The PriZin of Zin (19 page)

“Then, we’s be knowin’ if yer of evil or not. Lock him up!”

Chapter 27: Again

a·gain
[
uh
-
gen
,
uh
-
geyn
]
adverb

once more; another time; anew; in addition; to the same place or person:
to return again.

Ian woke up in pitch blackness— again. Feeling around the room and the walls, he soon recognized it as the same room he’d been locked in before. Going straight for the door, he fumbled around until he found the handle. Locked.

“Can you please open the door?”

Nothing.

He knocked.

Nothing.

Hey, it was worth a try.

“Ok, Messenger, where are you to help me now?” Ian felt his way back over to the barrels of stinking whale blubber and sat down. There was nothing to do but wait.

It didn’t take long. The scuffs and scuffles on the deck above him slowly made their way down the hallway and to the door of his prison cell. The lock turned, and candlelight flooded the dark space. Two large shadows graced the doorway. “Come.”

Ian rose. At the door, both of his arms were grabbed and wrenched behind him. “Hey, ease up there. Where can I run?”

A hard jerk was the response. Dragged down the darkened hallway and up the stairs, Ian was shoved through the hatch, onto the deck facing the remaining crew. Ian scanned the deck and found Ruben in the crowd. Ian got a wink from his friend, but no other outward show of support.

“Ye say that ye’er no’ evil,” Peg Leg surprised him from behind, “and ye shall have the chance to prove it. Ruben feels it only fair bein’s ye took the oath of yer brethren.”

Ian scanned the crowd again, only this time could not see his friend.

“Aye, ye’ll not be seein’ him here to save ye, lad. He but took his place up thar,” a long finger pointed to the crow’s nest high above the deck. “Thar he’ll be seeing firs’ hand whether ye be’s evil or no.” He walked across the deck. The pirates gave way, allowing Peg Leg to lead Ian across the open deck. “Thar be only one way off the Wayfarer, laddie. Ye’ll be takin’ it. If’n ye survives it and does not be cavortin’ with evil, why then ye kin join again sure after ye saves yer friends. But, if’n ye does not survive, or if’n the evil takes ye again — weel, guess bein’ wit’ evil would be better fer ye than to be here on this here ship wit’ us.”

Ian stood motionless, insides shaking, stoic and solid outside.

Peg Leg shouted up to Ruben high above. “Ready up yonder?”

“Aye, sir. Ready.”

“Ready on deck?”

The crew responded. “Aye, Cap’n.”

“Steady to port?”

“Steady to port, Cap’n.”

Peg Leg calmed his voice and turned to Ian. His voice took on a tender tone of gentleness, almost caring. “Ready, then, lad?”

“What do I have to do?”

“Walk the plank.”

Behind Peg Leg and Toothless was a plank jutting out from the side of the ship. The railing had been taken down immediately above the board and a small step stool was placed there.

“If’n ye survives and does not cavort wit’ evil, then ye’s are welcome back after ye rescues yer friends,” Peg Leg whispered. “Remembers that.”

Ian nodded, and stepped forward. He peered out over the ocean. Off in the distance, he could see the rocky mounds.
If I can just swim that far, then I can get to some land and try to find Hunter.

Apprehensive, but not scared, Ian stepped up. He raised a foot up to the step , but was jerked back by Toothless. “Not sae quick, thar. Ye’s not ready yet.”

“What do you mean?”

Peg Leg smiled. “Ye git yer hands tied first.” Reaching to the side rail, Peg Leg’s hand hovered over several various lengths of rope. He settled on a thin silvery strand which wiggled on its own. Ian was spun around and his hands wrenched behind him. The thin rope was strapped around his hands and secured with a knot. Shoved up on the stool and out onto the plank, Ian, for the first time in his life, felt a foreboding of death. Anger began to well up inside him at the situation he had gotten into. The anger dissolved into fear, and fear into doom.

“Where are you, Counselor?”

“Ahhh! Aye! Call yer spirits, then.” Taunts and laughter stabbed him in the back as he stood on the plank.

“Walk it, boy!”

Ian looked up and saw Ruben looking down on him from above. He looked down to see large floating chunks of white, slimy stuff floating below.

“What is that?”

“Whale blubber,” Peg Leg answered. “Shark bait. Draws ‘em in close.”

Doom descended again. The world seemed to darken around him. Ian looked back out overboard. There were, indeed, sharks circling beneath him. Out of the water, in their midst, appeared a flash of red. It would surface for a moment, then disappear. Swimming with the sharks, it seemed to be leading them. On one sweeping arc closing in on the ship, a red diamond-shaped head surfaced and glared up at Ian. Razor-sharp teeth glinted in the sun, and then submerged.

Oh, no
.

“No,” Ian protested. “I changed my mind. I want to stay here.” He turned to go back onto the ship.

