Salted (9781310785696)

by Galvin, Aaron

  Garrett looked away. “So I…I can come back?”

  Wilda’s smile faded. She took his hand in her and patted it. “I certainly hope so…Humans ain’t the only ones who forgot what they is and where they come from. So you come back here after you seen all the wondrous things the Salt and its Children has to show you. Help remind me about all the good things I done left behind.”

  Then, Wilda leaned forward and kissed Garrett’s cheek. Before he could react, she pushed off the rubbery floor, slid back into the pool, and vanished beneath the water.

  “Whoa!” Johnny yelled from the stage. “That dolphin tried to bite you and you didn’t even flinch! Hey, you all right, man? Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

  Garrett searched the water for Wilda, but the last traces of growing circles where she entered had begun to fade. “I’m good.”

  “Cool, let’s go then!”

  Garrett delayed a second longer. He wiped the corners of his eyes and followed Johnny across the stage.

  Sydney awaited them by the gate they had entered with fishing pails at her feet. A hose stretched across the stage. She freed the nozzle and sprayed the fish pails clean, splattering water and ice chips everywhere. She killed the stream as Garrett approached and handed his full pail to her.

  “Garrett! You didn’t give Wilda any?”

  “I-I forgot…”

  “You mean she stayed that long without giving her a fish?” Sydney asked. “Wow! Mom will be impressed. Maybe you should be a dolphin trainer!”

  If I could come back here and talk with Wilda every day I would. Garrett looked out over the pool again.

  “Syd, aren’t you going to change?” Johnny asked.

  “Sorry guys. I’m going to stay here and help Mom finish up her work. I’ll see you tomorrow at school though!”

  Johnny slumped. “Yeah, okay.”

  “So, Weaver,” Sydney elbowed him. “Did we make a dolphin lover out of you?”

  “Yeah,” Garrett said. “Wish I could stay here with you and help out.”

  “Me too, but Mr. Lansky will never allow it. School permission slips and everything. By the way…don’t tell him Mom let you guys come on stage. I think she forgot you guys should’ve signed some waiver to come up here.”

  “I won’t say anything.”

  Garrett eyed the pool again.

  Sydney looked at him oddly. “Well, I know you guys are leaving, but don’t seem so bummed. We’ll come back soon though, yeah?”

  “Okay. Tell your mom thanks for me…oh, and make sure Wilda gets some fish? Sorry I forgot…got caught up in being that close to a—”

  “Weaver!”

  “All right, Hickey! Hold on a second!”

  “No worries,” Sydney said. “Better hurry up. Your girlfriend would be lost without you.”

  “Right…”

  Sydney hugged him.

  Johnny stepped in to separate them when the hug lasted longer than expected. He pulled Garrett away and down the steps.

  With a final wave to Sydney, the two friends exited the dolphin pavilion into a large holding area. To their left, a short hallway made of glass opened into a small room, built to give visitors a chance to see the watery world from a dolphin’s point of view.

  Garrett walked toward it.

  “Dude! What are you doing? We have to go back to the bus,” Johnny said. “But first I want to see the sharks! Come on!”

  Who cares about sharks now? Garrett followed Johnny outside, doubting anything would ever again capture his attention like Wilda had.

  It never crossed his mind he might be wrong.

  LENNY

  Lenny hunched low in the shadows by the dolphin exit doors waiting for Weaver to leave. Try as he might, he couldn’t rid himself of the pesky thought the teen truly had no idea of his origins. Lenny decided to make it his business to find out. Weaver and his fat friend never saw Lenny leave his hiding spot to trail them. Always he stayed just out of sight in the event they turned around.

  This is pup’s play.

  Lenny noticed three other teenagers also following the pair of misfits. None wore Selkie coats. He ruled out the possibility of another catching group and risked drawing close enough to listen in on their conversation.

  “When should we take him, Benny?”

  “I already told you! We’ll follow him into the aquarium and wait till no one’s around. I already scoped out the hammerhead exhibit. We’ll take him in there to do it.”

  “What about Hickey?”

  “What about him? Piggy will run back to the busses if we tell him to. Weaver’s the one I want. Bryce, you two go around to the front in case he sees me and runs that way.”

