything is okay before the mermaids and dolphins start ferrying us across.

  “Listen up, everyone,” Dad says, loudly enough for everyone to hear. “You all know the plan; I don’t need to remind you of all the details. Maintain silence and keep to the shadows near the buildings as much as possible. At the bottom, find places to stay out of sight while you wait for your turn to cross.”

  Several dozen heads nod, but no one says anything. I can feel my heartbeat beginning to speed up.

  “All right, then,” Dad continues. “Let’s do this.”

  We exit the building and move off through the darkness. Lieutenant Gregerson leads a squad of four Marines as an advance guard. This same squad will be the first to cross to Alcatraz when we reach the bay.

  As usual, the Miracles travel in the center of the main company, protected by soldiers on all sides. The night air is still and cool, and our party adds very little sound to the early morning silence. I never knew several dozen people could move so quietly.

  The journey doesn’t take long. Down at the marina, Kai emerges from the shadows and reports to my dad. I can tell from the way Dad is nodding that Kai has given him the all clear.

  Half the Marines and all of us Miracles disappear into small shops at the base of one of the piers, staying out of sight while we wait our turn. Kai and Lieutenant Gregerson’s squad move about three-quarters of the way out onto the dock, where the mermaids and dolphins await in the deeper water. It’s still dark, but dawn is not far off.

  The mermaids can take six people across at a time. Each mermaid holds the hands of two men to keep them warm in the frigid water. The men use their other hand to grab the fin of a dolphin. With barely a splash, they’re on their way across the bay. I can follow the white wakes made by their passage for maybe a hundred yards before they all disappear into the blackness.

  After two groups are safely across and have established a secure landing site on the island, Dad starts sending the Miracles. Radar, Sneak and I are in the first group, along with Dad, Jordy and another Marine. Dad and I hitch a ride with Selene, while Radar and Jordy will travel together with Colella.

  “Thanks for saving my life,” I say to Selene as I prepare to ease myself down into the water.

  She smiles up at me. “You are…very welcome. I’m glad to see…that you made it.”

  I smile back. “Me, too.”

  Icy cold grips my legs as I enter the water, but as soon as I grab Selene’s hand the cold vanishes as her magical warmth flows into me.

  The ride across the bay is not quite as much fun as my first swim with a dolphin and a mermaid, but it’s still pretty exhilarating. The crossing takes just a few minutes. The mermaids deposit us at the base of a five-foot high rock jetty along the edge of the island. The water is deep enough for them to come all the way up to the rocks, and they quickly run their hands over our clothes to dry them out. As soon as they’re done, the mermaids and dolphins head back to fetch another group.

  Kai is waiting at the top of the jetty. He reaches down toward me and I clasp his wrist. His strong fingers lock around my wrist and he hoists me effortlessly to the top. The Marines who have already crossed have formed a half circle around the landing area, kneeling with their guns facing outward, ready to combat any threat that might arise.

  “So far, so good,” Kai tells us. “There’s no sign of trouble.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” I reply. No trouble is certainly a good thing, but I still have no idea what we’re supposed to do over here.”

  Dad’s planning and timing are perfect. The final members of our party reach the island just as the sun pokes its upper edge above the hills to the east, bathing the island in that eerie yellowish illumination that always accompanies the dawn. The muted light quickly gives way to brighter daylight as we climb a hill and move carefully across a grass and weed strewn plaza toward the crumbled prison building. Kai walks beside me and my dad near the front of the company.

  The top half of the huge black portal is now visible above the jagged tops of the broken wall. As we get closer, I can see that it’s easily twice as large as any portal I’ve ever seen. From here, it looks like an immense globe with shimmering edges, but I know from experience that as we approach nearer it will appear more like a giant black hole in the air.

  Suddenly, the center of the black Anomaly flashes a fiery orange. A thick column of gray smoke striped with the same orange hue goes streaking skyward from the portal.

  “Oh, no,” Kai moans softly, almost under his breath. “I don’t believe it.”

