Sligger Island

by Michael Yowell

  A smile blanketed Mason’s face. “Hey sweetie, how are you?”

  “I’m okay, now that I hear your voice, but I’ve been a wreck all damn day.”

  “It was something crazy,” said Mason. That was all she needed to know for now; the horrific and tragic details could be shared with her later. “I’m just glad it’s all over. Listen, we need to wrap things up here. Then I’ll be heading back. Should be there in time for dinner.”

  “Okay, baby,” Eaver said, her voice peaceful. “I love you.”

  “I love you too. Over and out.”

  Mason felt better. The sound of Eaver’s voice soothed him, and he wanted nothing more than to be reunited with her.

  “Okay, Sheriff,” hailed Captain Moody. “What do you say we check the rest of this place to make sure our job’s done?”

  “Let’s do it,” said Mason. “The sooner we’re done, the better.” He took a moment to survey the boat, checking for anything there that might be useful to the group. He saw some nylon rope coiled in the stern. Thinking it could possibly come in handy while they were securing things in the cavern, he grabbed it. He draped the rope around his head and one shoulder so that it rested diagonally across his chest. Seeing the flare gun below the console, he elected to take that as well.

  The crew gathered on the beach to plan their search. “So should we start by walking the coastline?” suggested Josh.

  “I think so,” Mason said. “Just as good a place to start as any. Look for any nests, or any openings leading underground. They don’t like the sunlight, so our best bet would be the areas with the most shade.”

  “Ten-four,” the captain acknowledged. “Lead on, Sheriff.”

  Mason brought the group through the sand, grass, and trees that made up the island’s perimeter. They spent an hour and a half encompassing the island, coming back to the east side of the rocky hill. Seeing nothing that warranted their worry, they then split into two groups and rummaged through the wooded interior of the island. After another hour there, the crew was content that the creatures had only inhabited the underground cavern.

  The island secure, they reconvened at the beach. They visited the coolers on the boat and replenished themselves with water and protein snacks. Then it was time to address their unfinished duties in the cavern.

  “Looks like we’re clear of danger,” Josh proclaimed. “I guess we’d better get back in that cave and take care of business.”

  The task ahead was an unpleasant one. The group would first need to move the dead creatures to areas of the cavern where the tide could not reach them, so they could be collected by the proper authorities later. Then they would have to carry their dead comrades out of the cavern and bring their bodies to the boats. As disagreeable as their job was, it was necessary. Best to just get it over with.

  The crew made their way to the opening in the hillside, and filed inside through the fissure. Captain Moody’s flashlight led the way. They navigated the flowstone trail to the water’s edge, stopping near the U-boat where the dead beasts lay.

  Denise had her field kit with her, ready to start taking samples from some of the specimens. She set it down near the smoldering pile of burnt eggs, opened it, and put her gloves on. She was about to begin sorting through the organic jumble when something in the corner of the cavern caught her eye.

  The indirect light from Josh’s flashlight revealed a small hole in the rock, just before the floor met the wall. Denise needed a closer look. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her pen light. Pressing the button to activate the LED light, she walked to the spot. She saw what looked like a narrow tunnel leading down into darkness.

  “Hey –” she began, turning to face the others. But her feet suddenly slipped on the smooth surface around the hole and she dropped into the tunnel.

  It happened too quickly for her to catch herself or even scream out. She slid down the rough, bumpy chute for a mere second or two. The next thing she knew she landed onto something wet and yielding. Feeling a few small, leathery objects rupture under her weight, she immediately feared the worst.

  “Denise!” she heard Mason call out. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so!” she replied. She found her pen light next to her and picked it up. The thin beam of light showed the objects around her.

  Just as she feared, they were more creature eggs. About twenty of them, clustered together in a pool of shallow, stagnant water.

  She turned her head back toward the opening but kept her eyes on the eggs. “There’s a nest down here, and a whole mess of eggs!”