  Lenny watched the two smaller teens break off down a separate path. The big one stayed on Weaver’s trail. Why do ya fellas wanna mess with my boy, Weava? Lenny followed them across the lawn toward the newly built shark exhibit.

  Lenny followed the teens inside.

  Garrett and Hickey stopped in front of a nurse shark tank, and the big teen following them hung back.

  Lenny cursed. If any of them looked to the right they would see him standing in the doorway. Can’t just go back outside though and risk losin ’em. He glanced to his left and saw a bathroom. He went for it.

  He never heard his attacker.

  Lenny felt the ground disappear beneath him as his captor picked him up and whipped him around, slammed his back to the wall. His feet dangled free against the concrete. “Whattaya doin’, Henry?”

  Henry held him there with one hand. He took out his dagger with the other, and put the tip to the corner of Lenny’s eye.

  Lenny winced, and heard the door lock shut.

  “Lenny, Lenny, Lenny,” said Oscar, coming around the corner. “I’m disappointed in you.”

  “Why?” he choked.

  “Why?” Oscar slapped him. “Because my father said for us to lead this crew together, yet you’ve off and left Henry and I out in the cold again.”

  Lenny tried to ignore the sting in his cheek and keep his anger at bay. “Listen, we got other problems right now.”

  “You have problems,” Oscar said. “That’s twice now you’ve failed me. It almost begs the question if your heart is truly in this assignment.”

  “I got caught up.”

  “Aptly put,” Oscar said. “You…were…caught. And of course, being the son of such a famous catcher, you know the penalty for those caught who attempt escape.”

  “I’m...no…runna,” Lenny sputtered.

  “Maybe not before. But I fear your new rank has given you a false sense of power. At least that’s what I’ll tell my father. Henry, wouldn’t you agree that Lenny thinks too much of his captain’s status?”

  Henry tightened his grip. “Oui, monsieur.”

  “There, you see,” said Oscar. “I even have a witness.”

  Need to get some help in here. Lenny pictured Paulo in his mind. His earrings flashed. Paulie, I need—

  Henry reached for Lenny’s left ear. He yanked the earring down, tearing it through Lenny’s earlobe.

  Lenny screamed.

  Henry dropped him, put his knee on Lenny’s chest. Muffled the cry of pain with his free and bloodied hand. He reached for Lenny’s right ear.

  “No! Wait, Henry!” said Oscar. “I want to do it!”

  Oscar knelt beside him.

  Lenny squirmed. He went nowhere beneath Henry’s strength.

  Unlike Henry, Oscar took his time. He toyed with the earring, tugging at it. Sucking his bottom lip in ecstasy each time Lenny flinched. Then he leaned low to whisper in Lenny’s ear.

  “Thought you could make a break for it this trip, didn’t you?”

  Lenny shook his head.

  “No?” said Oscar. “I don’t believe you.”

  Lenny pictured the faces of his crew. His lone earring flashed. Help—

  Oscar ripped the earring out.

  Lenny’s back arched as Henry quieted the scream. Lenny felt the pain s
pasm down to his toes.

  “No,” said Oscar, standing and tossing the bloodied earring into the trash. He went to the sink, turned the water on, and lathered up his hands. “I think when you saw how easily Marisa escaped yesterday it put ideas in your krill-sized head.”

  Just keep ya mouth shut. Just stay quiet. Lenny’s conscience told him. “Ya mean…yesta’day when…I saved ya?”

  Oscar tore off a piece of paper towel. “You really think anyone will believe that? You think I would allow anyone to hear that?” Oscar dried his hands. “Henry.”

  “Oui, monsieur?”

  “Show this slave why no one will ever hear that story.”

  Henry unsheathed his dagger.

  The lack of pressure allowed Lenny to scramble out from under him. He hurried to his feet, knowing he had nowhere to go, and glanced at the dagger’s black shine. “Only way ya takin’ my tongue is killin’ me first.”

  Oscar made a pouty face. “But then I would be the only captain in this crew. Why that would be…well…simply marvelous, wouldn’t it? Henry.” He jerked his head. “As you please.”

  Henry started forward.

  “Wait!” said Lenny. “What if I had something ya wanted more than my tongue. More than my life.”

