Genevieve Violet: Lady in Magic

Chapter Twenty Six

Sweetest was still being attacked by the blonde woman. She held Sweetest by both arms, ready to tear them from her body at any moment. I rushed to my feet, my arm still in the air, just avoiding the grasp of some of the female monsters. I kicked the monster in the back of the legs and she fell onto her knees. Just before Sweetest could jump into the gateway, the blonde demon sunk her teeth into my ankle. I screamed and fell backwards, dropping the coins from my grasp. They scattered across the floor and one fell into a crack in the deck.

I screamed in frustration while the monster sucked the blood from my wound. Sweetest stood watching me, but Amanda pushed past her and rushed to my side. She stamped onto the creatures head. She stamped a few times until all that remained was a pile of blood and innards. I scrambled backwards to my feet and stared at Sweetest. For a moment she stared back at me. She then rushed to my side.

"I'm so sorry Genevieve! I was panic stricken, that monster could have killed you, and all because of my foolishness...please forgive me!" I pushed her back slightly, ignoring her apology and concentrating more on helping Angus. One of the two creatures released Angus and ran towards their crushed sister, mourning her death and singing sweetly in remembrance. The other was focused on revenge, determined to rip our throats out. She had her slender hands wrapped around Angus's throat, her nails digging into his skin. Angus was gasping desperately for breath as she spat clumps of rotten flesh onto his face. Sweetest, obviously desperate to prove how sorry she was, ran towards the creature and jumped onto her back. The woman ran backwards and slammed Sweetest's back against the side of the ship. Rio was originally pulling on Angus's trouser, but took a brave leap at some of the other female monsters now surrounding us. Amanda fought off some of the creatures with her knives, at the same time trying to help Angus, which proved very difficult. I had slipped past the creatures and picked up two of the three coins, shoving them in my dress pocket, quickly buttoning it up. I looked down the hole in the ship decking but it was too dark to spot the coin. I could barely see anything at all. I decided to try my luck and quickly shove my arm down the hole. I felt at the damp wood with my fingers, but found nothing.

I felt something grab my back and try to pull me away. When I turned around I saw a group of the women gathered around me. I attempted to kick and punch them but it was useless; soon they had pulled me into the group and began tugging at my skin. I screamed in fear and fury.

My body was numb. A mass of claws and razor sharp teeth blurred above me. Amanda was screaming my name. I could hear her knives slicing into their flesh. Suddenly the group of demons dispersed and focused on Amanda.

Most of the women had moved towards Sweetest and Angus, some attacking Rio. Some of the ancient wood decking around me began to crack. I tried to crawl away from the area but was dragged back as a selection of fingers dug themselves into the backs of my legs. Three women had clawed me back, one being the dark haired and scariest woman of all. The torn material of my dress had lodged in her long, dirty teeth. I grimaced as she stared at me, drooling with blood-lust. The weight of the three of us in that particular area was too much for the breaking wood, and I knew what was coming. I shut my eyes quickly; I was going to fall through to the lower deck of the boat...and we would probably crash through the bottom of the boat and into the water below. I was going to fall and perish with the creatures.

The crack had stretched its way across the boat, splitting it in half. The boards gave one final, loud creak and before any of my allies could grab my hand the boards around me collapsed. I grabbed onto the necklace that Corby had given me and shut my eyes tight.

Silence. A moment of pure, blissful silence. I thought I had already passed away and had gone to heaven. Then I heard the breaking of wood beneath me, and the sound of vicious water. I opened my eyes and feared the worst.

Somehow, I was dangling in mid air. I was holding onto nothing. I turned my head and saw Rio had grabbed onto my collar. Still holding onto my necklace, I looked beneath me and saw some of the female monsters had been pierced and impaled on sharp spikes of wood below. The force had split the bottom of the boat and the water was coming in fast. Barrels below began to dance as the water carried them with its current.

It wouldn't be long until the boat fell into two halves. As Rio slowly pulled me upwards, I saw to my right that on piece of broken wood jutting outwards, there was an object. A small, shining, circular object. A smile spread across my face and joyful tears formed in my eyes. I attempted to grab the coin but it was just out of my reach. The water continued to flow into the boat alarmingly quickly.

"The coin! It's here! Amanda, come and help me..." As I called for help, something must have struck Rio as he fell forward slightly. I screamed in shock. His grip began to loosen, and within moments he had lost me completely. In one final attempt to re-capture my life, I flung my arms and legs out in hope of catching a strong rafter. Something hit my foot, and seconds later my arm wrapped around a piece of surprisingly sturdy wood. I looked up, and luckily the coin was still perched on the end of the rafter. I could still hear the screams of those above me. The boat rocked ferociously and the water was almost upon me.

Our only escape route was the power of the coins. I quickly checked with my free hand to make sure the two coins were still in my dress pocket, and to my luck they had remained intact. I placed one of my feet against a lower rafter and pushed myself upwards. The rafter I had grabbed onto was rather large and quite sturdy, so I hoped that it would be able to support my weight. I was soon on my knees and balancing on the wood. I prayed it wouldn't give way.

I was close to the deck and could hear the footsteps of those above me. As I stuck my hand out to reach the coin a body came toppling down the hole. It almost grabbed my hand. Several more women soon followed her. I watched as they fell into the water below. It was too dark to see where

they had gone.

I heard footsteps rush towards me, and four shadows spread across my face.

"Genevieve! Grab onto my hand! Do it now!" Angus yelled.

"Grab the coin! We need it to get out!" I screamed at the group. Amanda jumped down to her stomach, stretched as much as she could and clumsily scrambled for it with her fingers. She must have been very panicked as she managed to knock the coin from the rafter. Everyone gasped and as an automatic reaction, I stuck my hand out in hope of catching the coin...

I caught it.

Angus quickly pulled me up. The left hand side of the ship collapsed and toppled into the water below. We had jumped to the right hand side just in time. I dug into my dress pocket and pulled out the other coins, which I could see were silver and bronze. The rescued coin was gold.

The left side of the boat had completely sunken and the right was tilting at a fast pace, but movement still stirred in the water. A head slowly emerged from the murky depths, followed by another. And another. Soon the water was full of the creatures once more... and they had increased in number.

I thrust the coins high above my head. The portal opened once more.

"Give me the coins Genevieve! I will jump last!" Angus yelled.

"But..."

"NOW!"

I pushed the coins into his palm. Sweetest and Amanda looked anxiously at me. I looked at Angus. His eyes demanded I jump, and fast.

"But how can you jump into the portal if you're activating the coins in your hand?!"

"If I put my arm into the portal it will suck me in! Now jump, Genevieve!"

He couldn't know that...but we had to hope.

I leapt into the unknown and whispered the Lords Prayer.