Dark_Serpent

21

‘Left here and around the corner,’ the stone said. We were winding along narrow lanes that were barely wide enough for the kombi, passing fields holding sheep and ponies. ‘Nearly there. Three kilometres to the motorway and we’re off the island.’

Leo grunted with pain as he shifted gears. ‘Couldn’t get a modern automatic van, oh no, had to get the ancient hippie wagon,’ he grumbled.

‘Stone, does the network know anything about Daddy?’ Simone said.

‘No stones in Court Ten right now,’ the stone said. ‘Gold is trying to find out the situation.’

‘Oh god,’ I said softly.

‘Turn left here, up the ramp and you’re on the motorway,’ the stone said. ‘Across the bridge and we’re out of here, and not before time.’

‘The Jade Emperor told him to stay a month,’ Simone said. ‘Does that mean the JE didn’t know this would happen?’

‘I share your concern,’ the stone said. ‘The Jade Emperor is supposed to know all. But maybe this far West is outside his influence.’

‘I just want to know about Daddy!’ Simone said.

Leo stomped on the clutch and wrenched the gear lever, his face a mask of concentration to combat the pain.

‘I’m not hurt, I should drive,’ I said.

‘As soon we’re off this island, I’ll let you take over,’ Leo said. We approached the bridge that would take us off the island and he slowed. ‘What’s that?’

Six cars were parked in a group, blocking the bridge, and men with guns were standing in front of them.

Leo braked hard, spinning the wheel to turn the van, but all it managed was a huge clumsy circle, which brought us head-on into the side of the bridge.

The men fired and we all ducked.

Leo did a painfully slow three-point turn as bullets pinged off the outside of the bus. One cracked through the window above our heads and buried itself in the back of Leo’s headrest, sending yellowed foam flying around us.

Simone raised herself out of her seat, turned towards the back of the bus and put her hands out. The men shooting at us were knocked over, arms and legs flying.

‘We can’t ram that many cars, the kombi can’t do it,’ Leo said. ‘Can you move them, Simone?’

‘Not that many. They’re too heavy.’

‘Then we’ll have to stash the van somewhere and fly.’

‘They’re getting in the cars to follow us,’ Simone said. ‘Move, Leo!’

Leo crunched the gears, revved the engine and we shot off back the way we’d come.

‘They’re gaining,’ Simone said. ‘This thing is so slow.’ She concentrated and the tyres blew out on the three cars behind us. She pulled herself back into her seat and ran her hand over her forehead. ‘I hope there aren’t any more,’ she said, her voice trembling with effort.

‘Stone, find us a place to hide,’ I said.

‘Accessing,’ the stone said. ‘This island is tiny, and that bridge is the only way off. Can you lift the van, Simone?’

‘No.’

‘What about flying Emma off the island?’

‘I may not make it, it’s too far,’ she said. ‘Just find us another way out!’

‘I hate to suggest it, but you could leave Leo in the van and swim Emma back to the mainland.’

‘Good idea, I can catch up later,’ Leo said.

‘I can do that for a short distance,’ Simone said, studying me.

‘Go for it,’ I said. ‘Head for the sea. Just don’t forget to keep me warm; I’ll die of exposure in no time in water that cold.’

‘We can do it,’ Simone said.

‘Next left,’ the stone said. ‘Keep heading that way and we’ll reach the lighthouse.’

‘Do you think they left the other cars on the bridge?’ Leo said. ‘If they didn’t, we can sneak back over.’

‘Not worth the risk,’ I said.

We drove painfully slowly along the narrow lanes towards the other side of the island. A car approached us from the opposite direction and we slowed even more.

‘Pull over to the side. Completely off the road,’ Simone said.

Leo eased the van onto the verge, but it was so narrow that some of the van was still on the road.

‘Okay, now stay very quiet,’ Simone said. ‘And hope they don’t hit us.’

Leo cut the engine and we all held our breath. The other car didn’t see us; Simone had made us invisible. Fortunately, it hugged the other side of the road and missed us entirely. One of the people in the car said something about sheep as they passed.

Simone waited until they’d gone around the bend, and collapsed onto her seat. ‘I hope that doesn’t happen again, that was really hard.’

‘Why did they steer so clear of us?’ Leo said. ‘If they’d driven in the middle of the road they would have hit us.’