  Movement caught her attention. Zeroing in on it with her pen light, Denise saw one of the eggs she had broken start to shudder. A small, dark mass wriggled its way into sight, and Denise’s adrenaline shot through her. It was a miniature version of the deadly creatures that had clearly created it. The wide snout, protruding eyes, and slender tentacles were instantly recognizable.

  The other two eggs she had fractured now began to move as well. Within seconds their occupants crawled out to meet the air. They stretched their tentacles and shook them vigorously. The hatchlings already had sharp, white barbs on the ends of their appendages. Those claws were surely venomous, Denise reminded herself.

  Then the other eggs began moving. It was as if an alarm clock had gone off to wake them simultaneously. The creatures inside pushed outward until the soft shells gave way.

  Denise was in trouble.

  Desperately, she tried to scamper up the steep chute. The rock was too smooth, too slippery; Denise was unable to climb back up. She ripped the gloves from her hands and tried again, but to no avail. Still too slick for her hands to secure a hold. Helpless, Denise looked into the flashlight beam illuminating the tunnel from above.

  “They’re all hatching!” she shrieked. “Jesus Christ, they’re gonna kill me!”

  CHAPTER 30

  “Here!” said Mason. “We can use the rope!” He unloaded the nylon rope from his shoulder and offered it to Josh. “We need to find something to tie it to.”

  The captain looked around fervently, seeing nothing viable to secure the rope around. “You’re gonna have to hold it,” he announced, “while I go down to help her.”

  Mason concurred. “Okay.” Facing the others to solicit their help, he said, “Come on, help me hold the rope.”

  The rest of the unit gathered around the hole while Josh tossed the loose end into the hole. Massed together, they gripped the rope securely. “Go, boss,” said Jayme.

  With a nervous breath, Josh took hold of the line and stepped to the edge of the tunnel. He locked eyes with his companions for a split second before descending, making sure they had him. Then he lowered himself into the dark tube.

  “Hang on,” his voice echoed, “I’m coming down!”

  Denise moved out of the way, careful not to step on any of the quivering eggs. Captain Moody arrived and took a quick look around the chamber.

  “Holy shit,” he exclaimed, seeing how many small monsters there were compared to how few bullets he had. “I don’t think I’m gonna be much help down here.”

  “Just get me out of here,” begged Denise.

  “Climb up that rope,” Josh said.

  All of the eggs were opened now, and the young beasts were out. The twenty hatchlings were quickly active and aware. It took no time before they seemed to notice the human intruders. They tensed and emitted their first hisses.

  “Go, go!” blurted Josh. “I’m right behind you!”

  Having the rope made all the difference in the world. The tunnel walls were still smooth and slick, but Denise was able to pull herself upward. She prayed her hands would grip the nylon tight enough to not slip. Fear provided the adrenaline she needed, and her hands stayed strong.

  Josh climbed up behind her, wishing to go faster than her progress was allowing. He glanced down to see movement behind him. One of the offspring was following them, using its barbed appendages to ascend the tunnel. “Shit!” he spat frightfully. Grasp
ing the rope with one hand, the captain drew his pistol with the other. He fired a round at the scuttling attacker. The bullet missed, ricocheting into the chamber below. Josh took his best aim at the moving target and squeezed the trigger again. This time the shot struck the tiny beast, knocking it back.

  “Come on! Come on!” Jayme urged from above. She and the others maintained their braced stances while holding the jerking rope.

  They were almost to the top. Suddenly Josh felt an impact on his boot. His eyes darted down to see another hatchling swiping at his foot. His leg shrank back, away from the danger. Then, without thinking, Josh drove his boot back down on the beast. His kick sent it tumbling to the bottom.

  Denise emerged from the opening and crawled out past the troopers. Josh was only a second behind, hurrying out of the tunnel and onto the cavern floor.

  “You two alright?” asked Lamar.

  “There was one last nest,” Denise panted. “And they’ve all hatched!”

