The latecomers found nothing to devour, so they attacked their brothers and sisters who had arrived before them. They tore off one another’s legs. They broke open the shell of their crippled brothers and sisters and ate what was inside. The spider clams that were still whole and not cannibalizing one of their own popped back under the sand. Some turned and ran at the two humans and the mermaid. The boys took their oars and pushed further back out to sea. However they need not have feared for each wave sent the creatures scrambling back to dry land. They did not like water. There were maybe a dozen clams that had lost too many legs to dig into the sand and disappear. One of them was happily eating what remained of his brother’s leg without realizing that every one of his own legs was gone. Ben, Jared, and Charla looked across the expanse of sand and saw the bleached bones of a dozen creatures both big and small.
Jared shuddered, “That could have been me. I would have walked right into the middle of them if you hadn’t stopped me. They would have hamstrung me and when I lay helpless they would have eaten the eyeballs right out of my head. They would have eaten bits and pieces while I was still alive. Pfeww! I owe you my life. If your life is ever in danger call on me. I am duty bound to help you. My name is Jared Trentarry.”
“You were lucky that I was here and decided to help a tree ape,” Charla said, the last words spoken with distain.
“Are you alone? Are there other mer with you?” Jared scanned the sea anxiously.
“I’m here alone,” Charla said. Relief could be clearly seen on Jared’s face. “I am able to take care of myself,” Charla stated. "And just so we are clear, I will never want help from you!"
“Is this where the treg brought Brina?” Ben asked Charla.
“Brina?” Jared grunted.
Charla ignored Jared and answered Ben’s question, “Yes, I think
so. The treg was flying this way. Which makes sense as this is where the tregs nest.”
“You…know each other,” Jared said incredulously. Turning to Ben he said, “You are a changeling traitor. Get out of my boat.”
“Jared, I’m not a changeling or a traitor, and I am not getting out of this boat. Brina and Charla are students at the school I told you about here on Lushaka.”
"You told this tree ape about the school," Charla exclaimed. "You ought not to have done that."
Ben ignored the mer girl and told Jared how he met Charla and her friend Brina and how Brina had been chosen to help him find the crown and prevent the war. He told of how Brina had been picked up by a treg. Ben left out any mention of Brina being in human form at the time.
Jared did not seem very satisfied with the explanation; however, he let the matter drop, saying only, “A lot of good a mer was going to be in getting that crown back. The tregs nest at the top of the mountain and that is where they take their loot.”
“We need to travel along the shore and see if there is a way to get to the forest without walking on sand,” Ben stated. “With any luck those creatures live only in sand.”
“Perhaps there are places with solid rock,” Jared responded.
“A river we can travel up might take us past the sand,” Charla added.
“There is no we,” Jared said. In response, Charla disappeared under the water with a slap of her tail. The water splashed into the boat and soaked both Ben and Jared.
10. Die another Day
They sailed up the coast and around the tip of the Island without seeing a break in the sand. It was late afternoon before they found a stream that emptied into the sea. Jared took down the sails, and picked up an oar. He gave a second oar to Ben. They sat together on the middle bench and rowed up the stream. Charla led the way. The spider clams popped out and gathered on both sides of the stream, like a crowd gathered for a parade. Their razor sharp teeth ground back and forth as they hopped up and down on their eight legs. The sound of their grinding teeth sent chills down Ben’s spine.
Ben had not handled an oar very often in his life. His oar went wide and came close to shore. The first time it got too close three of the sand creatures hopped onto it and ran towards Ben’s hands. His scream alerted Jared, who knocked them into the water. “Keep your oar close to the boat,” Jared yelled.
Ben grunted and tried to do what Jared suggested. The sand creatures continued to gather. At first there were hundreds and then there were thousands. The sound of their grinding teeth made it difficult to carry on a conversation.
As they drew close to the forest an occasional tree grew. One had fallen partly into the water, half of it submerged. On the part that was out of water, spider clams danced. There was a narrow gap between the tree and the sandy river bank. Sand creatures fought with one another to be the closest to the boat when it went through the gap. They knocked several of their number into the water, where they sank like a stone. As the boat squeezed through the narrow passage some jumped for the boat, missed and sank out of sight. A significant number managed to land inside the boat.
Jared turned quickly to face the opposite direction to Ben so that their backs were to one another. The boys used the oars to knock the sand creatures off the boat. At the same time they tried to keep the boat from being pushed closer to shore by the current. A sudden intense pain caused Ben to look down. A spider clam was attached to his leg. He grabbed it by the shell, pried it off, and threw it overboard where it sank like a rock. Another was climbing up his leg. He picked it off and threw it after the first one. Jared screamed in pain and a third spider clam followed the two Ben had thrown overboard.
Meanwhile a horde of spider clams was coming from every direction, drawn by the scent of blood. A steady stream jumped from the log to the boat which was beginning to drift backwards to the sea. Charla grabbed the rope at the front of the boat and used it to pull them upstream.
Ben yelled, “This is impossible. Push us back to sea.”
Jared yelled, “No, we must keep going.” Then he said, “Help me, Ben.”
