* * * * *
Abby crawled out of the frigid water, sobbing as she dragged herself onto the beach. It was dawn in the town of Clifton, and the sky was a brilliant ribbon of pink. Its color splashed across the waves, illuminating the sand in a glow of life. Too bright, thought Abby. The fishing boats are out. She couldn’t help but glance nervously at the sea, searching to see if anyone was there. Not that she could do anything about it now.
“Please,” she whispered, her blood staining the sand as she clawed up the beach, tail pointing toward the waves. She hunted for the clothes she’d buried last night, but she couldn’t seem to find the right spot.
Come on, she thought, panic rising in her chest. You have to find them. Where did they go? She could barely move, and it was so hard to breathe. Yet all she could see was Brian’s face. His crumpled body at the foot of the cliff, the black snake sinking its fangs into his throat.
Abby spotted something a few feet away. It was the cuff of her jeans. Yes! she thought. They’re here! She dragged herself down the beach, tail splayed out behind her like a stain, and yanked her clothes out from beneath the sand.
She tried to move quickly, but her fingers were numb, and her body was beginning to burn from the chill. Let’s go, she thought. She didn’t have much time. She had no idea how long Brian could fight off Hendrick. For all she knew, he had already failed, and everything she was doing was a complete waste of time.
A leaden knot formed in her throat, but she ignored it and concentrated on what had to be done. And that was getting rid of her tail as quickly as possible because if anyone saw her, if anyone found out, then Brian might as well already be dead.
Frantically, Abby wiped at her tail. Her jeans weren’t porous enough to dry it off, but her t-shirt and sweater did the trick. She winced when she saw the blood soak through her clothes, but she made herself focus. She had to move fast. And then she felt it, that tickling sensation, then a brittle cramp and she was done.
Now get up, she thought, but she could hardly move. Her shirt was caked with blood and sand, but she pulled it on anyway. There would be people soon, could be some out already. She quickened her pace, praying no one would see.
You’re fine, thought Abby, jamming her legs into her jeans. Just think about Brian. You have to help him before it’s too late.
She couldn’t find her shoes, and she gave up trying, but at least she had her coat to keep her warm. Once she was dressed, she began to jog through the sand, ignoring the dizziness that flooded her head, tangling her stomach in nerves and fear. The sea called to her, but she refused to listen. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on the dunes, their yellow grass waving like patches of hair.
Hurry, thought Abby. You have to run! By now she was really feeling the cold. Hypothermia could set in fast out here. It was late November and she wasn’t wearing any shoes. She glanced up at the sky, as a shadow passed overhead. Fear shot through her, followed by relief. It was only a gull soaring by on the wind. Not who she thought, and how could it be?
Eleanor’s trapped, thought Abby. She can’t hurt you now. And yet she knew that the siren could still get to Brian. And that terrible snake. Abby stumbled and fell.
That’s when she saw him running down the beach, mouth wide open, hands balled into fists.
“Jake,” croaked Abby, crawling toward him now, clawing through the sand as her brother neared.
“Abby,” he cried, pulling her into his arms.
“Jake.” She could hardly breathe. The skin on her face was completely numb. “Jake we have to find him before it’s too late.”
“Abby,” said Jake, his fingers digging into her flesh. His breath was like fire against her face. “I knew that I’d find you. She said you’d be here. I just can’t believe she was right. How the hell did she know?”
“Who knew?” squeaked Abby, her chest going tight. For a moment her eyes were drawn to the sea, and her body itched with the need to go in. “Did Matilda tell you to come here? Is that who you’re talking about?”
“What?” snapped Jake, giving her a look. “How would she even have a clue where you’d be? No, the red-head in my dream. She told me to come. She knew the time and everything.”
“No,” moaned Abby, trying to twist away, but he held her tight, refusing to let go.
“She promised,” Jake whispered, one hand on her check, his eyes wide as a little boy’s. “She said you could fix what you did to Mom. That if I found you, you’d change it. That you’d know how.”
“Mom?” repeated Abby. The name still felt wrong. Abby’s insides wrenched. She knew what she’d done at the airport before. Whatever Eleanor had promised, Abby couldn’t change it now. She had no idea how to take it back.
“You’re bleeding,” said Jake. “Abby, are you hurt?” Carefully, he slid her onto the sand.
“I’m fine,” she whispered. “It’s just some small cuts, that’s all.”
“And how’d you get those?”
Abby shrugged.
“You should be more careful,” warned Jake. “You know blood brings sharks.” Then he hoisted her back into his arms and started heading for home.
“Mom,” said Abby.
“She’s home,” said Jake
“And Brian?”
“You mean that guy in your room?” Jake’s voice went cold, and his fingers dug into her ribs.
“Ugh,” grunted Abby, staring at his feet— his gray, stained Nikes, the bottoms of his jeans.
“That guy’s good as dead, Abby. He never woke up. Why? Were you involved in his accident somehow? What did you do? What happened out there?”
“Jake,” said Abby, her mouth going dry. Keep it together. You have to ask him straight out. “What’s wrong with Matilda? What happened to her?”
“You don’t even know?” Jake loosened his grip. For a second she thought he was going to drop her, but then he pulled her even closer and broke into a jog. “You’ll see,” he panted, increasing his speed. “You just have to fix her, that’s all. You have to change her back to who she was.” And then he coughed once, and a sob ripped from his throat. Hot tears dripped across her skin, and Abby had no idea whose they were.
Black Waters (Book 1 in the Songstress Trilogy) Page 29