Deep Ark 6 - Chapter 10

                                                Chapter 10

                                                     pg 118

Hammerhead and I spend a cold, miserable night locked in the forward cabin. Not even my joy at seeing the Surface and the mysterious island can blot out the dread I feel as I think of our likely fate.

We can hear Octo down in the hold. He is talking to his snakes, his children. The man is clearly bonkers, but he's also cruel and cunning

"He won't let us go back," I whisper to Hammerhead. "As soon as we've helped him release those snakes on the island ..." I let my words trail off into thin air.

The skipper's eyes flash with fire. "Ve're not done for yet, boy. This is still my ship and old Hammerhead's got a trick or two up his sleeve."

                                                                    Pg 119

I doubt it. Octo has all the cards stacked in his favour.

The morning sun is blazing through the dirty porthole when I awake with a start, wondering where I am. Looking outside, I marvel again at the blueness of the sky, the sparkling green water. Suddenly, something drops from the sky. I leap back, startled.

"It's just a seagull, boy!" says Hammerhead with a grim laugh.

I watch it flap away towards the island.

"I've only seen pictures of birds back in Basin City," I say.

A loud banging on the metal door interrupts us. It's Octo. "Arise and shine, my worker ants!" he 

shouts, as he turns the key to let us out of the cabin. "Time to release my children from this stinking 

tub!"

Hammerhead's fists bunch up, but he says nothing.

Outside, we see that Octo has been busy. Red

                                                                  pg 120

barrels line the chart room and galley. The air is rank with diesel fumes.

"What's he up to?" I whisper to the skipper. His eyes are like slits in a furnace grate.

"Those are fuel 'barrels. He's planning on having a fireworks party — and I'll bet you and me vill be on top of the bonfire?'

My heart sinks. So that's his plan. Once we've carted the snakes across to the island, we'll have served our purpose. Then he'll blow the sub, and us, sky-high!

Octo smirks at us, like.a crocodile watching its prey. "We'll start with the emerald tree boa. I know you two have met before, Skipper!" he says, laughing hideously.

I expect Hammerhead to react violently, but he simply nods and heads down to the hold, meek as a lamb.

Maybe he's given up all hope.

Octo has already opened the largest of the crates. Inside, coiled in a tank like a giant green hose, is

                                                                pg 121

the emerald boa. It looks at us with dead black eyes, its tongue flicking in and out.

"Oh, my beauty, my sweet one!" coos Octo, patting the plastic tank, which stands as tall as his head. "Not long now and you'll be home!" He opens the top and the boa's head rises up.

Then something gross happens. Octo kisses it! As I watch in horrified fascination, Hammerhead is suddenly whispering urgently in my ear. "Get back into the engine room now! And close the door!"

"But what about you?"

His bulging eyes blaze. "Just do vat I say!"

I dash back into the engine room, slamming the metal door behind me. The last thing I see is Octo spinning around with the flare gun in his hand. Then the door bangs shut in his face.

I can hear his angry laugh.

"What good will that do you, kid? Open the door or I'll shoot!"

"I vouldn't do that, Serp," I hear the skipper say. "This sub is a rusty fuel tank — one flare and the whole lot could go up. You and all your snake children as yell!"

                                                                 pg 122

Octo hesitates. I know his cunning mind will be racing. "I have something more persuasive than a flare, my bug-eyed friend," he says. And I hear the sound of a ,crate being toppled and breaking open.

He has pushed over the boa's tank! The huge snake is loose in the locked hold. Hammerhead will be crushed in its deadly grip a second time. And here I am, helpless to save him once again!

Octo's hysterical laughter rings out, followed by a scream. "No! No! NO00!"

What should I do? What can I do?

The scream has turned into a choking cry. There is the terrible sound of thrashing and kicking. I have to help my friend. I don't care what Octo does to me. Grabbing a wicked-looking spanner, I pull open the door and burst into the hold.

The sight I see there stops me dead in my tracks.

Smashed crates lie tumbled about on the deck.

                                    pg 123

The hideous green boa is coiled in the corner, wrapped in a vice-like grip around its lifeless victim. I run towards it, raising the spanner above my head.

"Skipper!" I cry. "Can you hear me?"

A voice comes from behind me. "Of course I can hear you, boy!"

I wheel around, hardly believing my ears. It's the skipper! I turn back to the boa and stare at the limp figure in its horrible grip. "Octo Serp?"

Hammerhead nods his head grimly. "I am afraid so, boy. Now let's get this hold locked up tight before that big green vorm decides it vants a second course!"