Ben turned to see that the back of the boat was full of sand creatures. They covered the fish net that lay on the bottom of the boat. They were attracted by the smell of previous catches and were chewing on the net. Jared was trying to lift the heavy clam-laden net overboard without getting his fingers taken off. Ben jumped over the seat and together they picked the net up and tossed it over the side. The sand creatures climbed on top of one another to avoid contact with water as the net slowly sank. It reminded Ben of a King of the Castle game that he had played on a pile of snow.
Ben jumped back over the seat to battle spider clams at the front of the boat. Five of them ran at him and bit into his leg. Thankfully, his pants provided some protection, but it was still very painful. One after another he ripped them off and threw them overboard until there were no more in the boat. Another boat was directly ahead of them, moored in midstream. Beyond the boat was a large tree that blocked any further movement upstream by boat. Jumping up and down on the tree were thousands of spider clams. Ben sat down and closed his eyes.
“What are we going to do?” Ben said flatly.
“We can start by mooring the boat.” Jared said. “Charla, I will put out the anchor. Can you tie this boat to the other one and make sure they are both secure. I would hate to come back and find my boat has gone back to sea.”
While Charla was gone, Jared said, “At least I know my brother made it this far. That’s his boat.”
Charla popped up beside them, “The boat is secure.”
“Thanks,” Jared responded. “Can you go upstream and investigate. See how far the sand continues and whether there is any sign of spider clams past the sand.”
Charla disappeared, and Jared and Ben sat in silence watching the hungry would-be diners jumping up and down on the fallen log as they anticipated their next meal. Charla came back and said, “The sand disappears almost immediately beyond this tree. The water is deep right here. It is possible to swim underwater and get past the sand creatures. After that it becomes shallower.”
“I can’t swim underwater,” stated Ben dully.
“Yes, you can,” responded Charla. “You hold your breath, and I will hold you and make sure you stay underwater. You kick your feet and together we’ll swim.”
Ben sat there and said nothing. Jared exclaimed hotly, “You can’t stay here. There is no way back and the only way forward is underwater. It’s an easy enough thing to do.”
“Easy for you maybe!” said Ben stubbornly. Ben was silent for a moment then said "But as you say there is no other way.”
Jared picked up his pack and one of the spears on the bottom of the boat and jumped into the water without hesitation. Ben tentatively climbed out of the boat. Once in the water he clung to the boat, unwilling to let go. When Charla came alongside and took one hand, he still had a hard time letting go. Charla flipped her tail and dragged Ben away. As Ben struggled, she towed him underwater to the other side of the fallen tree. She continued to tow him until the water was shallow enough for Ben to walk. The shore line turned to rock and the sand creatures disappeared. Ben and Jared left the water and took a trail that ran alongside the stream. They stopped when they came to a clearing that was near a waterfall. Charla would no longer be able to follow them upstream in the water.
The sun hung low in the horizon and it was growing dark under the canopy of trees. Charla sat on a partly submerged rock near the bank of the river with her tail in the water. She said, “I don’t think we should go further this day. This looks like a good place to spend the night.”
Ben said, “What do you mean ‘we?’”
Charla replied, “I’m going with you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Ben said.
Jared snorted, “As if the mermaid could come with us. We can’t carry you up the mountain and you can’t swim past that waterfall. The only way you could come is if you sprout wings!”
“Will legs do?” Charla said as her tail transformed.
Faster than Ben could blink, Jared’s spear headed for Charla’s chest. Ben grabbed hold of the spear and threw it into the bush. Jared took out his knife. Ben grabbed the arm that held the knife.
“Whatever happened to ‘I owe you my life and I am duty bound to help you?’” Ben asked hotly.
“That was before I knew she was a changeling. My first duty is to my people. I am duty bound to kill a changeling before it comes among our people to betray us. Every…” Whatever else Jared had planned to say, was cut short by a spear that Charla pointed at Jared’s neck.
Through clenched teeth, Charla hissed, “Go ahead tree ape, try to plunge your knife into me. I will kill you first.”
Jared’s arm fell. “I will not kill you today, for you have saved my life this day. However, you had better do what your traitor friend said and go back to where you came from. Otherwise I cannot guarantee your life. If I do not kill you, my brother or one of the other men from my village will.”
“I am going with you,” Charla stated firmly.
“Charla! That is not a good idea. Lea Waterborn would not approve.”
“I am going. You cannot stop me,” Charla stubbornly repeated. “I will go on my own if I have to, but we should go together. Three together will have a better chance to survive this island than one alone. A threefold cord is not easily broken.”
“Charla, we cannot stop you, but I think you should go back,” Ben said. Charla said nothing. It was clear that she had no intention of returning to Fairwaters without Brina and the crown.
Jared said nothing, but it was clear that he wanted nothing to do with a changeling.
“Well Jared, your dream said three would go.”
“But I never dreamed a mer changeling would be one of the three. We can’t trust her. She will betray us.”
“I don’t like this any better than you do, Jared, however, I have enough experience with Charla to know that she will try on her own if we do not let her come with us. Who knows, maybe we’ll be glad to have her along.” Ben said these last words without conviction. He could not imagine ever being happy for the mermaid’s company. “Jared, you must promise not to harm Charla if you want to come with me,” Ben continued.
