Dark waters

12. Counteractions

The mermaids came crawling over the gunwale. Sharp teeth and white eyes gleamed in the light of the lanterns while they scuttled over the deck with impressive speed.
Jock and his crew turned pale with fear while their eyes grew wide. In a panic, they spun around and tried to flee back to Jock's ship. They shoved each other while tumbling over the railings.
"Cut the lines!" Jock screamed while frantically climbing the mast.

The mermaids slid over the deck, gripping the wood with their sharp fingernails. One of them threw herself forward and dug her claws in to the calves of one of the sailors. He screamed as he fell and got dragged backwards towards the gunwale on the other side.
The other mermaids passed the pair, hissing and screeching with their eyes fixed on the running sailors.
Cole stood like a statue with his eyes wide. He saw the mermaids pass the ensnared guys on the deck, completely focused on Jock's crew. One even slid over Track on her hunt for the fleeing sailors.

A mermaid with a blue tail threw herself forward to grab hold of one of the feeling men. He got yanked backwards and fell between the ships. A mermaid with a green tail followed the pair in to the water.

On the opposite side of Jock's ship, a handful of mermaids showed up. They reached in for the men trying to get away from the mermaids on Tan's ship.
Two of the sailors got grabbed and pulled over the gunwale. Their screams cut as soon as they disappeared in to the water.

Behind Cole, the sailor who got grabbed first was pulled over the gunwale. Another mermaid showed up and helped the first one pull the man down. He screamed in a frantic panic until his grip on the gunwale slipped.

The lines from the hooks were thrown overboard while Jock's crew tried to get away from the Valkyrie. They frantically climbed the masts to get off the deck and set sails in the process.
No one stood at the wheel when the ship sailed off in to the dark. Cole could see Jock high up in the mast, peering down at the mermaids moving about on the deck.

The silence fell as Jock's ship disappeared in the night.
Cole stood staring in to the darkness beyond the ship. The deck was partly wet after the mermaids and a vague trail of blood showed where the sailor had been dragged across. The only thing heard was the flapping of the broken sail above and the soft waves caressing the hull.

"Everyone in one piece?"
Track's question broke the silence.
"I almost pissed my pants, but I'm fine", Vu answered.
Cole looked around and spotted an axe close to the gunwale on the other side of the deck. He swiftly walked over to get it.
"So that was Tan's mother and her coven? Did I get that right?" Track asked.
Cole met his gaze.
"Yeah... She kind of looked like him", Cole mumbled as he kneeled next to Track to get the ropes off him.
"You knew?"
"Well... Yeah... Tan told me..." Cole hesitated for a moment, but the truth was out, so honesty was the obvious choice.
He sighed while he cut the rope tangled around Track's upper body.
"He told me after we ran in to Jock in Nara. I don't see the issue to why he wouldn't tell anyone else, but he probably thinks people would think less of him or something."
Cole got the ropes of Track as he sat up. The moment he did, he stiffened and stared at something behind Cole.

A cold hand grabbed Cole's shoulder.
He froze, before he turned his head and met the gaze of the familiar mermaid. Her eyes were normal again - the same color as Tan's.
Seconds passed before she leaned in, moving her face closer to Cole's.
"Where is he?"
The whisper was soft and enchanting.
Cole blinked before he lifted his arm and pointed at the door to the captain's cabin.
She turned her head before she let go of Cole and crawled towards the door.
Cole jumped up and followed her. Her long, white tail glistened in a golden shimmer in the light of the lanterns. He made sure not to step on it while he hurried to get to the door first. He left the door open while he walked in to Tan's cabin.