To Ocean's End

by S. M. Welles

  He sucked in a breath. “Get out of here. Now. All of you.”

  Jessie grabbed his face and made him look at her. “Don’t give up. Fight it!” He was shaking all over. “Fight it.”

  The monsters chanted “demon” louder.

  “I ca—”

  “Yes you can!” She shook him, hoping it’d fill him with more sense.

  The techies hugged him tighter and everyone, including Jacobi, urged him to keep fighting. Dyne went red in the face and shook all over. Jessie brought her face close to his so he could see only her. His pale eyes were wide with fear, desperation, and pain, and his face beaded with sweat.

  “Fight it,” she whispered.

  Tears welled in his eyes and streaked down his reddened cheeks.

  Amphitrite said, “Until next time, Dyne Lavere.” She backed away and watched in silence.

  Jessie clutched Dyne’s face harder as he tried to hunch over. All of them gave him words of encouragement, but his face turned a grayish-blue.

  “No, Captain!” Mido exclaimed. The men started yelling at him to fight. Jessie stayed quiet and held his hopeless gaze, willing him to not give in. He’d changed colors before and fought it back. He just had to do it again. Her hopes for him waned as his blueish cheeks began to swell in her hands. He hadn’t started growing last time.

  “He’s trying to get up. Ted, help me lift him.” The two techies moved to slip their arms under Dyne’s but paused. The captain was still hunched over, his clothes growing tighter against his skin.

  Ted said, “He’s… is he?”

  The men watched in confusion as Dyne’s body forced his clothes to stretch to their limit. His belt snapped with a loud crack and his boots ripped. Mido backed up and so did the others.

  Jessie refused to let go just yet. She slowly straightened her back to remain eye level with him. Amphitrite had sent her to help Dyne. It couldn’t end like this. “Fight it!” He continued to grow and force her hands wider and back straighter.

  “Run… ship… now.”

  The monsters chanted fervently.

  Jessie rose to her feet as the captain burst out of his clothes, yet she didn’t let go. “There has to be a way for you to fight it. Don’t give up so fast!”

  “Hurry.” He slowly reached for her hands as his forearms sprouted fins the size of her legs. “I’m past… point of… no return. Only… slowing… inevitable.” A dorsal sail erupted from his back and his face grew scaly and tough. His teeth turned to fangs. “Run.” He pushed her aside and braced his webbed hands on the water’s unyielding surface.

  Mido pulled Jessie away and the six of them retreated to the shore. Dyne’s fingers and toes grew clawed, and his face elongated and hardened into draconic features. A tail grew from the base of his spine as he swelled to his full fifty-foot height. His tail looked like it belonged to a crocodile.

  “Go!” Dyne yelled in his resonant demon voice, then took a moment to catch his breath and stop shaking. The crew remained rooted to the shore, staring at their transformed captain with morbid fascination. His demon form was all scales and corded muscle, a humanoid water dragon that could bend water to its will. His form looked sleek and graceful, and very powerful.

  Dyne raised his draconic head and glared at Amphitrite with beady eyes, then lashed out at her with a clawed fist the size of her body. She seized his wrist and flung the ketos away with little effort. Dyne slammed against the cavern wall and spilled into the water. Hundreds of water monsters swarmed him like flies.

  “And the hole deepens further.” Her body turned to water and she vanished into the pool.

  The demon thrashed and sent sprays of water full of monsters flying.

  Ed said, “I think we better go now.”

  “We can’t just leave him!” Jessie said. “We have to help him.”

  “How, you stupid bitch?” Jacobi said, then turned to the others. “Just leave her.”

  Jessie reached out to the monsters. “Help him!” The nearest ones just cackled at her and swam off.

  Mido grabbed her arm. “Jessie, we need to go now.”

  “But I’m supposed to help him.”

  “You can’t anymore. This is a failed attempt.” He tugged at her but she wrenched free.

  The water demon surged towards them and slammed his clawed hands on either side of them. The ground shook. His serpentine head hovered over them. “Leave before she kills all of you! Now!”

  “But—”

  “Help me by not dying to my curse. It’ll be one small mercy. Go!” Monsters jumped out of the water but he swept them away with water.