‘I made us into some stray sheep on the road,’ Simone said. ‘Quickly, Leo, let’s get to the ocean.’

‘Dark Lord’s in Court Ten,’ the stone said.

Everybody let out a huge breath of relief.

The stone’s voice filled with amusement. ‘Apparently he’s done something he very rarely does: he’s lost his temper with Judge Pao and is giving him a piece of his mind.’

‘Does someone have a video camera down there?’ I said.

‘Several. Follow this road along the cliff. Past the lighthouse — all the tourists stop there and look at the ancient huts across the road. They never go any further so the road should be empty.’

We headed up a gently sloping road with the cliffs plunging below us on the left and the mountain on the right. I took a deep breath and looked away as I realised that John’s weather was breaking apart and the mountain top was becoming visible.

The cliffs on our left became steeper and more jagged, and we were soon more than two hundred metres above the crashing waves. We passed the lighthouse, on its own small island, with a steep, narrow line of stairs leading down onto it. A couple of cars sat in the car park, and a few tourists were on the other side of the road, looking at the ancient huts, but none seemed to be our pursuers.

Another two hundred metres along, the road stopped after a sharp bend. Leo pulled the van over and we all got out. The wind blew up the cliffs and straight through my sweater, biting and cold. We crept to the edge and looked down: the black cliffs were jagged and dangerous, with sharp boulders at the bottom, far below.

‘We can do it, Emma,’ Simone said.

The stone clapped Leo on the shoulder. ‘Let’s lead the rest of the village on a chase across the island while the ladies escape.’

‘Good idea,’ Leo said. He hugged us, kissed me on the cheek, and headed back to the van. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned. ‘Simone.’

‘Yeah, Leo?’ Simone was distracted by the waves below.

‘Keep me updated telepathically, okay?’

She turned to wave him away. ‘We’ll be fine.’

‘I sure hope so,’ he said.

He and the stone climbed into the van, but he didn’t start it. He sat and watched us.

‘Waiting to make sure we’re okay,’ Simone said. She turned to me. ‘Emma, I might have to change form down there. Please don’t tell anybody what I look like.’

‘Your snake demon form?’ I said. ‘A few people have seen that.’

‘No.’ She looked down at the waves again. ‘I don’t know where this came from, and please don’t tell Daddy.’ She glanced at me. ‘It’s a snake. Like a snake. But with four small legs, like a dragon.’

‘Then you’re a dragon,’ I said.

‘No,’ she said. ‘It has the head and body of a snake, it’s not like a dragon at all. It’s a snake … kind of with legs.’ She shrugged. ‘Just hold on tight to me, okay? If I have to change, I’ll move you underneath me and hold you with my legs. But they’re awfully short.’

‘How long have you had this form?’

‘It came out when I started working with yin.’

‘You should tell your father, Simone.’

‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘Don’t tell anybody. It’s too weird.’

I raised my hands and was about to reply when Leo spoke into our heads.

I suggest you move. The stone went to reconnoitre and there are cars on the way.

‘Hold on tight,’ Simone said. She took my hand firmly in hers and nodded to me.

I nodded back and we turned to face the cliff, the fierce cold wind in our faces.

‘Leap hard off the edge; I’ll have to guide us out so we don’t hit the rocks,’ she said. ‘On the count of three.’

We both jumped as far away from the rocks as we could. The cliff whistled behind us, but the water didn’t seem to be rushing up towards us — and then it was. Both of us concentrated to slow our fall, but we still hit the water hard. The cold nearly knocked the wind out of me, but I had no difficulty breathing or staying afloat as long as I held Simone’s hand.

‘I’ll take us under, I can move faster underwater,’ Simone said. ‘Just keep hold of my hand.’

‘Simone!’ I said, pulling on her hand as she plunged.

She came back up again. ‘What?’

‘It’s freezing. Can you warm me up?’

‘I’m already warming you to about ten degrees higher than the water’s natural temperature,’ she said.

‘It’s bloody freezing,’ I said, my teeth chattering.

‘Let’s just get off this damn island and find somewhere to hide from your lunatic relatives,’ she said. ‘I thought my family were bad. At least they’re not paranoid psychopaths.’

‘Your nephew is.’

She was preparing to dive and stopped. ‘Which nephew?’

‘Sang Shen.’

