Fern thought she had her body relaxed enough for the impact of hitting the water but she hadn't accounted for how cold it would be. Below the water her body screamed at the drastically reduced temperature. Flailing her arms in an attempt to get back to the surface, she felt the long dress pulling against her and feared that her poor swimming capabilities would be her demise. Shooting for the air again, with sheer determination that the Captain would not get rid of her that easily, she kicked with her legs as best she could beneath the restrictions of the dress, aiming for the surface.
Like a spurting geyser she pushed her way up through onto the top of the lake, coughing up the unwanted water she had gathered on her way up. Although her time underwater had been brief, she'd already seen visions in her head of the other girls suffering the same fate. All wearing beautiful dresses, doused, drenched, tangling between their legs, impeding their frantic kicks to stay afloat. Unprepared, their screams breaking the quiet of the night as they were swallowed into the lakes depths. Anger swelled within her. That he'd probably unjustly thrown them overboard as he had herself irked her and all because Simone had worked upon his jealous ego. She would get Simone back for this.
Floating on the surface she was kicking her legs to stay beside the ship. Thankfully the ship was anchored for the night so she didn't need to swim after it. However, from the ripples and vibrations in the water below she knew something or things were swimming toward her. She swam to the side of the ship but there was nothing to grab hold of so she floated back a little to look up toward the deck. Thuds and groans came from above her, then a crash and a few words of obscenities from the Captain. She heard Elm's laugh in response and a resounding thud, followed by another curse from the Captain.
She had to get Elm's attention; the movement below her was becoming more violent. She could feel the vibrations quivering through her legs, making her tremble at knowing huge silver bodies armed with multiple vicious teeth were making their way toward her. If he continued to fight the Captain she'd no longer be worth saving.
“Elm!” She cried and heard a halt in the fight and a thunk followed by the Captain's cries of triumph. Above came the sound of bodies crashing against a wall and below the tremors became greater. In rising panic she scrambled through her mind at what she could do. She could kick them with her feet but from what she understood the envillions swarmed their prey in numbers, she wouldn't be able to kick them all.
In her horror and confusion, a thought sprang to her mind that the Captain loved to eat envillion and so could very well have eaten a fish that had devoured one of his past lovers! The image was so sickening that she screamed at the top of her lungs, the sound echoing across the water to the land. The sound was as blood curdling as the very thought of the Captain being a cannibal. She was crying in absolute terror, scolding herself once more for ever leaving the camp and disobeying Oak. Oak, whom she would never see again unless she came back as a spirit.
Continuing to swim along the side of the ship she looked for anything that she could grab hold of to pull herself up out of the water. Her body no longer felt like her own, it was starting to become numb and her heart, even though it was filled with fear, was starting to slow. Her mind felt like sludge. Death was imminent and yet her senses weren't responding to survive, they were starting to slow. She forced herself to move along a short way beside the ship but still with no success of finding anything to hold.
She was about to stop and debate what to do next when a rope suddenly flopped in front of her. With eagerness to live suddenly erupting plus a quivering determination which she wasn’t sure was her trembling from the cold or her happiness at having an escape, she grabbed hold. Her tug on the rope was felt and she was slowly pulled out of the water.
Thank you, thank you, she repeated through her head. Whoever you are I will be indebted to you forever. Sliding upwards against the ship her breasts crushed against the cold hard steel, warmth was flowing through her but she didn’t know if she was imagining it from her elevated state of anticipation at being safe. She looked at her bare arms; they were almost blue, her hands felt cramped as she struggled to keep hold of the rope.
She was crying in her mind I'm going to live, I'm going to live when she was suddenly jolted. Her locked fingers parted and she lost hold of the rope. Her eyes felt like they were leaping from their sockets to grasp outward as she watched the rope leave her sight and she plummeted back down to the water. Her disbelief was unparalleled as fell, she screamed with every bit of energy in her lungs, watching the grey metal sides of the ship flash past her in a slow motion real as she dropped down, down, down.
