A Red Sky Has Fallen

by Ryan Gilbert

  As they slowly lowered the anchor into the water, Coral Jack let his gaze wander over the island that lay in front of him. In all of his years on the sea, Jack had never seen an island that looked so barren and ancient. Statues looked like they used to guard the entrance to the island, but they had long since fallen from their posts. From brief glimpses of the rest of the island, he could see something that looked like a grand stone temple. If everyone had left the ship, then that was most likely where they had gone.

  At least, that was where he had hoped everybody had gone.

  “Val, we need to get over to the Red Sky right now if we want to save our friends. Can ye help me do that?”

  The mermaid nodded immediately.

  “Just follow me,” she said.

  Both Jack and Valera climbed down the rope that was tethered to the anchor and into the water. Coral Jack was a little scared of what would happen if that sea monster was still somewhere around the island, but he had no choice but to trust his fish-tailed companion. Strangely enough, it was easier for him to do than he had previously thought.

  The mermaid dove underneath the surface of the water, pulling Jack along with her. The two weaved through the many rocks that had been displaced when the island had appeared, sometimes just barely avoiding collision.

  Just as they were about to reach the Red Sky, Valera stopped. Coral Jack opened his eyes under the water, expecting to see the bottom of the ship. He did see the ship, but that was not the only thing he saw. Black wisps of smoke floated throughout the clear water. He could see all the way over to the beaches like there was nothing between him and the sand. He could still feel the water, but it was like it was invisible.

  So that was what black water actually looked like.

  Valera and Jack swam up to the ship, breaking through the pitch-black surface right next to the Red Sky. Treading water, Jack tried to listen for any voices coming from the ship. The most he could hear were one or two men.

  “Should I take them out?” Valera asked.

  “No, just wait. We can’t have ye attacking these men like ye did everyone else. If they raise an alarm, then we’re both dead meat. Change your fins into legs and do what I tell ye to do.”

  The mermaid nodded and obeyed.

  Swiftly, Jack climbed up the side of the ship and hung onto one of the portholes for the cannons. After a quick look inside, he was certain that there was no one on that deck. As quietly as he could, he unlatched the cannon from the hull and pushed it out of the way, clearing the way for both him and Valera to infiltrate the ship.

  Cautiously, they tiptoed across the floor, Jack with his sword at the ready, and Valera ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble. The light of the lanterns kept them from running into anything, but it also meant they would have to be able to find a hiding place really fast if someone came down below.

  The ship was eerily quiet, almost too quiet for Jack’s taste. At any moment, he expected something to jump out at him. With the mermaid following so close behind him, he could only hear the sound of her breathing.

  Slowly, they crept up to the higher decks, but there was still no one to be seen. Where were those voices coming from? Poking around in the hammocks, Jack could not find anyone.

  Looking up the stairs and out onto the main deck, Jack and Valera at last saw the pirates who were protecting the ship. It was merely three men with a couple bottles of rum. They did not even have their swords. Their weapons lay on a barrel behind them.

  Ducking below deck again, Jack pulled out his sword and said, “Tell me ye know how to use one o’ these.”

  “I do… but don’t you think we should use a… a different approach.”

  “Like what?” asked a curious Coral Jack.

  The mermaid opened her mouth and Jack saw the fangs starting to appear. Instantly, he pointed his sword at her, still a bit distrustful of her.

  “Don’t worry, Jack. I only use them when I need to. This seems like one of those times,” she said, gently moving the sword away.

  He did not lower his blade.

  Valera sighed and crept onto the main deck. Coral Jack tried to stop her, but she was too quick. If he rushed after her, then he would make too much noise. He did not want to ruin an attack, even if he did not agree with Valera’s methods. Berating himself under his breath, Jack slinked back into the shadows, watching the mermaid execute her plan.

  “Excuse me, gentlemen.”

  The pirates jumped to their feet and fumbled to grab their swords. Jack could do nothing but watch as the mermaid’s element of surprise was completely lost. Whatever Valera was planning had to be a miracle if she wanted to survive that close of an encounter.