  Jacobi led the retreat as Mido and the two techies tugged Jessie into a run. Jacobi and Ed retrieved the lanterns and they entered the winding corridor. Jessie looked back in time to see Dyne dive into the pool. The monsters dived after him. The water level began to rise.

  Her stomach dropped. She could feel Amphitrite’s heartbreak aimed at both her and Dyne. She was going to drown all of them, avatar or not, if they didn’t leave fast enough.

  The six of them scurried along the narrow passage and soon their boots splashed in water that hadn’t been there when they came in. They ran faster, and by the time they reached the bottleneck, the water had risen to their knees and slowed their progress. Jacobi emptied his lungs and Ted shoved him through, and they all continued sloshing along, gasping for air and fighting to stay on their feet. The water weighed their boots down and made jogging impossible. By the time they reached the cave entrance, the water had risen to their waists.

  The kernels were floating freely in the rising tide. They sloshed the final stretch, lunged for the kernels’ yellow sides, and heaved themselves in. Ed, Ted, and Jessie boarded one. Mido, and Jacobi boarded the other. They brought the engines to life with yanks to their starting ropes, then started sailing for the cave mouth.

  Suddenly, the water level lifted the kernels towards the ceiling at an unnaturally fast rate. They all began to yell at each other and the boats to go faster as Mido and Ed steered towards their closing escape route. Within seconds, the ocean pinned them to the ceiling a few feet from the exit and plunged them into darkness. They rolled onto their backs and braced their hands and feet against the rock as water filled the kernels. They all sucked in a deep breath as the air-filled rubber held them pinned in place, and then they crawled along the ceiling. The rubber scraped and jostled along the rock, but they made progress, inches at a time.

  Once Jessie’s lungs burned with the dire need for a fresh gulp of air, sunlight peeked into the bow and suddenly the whole boat launched free of the cave as the rising water pushed them free. Mido’s boat popped out beside them. The six of them flopped down in the crafts and took a moment to catch their breath. Once the adrenaline rush abated, they began bailing water as they headed to the Pertinacious, one captain short and one curse still in effect.

  Chapter 26

  Collecting the Pieces

  They returned to the Pertinacious without any further complications. It was some solace. Jessie didn’t know if she could take any more beatings, physical or emotional. The sun was still high in the sky, the air sweltering and making their drenched clothes plaster to their tired bodies, even with the ocean air’s steady breeze. Everyone who’d remained behind was gathered on the railing, even O’Toole, whose wails carried across the water. Jessie yearned to join him in crying. All that work just to fail. All that mental conditioning just to have her courage add up to nothing. Had she handled it all wrong? Should she and have Dyne talked more before the cave? Should she have stood up to Amphitrite after his last angry retort?

  Her gut told her there was nothing she could’ve done differently. The ultimate outcome wasn’t up to her since it wasn’t her curse. And if he didn’t love her, he didn’t love her. So now what?

  Rammus threw them two lines. Ed and Jacobi woodenly tied them to the kernels’ bows, then Jacobi took off up the ladder, followed by the rest of his boat. Cancer disappeared from the railing as the other
s watched Jessie and the techies ascend the ladder. Scully and Rammus helped her up on deck, hoisting her by her tired arms, and then did the same with Ed and Ted, who were both winded. The rest of the awaiting crew kept their distance, watching on with eyes full of concern.

  “Where’s Captain?” Rammus said.

  Jessie and the two techies shook their heads, and Jessie felt like she was watching Rammus’s heart sink as his shoulders drooped and his gaze fell to the deck. O’Toole cried harder.

  Cancer called them over so he could give each of them a quick checkup. He was in the middle of examining Jacobi’s cuts and scrapes on his chest and stomach, Mido watching on. Ed and Ted started heading across the deck. Jacobi glared at Jessie and lowered his shirt, then stormed in her direction.

  She had an inkling that she was in imminent danger but denial made her just stand there and try to sort things out as he reached for her. He couldn’t possibly be trying to do anything to her with the whole crew watching. He wouldn’t dare. His strong hands seized her shirt, making it dig into her underarms, and he pushed her to the railing and began to lift her.