**********
Fern’s scream ran through Elm like a spear, stalling his movement and allowing the Captain to swing him around against the barrier and sink a punch deep into his lower ribs. His head dropped at the blow and he grimaced with pain, the pain subsided to anger. It rose like a lava fountain from the fissure of emotions that sat below the lithosphere of self-control, like tectonic plates separating intense hatred spewed forth. Throwing his head up his eyes leveled with the Captain as the Captain’s fist swung toward his abdomen. It hit the hardened muscles and Elm watched the surprised Captain wince from the discomfort of his bruised knuckles. His contact with bone earlier had hurt and he hadn’t expected the pain he felt from Elm’s abdominal muscles, he stumbled back in surprise. Elm was feeling nothing, everything had numbed with the volcanic eruption of extreme hostility.
Fern had been so close to safety, he had hauled her up and his relief had made him feel like he was floating, until the Captain had grabbed him once more. Why couldn’t he have stayed down where he’d fallen? Elm hadn’t expected him to get up again, he was sure he’d left him unconscious, but instead the Captain had yanked him backward, jarring the rope in his hand and sending Fern back down to her death in the fish filled water below.
If Elm had the devil within him, he felt his presence now. Grabbing the Captain by the throat with a movement so quick and unexpected that it left the Captain staring with bulging shocked eyes, he crushed with both hands upon the cricoid cartilage willing for it to collapse. He felt the air expel under his hands, felt the bristled skin beneath his fingers as the sharp shards of unshaven hair sank into his hands and fingers. The feeling felt good, not like pain even though it was his pain sensory response, it was more like a return of his senses from the numbness he was feeling everywhere else and with it came a sadistic pleasure. He could feel everything that was happening beneath his palms and fingers, the closure of the Captain’s windpipe, the struggle of air trying to be sucked in, his fingers blocking access, the tightened muscles fighting then starting to relax, giving way to their inability to succeed.
He’d never taken a human life and the moral thoughts hiding themselves away nagged softly in the back of his mind, telling him he was doing wrong. He couldn’t stop himself as his hands pressed harder pushing upon the oesophagus with cruel unfailing brutality. The Captain still gasped, his hands had been hitting out at Elm like they were from a flopping doll as they received no reaction and brought no aid to the Captain in his fight for life. The Captain’s body started to become heavy in Elm’s hands, his final gasps were barely audible now, the flailing hands had slowed from waving limbs to limp appendages at his side.
Elm didn’t sense the boys at either side of him, not until they had grabbed his arms and pulled them away from the silent form before him. As soon as he was wrenched away the Captain fell and another body immediately dropped toward him, hastily pushing upon the Captain’s chest with as much force as it could. Elm knew it was Dr. Consilla. Elm looked on as if from a distance until he felt a fist hit his side and he folded over slightly. He felt almost unconscious to what was going on as Fern’s screams repeatedly echoed through his ears and he realized it was because she was still in the water crying. He felt some relief, at least she was alive.
He knew he was being hauled along by two others, his feet dragging upon the metal deck but he felt more as if he were watching rather than being a part of what was happening. He was no longer inside his body but outside away from everything, just hovering.
It was then that he heard the difference in sound, an intense scream of horror and fear that came from the water and he spun around dragging the two boys with him. One of them pulled back a closed fist ready to immobilize him once more, but the fist never came forward as the boy was grabbed and pulled back. With surprised eyes Elm watched Hemlock sweep his foot under his unsuspecting victim and watched him fall, heard the thunk as he landed, continued to watch in thankfulness as Hemlock grasped the arm of his other captor, and spun him around twisting it behind his back, wrenching it upward into a painful lock causing the boy to cry out in agony.
The other Lakeller boy was up again and moved to grab Hemlock who dodged out of the way pushing his victim in front of him into his attacker and momentarily unbalancing both. Elm sprang into action grabbing hold of one fighter from behind as he linked his arms through both of his opponent’s and with his foot swept against his foes outside leg. In so doing he knocked it into the other leg. Falling like dominoes Elm felt the weight of his opponent dropping to the floor as he went down with him, falling upon his victim, winding him; Elm listened to his panicked gasps but remained on top of him.