  “What do you want, wench?” asked one pirate, his sword in his outstretched hand.

  With a disarming look, Valera smiled and said, “All I want is a little food and water.”

  From his perch near the stairs, Jack noticed the pirates’ swords starting to lower. The looks in their eyes were not the expressions of those being threatened. It was the look of those who just met the girl of their wildest fantasies.

  “Uh… will rum do?” asked one man, dropping his weapon to the ground and offering the mermaid his flask.

  The other men put their swords back into their scabbards and held out their bottles as well.

  “Such kind men,” she said, flashing each pirate a charming little smile.

  Coral Jack could see each of them trying to keep their senses straight, but it was obviously not working. They were lost in Valera’s mermaid magic.

  Taking the two glass bottles, the mermaid sauntered closer to the three men.

  “Is there something you want?” she asked, locking eyes with the middle pirate.

  The man was at a loss for words.

  As Jack watched, he could feel his eyes following the mermaid. They would not leave her. They could not leave her. It felt like something was forcing him to watch her… to ogle her. It was an unpleasant feeling for him. As the edges of his vision started to blur, Coral Jack forced himself to close his eyes. He would not let the mermaid’s magic take control of him.

  He would not.

  Once he told himself that, everything returned to normal. The feeling of lust disappeared, almost like it had never been there. Cautiously, he returned to watching Valera’s plan unfold.

  “Come a little closer,” she told the man.

  Once he was just inches from her, she wrapped her arms gently around his neck, her mouth right next to his ear. She sweetly cooed into his ear as Jack watched in awe from his hiding place.

  CRASH

  Valera smashed the two bottles together and drove the broken pieces into the unprotected necks of the two pirates at the man’s side. The last surviving pirate tried to get away, but Valera tightened her grip on his neck and stared him straight in the eye.

  “Never fall for a pretty face, gentleman,” the mermaid said with a fanged smile.

  She dug her pointed teeth into the pirate’s neck and ripped the skin clean off. Jack came out of hiding just as the man dropped dead. It was a little unsettling that a deadly force like that could come in such an appealing package.

  Dragging the bodies to the side of the ship, Jack said, “So tell me, Val. How much o’ that… stuff… did you have to use to get me to love you?”

  As they watched the corpses fall into the water, Valera said, “I didn’t need to use any. It only works on the weak-minded. You’re much stronger than you realize, Jack. When I saw you sitting in that tavern, I knew you were different than all of those other men. I wanted to experience real love, not like what you just saw. I guess… I guess when it came time for me to tell you the truth, I just… I just wasn’t brave enough to tell you what I truly was. I fooled myself into believing that you’d see me as a monster… so I left. And every single day… every single torturous day, I’ve regretted that decision.”

  Coral Jack was speechless. He wanted to say something, but he did not know what to say. He still loved
her, but he did not know if he could allow her back into his life after what she had done.

  Wiping the blood from her mouth, the mermaid said, “Jack, I’m willing to do anything to help you. I just want to have things the way they used to be all those years ago. Please?”

  Too many thoughts were rushing through Coral Jack’s mind. He could not make eye contact with Valera even if he had tried. Ever since he had seen her wrapped in the Dagger’s flag, he had been telling himself that he would not forgive her. Now, he felt himself giving in. She had done nothing but help him and the crew, even after he had outright ignored her. When they were stuck together, he could not help but feel like he missed their time spent in Rebelde all those years ago. He had been hiding his feelings from himself, afraid to open up once again.

  Meeting Valera’s begging eyes, Jack said, “If you leave me again… or betray any of the Captain’s crew, then I will not forgive ye again.”

  “So that means…?”

  “I’ll try.”

  Words could not describe the pure glee that emanated from the mermaid’s face.

  “Thank you, Jack!” she exclaimed, leaping into his arms.