  Mason’s eyes were fixed on the hole. “We have to make sure we kill them all.”

  Josh remembered the grenades in his pocket. “Can we blow that one up?”

  “Yeah,” Denise nodded, thinking hard to be sure. “There was no waterway into there. Just a hole in the middle of the rock. Whatever you turn their bodies into down there will stay isolated from the ecosystem.”

  Josh nodded. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” He turned to the others. “Get that gas can over here, we gotta dump what’s left down that hole!”

  Darrell hurried around the edge of the crater and picked up the gas container that was used to burn the pile of eggs earlier. He brought it to the captain. Josh took it and handed his gun to Darrell. “Keep it aimed down there, those things are trying to come out.” Josh hastily poured the contents of the can down the hole. “Okay, now we burn ‘em up, then blast the rock to seal their remains inside. Who’s got a lighter?”

  Mason grinned slyly, producing the flare gun he had taken from his patrol boat. “I’ve got one,” he said.

  The captain was juiced by the sight of the flare gun. “Hell yeah, light it up!” He stepped back and let Mason approach the opening.

  The sheriff fired the flare into the center of the hole. The blazing projectile shot down the tunnel and bounced around the nest, immediately igniting the gasoline coating the surface. The flare then exploded. The nest was incinerated.

  “Let’s let it burn out for a minute,” said Josh. “Then I’ll blow it shut.”

  Smoke billowed from the hole in the ground, illuminated by the fire underneath. The crew stood back and watched the plume, satisfied.

  All at once there was chaos erupting around the pillar of smoke. A handful of little creatures leaped out of the hole, their bodies carrying bright flames from the spray of the flare’s ignited chemicals. The burning hatchlings hissed wildly, angrily, while dashing across the rock. They headed directly for the shoreline and dove into the water to extinguish the pain.

  Mason panicked. “No no no! They can’t get away! We can’t let them!”

  That would not be an issue. The creatures promptly returned to the surface, their small heads finding and facing the crew. They swam back to the flowstone shore. Escaping was not their plan; they seemed to be preparing for an attack.

  “Um,” said Darrell, frozen, “I don’t think we have to worry about them getting away.”

  The hatchlings sprang out of the water and scurried toward their human enemies. They were more hideous than ever, their olive-green skin now blistered and charred black. And the furious little monsters wanted to kill.

  Mason pulled the trigger and fired at the group of tiny creatures, hitting one and sending it flailing. The sheriff’s shot broke Darrell’s temporary paralysis, and he too began firing at the small monsters. Lamar joined in, squeezing rounds as accurately as he could.

  “Don’t let them get you!” Denise warned, cowering behind the troopers. “Those clawed tentacles are poisonous!”

  They were scuttling rapidly, but randomly. It was difficult to gauge their course while shooting at them. “Watch ‘em, watch ‘em!” shouted Mason, his wide eyes trying to keep inventory of all the monsters.

  The group moved backward to buy themselves as many extra seconds as they could. The swift creatures were ten feet away, then five. The three Glocks were fired with desperate precision, and the little beasts were being struck down.

  Until the guns were out of ammo.

  One monster remained. Continuing to step back to stay distanced, the crew clumsily negotiated the uneven flowstone. Denise tripped over an outcrop and fell on her back. The tiny predator went straight for her. She screamed.

  Without hesitation, Josh slammed his foot down onto the darting creature. His thick boot stomped the hatchling’s head. It was crushed against the rock, killing the animal instantly. Josh quickly lifted his foot in case the deadly tentacles still had any reflex movement in them. The last monster lay still, dead.

  “Not on my watch,” the captain boasted, staring down at the gruesome mess.

  Denise got to her feet and gave Josh a hug. “Oh thank you,” she gushed. “I thought I was a goner.”

  Josh smiled, locking eyes with her. “Not on my watch,” he repeated.

  Then his focus returned to the unfinished task at hand. He walked back to the smoldering hole and stood at the edge. Reaching into his cargo pocket, he produced the two hand grenades from the weaponry case. He paused to look at the rest of the group. “Ready?”