He looked up to see Hemlock take his elbow to the back of the other Lakeller, hitting the base of his head and watched him fold like a crashing branch broken in a storm. He fell heavily the thud ringing in Elm’s ears long after Hemlock had run off to throw himself into a band of fighting Lakellers.
Around him was havoc, it was a battle of Woodlanders and Lakellers, bodies were flung across the deck, the fists of Lakellers were pummelling into Woodlander jawbones, he could hear the crack of bone on bone, could sense the pain of bruising to flesh and bone. He saw Pine lifting Lieutenant Christian from the ground and almost gasped at the strength and determination of him as the similar sized Lakeller looked aghast and uselessly punched at the solid chest before him. Pine merely laughed and threw him against a metal wall, the sound vibrated through to the floor toward Elm who still lay upon his passed out victim. He cranked his head back to see everything that was happening. Pine was bending over the fallen body of the Lakeller, his fist hitting into his jaw until he finally stopped and dropped the now quiet body to the ground.
Pine didn’t get the chance to stand upright, he was suddenly kicked in the stomach and he rolled onto his back where he was able to see his attacker. Gisburn stood over him, large and strong, knowing he was slow in his movement he made sure Pine had no time to regroup but sent his foot into the side of Pine’s ribs, whilst he reeled from it and rolled once more. Repeatedly Pine was sent into throes of pain as Gisburn pursued him relentlessly. Elm watched him slowly follow Pine’s movements but this time he bent down and grabbed Pine’s chest to pull him up as he lined his fist to punch him. It was a mistake he could not recover from as Pine’s knee rose to hit his genitals, Gisburn’s face creased in anguish at the blow that sent the breath out of him. Pine pulled him down toward him, his fist ploughing into the side of his face, the force causing his cheek to sink like a filled sail; it wobbled depressed as air escaped along with splatters of blood and saliva. With unusual strength Pine threw him away from him, Gisburn fell heavily, his head hitting the metal floor hard knocking him unconscious. Pine slowly arose to his feet and stood over him, then with a careful step and a hand at his ribs he moved to aid his fellow Woodlanders.
A slow movement caught Elm’s eye and he noticed that Dr. Consilla had the Captain on his feet, he was gasping for breath beside him. Like a feeble old man he gained fortitude from the Doctor who resiliently held him and encouraged him to move away from the raging battlefield around them.
To his right he noticed a large Lakeller swinging a heavy chain at Cedar’s head. He watched Cedar deftly lean back as the chain passed by no more than an inch above his face, the force moving the hair on his forehead. The Lakeller looked unperturbed as he swung the chain behind him and brought it around for a second chance at a blow, this time taking the chain lower.
Cedar aware of the danger in his predicament quickly dropped his hands to the floor, where he pushed off and with a levelled head charged at the Lakeller’s stomach. The Lakeller too late, dropped the still swinging chain, its force pulled back his arm dragging it behind him as it fell to the ground, simultaneously he crashed backwards as Cedar’s head pummelled into his stomach and they both fell to the floor.
Cedar lost no time, he sat upon the confused Lakeller, grabbed both his arms pinning them to the floor and with a quick thrust of his head butted him on the bridge of his nose. After which Cedar quickly rose to his feet not even bothering to see if there was any movement below him and ran toward a group of burly Lakellers that were getting the better of two Woodlanders. Cedar’s opponent remained immobile on the spot that he had fallen.
Elm continued to watch as Cedar pulled a Lakeller off of Hemlock who’d been caught between two Lakellers that were throwing punches at him simultaneously. He grasped one by his pony tail and yanked him backwards making his arms fly forward as if pleading to Hemlock. The sight amused Elm for some reason and he heard a cynical laugh come from his throat and wondered where it had come from. His head felt like a heavy boulder, his face thrummed like a constant bad tune, putting his teeth on edge as they grimly ground together.
