by Garry Hicks
The three guys, Arianna, Treena, Keela and Anna sit on old wooden benches around the large fire. The guys sip on rum out of very old, jeweled goblets. A corked jug of rum sits nearby.
Brandon takes a sip. "So when do we meet the pirates?
"You will know when the time is right." responds Arianna.
Derek asks, "And if we fail?"
Arianna glances at Brandon. "You must not fail."
Brandon stares into the fire. "I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. I never knew what it was that I was destined to do. I knew it was something. But this...this is better than anything I could have come up with, or even dreamt about."
Derek stares at Brandon, not convinced. "C'mon Brandon. You're saying you knew we would end up on an island of mermaids and would have to fight dead pirates to survive. Get real."
Brandon shoots a sheepish grin. "Well, no, that's even a bit outside of what I ever thought would happen. I just knew it would be something...something big. Like I said, I've been waiting my whole life for this."
Arianna smiles at Brandon. "As have we. Many have come and failed. With each defeat, the pirates grow stronger." she pauses. "With you, I sense a deep strength."
"I sense deep, knee high, raw human sewage." adds Derek.
Kyle pumps his fist. "I sense victory."
Brandon grins at Treena. "I sense we need to get on with our job. We have work to do. Arianna?"
"Tonight, I have arranged for each of you to be with one of us. Brandon, you will be with Treena, Anna, Kyle, and Derek, you will have Keela."
Treena, smitten, and Brandon snuggle, as do Kyle and Anna. Keela squeezes next to Derek.
Arianna holds out a small bottle. "All of you must drink this potion."
She stands, approaches each guy, hands each of them a small, corked ancient bottle.
"This is a powerful potion which will guarantee the birth of a child. Its power comes from the ancient gods to ensure the survival of our species. Drink."
The guys look at the bottle, glance at each other, drink it all. They each make a ‘yuck’ face.
Derek curls his nose. "Pretty much tastes like radiator fluid."
Brandon stands, holds out the empty bottle. "Do you have the recipe for this, I could make a fortune. I can see it now. 'Have you been feeling a bit sluggish lately, no energy, no time to make babies? Have you been to the fertility clinic with no results? Has your doctor told you it’s hopeless? Wellll...wait no more."
Brandon walks around and slows in front of each of them. They crack up as he talks.
"An ancient potion, never before available, to this modern generation anyway, will now guarantee your spouse, or girlfriend, will have a child. That’s right folks, this potion is brought to you straight from the kitchen of Venus, Goddess of Love. It contains no additives or preservatives, it’s completely organic! But wait, that’s not all. Be one of the first hundred callers and we’ll not only include free shipping, but we’ll double your order!"
He leans down a bit, smiles. "That’s right folks, two bottles for the price of one, at no additional charge. Act now while supplies last. Guaranteed to make your tools tingle or your money back!"
Derek smiles. "Funny guy Brandon."
Arianna stands. "Go...now."
They stand, grab each other’s hand and stroll away as couples to their separate huts. Arianna smiles and ambles to her hut.
She lies in her bed, tosses and turns. She sighs, turns again. She seems troubled, can't seem to sleep. She gets out of bed, opens a nightstand drawer, pulls out a small branch of green, round berries. She plucks one off, pops it into her mouth, chews, swallows. She takes a sip of water, lays back down. her eyes soon flutter, then close.
BEGIN DREAM
A man, shoulder length blondish, white hair, rushes down a city street. He's dressed very preppy. He comes to a corner, pauses, sniffs, turns right and crosses the street.
Inside a restaurant, Arianna and Treena sit and eat.
Treena asks, "This is wonderful! What are these called?"
"Scallops. You know them as sand dabs." Arianna answers.
Treena, surprised, says, "These are sand dabs? I've never had them this way. They don't taste the same."
"We have what they call chefs here. A chef has a special way of preparing food."
"Yes, a magical way...I love it."
Arianna pauses, gazes around the room.
