Stormdragons

Chapter 22

They heard the screams before they saw the tunnel entrance. Joe's blood froze. Uncle Toby swore under his breath and scanned the low, rocky cliff.

'Where? Where? I can't see it!' he cried.

The guide reached out his arm and pointed to a dark semi-circle.

'There, friend. The water is only thigh deep in the tunnel. The Pit is deeper. It has been dug below the level of the tide.'

Uncle Toby adjusted the rudder. The Lazy Susan responded, her keel slicing through the water like a blade.

The tunnel was now only fifty metres dead ahead. Joe could see several dorsal fins traversing the dark entrance. Someone muttered the words they'd all been dreading, 'Razor sharks.' When the next wave arrived at least one of the sharks rode the swell into the tunnel itself.

'Watch out for their fins, Joe. They are so sharp they'll slice your flesh off. That's how the sharks use them,' warned Uncle Toby.

The screams echoing towards them were louder now and more frequent. Joe's stomach churned. He steeled himself. Clare's life was in danger. He would have to be brave and decisive no matter what horrors lay in store.

'Prepare to jump!' shouted Uncle Toby.

The crew braced themselves for action. Joe turned the strength dial on the orb down below 1, covered it with the cloth and shoved it in a pocket. One of Sinbad's men handed him a spear and told him to take care not to stab himself when he jumped. Joe gripped the spear. It was too long for him and felt heavy in his hand.

Just as The Lazy Susan seemed doomed to smash into the cliff, Uncle Toby pushed the rudder hard over and loosened the sail. Instantly the boat turned and stalled. Uncle Toby thrust the rudder at the guide and told him to hold position as best he could. Then, with a shout of 'Let's go!' he jumped overboard.

Sinbad's crewmen, too, leapt into the water. Joe followed. The water was cold and dark. It swirled against his hips. Bravely, without a thought for themselves, Sinbad's men headed as fast as they could into the mouth of the tunnel. They stabbed at razor sharks and shouted encouragement to one another. Joe waded behind them. Suddenly, a curved tail thrashed the water no more than a metre away. A shark! Joe struck out blindly with his spear. He felt it hit something but he didn't wait to find out what. He heaved his legs through the water with all his strength.

'The sluice gate!' cried a voice ahead in the darkness.

Joe looked up. There was a square of light a short distance down the tunnel.

'Hold on Clare! We're coming!' he shouted.

A few metres ahead, the crewmen ducked through the sluice gate and into the Pit. Joe was hard on their heels. The water rose almost to his chest as he stumbled through the gate. He found himself in a small, steep-sided arena where several peoples stood, chained to poles. He recognized Clare, Spud and Mac. He called out to them.

Guards appeared on the walkway above. A spear whistled through the air. One of the Sinbad's men cast a net on the water, capturing several jellyfish. He hauled the net in, whirled it above his head and flung it at the guards. Struck by a faceful of poisonous tentacles, one guard screamed and dropped to his knees. Two others panicked and headed back to the guardroom.

Another crewman, although yelping in pain, attacked Clare's chains with an axe. Joe followed his example. He jabbed the jellyfish away from around Spud's pole and attacked the iron bracket with the tip of his spear.

'That's it, Joe. Don't stop,' yelled Spud.

Uncle Toby stood in the middle of the Pit, a spear in one hand, an axe in the other. Seeing a guard taking aim with a bow, he flung the spear with all his might. He caught the guard high on the shoulder and the guard's arrow shot harmlessly into the roof.