  “Hold yer horses, Val. There’ll be time fer celebrating later. For now, just help me get the ship ready to leave. I’ve got a feelin’ that a certain captain and his crew are going to want to be escaping soon.”

  The moment that Garrett dragged Riggs around the corner, the Captain saw his loyal crewmembers waiting at the entrance to the gigantic structure. They did not have any trident with them. In fact, they looked completely lost. Once they saw Garrett, their attention focused on him. They ripped their swords out of their scabbards, ready to fight.

  It was a stand off.

  “What is this?” laughed Garrett, “A pathetic excuse for a crew? They squandered yer only chance to defeat me.”

  He pushed Riggs to the ground and snarled, “Get me that trident now, boy.”

  “He can’t.”

  All eyes focused on Julia as she limped to the front of the crew.

  “What did ye say?” asked Garrett, starting to lose his temper.

  “He can’t get you the trident. None of us can. The doors won’t open.”

  “Then open them,” he shouted.

  “Answer the riddle… maybe that will help,” Julia said, pointing at the flaming inscription on the wall.

  Not saying a thing, Garrett stomped forward and read the words to himself. The rest of his comrades joined their captain in trying to decipher the riddle, but none of them had any clue as to what it meant. While his enemy was distracted, Riggs crawled over to Julia and the rest of his crew. None of the other pirates even tried to stop him. They had no chance of escaping.

  Riggs whispered to Julia, “All of ye need to get out o’ here. Once he gets that trident, he’ll kill you.”

  “I’m not leaving you… and I know the crew’s not abandoning you. We’d rather die.”

  Looking past the girl, Riggs tried to read the inscription on the wall.

  “I am what you treasure most,

  Hidden inside of a host.

  My destruction is an end.

  Nowhere dost my power send.”

  What could it possibly mean? Riggs tried to rack his brain for things that fit all that the words described. Riddles were not an area in which he excelled. He much preferred settling his problems with swords or pistols.

  Evidently, Garrett was having just as hard a time figuring out the answer as Riggs. The hook-handed pirate threw his hat to the stone floor and ground his teeth. The riddle was testing him, and he was not going to tolerate it.

  Angry and bitter, he grabbed Riggs and shoved him against the rock wall. Garrett bashed him against the stone again and again until the Captain thought his spine was going to crack. Julia tried to stop the needless attack, but Garrett’s crew swarmed her, forming a barrier between her and their leader.

  “What is the answer?” Garrett screamed in Riggs’ face.

  “I’m thinkin’. Give me time,” spat Riggs.

  Yanking a pistol from his belt, Garrett jabbed it into Riggs’ neck and growled, “Time ain’t somethin’ that comes easy wit’ me. I’ve spared yer life too many times as it is. Either answer the riddle… or die.”

  The pirate shoved Riggs towards the wall and towards his crew. Clint and Eli helped the Captain to his feet, and everyone started to try to make sense of the riddle.

  “I am what you treasure most. Could it be something like gold… or silver? Something like that?” asked Eli.

  The doors did not do anything, nor did the blue flames.

  “Do ye think it could be somethin’ wit’ de magic?” asked Ripper.

  The doors did not move, not even an inch.

  “I’m waiting,” Garrett shouted.

  Riggs kicked the ground and shouted back, “Don’t break our concentration. You want it open? We’ll have it open.”

  With a sigh, Garrett said, “Ye have a minute to find the answer.”

  *click*

  “A minute?” asked a shocked Riggs.

  “Time’s a’ wastin’.”

  The crew started to shout whatever came to their heads that made sense. Their minds were racing faster than they had ever thought possible. None of them wanted to die just yards away from their prize. The stress that was overloading their minds was forcing a constant stream of words to flow out of their mouths.

  Still, the doors did not open. The blue flames did not change at all. Nothing happened.

  “Enough o’ this damned waiting,” said Garrett, readying his pistol.

  Riggs closed his eyes as he waited for the gun to fire. If he was going to die, at least Julia and the crew would hopefully survive.

  “Wait!”