He saw Cedar pummel his fist into the back of the flailing Lakeller watching in unwilling morbid fascination. The Lakeller let out a huge bellow of air as spittle sprayed forth toward the battling Hemlock and his opponent. Elm was surprised how merciless Cedar was, as the body of the Lakeller began to crumble to his knees where it met with Cedars fist once more, as it still sought the soft side area of his lower back. Cedar’s hand held him up by his hair; it was now pulled taught like he was controlling a marionette, as the wobbling body struggled underneath.
He could see the bicep in Cedar’s arm bulging from the heavy weight until finally with a disgusted humph he unceremoniously dropped him, leaving without a second glance as he leapt into another group of battling bodies. Elm was surprised at the brutality that was erupting from his clan and it made him question whether his were a gentle people after all.
Thuds and groans went on around him, he knew he had to get up but his body seemed locked into rigidity. The body below his was still and his own screamed to do the same but he forced himself onto his knees and slowly got up. He was staring at the chaos when he saw Ensign Jones near the barrier of the ship, saw him hesitate for a moment as he swept his eyes across the deck and the carnage that was going on. It was then Elm heard the voice of Lieutenant Rostin and turned to him. He was barely audible over the yells and cries of the brawling boys. He studied him carefully and found he was shouting for everyone to stop but his voice was drowned out by the noise going on around him. The explosion and sound of a whizzing bullet brought everyone’s attention to Lieutenant Rostin as they all stopped their motion.
“Enough!” His strained face looked around at the bloody hands and faces before him. “There is no reason to die for a Captain who has been a fool!”
All eyes looked at him, some surprised, others with interest at his accusation.
“We all know this is not the first time our Captain has killed innocents!” His voice quavered on the last word but his falter was brief as he grimly resumed his speech. “We have followed him and listened to him, all the while knowing his weakness, his weakness of jealousy! How can we trust a Captain who does not have control of his emotions, whose rage is a rage over nothing? Whatever he imagines in his mind takes over and instead of keeping his ship and crew safe.” He paused for a moment and then dramatically continued, “A crew that is faithful, that serves him well and deserves to be treated likewise, a crew that should be respected, that should not be put in danger because of an envious insanity!” He looked around him at the boys listening. “Instead he throws his captive overboard knowing that her clan reside below the decks. Knowing they will hear and respond to save their own as anyone of honour should. It is insanity, as only insanity would make anyone do such a thing! Can our Captain be considered logical and in control of his senses?”
The Lakellers shook their heads in answer no and Lieutenant Rostin continued triumphant that his case was won.
“I say that he is incapable of being our Captain that he is mentally insane and should be locked up for murder. That another Captain should be voted upon, a Captain that has morals, honour, resilience and most of all the sensibility to know that the ship and crew always come first!”
The cheers were of no surprise, the Lakellers had been behind him from the beginning of his soliloquy. The crew slowly moved away from the Woodlanders they’d been fighting and went to stand beside Lieutenant Rostin. Stares of admiration and camaraderie were given to the Lieutenant as members of the crew shook his hand in absolute agreement of the words he’d just said. The actions left Elm with no doubt that he was to be their new Captain.
“Woodlanders let us try to resume our friendship and continue to aid you in your journey to find your leader. Let us agree to a truce.”
Pine nodded his head. “I agree there is no disagreement between us, only with the boy that was once your Captain.”
Lieutenant Rostin nodded back in response.
The Woodlanders slowly moved together, gathering in silence, but Elm didn’t join them instead he ran to the barrier where he’d last seen Fern alive.
**********
Fern hit the water, the splash sending spray upwards as she sunk into the lakes depths yet again. In the water she scrambled through vibrating waves to the surface. It was then she realized that the fish were coming toward her. That they had searched for the cause of the vibrations they’d originally felt, found nothing because she’d been pulled away and had left, now to return to search once more for their prey.
Spinning her head rapidly around her she could see movement in all directions. What was she to do? She kept asking herself over and over, her fear escalating at the lack of reply. She was crying out, her words inaudible yet their meaning was understandable. Something tugged at her and she realized one of the massive fish had hold of the bottom of her dress. It was pulling it down into the depths and she went along with it. Its teeth clamped tight upon the silken cloth as it shredded it, tearing it in frustration from its realization that is was not flesh, giving her a chance to resurface and catch a breath.