  I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean for any of us to hear that, but we did. And I don’t like the sound of it, not one bit.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask. “What is it?”

  Kai turns to me, his expression as serious as I’ve ever seen it.

  “A balrog,” he replies. “A lava dragon in your tongue.”

  The name is familiar to me from The Lord of the Rings books. I glance back up at the column of smoke. I don’t see any creature inside it, but I know Kai would not be mistaken.

  “I take it a balrog is kind of dangerous?”

  “I wish it was only ‘kind of dangerous,’” Kai replies solemnly. “Balrogs are the most fearsome creatures in our entire world. Nothing can withstand their molten fire, which burns as hot as the lava inside the giant volcano where they’ve been hibernating for centuries.” A sigh escapes his throat. “I had hoped never to see one in my lifetime.”

  He twists his head back and forth, surveying the small island. I follow his gaze. There’s really no place to hide out here. If the lava dragon comes looking for us, it will find us with ease. I can only hope the monster will fly away and wreak its destruction in some other place.

  “Curses that we should encounter it here,” Kai says. “This is a foe beyond any of us. Your weapons will be useless against it, and there’s no shelter to be found…no place to hide.”

  The smoke column has stopped climbing and is beginning to be pushed aside and dissipated by the strong winds high above. At the top, a reddish orange shape is now visible, still too high to make out any details of its form.

  “Maybe it will fly away somewhere,” I say hopefully. “And not bother us.”

  The balrog makes a wide circle far above and then begins a slow dive straight toward us—so much for wishful thinking.

  The Marines all have their guns trained upward, despite Kai’s warning that the weapons will be useless.

  “What advice do you have?” Dad asks Kai. His expression is grim but determined. My dad never panics.

  “Nothing good,” Kai replies. “We must scatter, as widely apart as this island will allow. Perhaps the balrog will miss some of us, at least. I’m afraid that’s the best I can offer.”

  Dad nods. “You heard the man,” he shouts to his men. “Scatter! Miracles, with me! This way.”

  The Marines begin racing away in all directions. Dad leads our group back toward the jetty where we landed. Jordy and Kai run with us, while the rest of the sold
iers scatter. Maybe Dad means for us to jump into the water and try to survive that way. From everything I’ve read about Alcatraz and the frigid currents surrounding the island, that doesn’t seem very likely. Perhaps the mermaids will be able to rescue a few of us, at least. For those they can’t save, maybe drowning will be a better death than being burned alive.

  We’re still nearly a hundred yards from the edge of the island when it becomes clear we can’t outrace the balrog—there’s no way we’re going to reach the water in time. The monster is zooming straight for us, a stream of deadly red and orange flame shooting from its mouth. I can feel the heat of the fire from here.

  The creature didn’t hesitate when our company split up—it almost seems as if the serpent is targeting the Miracles, as if it somehow knows about us. For all I know, perhaps it IS targeting us.

  We all stop running and turn to face the oncoming balrog. Time seems to slow as I watch our doom unfold. Dad and Jordy aim their rifles at the beast; Kai does the same with his bow. Their valiant efforts will be futile, I know.

  From the deep concentration etched on Plush’s face, I can tell she’s attempting to use her Power to stop the giant creature, but she might as well be trying to halt an onrushing freight train. The beast is far too big and is moving much too fast. Sneak has triggered his Power and vanished. Perhaps he’ll be able to escape while invisible, but what he’ll be able to do if he does survive I have no idea.

  For a moment, I have a fleeting hope that maybe Rerun can back the creature up and give us enough time to reach the water. The determined look on his face tells me he’s trying, but somehow the balrog seems immune to his Power. Maybe it’s just too massive, or still too far away…or maybe its fiery heat somehow negates Rerun’s Power. The why of it doesn’t really matter right now.

  Reacting from instinct rather than conscious thought, I race out in front of my friends, making myself a target. They’re all too astonished to do more than scream my name in horror. Only Kai reacts quickly enough to do anything. He jumps out next to me and grabs my arm to yank me back, but even with his otherworldly speed, he’s too late. The balrog fire engulfs us both.