‘Oh, you’re right; he is. Don’t hold your breath,’ she said, and dived.

We sped through the water. Simone’s control wasn’t as strong as John’s and the cold and pressure were intense. Each breath was impossibly difficult because of the thickness of the ice-cold fluid. I tried holding my breath, concentrating on holding her hand, but my body wouldn’t let me do it. I was exhausting myself just with the effort of breathing, and my arm was in danger of being dislocated from being dragged behind her.

Slowly and with immense effort, I moved my other hand to her wrist, above where our hands were clasped, attempting to solidify my grip, but her hand slipped out of mine. The minute I was released, the cold and pressure bore down on me. Simone’s backwash tumbled me through the water and I had no idea which way was up. My ears were bursting and I nearly screamed from the pain. I needed to get to the surface, but we were so far down I probably wouldn’t make it.

I opened my eyes, but the water stung them so horribly I closed them again. I thrashed in an awkward breaststroke towards what I hoped was the surface, and willed her to find me. Something grabbed me around the middle, nearly cracking my ribs with the strength of its grip.

Sorry, Simone said. I have to change and hold you.

I tried to take a deep breath, but it was too hard, so I gave up and took a few small ones. The difference in temperature was obvious now that she was touching me, but the water was still like liquid ice. I grabbed her hand in both of mine and gestured with one thumb upwards — the standard diving gesture.

Understood.

I took more small breaths as we surged in what seemed to be the wrong direction, and then my head burst above the waves. I opened my mouth to say something and it filled with water.

‘Can you lift me slightly so I can talk?’ I said.

She picked me up under my arms and raised me above the waves. The wind blew against my sodden clothing, making me even colder.

‘I’m having real difficulty breathing,’ I said, my voice quivering as I shivered. ‘The water’s so thick it’s like breathing syrup. Can you do something about that?’

Sorry, I’m a little tired. I’ll fix it for you. Okay to continue?

‘How far?’

We only just started.

‘Do you know how your dad does it so I don’t feel the pressure or the movement?’

Yes. I’m doing my best, Emma, I’m sorry.

‘I understand. Let’s get moving.’

She lowered me gently into the water.

Tread for a bit while I change.

She looked like a big black cobra nearly three metres long. She raised the first third of her body above me and I felt a chill as I saw her small legs, incongruous against her huge dark shape. She moved towards me and I had to control the urge to back away. She gently turned me and took my shoulders in her hands; each looked like a human hand, just black and scaly.

Tap my hand if I’m holding you too tight, she said, and the sound of her voice in my head was reassuring.

She was right: this form really was very weird. I felt a rush of sympathy for Leo, who was so freaked out by my snake form. I understood now how he felt. Simone was radically different from John’s Serpent — darker, more disturbing and slightly unnatural.

She dived again, holding me tight, and this time the journey was easier. Still, it seemed to last forever. We travelled under the water for hours, her snake form writhing above me. Each breath was a struggle against the pain in my chest, and my hands and feet became numb from the cold. My diaphragm would be aching for hours from the struggle to breathe, my ribs were bruised by her grabbing me, and my feet felt like they’d never be warm again.

Eventually her movement changed, her grip on me tightened and we surged out of the water onto a long, lonely beach. Both of us lay on the sand, sucking in air. I rolled over to see her, and she was still in snake form. I heard a shout some distance away, carried by the wind.

‘Change to human,’ I said through the gasps. ‘We don’t want anybody to find you like that.’

She grunted with effort and changed back to human. She rolled onto her back, gasping. She’d lost her clothes and was naked.

‘Great, I don’t have the energy to put anything on.’ She raised her head slightly and dropped it. ‘That was exhausting.’

I staggered to my feet and, with great effort, peeled off my soaking jeans and sweater.

She stared at me. ‘What are you doing?’

I fell to sit. ‘Wear my clothes.’

She raised one hand slightly without moving otherwise. ‘But you’ll be in your undies and a T-shirt.’

‘And neither of us will be stark naked.’ I pushed the clothes at her. ‘Dry them off and put them on.’

She struggled to her feet and took the clothes. She pulled the sweater on, realised that it only went to her waist, and put the jeans on as well. She flopped to sit cross-legged, then fell backwards to lie in the sand.

‘Give me a minute and then I’ll contact Leo and tell him where we are.’