  Oscar motioned for Henry to stop. “The only thing I want is to have fun.”

  “Nah,” said Lenny. “Ya wanna impress ya fatha. Prove ya got what it takes, right?”

  Oscar shrugged.

  What are ya doin’, Len? Don’t do this. Lenny saw the light dance off Henry’s blade. “I can get ya something he’ll want.”

  “My father wants Marisa Bourgeois. You remember her, don’t you, Lenny? The runner you’ve been sent to capture, the same one who escaped you twice now?”

  “Marisa Bourgeois is a slave runna, nothin’ more. I found something more valuable than that…an Orcinian.”

  Oscar shared a look with Henry. “Are you saying there’s an Orc hunting party…here?”

  Lenny shook his head. “Just one. A calf.”

  “Lies,” said Henry. “Orcs never let their calves far from their side.”

  “This one got away somehow,” Lenny said. “And there’s one other thing too. I don’t think he knows what he is.”

  Oscar scoffed. “How could he not know? Anyone Salted would recognize him by the look of his skin. Just as they recognize us by our coat designs.”

  Lenny nodded. “Yeah. But he didn’t. I ran into him earlier, thought maybe he was part of huntin’ pod out lookin’ for Bourgeois. He saw my hood plain. Even asked me where I got it. I’m tellin’ ya, Oscar, he don’t know nothin’ about our world. We get him to go back with us…”

  Henry lowered his blade. His earrings flashed. So did Oscar’s.

  Lenny didn’t need his earrings to sense the greedy machinations working from Henry’s brain to Oscar’s. The young owner might not fathom the value Lenny hinted at. Henry understood it and more.

  Lenny waited for their private conversation to halt. Don’t tell ’em about the old Merrow in the pool. No need for ’em to know more than they need.

  Oscar turned to Lenny. “Henry says this has never been done before. That no one’s captured an Orc, to his knowledge. Let alone an impressionable calf with no knowledge of his history. Such a find—”

  “Would be worth more than some slave girl ya plan on hangin’,” said Lenny. “Ya pop hired Henry to protect ya 'cause Lepa’s are the most dangerous kinda Selkie that anemoney can buy, right? What would he think if ya brought home an Orc to groom as a future guardian?”

  Oscar simpered.

  That’s right. Play to his weakness. He continued. “And the thing is, this is just a calf. He’s not even grown yet. When he becomes a full on Orcinian bull…what’d that be worth, Henry? Ten guardians just like ya?”

  “More,” said Henry.

  “More?” Oscar repeated. “Henry, you can’t be serious.”

  “’ave you ever seen an Orc in open water, leetle Crayfish?”

  “Well, n-no, not exactly. Father doesn’t like me venturing far from the cavern.”

  “Because you would not survive on your own,” Henry said flatly.

  Lenny suppressed a snicker. Henry, if I didn’t know ya already, I might be startin’ to like ya. The pain in his ears immediately dismissed the notion.

  “Faster zan Merrows,” Henry continued. “Deadlier zan Nomads, and near as powerful as ze Ancients. If ze nipperkin speaks true, zis Orc could make you rich beyond compare.”

  “First,” Oscar pouted. “I could survive fine on my own, thank you. And second, why would someone so valuable be interested in guarding a Selkie? Even a rich one like myself?”

  “Because he don’t know betta,” said Lenny. “Ya take someone and teach ’em something about themselves, ya own ’em for a time. Convince him to go to the Salt, show him a world he don’t know exists, teach him who he is, what he is, whattaya think that buys ya?”

  Oscar shrugged.

  “Loyalty,” said Lenny. “He’ll belong to ya till the end of ya days.”

  Oscar’s grin told Lenny everything he needed to know. “Then let’s go find him.”

  CHIDI

  Lenny! Racer said. Paulo, what just happened? Why won’t Lenny talk to us?

  Boss, said Paulo. Talk to me.

  Chidi cowered into a corner. Henry, she thought to herself. Henry must have done it. Might even have killed Lenny.

  The zoo’s exit lay just in front of her. While everyone had been hunting Marisa, Chidi used the distraction to steal away. Now if only she could will herself to walk through the gates.