Gulping air, she looked down. The nearness of the creature sent her into cataclysmic panic. She flung her arms and legs everywhere, trying to strike at the envillions that she couldn't see in her fear, but could feel swarming around her. Waves rippled as her dress was ripped even more. All she could think was that it was not her flesh; it was only material and not what the envillions intended to grab hold of. She felt something grab at her long trailing hair; her scream was high, shrieking. This wasn't how she'd expected to die.
An envillion leapt out of the water, she stared at the layers of frightening teeth as the moonlight gave them lustre, giving the fish a clown like grin. Water glistened upon its silver back as its emotionless eyes plunged back into the water. She was screaming again, even though she knew it was a waste of energy. Tails lashed out upon the surface of the water as she quickly spun around to see where the fish were. Relentlessly they circled her, gauging how to kill without danger to themselves. It didn’t take them long to realize that the feeble being splashing in the water posed no threat and they darted toward her mouths open.
Fern needed a weapon; all she had were her sandals. She fumbled grasping them as she sank into the water, her open eyes could see the fish coming toward her but she had one sandal and was quickly pulling off the other. Feebly armed with a sandal in each hand she spun around striking the approaching fish with the pointed heels of each.
Crazy with fear like a spinning top she twirled and struck out trying to hit all the fish that were darting toward her. Her eyes stung from being below the water as she kept them open to see the fish. Rapidly moving her body she caused the water to eddy and swirl as it broke upon the fish distracting them further. It was only the surprise of her attack that saved her, the strike and sudden intense movement in the water caught them unaware. The fish swam away to reassess the situation.
Kicking strongly she emerged to the surface and gasped for air. She knew they were still close by but the vibrations were less, so she was safe for a short while. It didn’t take long before the ripples once more increased; she could feel the motion of water grow stronger against her body. This was her last stand, she had gained more time but now the clock was chiming the hour for the last swarm. She stared watching the mass of bodies sliding and slithering through the water. She could sense their determination, they would not be thwarted this time, they were hungry and they would not give up on their meal. Help me! Help me! Her mind was crying but no words were said as she waited to be pulled down into the depths of the lake and torn to death.
The large splash beside her brought her to her senses and she saw Ensign Jones holding the rope. He swam toward her and shoved it into her hands; he held her own hands briefly, his still warm, hers cold welcoming the heat.
She could see his face clearly, the sadness upon it, the eyes that took their last stare into her own as he whispered. “Bye Fern.” The light blue eyes said more, that his sacrifice was for her only.
“No!” she said but the stare told her otherwise. She couldn’t let him do this, so she tried to grab hold of his hand once more. Her movement was clumsy and uncoordinated as she missed his hand and his eyes turned to the rapidly approaching fish.
“I love you!” his voice said softly. She couldn’t believe she heard it above the sound of waves relentlessly thrown against the sides of the ship by the disruption of water, as the silver bodies headed toward them.
Her heart screamed loudly and her head swirled in deep distress as she watched him curve his body, watched him as he curled into the water, kicking his legs rapidly as he swam toward the swarming fish below, drawing them away from her.
“No!” the word barely left her lips as she stared in shock at the rippling water, still holding the rope that he'd forced into her hand.
A gunshot startled her and she looked up to where the sound had occurred, there was no one there for her to see. Her eyes went to the limp rope in her hand and then returned to scan for where Ensign Jones had disappeared. She was distressed further because she had lost him to the deep already. In the corner of her eye she saw a commotion to her right, energetic ripples sending quivers to the surface, indicating multiple body movements below.
She was crying, lost and bewildered, what was to happen now? Was she to wait until the envillion were finished with him and wait for them to pull her down too? Should she try to climb the rope? How could she when her cold slow body told her it wouldn’t be possible. It was then she realized all she could do was wrap the rope around her hand. She wrapped it as best she could. Now she had to wait, wait as she slowly treaded water, trying to control her shivering and quell the feeling of exhaustion. She was crying heart wrenching sobs as she mourned the loss of Ensign Jones, mourned whilst she still could.