I was too tired to sit upright so I lay next to her. My whole body was racked by uncontrollable shivering, so hard it hurt my muscles.

A military helicopter roared low overhead and both of us flinched. It headed inland, losing altitude.

‘We’re right by the air force base,’ I said.

‘I hope Leo can drive through to the beach.’

‘He’ll find a way. Oh, he’s here already.’ I sat up to see a jeep driving towards us and waved one arm at it.

‘That’s not Leo,’ Simone said.

The jeep stopped and two men with rifles got out.

‘Oh shit. Run!’ Simone said.

I pulled myself to my feet, but only managed to stagger a few metres before I collapsed. Simone fell to sit next to me, then lay face-down, obviously just as exhausted.

‘Run, Emma, they’ll shoot you,’ she said.

I didn’t have anything to run with. No second wind, no last-minute surge of energy, nothing. I was done, and they were going to shoot me.

‘Go into the water. They want me,’ I said.

‘No. I’ll stay with you to the end.’ She put her hand out and touched me. ‘I love you, Emma.’

I wanted to argue with her, but it was hard enough staying conscious. I closed my eyes and waited for them to come.

Their feet made crunching noises in the sand, and they stopped next to us.

‘I wish there was some other way,’ one man said.

‘You know there isn’t,’ the other said.

The first man’s voice was full of remorse. ‘I don’t think I can do this. Look at them.’

‘Let me then,’ the other one said.

A voice shouted a long way away from us, and a shot rang out.

‘Oh shit,’ the first man said.

Another shot and more shouting.

‘Run!’ the other one said, and they both took off over the sand.

I raised my head and peered around. I wasn’t dead.

‘What happened?’ Simone said.

A pair of army boots trudged through the sand and stopped next to my face. Someone put their warm fingers against my neck. I was too exhausted to fight them. I tried to speak but nothing came out.

‘We’re from the base, lass,’ a man said. ‘I don’t know why these a*sholes were trying to shoot you — you don’t look like you have anything worth stealing. Hold on.’

A crinkly silver emergency blanket was wrapped around me. ‘On three.’ They lifted me onto a stretcher. ‘Let’s get them back to the base and warm them up.’

Someone felt my pulse in my wrist. ‘Hypothermia, exhaustion, dehydration.’ A drip was slipped into my arm, then I heard someone speaking unintelligibly over a radio. ‘Understood. We’re bringing them in now. Two females, one early twenties, one mid thirties, they’ve been in the water for a while. We scared two men away; looked like they were about to shoot and rob them.’

They hoisted the stretcher and I was too exhausted to do anything but let them take me.

They’re soldiers from the base, they’re looking after us, Simone said. I think we’re safe.

‘Just rest, my love. We’ll contact your family when you’re sorted,’ the soldier said. ‘You’re in safe hands now.’

I told Leo. He’s coming.

I relaxed into the movement of the stretcher. I felt a jolt when they pushed me into the back of a van, then the doors were closed and they drove us away.

I woke in a sunny room, in a bed. I was clean and deliciously warm and wearing a hospital gown. Simone was lying on her back in the bed next to me, a drip in her arm and her face peaceful. The room looked more like a dormitory than a hospital ward, although there were consoles at the tops of the beds for oxygen.

I tried to pull myself up and out of bed, and felt a thrill of accomplishment when I succeeded. I pushed the IV stand along next to me and went out into the corridor to see what was happening, making a quick stop at the bathroom on the way.

A man in fatigues sat behind a desk in what appeared to be an ordinary office. He looked delighted, then concerned, when he saw me. He quickly rose and came around the desk to me.

‘You don’t need to get up,’ he said. ‘Just call and we’ll come help you.’ He held my arm to support me. ‘I’m a nurse, my name is Darren. I’m afraid we don’t have any women medical staff here, but if you’re uncomfortable with me looking after you —’

‘That,’ I began, and stopped. My throat was very dry. ‘Not a problem.’

He gently led me back into the room. ‘Is there anything I can get you to make you more comfortable? Are you up to filling out some forms so we can contact your next of kin?’

‘No. Yes,’ I said. I was about to ask for something to drink when I saw the water jug on the night stand. ‘No. Forms are okay.’