"What is it mother?
"I sense something. Something is disturbing this entire area.
"Yes, me too. I sense I want more of these."
"No Treena, I sense...unrest, maybe even danger. It is as if...as if, a choking dark cloud has covered us."
Arianna again surveys the area as Treena eats. Arianna stares at her food, takes a bite, stops, looks up. The man that was running, Thanos, now stands in front of them. Arianna is shocked and annoyed while Treena is curious.
Thanos finally says, "It's been many moons Arianna."
Arianna snaps back. "What are you doing here?"
Thanos grins, asks, "Do you mind if I have a seat?"
"Yes I do. I want you to leave."
Thanos smiles, pulls out a chair, sits. He turns to Treena. "And what is your name my love?"
Arianna, quick, answers. "Her name is Treena. Now please, leave us alone."
Thanos butters a piece of bread. "That's not a way to treat such an old friend after all these years."
Arianna, cold as ice, responds, "You're not an old friend. You are a conniving sea serpent and you want something."
Treena, confused, asks, "What's going on, what is this about? Mother?"
"His name is Thanos and it means..."
"Immortal. I come from where you come from, I am one of you."
Arianna scoffs. "That's a joke. You were one of us many moons ago but you took a different path...a dark path."
Thanos grabs a slice of bread, tears off a piece and pops it in his mouth. "That was many moons ago Arianna, I'm a changed person."
"You are not changed. You were turned dark by Deimos, you can never go back to what you were. You will always be a serpent, a lying, devious snake."
Thanos smiles. "But I am a good snake."
Treena asks, "Who is Deimos?"
Arianna answers. "Deimos was the son of Ares and Aphrodite, his name means fear...terror...evil. This is what you are Thanos. Now leave us alone."
"That's in the past. Look around Arianna. We're in beautiful Miami, a different place...in a different time."
"What do you want?" Arianna demands.
He pops another piece of bread into his mouth. "I like that, right to the point." he pauses, stares at Treena. "You are with child Treena."
"We know that. What is this to you?" asks Arianna.
Thanos, confident, says, "It is a man child."
"You just lost all credibility." blurts out Treena.
Arianna chuckles. "You've lost your mind Thanos. Even you know this is not possible."
Thanos, irate, responds. "Are you so lost in this world you have forgotten our past? Forgotten the prophecies spoken by the gods? The prophecies that told of the coming of a man, a man that would lead us into a new world, a man that would restore us back into power. This is who grows inside Treena now."
Treena, confused, says "Mother, can this be?"
Arianna, annoyed, responds. "No, this cannot be...you are wrong. Leave us...now."
Thanos raises his hands. "Why do you think I am here? In Miami? I have been here for over one hundred years...waiting. Waiting for this child to be born."
Treena, angry, retorts, "You can forget it. This is my child, you shall have nothing to do with her."
Thanos nods his head sideways. "Think what you like dear child. This man child does not belong to you, it belongs to our world. It is my path to guide this child to his rightful destiny." Thanos leans toward Treena. "You cannot escape this Treena, you are merely the vessel that delivers him to us."
Arianna stands, holds out her hand to Treena, wh
o grabs it. They take a few steps away, Arianna turns to Thanos. "Stay away from us!"
Thanos shrugs his shoulders. "The least I can do is buy you lunch. Mmmm...sand dads." he grabs a fork and pops one into his mouth as Arianna and Treena rush away. "Mmmm...so good."
He watches them as they disappear around a corner.
"I'll be seeing you." he stands, says it again. "I'll be seeing you." he bellows out a thunderous, diabolical, evil laugh. "Haaa haaa haaa, ha ha ha ha, I'll be seeing you."
Arianna jolts awake, sits up. She checks her surroundings, ensuring it was just a dream. She raises her hands, they have a slight tremble. She hops out of bed, hurries to a wash basin. She splashes herself with water, stares at her image in the mirror. "It was just a dream."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN