Her eyes were closed and all she wanted now was to curl up into a ball and get it over with. She felt her body lurch forward and then she was being dragged upwards by a hard grip on her arms before everything stopped and she heard heavy breathing.
“I’ve just saved your life, Miss,” Gary Wurner growled as he pulled her to her feet.
Jade looked around and realised she was on the deck of the Princess May. She thought she could make out shadows drifting around the deck but her eyes were too sore to focus.
“You should be thanking me,” the waiter was saying. His voice was fretful as he added, “Or maybe not. I should have left you to the giant Spickler, but I’m soft hearted. It’s a stinking monster; it sucks you up from the inside out. No matter, the ship’s going down in less than ten minutes; it’s too late for you now.” He looked across at Sandy Island, “Shame about the others though, still, they’ll never find their way off Sandy Island, that’s punishment enough. Aren’t you going to thank me for rescuing you?”
“Piss off,” Jade mumbled, spitting out sand.
“That’s not very nice, I could get in serious trouble for helping you but the truth is, I fancy you and if I’m lucky you might follow me down below. The stuff you bitches get up to, you deserve to go to Hell.” His eyes glittered. “I could do with a bit of female company.”
“Creep,” Jade breathed.
“No need for that, Miss, at least I was there for you, not like your so called friends, never even looked back, just went ahead and left you,” he said flatly, “Just like this lot did to me sixty years ago.” He waved his arms around indicating the shadowy figures on the deck. “Nobody cares, don’t you get that?”
Jade shook her head to clear it. “No,” she said breathlessly. “My friends thought I was right behind them.” She put her hand up to her throat and realised she’d lost her necklace.
Gary Wurner was grinning. “They’ve gone off searching for the Chalice of Truth. They won’t find it and do you know why?”
Jade didn’t say anything.
“Because,” the waiter went on gleefully, “It doesn’t exist. It’s a myth. I went looking for it once. I was on another cruise ship, two years before I died. I fell overboard, leaning too far over the rail, careless of me but I was full of drugs, and I washed up on Sandy Island. I didn’t get very far in my search though, all I got for my troubles was a hole in my back where one of those wretched Oogaloo’s shot me with a poison arrow.” He grimaced. “I should have died then but the Devil had other plans for me, he let me live in misery for another two years before I drowned on the Princess May.” He laughed harshly. “Got a sense of humour, Lucifer.”
The ship rocked suddenly.
“For Christ’s sake!” Jade yelled. “This isn’t all about you and your wretched wasted life and death.” She pointed at the shadowy figures in the background, “Don’t you think they’ve suffered enough?”
Gary Wurner’s lips curled into a sneer. “Oh, no, not near enough.” A bell began clanging and his sneer turned to a look of triumph. “It’s begun,” he hissed.
To Jade’s horror, the ship began to slowly dissolve. There was the sound of yelling, voices raised in panic as massive waves began crashing against the hull of the ship. She could hear people shouting, screaming for a lifeboat, but of course Gary Wurner had long since cut the little boats free from the ship. There was the panicked sound of feet running across the deck but Jade couldn’t see anyone. Men were roaring and women were screaming and Gary Wurner was standing, feet planted firmly apart, his head thrown back, eyes glittering and whistling through his teeth.
Jade could feel herself sliding towards the shadowy figures who were huddled in a mass against the rail of the ship. She fell to her knees and grasped the rail with both hands, her hair blowing around her face, the awful sound of Gary Wurner whistling piercing through her brain. She had no breath left to scream and could only watch in horror as all at once, one by one, the mass of people seemed to separate and throw themselves into the choppy water. Some of them clung onto each other for support, their arms flailing, their mouths open in a silent scream but they were no match for the heaving waves. As their poor tormented bodies were thrown and tossed around they began disappearing, their fight for survival over for the second time. Jade had no more tears left to cry, she could only hang onto the rail, the sound of her dry heaving sobs carried away by the fierce wind that was roaring all around her.
The rain came, hard and fast mixed with pellets of sleet and bolts of lightning that lit up the sky zigzagging overhead. A long thin streak of fork lightning speared the deck and almost seemed to bounce away from her towards Gary Wurner. He was balancing on the sloping deck his arms spread out to keep his balance. The lightening hovered above his head for a few moments turning into the shape of a huge pitchfork that glowed white hot.
His hair caught on fire and he began to laugh. He stretched his arms forward and tottered towards the rail. The skin on his face was bubbling with heat, making squelching noises as the blisters popped, and as the flames rippled downwards burning through his clothes and searing his body he leaned forward and pointed.
“Look at them,” he croaked through blackened lips, “throwing themselves on the mercy of the sea, no lifeboats, no one to help them.” He turned his head slowly towards Jade, his eyes crazed with pain and ecstasy, “Now they know how I felt!” He screamed and tilted forward, his whole body ablaze as he hurtled down into the raging ocean.
Jade heaved up a thin stream of bile. She was next if she didn’t do something. She could still see Sandy Island but it seemed to be receding and she knew she had just the one chance to get back to her friends. She began climbing over the rail.
Hands grabbed her.
“No!” Captain Livingstone-Bryce hung onto her, shouting in her ear, “You won’t make it. Stay here and take your chances, it’s not so bad being dead.”
Jade glanced back at him. At his half eaten brain poking out of his skull, “No, thank you,” she yelled, and jumped.
“Jade’s missing? What are you talking about, she was right behind me.” Robbie looked around frantically. “Oh, God,” he moaned, that...that sand monster got her!”
“We don’t know that,” Brett said.
“We have to go back and find her,” Cassie cringed as she spoke the words.
Brett’s eyes swept the woods. “I think we’re out of danger here, so I’ll go back and you two stay. Don’t worry, Robbie, I’ll find her.”
Robbie frowned, “No, Brett,” he said firmly. “Jade’s my girlfriend, I’ll go and get her.”
Brett looked doubtful, “Are you’re sure you feel up to it?”
“I’m fine, trust me.” He waved and set off back along the path towards the beach. Brett kept his torch shining on Robbie’s retreating back until he disappeared.
“I don’t think I should have let him go off on his own,” Brett fretted. “What if he’s still under the influence of drugs?”
“No,” Cassie sounded confident, “I’m sure he’s fine now, and he’ll find Jade and bring her back.” Secretly she was relieved that Brett hadn’t left her, she didn’t think she could cope with Robbie’s change of moods, not knowing what he was going to do next.
“I hope you’re right.” Brett didn’t look convinced.
“So do I,” Cassie answered in a small voice. Something tugged at her arm and she gasped.
“He won’t find her.” Hope stood next to her shaking her head. “I heard the Choolies say they were going to take her to the caves. Nobody gets out the caves alive.”
“What caves, Hope? Where are they?” Cassie asked.
“Who are you talking to?” Brett looked puzzled.
Cassie glanced at him. “Hope. Can’t you see her?”
“No, I bloody can’t. I’m getting sick of this, everywhere we go ghosts are popping up. Tell her to get lost.”
“No, Brett, Hope’s on our side.” Cassie turned back to the little girl. “The caves, Hope, how do we get to them?”
For the first time Hope looked frightened, she didn’t answer.
“Please, we have to help our friend.”
Hesitantly the little girl spoke, “Follow the path but instead of turning left at the end to the Queen’s house, turn right. You have to be really careful though; the Oogaloo’s guard the cave because the Challis of Truth is kept in there.”
“And Jade’s there?” Cassie frowned. “How? She was right behind us on the beach.”
Hope nodded. “They were planning on capturing her, keeping her prisoner. They know you’ll come looking for her.” she looked uncertain, “I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing telling you. I think they want you together to punish you.”
“Why would they want to punish us?”
“So you don’t go searching for the Challis of Truth and steal it from them.”
Brett tugged Cassie’s arm, “So what’s she saying?” he asked.
“Jade’s trapped in some caves; we have to go and find her. We can’t wait for Robbie to get back, is there any way we can leave him a message?”
Brett fished in his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. “No pen,” he said.
Cassie dug deep in her trouser pocket and pulled out a small chewed up pen, handing it to him.
“Is the girl still here?” Brett asked.
Cassie looked around and shook her head. “No, she’s gone. Hurry up, Brett.”
She watched as he scribbled quickly on the piece of paper and put it down in the middle of the path, placing a large stone over it.
“That’s the best we can do,” he said.
As they set off it began to rain and thunder rolled overhead.
Chapter 17
Opening her eyes, Jade wondered if she was still alive. The water had been so cold her whole body had gone into shock when it had hit the thrashing waves. Completely disorientated, she’d doggy paddled for a few seconds trying to see where the Island was. A blurred shape was ahead and she desperately tried to begin swimming towards it.
But she wasn’t moving, every time she thought she’d made it a few feet she was swept back by another almighty wave of ferocious water. She could hear people screaming but it sounded distant, and turning her head slightly she could see the Princess May already half under the water tilting precariously about to disappear forever. She thought she could make out Captain Livingstone-Bryce on the deck waving his arms, a solitary figure exactly where he should be; the last man standing.
“I’m going to die, Jade thought. My mum and dad will be so upset, and my little sister Megan, what will she do without me to look after her? She felt like she was crying when she thought about her beloved old cat, Miggy, who would take care of him?
She wanted more time to tell Robbie how much she cared about him and that she’d been wrong, it didn’t matter what he’d eaten or what drugs he’d taken, none of it was his fault; he was still her man and she loved him. For better or for worse, isn’t that what they said? Please God, she prayed, just one last chance. But Jade knew she couldn’t keep going much longer, she was getting so tired; her arms and legs were beginning to feel like dead weights, and she was barely able to take a breath between the savage waves that were beating her backwards.
There was only one thing for it, Jade decided, and she allowed her body to roll over until she was lying on her back. The waves rocked her and she made herself into a star shape staring up at the sky.
Poor Robbie, she thought, he would blame himself, it had been his idea to join Brett and Cassie on their holiday. Jade let the tears flow as she stared up at the lightning flashing across the sky.
She’d intended to ask Robbie to marry her on this holiday and she felt herself smiling, she wouldn’t get the chance now but it was a nice thought to end on. Then what felt like hands grabbed her feet and dragged her down under the water.
Robbie stared across the expanse of beach. There was no sign of the giant Spickler, even its huge footprints had disappeared. There was no sign either of the Princess May, though how it could have left the Island so quickly Robbie couldn’t fathom. Had it really capsized, sunk down onto the seabed without a trace, was that even possible? But of course there were traces, he realised. Littering the edge of the beach were broken deckchairs, towels, bottles all waiting for the next wave to take them back out to sea.
“Jade?” He yelled. Of course there was no answer, he hadn’t really expected one. The sand monster had got her, taken her to its lair. Robbie frowned. Maybe I’m dreaming this, he thought. Giant Spicklers, Sand monsters, Robots, Ghosts, Goblins? Since when?
Since you took a trip with a nice old man who thought the earth was flat. Robbie bit his lip. Right now he didn’t much care if the earth was flat, round or star shaped, he just wanted Jade back. He’d planned on asking her to marry him this holiday, even had a ring in the sock drawer back at the hotel. He didn’t intend to propose to a ghost.
“Where are you, Jade?” He bawled again.
The sea, which had been thrashing huge waves up on the sand when they were being chased by the giant Spickler was now peaceful, lapping at the edges of the beach. For a few minutes it had rained, soaking the sandy beach, lightning flickering around the dark clouds, now it was peaceful again. There was no sign of anyone, no bodies washed up on the beach, no Jade. And why wasn’t it night time anymore? When he’d left Brett and Cassie it had been too dark to see ahead without a torch now he could see quite clearly, it was as if he’d jumped several hours into early morning daylight. Not that he was complaining, at least he could see where he was going and it wasn’t any stranger than the other stuff that had been happening.