Jared paused briefly, before responding, “I promise before the Creator of all Worlds, and in the name of my honored ancestors to be true to my word. I, Jared, son of Minro, son of Jared, son of Petra, son of Gill will do everything I can to protect and prolong the life of Charla, mer changeling, at least until we have found the crown and rescued my brother. So I have vowed and so I will do. If it is not so, may I be cut off from my ancestors in that place beyond death, and my name be forgotten among my people.”
“Well,” Ben breathed, clearly taken back by Jared’s vow. “Just one more thing. You need to extend that agreement till Charla is back in the sea.”
“Agreed,” Jared responded.
“Charla, I want your promise that you will do nothing to hurt Jared,” Ben said, adding, “or I will go with Jared and you will be left alone.”
The mermaid nodded reluctantly. "I will do no harm to this tree ape."
“That is settled then. Put away your weapons,” Ben commanded.
Jared returned his knife to its sheath and went to look for his spear. Charla slid her spear into its holder. Relief flooded through Ben. His hands shook. His legs felt weak. Ben knelt down on the ground. He leaned forward with his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes, Ben saw footprints. “Someone came this way,” Ben said, his voice shaking.
“It was my brother Gill,” Jared stated with conviction.
“I may be able to follow the trail. It is one of the strange things they teach us at school.”
“I will catch some fish for our supper,” Charla said. Charla’s words brought a smile to Jared’s face that was quickly replaced by a scowl as Charla resumed her fish tail and disappeared into the small pond below the waterfall. Jared thought seriously of refusing anything Charla caught. He did not want to be beholden to this Changeling any more than he already was, but not eating might take away the strength he needed to climb a mountain and find his brother. In the end he made up his mind to eat.
“I don’t suppose you have matches?” Ben asked.
“What are matches,” Jared replied.
“I was afraid you might say that,” Ben stated.
“Well, what are matches?”
“Something to start a fire with,” Ben responded.
“I have fire rocks. But fish is just as good raw as it is cooked. And a fire might draw the attention of a treg or some other creature.”
Their conversation ended with Charla’s return. She threw a fat fish on the shore before disappearing into the water again. Jared had the first fish filleted when Charla came back with a second. He handed the first one to Ben. Ben stared at it, completely turned off by the idea of eating raw fish. He sat there holding the raw fish in his hands as Jared and then Charla ate with obvious enjoyment.
Jared said, “You had better eat up. You can’t climb mountains without food in your belly.” Ben bit into the fish and discovered that it was not nearly as bad as he imagined it would be. In fact it was really very good.
After she finished eating, Charla said, “I’ll be lying in the stream, close by that rock if you need me.” When Charla lay in the stream, Ben noticed for the first time that Charla had gills just behind her ears, which slowly moved in and out.
Ben walked to a patch of grass under a tree and lay down. Jared joined him. Before long they were both fast asleep.
Charla opened her eyes and looked up. She saw something she had never seen before. “How beautiful,” she murmured. There was a circular pattern made of thread suspended between two trees. Thick lines of thread went from a center point to the outer edges. Other lines crossed these lines in circles that became ever closer to one another as they went towards the center. Ben could have told her what it was, but as a creature of the sea she did not know. Charla’s eyes closed and she never saw the bird fly into the thread and become entangled. She never
saw the creature that came out to feed on it.
*****************
Further up the mountain, the tregs had returned from their daily hunt and were settling in for the night. The one they served had eaten and was talking to an old friend who was now his captive.
11. Charla to the Rescue
Charla was having a bad dream. Her hands were clenched. Her tail thrashed back and forth. Her head moved from side to side. In her dream Brina and Jared were up a tree surrounded by sand. Jared was trying to cut off Brina’s tail fin to see if he had legs. As Jared hacked at Brina with a knife, his own legs were being eaten by sand creatures. Ben was up another tree, this one surrounded by water. The water was rising and Ben was yelling at Charla to help him before it was too late. Over and over again Ben shouted, “I can’t swim. I can’t swim. Help! Charla help!”
In her dream, Charla said, “I can’t help. I don’t want to be a tree ape like Jared.”
Charla woke and opened her eyes. She was glad to be awake and no longer dreaming. Light filtered through the trees. The interesting pattern of the night before still hung above her, but the pattern was no longer beautiful. In three places, birds struggled to break free. “Chalk one up for being of the sea, and not of the air,” Charla thought. She lay back down and closed her eyes, reluctant to leave the water. Then Charla sat bolt upright. She was awake, but the voice of her dream continued. Ben was shouting, “Help! Charla! Help!”
Charla looked to where she had last seen Ben the night before. She saw a large black creature with eight legs standing over him. There was no sign of Jared. Charla transformed, stood up and took her spear in one hand and her knife in the other. She left the safety of the water and silently crept forward. The creature never saw Charla coming as it continued to wrap Ben in a thread that it spun from its body. Ben struggled, but the thread held him secure. His legs were completely encased. His arms were held tight to his side. Only his head and shoulders were completely free.
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