  “Go for it,” said Mason.

  Captain Moody plucked the pins and dropped the grenades out of sight. “Fire in the hole!” he said while scurrying a safe distance away.

  Two concussive blasts were heard, muffled by the dense rock. The crew could feel the vibrations in their feet. As the echo faded in the cavern, the smoke coming from the hole was cut off. The nest tunnel was permanently sealed.

  The crew began to scour the cavern, looking for any more tunnels, holes, or crevices in the rock. It was not until they had searched every inch of the cavern that they could safely say there was not a single living creature left.

  It was finally over.

  EPILOGUE

  The boy was bored. He sat in the living room building nothing in particular out of Legos. The dull expression on his face showed he had no interest in the news story his parents were watching on the TV.

  The news reporter was prattling on about how the EPA had cleaned up the toxic element on an island off South Carolina and how the ecosystem had been restored there. His parents were mesmerized by the broadcast, their eyes glued to the screen. Boring grown-up stuff, the boy thought, still pouting because they would not change the channel to let him watch cartoons.

  Maybe he could find something fun to do outside. His parents were thrilled with the idea when he asked them. Having their child spend some time outside in the fresh air and sunshine was always better than watching him be zombified by a cell phone, video game, or TV.

  The boy called for his dog. Sadie, the lively golden retriever, came running when she heard the magic word ‘outside’. Joined by his loyal partner, the boy left the house to explore the woods.

  He heard the faint sound of ocean waves breaking in the distance. He sometimes liked to roam the beach, looking for shark teeth or pretty shells in the swash, but today he felt like being in the woods. The Virginia forest surrounding his house was thick with rocks to scale, trees to climb, branches to hang from, and sticks to throw. The latter was naturally Sadie’s favorite.

  The dog burned off some energy tearing through the leaves and twigs. When she found a suitable stick, she proudly brought it to her young master. The boy giggled. His dog always wanted to play fetch with a stick that was way too big for her. The sight of his retriever dragging a three-foot tree limb was entertaining every time.

  As always, the boy broke the oversized branch over a rock until it was a manageable size. Sadie fidgeted with anticipation, watching her boy prepare the stick for her. Her ta
il was wagging excitedly and her mouth hung open in what looked like a happy smile.

  The boy threw the stick. His aim was off, and the stick bounced off a nearby tree. The dog fetched it and brought it back to him to try again. This time the boy’s aim was better, and the stick traveled a decent distance between the trees. The dog joyfully gave chase.

  Eventually Sadie lost sight of one of the long throws. Rolling his eyes, the boy advanced through the forest to find the stick for her. He pulled it from the camouflage of leaves and waved it in front of her. She was eager to chase it some more.

  He flung it again, farther into the woods. The retriever weaved through the trees to obtain her prized stick.

  Suddenly the boy heard Sadie whining. She had stopped her pursuit and was fixated on something. Now what? the boy exhaled. He walked forward to see what Sadie was going on about.

  The dog seemed nervous. She whimpered, her paws wandering back and forth on the ground. The boy arrived and looked down. To his surprise, he saw what looked like dinosaur eggs. Cool! he thought, his youthful imagination carrying him away. How awesome it would be for him to have his very own dinosaurs.

  The boy knelt down to get a closer look. He brushed some fallen leaves away to expose the whole of his find. The grimy, yellow objects were gathered inside a shallow hole, about ten of them. They were pretty large, each one a foot long.

  Sadie began whining louder. Something was wrong, and she was trying to communicate that to her human. Suddenly the boy smelled something that made his nose curl. It was a strong, disagreeable odor, like rotten eggs.

  Then he heard leaves rustling all around him.

  The End

  Read on for a free sample of CLAWS

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  I had such fun writing Sliggers and was very pleased with the story. After reader feedback, however, I learned that many were disappointed not knowing how these creatures came to be.