  A thought of Henry, stalking her to keep a watchful eye, tingled up her neck. She remembered his threat the last time she ran. You weel never be reed of me. Don’t you ever run from me, Chidi. I weel find you, and keel ze ones you run weeth.

  Her shoulders shook. Chidi touched the notebooks in her pack, took a deep breath. Stay loose. Find a school bus, get on, and ride it out of here.

  Boss! Paulo repeated. Buckets of blood. Ellie, get in here. Now! We might need your help.

  Ellie! Chidi had forgotten about her. If she leaves her position she might see me!

  Chidi ducked inside the gift shop. She pretended to look at T-shirts to give herself a better vantage point of anyone entering or leaving the zoo. A young employee behind the cash register gave her a wary look. Chidi swore he could hear her heart pounding.

  Chidi, Racer, Paulo said. Did either of you get a response from Ellie?

  No.

  Me neither, Racer said. What does that mean? Is that bad?

  I don’t know. Paulo sounded frustrated. I’m in the aquarium now, but I don’t see Lenny, Oscar, or Henry.

  Chidi took three deep breaths to calm her nerves. Henry’s not there?

  None of them are! Paulo said. Ellie…you okay? Answer me!

  Henry gone…Ellie not answering. Chidi looked out the open doorway.

  A line of busses had formed behind one another like yellow train cars hooked together. Doesn’t matter. Now the crew is even more distracted. Go!

  Ellie, Paulo yelled. Talk to me, girl. If you’re there…

  What do we do? Racer asked.

  Bail out. Both of ya get back to the bus right now.

  Aye, aye. I’m on my way.

  Me too, said Chidi, eyeing the busses each in turn. But which one…

  She eliminated her options by those who had drivers and chaperones paying the closest attention. She found one that teens hopped on and off again with no supervision nearby. Donning her hood, Chidi casually walked out of the gift shop and made her way toward the bus.

  Someone ripped her hood down. “Going somewhere?”

  Chidi whirled, grabbed her assailant by the throat.

  Racer blinked in surprise. “C-calm down, Chidi…I-I was just having a bit of fun.”

  “What are you doing?” she hissed, releasing him.

  “Same thing as you…” Racer looked to the line of busses. His earrings fl
ashed. Running.

  It’s a trick. Chidi hid her dagger back inside her Silkie pocket. “I’m not running.”

  Racer pulled her away from anyone who might listen in. “Yes, you are,” he said. “I’ve been following you since the Deserts. Marisa never hopped into the rattlesnake pit. She tripped and fell over the railing. You could have grabbed her anytime you wanted.”

  Chidi stiffened.

  “She shouldn’t have made it through that employee door before you either,” said Racer. “And just now, when Paulo told us to get to the bus—”

  “I was going—”

  “The wrong way?” Racer shook his head. “Chidi, I know you’re running. Didn’t I just say that’s what I want too? I’d be in just as much trouble if Oscar or Lenny saw me right now. You and me…we’re the same.”

  “No, we’re not. Even if I wanted to run, which I don’t,” Chidi insisted, “I don’t have anyone for them to hurt if I escaped. You do. All of you do.”

  “My father’s been preparing me for this moment all my life.”

  “Racer, listen to me. Your owner, August…he will kill your family if you run,” Chidi said. “You know he will.”

  Racer’s face tightened. “Maybe. But I won’t be there to see it. I watched him sell my brother and sister to different buyers just because he felt like it. I’ll never see them again. My parents and me…we don’t know if they’re alive, or dead, or—anything. Don’t you get it? My father said they can’t watch that happen again. He told me if I ever had any chance to run, I should take it. Because even if they killed him, he would at least die knowing one of his children ran free.”

  “Racer, you’re not think—”

  “Look at them, Chidi.” Racer pointed to the groups of students horsing around. “Nothing I’ve seen from their world looks harder than ours. Why couldn’t we fit in? It would be easier if we helped each other!”

  He’s lying, Chidi thought to herself. This is some kind of trap.

  “What about Paulo?” she asked. “Ellie and Lenny? August owns them too. If you run, he’ll hurt them because you got away and they didn’t catch you. He’ll say they helped free you.”