Sea of Secrets Anthology

by J E Feldman

  “Oh God, what have I done? Had I let that eagle have Blob...the world wouldn’t be...” Olivia swallowed. Her throat went dry. “Are we all going to die, Roger?” Her face screwed up as more tears streamed down her cheeks. “Are we all going to die because of me?”

  “Whatever happens, don’t blame yourself. We were kids, Olivia. What did we know?” He stood up. “Anyway, this is no time to sit and cry. We must fight.”

  “Fight with what? We’re powerless, Roger. If what you said is true, in a matter of hours, Seamouth will dominate most of the world. Seamouth would use the masked men to neutralize all missile missions or anything being built to stop Him. What can we humans do against a god-like being?”

  Roger went to the sculpture, dragging his hammer through the water. “No one knows His intentions, but it seems like He’s converting our world into His habitat. He is using anything that’s linked with him, like this bronze sculpture, to make ithappen.” He struck the sculpture. “I don’t know how to kill Him, but if we find such sources and destroy them, we can buy some time,” he said, striking another blow.

  “Time for what?”

  Roger took a moment to breathe. “It’s just hope, Olivia. I can’t say for sure, but I know there are people out there like us—those who are not yet converted—working on something. Mankind has done incredible things throughout history.” He turned to look at her. Roger’s lips curled into a hopeful smile. “It may appear so, but our future is not bleak.”

  Olivia began sweating profusely. Her husband’s dead face appeared in her mind, agitating every muscle of her body. She cleared the sweat from her eyes and glared at the statute. A wave of hatred so intense it could blow up a planet passed through her, energizing every cell of her being. She went to Roger.

  “Give me the hammer.”

  “Now that’s like my girl.”

  Olivia turned to the sculpture and pulled the hammer behind her head. Instead of the eggs, she saw Blob glistening with Dog’s blood. She saw its pearly teeth devour Dan’s flesh. Yelling in pure vengeance, she struck the hammer down using all her strength.

  But instead of hearing the clank of metal against metal, Olivia heard a splash. A jet of blood shot to her face, which immediately dripped into the water as her flesh began melting.

  Olivia glanced down, dazed. Roger lay motionless in the dark, murky waters with a crushed skull and brain matter splattered around. The remains of what had been his head slowly vanished below the rapidly rising waters.

  “NO!” Olivia screamed. She looked at the sculpture, confused. She knew she had aimed all her hatred on the largest egg. In the reflection, she saw herself staring back at her, but the mark on her forehead looked different.

  Olivia touched it as her finger slipped into a vacuum. Pearl-like teeth severed it from the hand and the void swallowed it.

  Olivia collapsed, exhausted. At first, she found numbing comfort in the touch of the cold waters. But soon the water felt more slime than liquid. As her consciousness faded, Olivia opened her eyes one final time.

  The paintings looked more than real. They were alive.

  Kathryn St. John

  Biography

  Kathryn St. John lives with her son and husband in the midst of cornfields and cows in Hastings, NE. Not an exciting place perhaps but her imagination more than makes up for that. When she's not immersing herself in a steady stream of books, games, and social media (total junkie and not ashamed to admit it), she's teaching group fitness classes at her local YMCA, exercising, or being silly with her family.

  Birth of the Dreamers

  Kathryn St. John

  The messenger swam deeper and deeper, pushing his weary muscles to go faster. They were gone. All of them. Dead. Not gone, he chided himself. They were still fighting when you left. But their defenses were waning. His commanding officer knew it, hence the reason the messenger was slicing through the water, his strokes strong and sure, but losing power, just as the army he had left behind was losing manpower. His limbs burned from the effort to maintain his speed, his head felt disconnected. Gasping, he spurred himself onward, pushing past the exhaustion that was threatening to overwhelm him. The fate of their kingdom depended on his getting to the king, of alerting him to the danger that was even now endeavoring to destroy them.

  Mariana had just finished changing out of her ceremonial raiment into the sleek garb better suited for the watery world outside the castle when the commotion began. Curious, she gestured for the lady-in-waiting to pause in her ministrations and listened, wondering what could cause such a stir. Usually a silent blanket hung over the palace, smothering the desire to speak above a whisper.

  It wasn’t true, of course. No one walking the halls spoke in whispers or scurried about on soft feet. But those in the women’s quarters were bred to adopt an elegant silence. People who broke the tranquil calm were frowned upon. Naturally, no one would dare to chastise the Princess Mariana, except her mother.

  Mariana, while feeling an occasional chaff from the restrictions placed upon her due to her heritage, had learned patience early in life. She endured her morning lessons and duties and adopted the mannerisms expected of the youngest of the royal family. But the afternoons were hers to spend how she pleased. Mostly, she was quick to escape her magnificent confines and enjoy the nearby undersea landscape. A guard always accompanied her for protection, but he never strangled her by hovering too close or by placing too many restrictions upon her movement, so she didn’t mind his presence.

  She signaled for the waiting woman to continue with her hair. Mariana itched to discover the cause of the commotion, but she knew the older woman would never allow her into the halls with her hair half done. The long dark mane, which hung to her waist, was soon plaited away from Mariana’s face and left to hang free down her back. When finished, the older woman uttered a small protest as the princess sprang to her feet and rushed from the room.

  She controlled her speed to a demure but confident stride when she heard the telltale murmurs of others nearing. She caught the words “Land Walkers” before she turned the corner and came upon the two ladies whispering to each other. The moment they caught sight of her, they fell silent and dipped into unsynchronized bows.

  Mariana nodded her head and gave a perfunctory smile to acknowledge them as she approached.

  “Are you going out for a swim, Your Highness?” one of the ladies asked, after taking note of Mariana’s outfit.

  “I usually do,” she hedged, keeping her calm smile in place.

  “But today…” the second lady began in surprise before being shushed by her companion.

  Mariana studied the two. They were similar in appearance. The second looked to be barely older than a child. And the way the older girl took charge of her…sister, Mariana thought.

  “Yes?” She looked from one to the other, encouraging a response they knew they were required to give.

  But the elder of the two shrugged delicately as she forced a careless laugh.

  “Oh, it’s nothing, Your Highness,” she said. “I believe I heard rumor of a shark being seen in the area. That’s all. My sister worries for your safety.”

  Lying to my face, Mariana thought, a sliver of dislike worming its way through her. But she didn’t voice her thoughts. Instead, with her smile still in place, she said, “That should please my guard. He never has anything to do. I fear he believes his duty to be wasted on me. Princess Protection. Not the most interesting of guard details, I’m sure.”

  The ladies murmured inarticulately and bowed again as Mariana inclined her head in farewell and left.

  The nearer she got to the council chamber, the more people she encountered. Being one of the royal family, people noticed her and bowed to show their respect. Or, at least, that’s what usually happened. That day, however, everyone was too caught up in the news.

  “War,” caught her ear, making her pause in her search for her brother. Mariana looked over at the speaker; an older gentleman, the scales around his jaw
dull with age. She waited, hoping to catch more, but he and his audience merely shook their heads in grave silence.

  She moved on slowly, averting her eyes from the people around her as she pretended not to notice them. Eavesdropping wasn’t a pastime she indulged in, as it wasn’t polite. Mariana had no qualms that day and strained her ears to hear as much as she could without appearing to.

  “Land Walkers,” drifted to her.

  Her attention was piqued. That was the second reference she had heard to their surface world cousins—those who lived beyond the water’s edge. Land Walkers? Are the Land Walkers at war? But what does that have to do with us?

  Land Walkers lived out of the water. They built their homes, cultivated their food, existed…all on dry land. Mariana’s people, while they could leave the water for a time, preferred to live within it. The hot sun dried the scales that peppered their bodies and made them itch uncontrollably.

  When she was a small child, Mariana’s teachers had explained that their two kinds were originally as one. They had all lived above the water in those days. But it was a time of hardship and sorrow. War was prevalent, and people were desperate for a solution. Some believed there was no hope and wanted only to escape and be left in peace. But where could they go? No matter where they turned, they saw greed and hate and death. Until one day, a young priest was praying to the gods to guide them to safety. Their prayers had gone unanswered up until that point, but they hadn’t lost faith, and the gods rewarded that devotion. A mysterious scroll was bestowed upon the young man. It contained a spell that would change them so they could live within the boundless ocean, free from the wars and the hate that seemed to encompass life on land.

  They turned their backs on the surface world, completed the spell, and departed into the mysterious depths of sea. Their bodies changed upon contact with the salty water. They didn’t turn into fish, nor did they have anything like tails, fins, or gills. Their lungs changed to breathe the water. Webbing appeared between their fingers and toes, and their nails became strong and sharp as claws. Scales grew over their skin in places, but not everywhere. Like hair on a body, some people had more scales, while some had fewer. Even the colors differed to show a person’s uniqueness.

  Those they had left behind became known as the Land Walkers, while they took the name of Sea Dwellers. Eventually, the Land Walkers became aware of their sister species. Relations were not amicable, but the Land Walkers had no way to breach far within the ocean. Unlike the Sea Dwellers, they couldn’t breathe water.

  The Sea Dwellers had found their safe haven at last. Time passed and the two peoples learned to live apart, each ignoring the other.

  But the snippets coming to Mariana’s ears made her question that safety.

  “Land Walkers…found a way…coming here…”

  How?

  That was the question everyone was asking. Confusion reigned outside the doors to the council chamber. The hall was abuzz with whispered rumors, questions, and theories.

  If the Land Walkers couldn’t breathe underwater, how could they possibly be a threat?

  The doors to the council chamber opened. Silence descended upon the hall as everyone’s attention focused on those within. The king stood still in the doorway for a moment, his eyes scanning the crowd.

  “No doubt rumors have been circulating,” he said in a strong voice that resonated throughout the room. “I am under no illusion that news of our recent messenger has travelled throughout the palace and adjoining city. News of this sort, of war, spreads like algae through our waters. I cannot allay your fears or quash the stories. The Land Walkers are coming. They have discovered the means to travel through the water and have attacked our outermost defenses.”

  A dull roar rose up in the hall as people began speaking at the same time. Mariana could feel the mounting panic pressing in on all sides. The king held up his hand for silence.

  “A thousand turns back, our people strove to avoid this,” he said. “We have lived in peace all this time thanks to the gods, but now we must prepare for war. However, living in tranquil solitude has not dulled our senses or caused us to forget the past. Far from it. We have spent the time learning of our environment and recording its history. There is a protector we can call upon to defend us. We are sending a party to seek out its resting place. Once awakened, it will engage our enemies and keep us safe. I will not allow my people to be endangered by the greedy Land Walkers. We will push them back to their shores and ensure they never enter the water without fear again. Spread the news and trust that your king will do everything he can to protect you and keep you safe.”

  When he was done speaking, the king returned to the council chamber, though the door remained open. Almost as one, people began hurrying about, eager to begin the spread of the king’s news.

  Mariana’s brain was in a whirl. War. With the Land Walkers. The thought frightened her, as it should. But what concerned her more was her father’s assurance that they had a protector to defend them. What could possibly be strong enough to drive the Land Walkers out of our water?

  She pushed her way through the throng of people. The crowd seemed denser than it had been before the king had made his speech. Or perhaps it was only because they were walking about now and constantly blocking her path. Eventually, she made it to the doors of the chamber where her father and his advisors still stood, speaking together. She waited outside as he gave directions to one of the men. The man nodded several times, bowed, and hurried out on his errand. When the king followed, Mariana stepped forward.

  “Father!” she called out to him.

  The king paused and grasped her arms, kissing her forehead.

  “I am sorry, Mariana,” he said, a sad frown marring his smooth features. “You heard my announcement before?”

  She nodded. “Yes, Father, but I—”

  He interrupted her. “Then you know how pressed for time we are. I must ensure our people’s survival against this threat from our former brothers.” He suddenly noticed what she was wearing and squeezed her arms. “Promise me you will stay inside the palace until this over. Don’t wander the sea beds as is your wont to do. No exploring. Promise me.”

  “I promise, Father.”

  He bowed his head in acknowledgement and sighed as he murmured, “There is relief in that, at least.”

  “But, Father…”

  He shook his head. “No, now is not the time. I must hurry, Mariana. We must wake the creature before the Land Walkers have a chance to spy our home. Stay here, with your mother and brother.”

  “But where…?”

  He smiled sadly, touching her cheek with his thumb as he cupped the side of her face.

  “It is my duty to protect our people,” he said. “I will lead the party to wake our defender and return when the danger is fully past. In my absence, your brother will protect you and the rest of our city.”

  He leaned in to plant a light kiss on her forehead before striding off.

  At a loss, Mariana looked around and found said brother standing a few paces away. Though young, the serious expression he was wearing aged him. Mariana went to stand beside him, giving the room a quick look to ascertain no one was near enough to eavesdrop.

  “Dom,” she murmured.

  He lifted his eyes from the table to meet hers, though she could see he was distracted. And why wouldn’t he be? she asked herself. He is the Crown Prince. If something should happen to father during this crisis, the burden will be placed on him. Our people will look to my brother for guidance.

  The idea seemed absurd to her. Her brother? He might have been a man by law and by ability, but he was still so young. Twenty turns was hardly enough time to have mastered everything one needed to know to be a king.

  Mariana had meant to ask her brother about the protector their father had spoken of, but seeing his face so worn with stress made her place a hand upon his arm. Instead, she said, “Father will be all right.”

  Dom nodded and squeezed her hand reass
uringly. Her words meant little to either of them. Stifling a sigh, she reverted back to her original inquiry.

  “Dom, who is this “protector” Father spoke of?”

  He opened his mouth to answer her, then looked around, as if noticing their surroundings for the first time. Shaking his head, he whispered, “Not here.” He gestured for her to follow him before he left the room and navigated a path away from the courtiers, who were still abuzz with making plans and discussing the news. Some, Mariana noticed with burgeoning disgust, sounded excited by this new prospect of war.

  We may not have experienced it in the gods only knows how many turns, but surely they’ve read about it as I have. Only death and sorrow spring from war. How can they be anything but fearful and worried?

  Her face showed none of her thoughts or feelings as she passed by, following her brother away from the clamor. When they got to the family’s private library, he stopped and ushered her inside, checking to make sure they were alone before closing the door.

  “Why the secrecy, Dom?” Mariana asked, her voice instinctively low. “Is this “protector” not a blessing? Father said it would save us.”

  Dom slumped into a chair, looking torn and spent.

  “It may,” he conceded. “Or it may not. Father’s advisors would have us believe it will.”

  “But you have doubts.”

  He nodded, murmuring, “Yes.”

  “What is it? What makes you doubt?”

  Dom drew a shaky breath, trying to decide how to phrase his thoughts. “It is an ancient creature that lives in the depths of our ocean. We know nothing about it except what our legends say, and that is pitifully little. They call it the Leviathan. It is a gigantic creature whose appetite and ferocity are unparalleled.”

  “Why have we never heard of it or seen it before?” Mariana asked, not entirely believing her brother’s tale. She had never known him to exaggerate, but the idea of a creature such as the one he was describing…it was preposterous.