  The Captain opened his eyes and saw Doc, still staring up at the burning inscription. Garrett slowly lowered the pistol and stuck it back in his belt.

  “What is it, Doc?” the traitor asked.

  “You want the answer to this riddle? I’ve got it.”

  Nearly everybody was astounded. The mentally unstable Doc had the answer to the riddle that had everyone stumped? It was almost definitely another one of his ramblings.

  “If ye know the answer, Doc, then say it,” said Garrett, crossing his arms.

  “Will ye let us all go free?” he asked.

  “Just answer the bloody riddle.”

  Shrugging his shoulders, the old man raised his hands to the heavens and took a deep breath. With all of his might, he shouted, “Heart.”

  Instantly, the flames turned a bright blue-green color and shot onto the outer posts of the doorway. The ground began to shake, knocking most of the pirates to their knees. A crack began to run down the middle of the ornately carved stone, separating it into two actual doors. The light in the pool of water became nearly blinding, and the water splashed everywhere as the ground continued to shake.

  Doc had done it.

  As the pirates were getting to their feet, the flames shot across the doorway, covering the entire wall in fire. The two crews watched as a new phrase carved itself into the wall next to the pool of water.

  “Thou must use the heart to pass.”

  Greed and lust for power burning in his eyes, Garrett grabbed one of his men and pushed him into the flaming doorway. Once the man touched the blue-green flames, his body was consumed by it. The two crews could still hear his screaming voice as his flesh and bones turned to ash.

  Glaring at the flames, Garrett stood in silence, pondering what to do. Riggs could tell from his face that he was getting sick of the games. He just wanted the power.

  “Doc… get over here,” said Garrett.

  With his friends following behind him, the old man cautiously approached the barbaric pirate. Everyone could see the aggression in the villain’s eyes as he stroked his hook.

  “What do you want, Garrett? He’s already answered the riddle for ye, just let us all go,” pleaded Riggs.

  “Silence, boy. I have some bus
iness to take care of with the good doctor ‘ere.”

  Turning his attention to a very intimidated Doc, Garrett asked, “I’d assume ye’ve treated some stab wounds in yer time, am I right?”

  Doc nodded.

  “How many were straight to the heart?”

  The old man did not know how to answer.

  “I never treated those kinds. Those men died immediately after they bled out.”

  Resting his hand on Doc’s shoulder, Garrett asked, “Have ye ever seen a human heart?”

  “Many times.”

  “Ever wondered what yours looks like?”

  “No, Doc, don’t…” Riggs shouted.

  Before Doc or Riggs could even move, Garrett drove his hook into the old man’s chest. The poor doctor could do nothing as blood poured out of the hole in his chest.

  Riggs and the crew were shocked into silence as Garrett wrenched and ripped Doc’s heart right out of his chest. The hook was pierced through the heart and had ripped it clear of anything attaching it to the man’s body.

  Nobody knew what to say. Even Garrett’s crew was shocked by their captain’s brutality. None of Riggs’ crew could form any words.

  Doc was dead.

  Holding the heart high, Garrett laughed and shouted, “Behold the key to power, gents. A small price to pay for the power of the gods.”

  Callously, he pushed Doc’s corpse into the pool of water and stepped in front of the door, awaiting its opening.

  Once Garrett turned his attention from them, Riggs and his crew hurried over to the pool to get their friend’s body. Riggs and Julia climbed into the water and helped haul the old man’s body back onto the dry rocks so that it could be given the respect that it deserved.

  “I’m sorry, Doc. I’m so… so sorry,” said Riggs, carefully laying his friend’s head on the ground.

  Doc’s lifeless eyes stared up at his friends, but it was not a look of terror. It was peaceful, a hint of a smile on his face. Even the most gruesome death could not take away the old man’s cheerful insanity.

  Right at that moment, they all saw a flash of red and heard an ominous sound coming from the doors. At first, they did not turn around, but when a bright light started to shine on their faces, they had to see what was going on.