Of Disappearances and Dragons - Complete

Part 10

The result was instantaneous. Wherever his hand was touching the marble turned to marble itself. And then before their eyes it began to spread through the rest of his hand.

The sensation of wading through mud was doubled with Jarrold in his arms but Finn forced himself back down the stairs, ignoring the harsh bellowing from the statues and Jarrold's own panicked shouts, until he had made it a little way downstream.

Suddenly Eila was there beside them.

"Quick," she said, pulling Jarrold to the ground. "We need to get his arm submerged in the river."

The transformation had reached his elbow turning both flesh and clothes to solid marble but as they sat on either side of him and held his arm under the water they watched as it ever so slowly retreated back down his arm and through his hand. When Jarrold went to withdraw his arm Eila quickly stopped him.

"You'll want to leave it in there a good half an hour," she said, turning it over to show the slightly white patches remaining where he had actually touched the statue.

Jarrold nodded and leaned wearily against Finn who patted him on the back.

"What were those things?" Jarrold asked. "I've never heard of anything like that before."

"They're called The Cerrog," said Eila. She settled herself comfortably on the ground. "Originally it was just the man but where he came from or how I don't know. He can't leave that area but over time he lured the others to him and transformed them."

"Is there anything on this island that isn't going to try and kill me?" Asked Finn. "I don't know how you all survive here, I really don't."

"For what it's worth I don't want to kill you," said Jarrold.

"Nor me," said Eila.

At Finn's pointed stare she quickly added, "Anymore."

He chuckled. "Thanks."

*****

Once Eila deemed it safe for Jarrold to take his arm out of the river they were on their way again and soon made it to the headland above Hawthorne Beach with no more difficulties.

Apart from the ever present worry that a dirty great dragon was about to appear and burn them all to a crisp it was a beautiful place. Rugged coastline as far as the eye could see bordered by the sparkling turquoise ocean whose pure white puffs of foam perfectly mirrored the few streaks of puffy white clouds in the otherwise blue summer sky.

Finn took the map and as expected the letters all congregated around Hawthorne Beach.

"Now what Archie?" he muttered.

"There's a cave down there. Might be worth a look," Jarrold said from where he stood a few feet back from the edge.

"Right."

Finn made for the steep, zigzagging path that led down to the beach and then stopped.

"You two don't have to come you know?"

Jarrold and Eila looked at each other for a minute and then Jarrold said, "We've come this far, we're not going to leave you now. Even if heights like this are involved."

Eila nodded and nothing more needed to be said so, after clapping them both on the shoulder, Finn started down the path. After a hair raising ten minutes they reached the bottom. Splashing through the waves Finn approached the cave entrance cautiously and entered leaving Jarrold and Eila trailing behind.

He paused for a moment letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.

"Archie?"

His own voice echoed back to him. He took a couple of steps further in and was about to call for Archie again when a jet of fire shot out of the darkness right for him. He jumped out of the way just in time, slamming his shoulder into a boulder by accident. With a curse he rolled behind it as more fire briefly lit up the cave. Then it went dark again.

Screams had reached his ears from outside the cave and he could only hope that Jarrold and Eila hadn't been hurt and they'd stay outside. Straining his ears he listened desperately for any hint of the beast to get an idea where it was but all he could hear was his own pounding heartbeat and gasping breaths, so loud that they were sure to give his position away. And then he heard it. Heavy footsteps coming his way. What should he do? Run and probably get caught or stay still and wait for the dragon to come to him? Neither option seemed like it would lead to a good outcome. His hand flew to his chest. The Dragonstone!