The last thing he wanted to do was to return to Brett and Cassie without Jade, so he started walking along the beach. It was hard work because his feet kept sinking down into the wet sand but he kept going.
Then he saw it, right in front of him. Jade’s silver necklace, the one he’d bought her for her birthday, lying intertwined amongst a large chunk of seaweed. Robbie stared at it mesmerised. What did it mean? That he was following her footsteps?
The edge of the ocean was about five foot away from where he was standing. Had she been dragged across the sand and thrown into the sea? Is that what the giant Spickler did to its victims?
Robbie swallowed hard, he wouldn’t believe it. He bent down and disentangled the necklace from the seaweed and dropped it in his pocket.
He’d give it back to her when he found her.
“This must be the turning Hope told us about,” Cassie said.
They were standing at the end of the path where it forked in two directions. It was dark and he was using his torch but he suspected not for much longer, it was already dimming.
Brett nodded. “I don’t want to go the other way back to the house; I’ve had enough of Queen Bebo. Let’s hope the little girl was telling the truth.”
“She was.” Cassie told him firmly.
The forest became darker as they walked along the narrow path. They were protected from the worst of the rain by the huge trees on either side of them forming a leafy umbrella. A couple of times Cassie stumbled, she was tiring and her stomach was rumbling with hunger but she wasn’t about to complain, instead she kept pace with Brett. She wasn’t happy the group had been split up, it frightened her and she didn’t intend to let him out of her sight.
A small figure emerged from the back of a tree and stood in front of them. “You can’t go any further,” Toffin said. “Only Islanders are allowed on this path.”
“Shift yourself; Toffin,” Brett growled irritably.
Toffin squared his shoulders. “Please address me correctly, Sir, my name is Wilson.”
“All right, Wilson, shift yourself.”
“No.”
Brett and Cassie stopped. Cassie said, “We just need to find our friend and then we’ll leave the Island, I promise.”
“Let them be.” Dink emerged from the other side of the tree, her little eyes glittering. “They won’t get very far. Que
en Bebo said we weren’t to interfere.” Her small eyes danced merrily, “So where are you off to?” she inquired sweetly.
“We believe our friend is being held prisoner in a cave,” Cassie said.
Toffin looked affronted. “You’re not allowed in the caves, Sir,” he told Brett. “They’re for Islanders only.”
“Well, that’s hard luck because we’re going anyway.” Brett pulled at Cassie’s arm.
Dink made a high pitched squeal of laughter. “Queen Bebo won’t like it,” she spluttered.
“Why do you stay with her?” Cassie asked curiously. “You’re not robots, are you?”
Toffin looked offended. “Certainly not.”
“We have to, it’s our job.” Dink explained. “We take care of Queen Bebo, make sure she’s well fed and nourished.” Her tone turned bitter, “She treats us like slaves but we have no choice. If we want to stay on the Island then we have to do as we’re told. It’s the same for you. She’s going to ask you to find the Challis of Truth and if you refuse you’ll be killed.” Dink finished her sentence with a small chuckle as if she’d said something funny.
“Be quiet,” Toffin told her, “they’ll find out the hard way that no-one gets off this Island alive.” He stepped aside for them to pass and when Cassie glanced back he and Dink had vanished.
The path began to widen and suddenly they were in a clearing. Brett stopped and looked around. “I don’t see any caves,” he said.
“There’s another path over there,” Cassie pointed to a small opening between two enormous oak trees.
Brett frowned. “I don’t like this, Cas,” he told her. I think we should go back and wait for Robbie.” He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickling and his sense of unease deepened. They should have gone back to the beach with Robbie and searched for Jade but instead they were probably walking into danger on the say so of a little ghost girl.
“Hope wasn’t lying to us,” Cassie insisted. “So far all she’s done is help, we have to trust her. If she says Jade’s being held prisoner in some caves then we have to find her.”
Ark Of Hope: Beyond The Dark Horizon Page 20
