No Way Home - Chapter 14 - Beyond Pacifica

[image error]

CREDIT: S. Abramowicz, Dinosaur Institute, NHM

 

Del scrambled back to Kira’s side.  “Can you move?” she asked.  Kira shook her head.  Del looked back at the man with the rocket launcher.  He smiled while another man helped load the rocket.  And then Kyran appeared.  He pulled them both into his arms and dove for the downstairs cabin.  He twisted and landed on his back cushioning Del and Kira’s fall.  He rolled them over and pounded his fist hard against the side of the boat.  In a flash the boat lurched forward at incredible speed.  Del rolled and hit the wall.  She pulled herself up and looked out the portal as they sailed away from the poachers.  She saw the rocket ignite and rush toward them but their boat outran even the rocket.  Soon the poachers were far behind.  Kyran slammed his fist against the side again and the boat slowed.

 

“What happened?” Del asked.  Kyran moved Kira to the small bed.  He looked up and nearly snarled at her.

 

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?  I told you to stay below!  Now those guys know you’re alive and will hunt until they find you,” Kyran snapped.

 

“She saved my life, Kyran,” Kira said.  Her voice sounded weak.  Del rushed to her side to examine her again.  Her skin looked dry and had begun to turn a mossy shade of green.  Kyran no longer looked angry.  Pain marred his face at his sister’s discomfort.  He brushed his fingers across her brow and looked at the residue on his fingers.

 

“Shhhh, Kira.  Don’t speak.  I’ll take care of you, I promise.”  He turned to Del.  “The gasoline is toxic to her skin.  Get as much off as you can before it seeps into her pores.  I’ll get us back to land and find us a safe place until she’s better.”  He turned and rushed upstairs.

 

Del worked quickly to remove Kira’s tattered clothing.  She found a bucket and filled it with warm water and dish soap and lightly washed Kira’s skin.  She washed Kira’s hair next as best she could and changed the bedding.  Del made sure Kira was comfortable before she went topside.  She found Kyran at the wheel.  He didn’t look at her as she sat beside him.

 

“Kira’s clean and resting.  Her skin doesn’t look so good.  The green scaly patches are spreading and becoming like calluses.  Is she going to be ok?” Del asked.

 

“Yes.  But I need to get her to a safe place so she can heal,” he said.

 

“So what happened back there?” Del asked.  Kyran blew out a heavy sigh.

 

“I should have made her stay with you.  We got on board their vessel without any problems and found your duffle in the captain’s chambers.  But they were waiting for us.  They knew we’d come to get your stuff.  They had weapons but Kira and I know how to take them out.  Anyway, Kira grabbed your duffle and ran to the deck.  The other’s returned and she fought several of them before they overpowered her.  They knocked her back and she fell into a cargo hold.  She must have landed on a container of gasoline.  We made it back on deck at the same time but I knew she wouldn’t last long.  I grabbed her and the duffle and jumped overboard.  Several sharks kept the poachers from pursuing us and they pulled us back to our boat.”

 

“How did we outrun the poachers?” Del asked.  Kyran smiled.  He set the throttle to cruise and walked over to the side of the boat with Del following.  He looked around for any other boats before he gave a high whistle.  Del watched something rising through the water and when it breached its head she gasped.

 

“Is that?”

 

“Lochness monster.  Water horse.  Plesiosaur.”  He smiled and patted the creature’s head.  “Thanks for the lift, you better go back down before anyone else spots you,” Kyran said.  Del reached out and ran her fingers down the long neck of the plesiosaur and smiled.  It turned her way and licked at her hand before it splashed back into the ocean and drifted down.  Kyran returned to the wheel while Del pulled the remains of her duffle out to inspect.  She pulled the time remoter out and sighed.  Several bullets left the device in ruins. 

 

“Now what?” Kyran asked as he steered toward the lonely dock of a small fishing village.

 

“I find another way home.”

 

Like this:Like Loading...
No Way Home - Chapter 14 - Beyond Pacifica