  “Whoa, wait!” Ed exclaimed. “What are you doing?”

  The instant Jessie’s feet left the deck, she began punching Jacobi’s arms and face, and kicked his legs. Unfazed by her assault, he lifted her higher as Ed and Ted grabbed his arms. The seat of Jessie’s pants brushed the railing right before she slipped out of his grip. He shook the techies off and she landed on the deck.

  “Back off!” he yelled. He reached for Jessie again but Mido put him in a headlock from behind and pulled him away. Jacobi grabbed Mido’s shirt at the shoulders, bent his knees, then heaved the cook over his head. Mido did half a flip and landed hard with Jacobi landing on top of him. Mido let go and Jacobi rolled to his feet. “I’m doing you a favor, Mido.”

  Clutching his side, Mido pushed to his feet, laboring for breath.

  “And what kind of favor is that?” Ted said as both techies stood between Jacobi and Jessie.

  “We need to get rid of her. She’s the reason we lost Captain. Her presence on this boat has done nothing but make our lives worse.”

  “What are you talking about?” Ed said, exasperated.

  “Look at what Amphitrite did to Captain.” Jacobi stood inches away from the techies, as if positioning himself to burst through them. Jessie scooted behind Ted, the bigger of the two. “That bitch behind you is her avatar, meaning she’ll bring just as much misery as the original. We need to get rid of her right now.”

  “She’s only been trying to help, you moron!” Mido yelled.

  “Then what do you call her escape attempt and the break-in into the container a few months ago? Those weren’t overly helpful. We should’ve let her run off.”

  “She was scared. And your rape threat didn’t help.”

  Rammus and the others exclaimed disbelief.

  Cancer said, “Is this true, Jacobi?” He didn’t sound the least bit pleased. Jessie kept quiet, fearing things would escalate if she tried to say anything.

  “She’s garbage, Mido,” Jacobi said. “You can do better than her.”

  Mido let go of his side and lunged at Jacobi, fists leading the way. He got in one good shot to Jacobi’s jaw, who shook his head once to clear it, then backed out of Mido’s attacks as he blocked or deflected them.

  “Come on, man. Look at things my way. I’m not the enemy. She is.”

  Mido kept pressing his offensive without slowing. Jacobi avoided a few more swings, then shifted his stance and held his ground. He sucker punched Mido in the side he’d been holding a moment ago. Mido’s knees hit the deck and Jacobi kicked him upside the head, toppling him over. Mido lay there in fetal position, clutching his side and taking in fast, shallow breaths, eyes wide with agony.

  “I told you I’m doing you a favor,” Jacobi said unhappily. “Now stop being stupid.” He faced the techies again. “Get out of my way.” They held up their fists, making him scowl. He flexed his fingers and rolled his neck, then went wide-eyed before his gaze went vacant and he dropped to the deck, unconscious.

  In his place stood Cancer, open-palmed fist outstretched and a disappointed frown on his face. He heaved a sigh and lowered his arm. “No more of that.” He faced the rest of the crew. “If any of you get any more wild ideas about throwing Jessie overboard or causing her any harm, you will be dealing with me personally. You have been warned.”

  Jessie couldn’t believe what she just heard. After his clear disapproval of her company on board months ago, now he was defending her right to a place on the ship. She wanted to voice her gratitude but she still felt too scared to say a word to anyone.

  When no one moved or said anything—just O’Toole crying—Cancer gave Jacobi a cursory glance before heading to Mido and kneeling at his side. “Sauna, would you mind running for my emergency medical kit in the wheelhouse? It’s next to the door.” The techie ran off as Cancer carefully helped Mido roll onto his back. He was barely conscious and sucking in one shallow breath after another. Caner pulled up Mido’s shirt and began gently prodding his side. Mido winced and let out a cry of pain. Scully ran over and took his arms to stop him from rolling around. Mido clenched his teeth and held on tight.