The rope suddenly tugged her hand and she instinctively grabbed it with her other free one, clasping it with every bit of strength she had left. It became taught as she found her hands pulled up out of the water and her arms wrenched almost from their sockets. She slowly moved upwards, her arms taught whilst she hung in midair. She scoured the rippled water that Ensign Jones had vanished into. Her body hung limp, all strength vanquished to the one place that needed it her cramped fingers and ice cold palms. With hollow eyes her head hung down onto her chest ignoring the passing metal sides of the ship, only focused on the swirling water below as once more she was hauled up toward the distant dim deck.
Still staring below she frantically searched for the young ensign but all she could see were the grey tails of the fish slapping violently under the surface of the water as they bore down upon something below, that something being Ensign Jones. Even in the dark the moonlight gave stage lighting to the events below as she saw the air bubbles rising, knew they were the last of his breath, saw the twirling shapes tearing him apart, and saw the flood of blood as it rose to the surface. She knew that his pain was now over, that the floating pieces of blood covered cloth were all that was left of his uniform. She didn’t want to think of what the pink pieces floating to the surface were as the weaker of the fish quickly scavenged and picked them off.
Her wet face held both lake water and salted tears as she clung to the rope, the rope Ensign Jones had held in his own hands merely minutes, perhaps even just seconds ago. A time mentally drawn out so long that it would be embedded in her mind forever.
She knew she was crying, wailing, her lungs were raw with it but she couldn't stop. Her heart was trying to force its way through her ribcage, hammering with such force that she shook throughout her whole being. The shuddering movement caused her to lose her grip on the rope and it unwrapped by one loop causing her to slip slightly lower, making her scream all the more.
“Ensign Jones!” she cried, “Ensign Jones!” The words were on her tongue but they couldn't escape, nothing escaped but the massive sobs and her woeful cries.
She hated herself, she hated that she'd killed Ensign Jones and it made her want to let go of the rope but that would be wrong. It would be disrespectful to the boy that had given his life for hers. She didn't deserve it. Why had he done that? She asked herself over and over but she knew the answer and it hurt her all the more.
With one last mournful cry she hit the railing and her great sorrow was thrust out of her as she gasped for air at its force. She tried to draw in a breath but couldn't, she tried again, felt her eyes popping at not being able to pull in oxygen until finally her muscles relaxed and her lungs pulled a breath in.
It was Elm that pulled her over the side, Elm that held her as she slid down onto the floor of the deck. He held her securely in his arms, held her collapsed trembling body, but her eyes didn’t see him nor did her arms hold him back.
She lay stupefied, her eyes were elsewhere watching repeatedly the form of Ensign Jones diving into the water toward the swarming fish, his feet determinedly kicking taking him closer. The successful fish catching hold of their prey, their layers of teeth sinking into his young vibrant body, his subdued screams coursing unheard through the water. His pain and fear smothered as the relentless bodies pulled at him and dragged him down further away from any chance of escape.
Her screams of absolute horror subdued to shaking, shuddering seismic waves. Her arms and legs were no longer her own as she went into spasm after spasm at each wrenching cry, until her throat was so hoarse that there was no longer any sound able to evacuate her voice box, just huge shakes of uncontrolled movement. Her mouth opened to silent screams from a heart and soul so torn and dismembered that she wondered if she would ever stop feeling the pain. She didn’t know if she should live or fade away from the heartache and extreme torment that she was suffering knowing that Ensign Jones had died for her.
She dispelled the image of death and remembered his face, so kind and gentle, so loving. He'd been her friend even though it had been a short friendship. He'd died for her. Did she deserve it? She didn't think so.
With all the will in the world she wished that it hadn't happened, that she hadn't let go of the rope, that the envillion hadn't pulled her back in, that she'd had more strength. She was a defender, why hadn't she kept hold of the rope? If she had he would be alive now. He would have been the one holding her in his arms as her sa