The ongoing collection Volume XXIX  

By J. R. Wagner

TheNeverChronicles.com

       

                                                             J. R. Wagner TheNeverChronicles.com

Volume 31 The twenty-seventh day of October The year remains unknown Before I could mutter a word, Akil began wading into the crystal clear water. He was immediately surrounded by finger-sized semi translucent fish only discernable because of their bright red organs pumping and constricting along with their fin tips, which were dark purple. What appeared to be a coordinated attack by he strange fish was actually a greeting of sorts. The fish nibbled at microscopic food that clung to every surface of Akil’s clothing and body beneath the surface. He looked down only once and chuckled to himself before continuing deeper into the water. I surveyed the area as Akil began breast stroking parallel to the shore while chuckling as the fish moved deftly between his arms and legs as they avoided his strokes. We were in a very narrow cove. The cliffs behind me lined the cove in a horseshoe shape leaving room for a few yards of black sand beach before the water. Every surface of the cliffs were choked with densely wrapped vines that extended the entire height of the cliffs, which was, to my estimate, an impossible 600 feet. The greenery and the flowers sprouting from the vines were like nothing I’d ever seen. Strange insects darted from flower to flower never slowing enough to get a good look. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they were a flying version of the fish picking at Akil. Upon hearing a slosh in the water, I turned to see a mostly naked Akil dripping in front of me with a grin on his face. His bronze skin sparkled in the sunlight as he stepped closer. Better than any bath, he said with a smile. Best drop your bedroll and go on in. I’ll get the food prepared. I nodded and slowly lowered my bedroll to the ground –not thrilled with the idea of being picked at by the strange fish. Two shadows crossed in front of the sun, one right after the other and I knew Bronchio and Swat were on the hunt. I stepped forward into the water, clothes and all as Akil had. The strange fish were immediately picking at my boots. Unsure, I looked back at Akil who had already managed to unroll my blanket and was tearing at a piece of smoked boar. As I continued into the waist deep water, I felt some of the fish had found their way inside my shirt and were picking at my skin. I couldn’t help but laugh as they tickled my midsection.

       

                                                             J. R. Wagner TheNeverChronicles.com

Soon, I was swimming and laughing and stripping off my clothes and tossing them toward the shore where the fish continued to pick at them. When I was down to my underwear, I, like Akil, decided there are some areas that were best cleaned by my own hands. While I was floating on my back looking up at the cliffs Swat came swooping over me, talons extended and splashed into the water. He rolled beneath the surface fighting with his prey. Blood immediately stained he water. As Swat continued to tussle, I grew concerned that she’d bitten off more than she could chew. The frothing in the water prevented me from getting a good look but it was obvious whatever she was wrestling was big. The blood continued to expand from where they were fighting and I decided to make my way back to shallow waters. A guttural cough followed by a second splash told me Bronchio had come to his sister’s aide. I turned to watch when I reached the shadows and was horrified to see just how large the circle of blood surrounding the creatures had become. It would reach the shore in minutes. Wings, tails and heads broke the surface as they continued to battle. Bronchio broke the surface in an attempt to take to the air but a white tentacle was wrapped tightly where his wing met his body. In a shriek of anger, he twisted his head and bit clean through the tentacle and immediately began flapping his wings. As he rose into the air, I could make out blood seeping from his wound. Thinking he was going to retreat, I was stunned when he made a sharp turn and dove at the bloody spot he’d just freed himself from. More churning and body parts broke the surface until all was still. Blood now covered the surface of the entire cove making the visibility zero. I moved quickly to the beach where Akil appeared completely disinterested in the goings on in the water. A splash directed my attention back to the water. It was Bronchio. He had made it to the shallows and was whipping his tail to propel him forward while holding something in his mouth. When he reached the beach, he released whatever he’d been dragging through the water leaving it lie motionless where the sand met the water. He then leapt into the air, turned, and dove right back into the water. I stepped cautiously toward the creature on the shore. As I drew near, I realized, to my horror, that the motionless bloodied creature was Swat. I ran to her side and slowly lifted her head. Several gashes in her neck wept blood. I

       

                                                             J. R. Wagner TheNeverChronicles.com

could hear air gurgling up her long neck and pushing out bubbles of seawater pinked with blood. Her eyes were open but listless. I carefully cradled her in my arms, surprised by how light she was despite her size. Quickly, I moved to where Akil had found a seat –still either unaware or indifferent toward the events taking place. Can you help her? I asked. He looked up as if noticing us for the first time. When he saw Swat in my arms, he shook his head, took a deep breath and said, Have those bloody fools gotten into it with something too bloody big again? Stubborn creatures. Never know their limitations. He paused for a moment, scanned the beach then said, Where is the other one? He dove back into the water after he brought her to shore I replied. Akil took another bite of smoked boar, set the remains of the strip on my blanket and stood, focusing on the bubbling and churning in the distance where the water was darkest with blood. Something bloody huge, said Akil to himself as he stepped to the edge of the water. Without hesitation, he muttered something and a blue orb grew between his palms. With a pushing motion, if flew into the water. A moment later, the body of a large creature rose to the surface. Blood seeped from the dozens of tears in its flesh. Its tail, which was made up of hundreds of white tentacles –like the one Bronchio had escaped from earlier, was cleaved almost completely from its body. Its mouth, full of needle-like teeth, was agape and motionless. It was large enough to fit my entire arm inside and possibly more. The eye –where the eye had been, was nothing but a bloody hole. The gills between the bloody eye socket and what was left of the tail had begun to pulse –the thing was still alive. The gills fell motionless for a moment and then began pulsing once more –this time more violently than the last. Then, quite possibly the strangest thing I’d ever witnessed took place. One section of the gills stretched outward until they broke apart revealing the head of Bronchio. He let out a cry of victory, turned, bit the body of the beast several ore times then pushed through the hole in the gills and took to the air.