“Nay, lad. Ye must walk.”

“But that’s the serpent that took Mr. Welch.”

“Aye. Be evil, sure.”

“No, please,” Ian pleaded. He tried to push back but, with no hands, he could not get very far. He pushed harder until a pistol cocked and landed against the side of his skull.

“Walk it, boy.” Toothless was no longer smiling. The gun barrel pushed him back the direction he was trying so desperately to get away from. The pirate climbed up the step stool and out onto the plank with Ian. Resigning himself to his fate, he turned toward the end of the plank.

With each step, Ian made a mental note of his failings.

I’m sorry, Hunter. I let you down
.

The gun prodded his shoulder blade from behind.

Sorry, Mom and Dad. I won’t be able to say goodbye
.

His hands began to tingle from the ropes behind him.

And whatever you were inside that dragon, I’m sorry I let you down, too
.

The ropes burned now against his skin. Ian could feel them moving. It wouldn’t be much longer now.

Reaching the end of the plank, a hard shove hurtled Ian forward and into the waters below. Slamming into the water with a huge splash, Ian was sucked under the surface. Kicking his feet, he fought to get back to the surface. Thrashing back and forth, he wrestled to break free.

The sharks came into view just as his world began to go dark. Oxygen cut off and quickly losing consciousness, Ian felt the ropes still tingling and burning, even though he was under water. His hands slipped free from their restraints. Surging forward, he spun around and found himself face-to-face with a red diamond head. Ian kicked away and swam for the surface.

Bursting through the surface, Ian gasped and choked for air. Shattering the calm water, the serpent exploded up right in front of him. Rising up out of the water, the long neck hovered over Ian. Jaws open wide, saliva dropping from its jagged teeth, the thing looked just as it did the day they had first met.

Please, help me
.

From the side, a green flash caught Ian’s eye.

“Nestor!”

The word was barely out of his mouth before the creature’s long tail shot out between Ian and the beast. Whipping back, it hurled Ian up onto its back and the two raced off, skeletal sharks and a red-headed beast hot on their tail.

“Godspeed, yung’un,” Ruben yelled from the crow’s nest, smiling. “Be safe. Off wit’ ye.”

“What is it?”

“That is a waterhorse,” Nestor said.

“I can see through it. Looks like glass.”

“Creatures of the deep, they are but a shell, holding on to that from where they come.”

“It’s full of water?” Ian could see what looked like waves crashing inside the rib area of the horse.  It glowed a combined bluish and silvery color. The mane looked like a wave cresting, white bubbles bursting as the hair waved back and forth in the wind.

“Now listen close. There is not much time.  You had only three days to find your friends, and that’s nearly gone.”

How did you know that?

“A waterhorse can run like the wind. There is no faster way to get you to where the others await you. But heed you this. On land it is but a horse, but if you smell water, then it is too late. The beast will drag you to the depths and you will be caught with the evil side forever.”

“It’s evil? I can’t go, then.”

“The waterhorse has an evil side and a good side. Your kind struggles with this, too. Stay on the good side and there will be no problems. Stay on land. You must dismount before you can smell the water, and before she stops.  You must jump while she still runs.”

“How will I know?” Ian felt the sickening feeling creep back into the pit of his stomach.

“When she smells water, she runs faster. At the instant her speed increases, you must dive off, or it will be too late. There is no time to think. You must pay close attention, and jump when you feel it. If not, you shall be stuck to her forever. If you smell the water, you will be glued to the horse for all of time.  You will not be able to break free no matter how hard yo try. You will belong to the evil one, then. I cannot help you.”

“Why can’t
you
take me? I promise I won’t cause you any more trouble.”

“Nessie and I are not fast enough now, lad. Time is critical, and you must travel like the wind. The waterhorse is your only hope.”

Ian stared at the beautiful watery shell. It whinnied and nodded its head toward him.

“Go,” Nestor urged. “Your friends await.”

“Are they…?”

“They are well for now, but they need you with them.  No one can break free on his own.  It will take all of you to finish the race.  Stay the course and you will triumph in the end. Do not stray. Fight the good fight, aye?”

Ian nodded. He walked over to the waterhorse. He reached out a hand to pet her neck.

“Nay!” Nestor yelled. 

Ian turned back.

“At the moment you touch her, she will take off. Mount quickly and hold on tight. It’s the only way.”

Ian looked back at the horse.  Swallowing hard, he set his jaw and backed away about twenty feet.  Lowering his head, he took off at a sprint toward the animal. Leaping at the last moment, he landed on the back of the waterhorse, grabbing its mane.

Electricity surged through his veins as the animal bolted forward. Ian clenched his fists, closed his eyes, lowered his head, and held on tight.

"Godspeen, young Ian," Nessie whispered.