Book I: The Others - Chapter 11 - Time to Leave (Part 3)

Zannicus approached her from just out of view. She sensed him as he knelt beside her and wasn’t surprised when he grabbed her right wrist and expertly twisted it behind her back. Even though she was ready for it, she very nearly screamed out as he wrenched the other arm around and within seconds had her hands securely fastened behind her back with a pair of handcuffs. The fire ants were working hard now. Pain induced tears ran down her nose as he quickly moved to her feet and bound them tightly with several layers of duct tape that he pulled from a pocket.

He turned her over then and tearing a piece of tape from the roll, covered her mouth. As he put the tape away, he commented absently, “I just can’t get over how useful this stuff is.” Then, looking back at Catherine, he chuckled, “You’re free to talk all you want now.” Then he really laughed at his joke for a few seconds.

As Zannicus recovered his composure and walked to the other side of the deck outside of her view, Catherine glanced sideways at Jesse. She was lying on her side. Her breathing was normal, but ... tense. Then she saw it. Jesse was discreetly peeking through the hair that partially covered her face. She looked calm. There was none of the fear that she’d shown before. Something had changed.

As their eyes met, Catherine got a strong impression of ... something, a connection she needed to make. She could see the grimace of deep concentration and focus on Jesse’s face. It was the same face that Catherine showed at the shooting range. Could Jesse be trying to ... communicate? With little to lose, Catherine slowed her breath and as quickly as she could, attained her “shooting calm”. She formed a tunnel directly at Jesse trusting that her intuition was correct.

She was breaking out in a sweat with the effort as she sensed a mental click and in that instant was bombarded with her daughter’s scream inside her head.

“DISTRACT HIM.”

Her mind flared with the power of the message. She nearly cried out but stifled it in time. But as a purely defensive gesture tore her concentration away from Jesse ... and for a split second trained it on Zannicus who had walked in front of her carrying a bucket.

She sensed the connection like before, but this time instead of the pulse of pure energy and light she’d felt with Jesse, here there was only darkness, thick and malignant and sticky and putrid, and as it ever so slightly grazed her mind, she screamed. The tape over her mouth might have muffled the sound of her terror, but Zannicus knew something had happened.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Zannicus yelled. He stepped toward her, violently breaking the connection. “Did you think you’d accomplish something with that little trick? I’ve got more power in my little finger than you could ever hope to muster,” he said as he hoisted her to her feet.

She looked into the bucket and saw a thick mess of blood and guts from their morning fish cleaning. That, combined with the lingering revulsion that she still felt from touching Zannicus’ mind, was too much for her. She felt the gorge rising and didn’t bother to resist. Blowing past the tape over her mouth, she threw up on Zannicus’ shirt, coat, pants and precious shoes as he swung her around to face him.

For a few heartbeats nothing happened. Zannicus just stood there dripping in disbelief. Then his face reddened, and gritting his teeth, he hissed, “That’s it, I’m through with you.” He threw the bucket of fish guts over the side and then turned to grab her with both hands.

She knew now what was in store for her. She’d read stories of several recent shark sightings in the area, and now it seemed that she would be their next meal. She could already see some of the telltale fins breaking the surface angling in on the spreading mass of chum.

He touched a recessed panel in the railing and the gangway door silently slid open.

As he reached for her for the last time, Catherine sensed waves of power coming from behind her. She turned and saw her daughter standing up facing them. She was so pale and still, she could have been carved from stone. Her mouth was wide open as if she was screaming but no sound came out. At the same time she heard Zannicus grunt behind her.

She turned to see his lips peeled back and his eyes water like he was facing down a hurricane. “Oh. No. You. Don’t.” was all he said as he began to resist.

Richie was having lunch with his dad in the big conference room. Although this wasn’t the first time, it still was a treat to be able to sit and talk to his dad in the middle of the day.

They’d just finished talking about a history assignment that Richie was working on when he heard the scream. He gripped the side of the chair to keep from falling off. It was loud, but the terror he felt took his breath away and brought tears to his eyes.

Bob Danann saw the change quickly. “Richie what’s wrong?” he asked, trying to fend off the panic that was coming off of the boy in waves.

Not having enough breath, Richie could hardly speak. “Je .. Je ... Jesse’s ... in ... trouble. Screaming. Mac’s ... dead.” Pulling in a great gasp of air made him cough. He could smell the ocean. Then he got a flash of an image. Zannicus slowly walked towards him like he was battling a hard wind, his eyes watering and his mouth pulled back in pain baring his clenched white teeth.

Richie was barely able to get the word “Zannicus” out before he passed out.

Chapt. 11 - Time to Leave (Part 4)