Girl Apocalypse

Forbidden Jewel

It’s like I’m watching in slow motion as it happens. The ridgeback closes the distance impossibly fast, and Gus whips his head around, eyes wide with alarm. The monster’s snarl freezes my blood. It darts it’s head forward, rows of white teeth showing, going for Gus’ leg.

“No!”

My cry is high pitched, strangled sounding. Gus jerks his leg up just on time, and the Ridgeback’s huge teeth snap shut on the empty air with an audible “click”. It lunges again, a savage roar ripping from its throat. Gus takes the knife from his teeth and lashes out with it, scoring a deep gash on the creature’s snout. It rears back, and the sound it makes is horrific, a squealing, wail.

When I look down Gus is climbing again, teeth gritted in concentration as he tries to hold the knife in one hand and haul himself up with the other. The ship is still rising up into the air, agonizingly slow.

 Too slow, I think, it’s too slow. Gus is going to get eaten because the damn ship is too slow.

Beyond Gus I see the ridgeback dart forward again, and a warning scream rips from my throat. Gus curls his knees up to his chest just as the creature snaps at him again. Instead of getting Gus the ridgeback only gets a mouthful of rope ladder, and for one terrifying second I think it will hold on and bring the entire ship crashing to the desert sand. Instead the ridgeback snorts and spits out the rope, mouth curling back in a disgusted snarl, it howls up at Gus.

I sag against the rungs of the rope ladder, shutting my eyes, relief making my muscles watery. He’s out of range now. The damn thing can’t reach him any more.

“Oy!”

A man’s voice is calling to me from above, and I glance up, squinting past the bright sunlight. Someone is leaning over the railing ofthe ship, gesturing at me, “come on, damn you! Hurry! I won’t let no bloody ridgeback take the ship down. Get up here!”

I take one last look down at Gus, relief unfurling the knot in my stomach as he gives me a nod. Then I begin climbing again, hand over hand. Slowly  my eyes adjust to the sun, and I can make out the man’s face. I take in his appearance, his square jaw covered in dark stubble, grey eyes that flick impatiently from me to Gus, the goggles slung around his neck and the too- long windswept hair.

Pirate.

Everything in me wants to climb back down the ladder. Everything in me has seized up, is shrieking a steady “warning, warning,warning”.

I know this type of man. The type that will shoot you as soon as look at you. The type that will charm your socks off while robbing you blind.

“Come on,” he says impatiently, holding out one arm, “you want to stay here?”

One more glance back down and I see the ridgeback. I’m not sure if the monster is much safer than the pirate, but at least the pirate is better looking. I sigh and climb the rest of the way, then stretch up to take his hand. He gives me one sly, sideways grin before he grasps my hand in an iron grip and hauls me up so fast it makes my head spin. My feet hit the deck, and I stagger forward, off balance.

“Steady on!’The pirate’s hands are on my waist, keeping me from falling.

“Let go!” I snarl, and tear myself out of his grip, running to the side and leaning over so I can see Gus. He’s nearly to the top, and I stretch my hand out,

“Here, Gus!”

He looks up, pushing dreadlocks out of his eyes, “It didn’t eat me,” he sounds relieved.

“I know,” I give him an encouraging grin, “now grab my hand.”

I ignore the pirate when he comes to stand beside me. Gus grabs my hand and I grunt with the effort of pulling him up. The pirate has his other hand, finally he’s up, stumbling onto the deck, panting.