Lifelight: Calypso Returns

6.

On her third morning on the ship, while drinking coffee and talking to the crew who had warmed up to her after her first night, a large boat materialized on the horizon.

Hera did not notice the boat, or the rest of the crew tensing at the sight of it. She had started out marveling at the expanse of the ocean,listening to the lapping of the waves, and then her attention had shifted to a shirtless Kairu working on the deck. He was helping raise the sails and tying ropes, his skin glistened with a golden sheen.

"Justurs. Hide her before those damn beasts catch her scent." Berry yelled.

With genuine and profuse apologies, three crew members guided her down to the engine room and stuffed her in a coffin crawl space. She lay in the fetal position wondering what jail looked like in the Kingdom of Saira and had the sudden vision of a desert island with high cliffs and jagged rocky shores. It was called Hadeon, there were no walls or guards that she could see. Prison in Saira was a desolate,inescapable rock in the sea.

I carved it out of the sea bed myself. 

The thought was hers and Hera knew it was true. She tried to chase the thread that had created it but the vision and the words were gone as quickly as they came. She was brought back to the present by voices coming towards the engine room.

"I do not understand why the inspection must be done here and not at port. My record speaks for itself, I have nothing to hide."Berry said.

"Then you will not mind that we look."

The second voice was a cop's voice if she ever heard one. There were enough raids around the college for her to know what security officers sounded like. Hera also heard the clack, clack, clack of claws on wood. Dogs, big dogs.

Nearly mauled by a demon, almost driven insane by hell cats, and now giant dogs. One of them sniffed close to her. The planks above her creaked,it was right on top of her. It sniffed again and she stopped breathing altogether.

The other dog drew closer too and they both sniffed. Two dogs having a conversation about their noses. 'Human, no can't be.' 'Just saltwater and wood.' 'Hell cat and witch.'

Berry and the cop stepped closer to the dogs. Hera's lung's screamed for air and a second infernal bug crawled down her neck and into her shirt.

One dog barked followed by the other and then they started to scratch at the wood above her. She could not stop herself from hyperventilating even as more bugs crawled up her legs and arms. Berry was making excuses but it did not sound like it was helping.

The wrenching sound of wood against metal was deafening, the itching on her skin got worse, and those damn dogs were going ballistic. Hera closed her eyes and waited for the vice grip of teeth that would drag her out. The whoosh of air came as the boards were wrenched open and Hera closed her eyes.

A second passed, and then another. The dogs were still barking but everyone else was silent.

"They must have squeezed through a leaking board and got in through the motor. Looks like they have found a nice home for themselves."Berry said.

"If they spread, they will weaken the integrity of the entire ship. 100 scallors. Be sure to clean this up Captain." The cop said.

Footsteps echoed as they walked away from the engine room and up to the deck.Hera risked cracking one eyelid open. She only saw darkness.

She tried to move and that was when she felt them. The bugs were on every inch of her skin and on top of her clothes. It was by sheer force of will that the scream clawing up her throat did not rip out of her.She stayed perfectly still, afraid that any movement would make them move and then she would die.