  Jessie yearned to run to his arms and give him kisses and words of comfort, but not only was he unable to hug her back right now, she feared moving as much as she feared speaking. Tears blurred her vision. Ed and Ted wrapped her in a group hug and took turns kissing the top of her head. She clung to their arms, feeling powerless to help Mido’s pain go away as thoughts about how Tethys and his crew had treated her like garbage. To be called that after having come so far as to make love with Mido, it just ripped her sense of self worth right out of her.

  “Don’t cry, Jessie,” Ed said.

  “We still love you,” Ted said.

  Their words meant so much to her. She tried to smile but Jacobi’s insult echoed in her head, along with Mido’s attack in her defense. She wiped her eyes but more tears replaced them.

  “Stay strong, Jessie,” Mido said in a forced whisper. “I love you.”

  Chest tingling with emotion, Jessie leaned in Mido’s direction. The techies let her go. She hopped over Jacobi, who was still out cold, and kneeled at Mido’s side. Sauna ran up to them and set the orange emergency aid kit next to Cancer. The doctor popped it open and began searching its contents. Jessie took Mido’s face in both hands and kissed him on the lips, then caressed his cheek. “I love you, too,” she whispered. “Thank you.” More tears streaked down her face but they were more out of empathy for the amount of pain Mido was in. She got back to her feet to give Cancer space, retreating to Ed’s and Ted’s arms.

  “We’ll keep her safe for you, Mido,” Ed said.

  “Thanks, guys.”

  “Hold still,” Cancer said around a capped needle in his mouth. He sterilized the bruising and swelling over Mido’s ribs. “This is gonna really smart for a few seconds, and then things will feel a lot better, but don’t get up. You’ve got at least four fractured ribs. Brace yourself.”

  Mido sucked in a shallow breath and held it, groaned and pulled all his limbs towards his torso when Cancer stuck him with the needle, then slowly relaxed as the pain killer began to take effect. Jessie exhaled with him and relaxed as well.

  “I don’t feel any jagged bones sticking out, but I don’t want to run the risk of you lacerating any organs, so you’ll be spending the next week getting bed rest, until I’m sure you don’t have any breaks.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Mido said. He relaxed his grip on Scully and began breathing easier. “Oh, thank God for painkillers.”

  Rammus stationed himself at Mido’s feet. “Sam, do we have any loop bolts and length of chain?”

  “Yes, sir. Why?”

  Rammus said, “Jessie, if I restrain Jacobi in the lockdown container, can I trust you to not sneak in there and harm him?”

  She nodded. “I don’t want anything to do with him.”

&
nbsp; He nodded back. “Okay.” He pointed to Sam and Scully. “I need you two to go set up a cot in the lockdown container. I want Jacobi chained down until we can trust him not to harm Jessie.”

  “Yes, sir,” they said in unison, their voices lacking hesitation. Sam led the way to the cargo hold.

  “Cancer, did you just give him a concussion?”

  “More than likely.” He deposited the spent needled in a plastic bag and plopped it in the kit, then shut the box.

  Rammus pointed to Ed and Ted. “You two will help each other watch over him for the next twenty four hours so he doesn’t slip into a coma. Talk to him if he’s willing and coherent enough, but get me if his mouth starts running out of control.”

  “Yes, sir,” they both said.

  “Now listen up, all of you,” Rammus said, raising his voice. The crew gave him their attention. “Starting fistfights on this ship for any reason is grounds for dismissal. You all know this. You can yell at each other all you want, so long as it doesn’t interfere with your job performance; however, coming to blows is forbidden. Now, Mido.”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “I’m gonna overlook today since Jacobi deserved a lot more than what you and Cancer dished out. I’d do the same, if not worse, if anyone trash-talked my wife and tried to throw her overboard. However, the twelve of us are a team, so you better control yourself if he runs his mouth again. I will handle it if Captain’s not around. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m sorry.”

  “No apologies necessary today. Might owe us one later, after you’re done depriving our tastebuds of your cooking.” He gave Mido a friendly wink, then faced Jessie. “Now, Jacobi did just try to throw you overboard, so his job’s on the line. I’m not automatically dismissing him, since you’re not sure whether or not you intend to stay long term. Now that that whole trip to the cave business is over, do you still intend to stay a while? It’s no problem. It’s not like you have a home to go to anymore.”