Comforting Darkness

Chapter 5: The Tutor, Hired

The stern of the ship was already under the water when Sebastian, with Ciel in his arms, jumped out of the ship into the air. At the last minute, he grabbed an almost panicked Selina by the forearm and pulled her with him, forcing the woman to also grab on him, as she squeaked lightly quite shocked by the speed and height of the demon's jump; yes, she too had the ability to run and jump, her thorough training had helped her evolve, but this was too much for her.

Sebastian soon landed on the bow that had fallen back on the surface of the water but would follow the other half in no time. He ran at full speed at the edge of the bow, grabbing a life-ring, forcing it on the child and then hurling him into the water apologizing but also ignoring the boy's protests.

"Can you swim?" He asked Selina, still gasping and shaking. The woman nodded positively, struggling to even her breath, but did not have time since the demon grabbed her, quite unceremoniously, and also threw her in the water. "Stay with him!" He commanded her and then also jumped as most of the ship was already under water.

Selina fell in the water and immediately felt like she was swallowing ice and everything inside and outside freezing; the water was that cold. She managed to resurface gasping for breath and thinking that her wish would finally be granted, her heart would stop beating... No, not before she completed her mission!

Deaf to the screams of people in water freezing or being attacked by the zombies, she blinked a few times and her breath along with her heart calmed down enough for her to find what she was frantically searching; Ciel hanging for precious life from the life-ring. She swam close to him and saw the child's eye looking at her with evident pain since he was already quite frozen. She circled his waist with her arm under water and squeezed his hand.

"It's okay. I'm here and Sebastian will come soon, everything will be fine." She said trembling and kicking under water to keep them floating; it was the only thing she could do at the moment.

However, she soon realized she was too numb and so was Ciel who started slipping from the life-ring. She tried to pull him up but her muscles did not obey and so she let go of the life-ring following the child, managing to hug him as tightly as she could with both hands and struggling in vain to keep her legs moving.

Thankfully, a strong hand pulled them both out of the freezing water and they immediately came to. They landed on the wooden surface of a lifeboat, coughing water out of their lungs; Sebastian was saying something but Selina's mind was still unable to process it, as her frozen arms could not loosen their grip on Ciel. Sebastian pulled them away drawing the frozen shocked woman's attention to him. He looked at her with eyes saying she could let go; they were safe. That helped her compose herself and now she released a shivering Ciel, who was soon wrapped in the butler's soaked but somehow warmer tailcoat, while Sebastian was still in water. More horrible screams drew everyone's attention into the darkness as more people, invisible in their eyes, were struggling and losing the battle with the freezing water.

"If we go back, this boat will be dragged down as well. Let us depart." Sebastian announced and started pushing the boat away. "Young master! You must not fall aslee-" He screamed in a while towards a frozen, sleepy Ciel, but did not finish since he felt something pulling violently his leg.

Looking back he saw one of the undead sinking its teeth in his calf. Ciel woke up for good and Selina was trying to convince her frozen fingers close around her sword. Sebastian kicked and smashed the undead head sending the creature to eternal and final death.

"These things can move into water?" Ciel asked not wanting to believe it.

"Since they do not need to breathe, it would follow that they also do not drown." Sebastian said and then hushed the child, sealing its mouth with his hand. Sounds of something coming out of the water were heard all around them as more and more living corpses surfaced and started towards their way.