He sat me down on the bed and wheeled the IV next to it. ‘Just rest, I’ll bring the forms in. The doctor’s already taken a look at you, and he’s concerned about your ribs. They’re heavily bruised and may be cracked. The X-ray staff will be along soon to take some photos of them. Is that okay?’

‘No X-rays,’ I said.

‘Are you pregnant?’

‘Possibly.’

He nodded. ‘We’ll do an ultrasound instead; that won’t hurt a developing foetus at all. Is that all right?’

I nodded a reply and rested on the pillow. Just that small walk had exhausted me. He poured some water into a cup and handed it to me.

‘How long have I been out?’ I said.

He checked his watch. ‘They brought you in about six last night, and it’s nine in the morning now.’ He saw how exhausted I was and tucked the blanket around me. ‘Just rest. I’ll put the forms on the table here, and when you’re up to it, fill them in.’

‘Has Simone woken up?’

‘Is that her name? She was frantically worried about you, but as soon as we told her you were okay, she settled down. After she talked to the police last night she passed out and hasn’t woken since. She doesn’t seem injured, just exhausted like you.’

That wasn’t surprising; she’d probably messed with the police officers’ heads to make our story believable. I tuned back in to what the nurse was saying.

‘I’m surprised the sound of us talking hasn’t woken her up. Are you related?’

‘She’s like my stepdaughter, but I haven’t married her father yet.’

‘I see.’ He patted my arm. ‘I’ll be back later to check on you. If you need anything, just call for me. We don’t have buttons like a hospital, but I’m just outside the door and will hear you.’

‘It’s possible my friend will come looking for us. You’ll know him if you see him: he’s six five, African-American, and his name’s Leo Alexander.’

He smiled slightly. ‘I’m sure we won’t miss him if he does show. I’ll let the gatehouse know.’

‘Thank you.’

I sipped some more water, then leaned back and closed my eyes.

I was woken by Darren speaking outside the room. ‘Yes, she’s in there.’

Leo came in, accompanied by my stone. They rushed to us and held each of us in turn.

‘Careful, I hurt my ribs,’ I said.

Leo pulled back. ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’

‘We’re fine, we just needed to rest,’ Simone said.

‘There’s a young man with a gurney outside for you, Emma,’ the stone said. ‘Says he’s here to take an ultrasound.’

‘They want to look at my ribs,’ I said.

Leo nodded. ‘Good idea, it’s important to make sure there’s no complications. So who’ll go with her?’

‘You go, I’ll stay with Simone,’ the stone said.

The young man came in with the gurney. ‘Emma Donahoe?’

‘That’s me,’ I said. ‘Do you mind if my friend comes along?’

‘I’ll help you lift her,’ Leo said.

The young man looked Leo up and down and obviously liked what he saw. ‘Any day.’

Leo grinned.

They lifted me onto the gurney, sat my IV bag next to me and wheeled me out. It was only a ten-minute drive to the clinic, which was a new building next to the large shopping centre just out of town. They wheeled me in, had me sign some forms, then took me into the examination room. Leo waited outside.

An older woman came in, holding the forms I’d filled out. She sat next to me and turned on the ultrasound machine. She put a sheet over me, then lifted my hospital gown to reveal my ribs.

‘Oh my, there is some bruising here. Tell me if I hurt you too much while I run the wand over you,’ she said kindly. She took my IV bag from beside me and moved it so that it sat behind my head. ‘Just relax and we’ll have you out of here in no time.’

She squirted gel over my ribcage and began to run the wand over me. As she did, a young man came in holding a clipboard.

‘This Miss Donahoe?’ he said.

‘That’s right,’ she said.

‘I just need to ask you some questions, if you don’t mind,’ he said to me. He pulled up a chair and sat behind my head. ‘You haven’t filled in a middle name here.’

‘I don’t have one,’ I said.

‘I see.’ There was a crinkle of plastic. ‘You’re a Hong Kong resident?’

‘I am. I have full travel insurance if that’s what this …’ I closed my eyes; it was too hard to keep them open. ‘If that’s what this is about.’

He continued talking, but what he was saying was difficult to understand. It dawned on me that I really was feeling very sleepy. I wanted to turn around to see what he was doing with my IV bag, but my eyes wouldn’t open. I tried to call for Leo, but the sound wouldn’t come out.

‘She’s out. Bring the other one in,’ was the last thing I heard.