Subsequently

10: Swimming and Flying

To a child, silence is nothing more than a void to fill with playful things. An empty space becomes opportunity. The dust under bare feet become the sand of a never ending beach. Somewhere off the coast further south where it was hotter, far too hot for long hair, so the child knots it a top her head. The faceless rag doll between her hands seemed utterly useless. What could it do? Provide her company? Angel was better without it, the doll could betray her otherwise. Steal the tombed treasure while she wasn't looking. Gingerly she sat it against a wall. The thing slumped down under it's own weight. Tilting to the side to watch Angel totter further off into the unclean room.

The beach was very hot. Salted air pushed against Angel's sun burned cheeks with such intensity as to make her raise her hand. A swim would be nice, but she had a mission. Slowly her eyes followed the trail of floating dust as the wind carried it towards the mouth of a jagged cave. Just inside was pitch black. With the confidence of one controlling her own story, Angel smirked.

The cave was dank and provided little foothold to Angel's quick steps. She slipped, tumbling for only a moment before her young spry pushed herself upright to continue her sprinting. Darkness overtook her sight but her senses were keen still. Her nose pick up the ever lessening scent of the sea and the increasing putrid odor of rotting fish. That stench was familiar to her. In her childhood she passed many a fish stand, a childhood she was still in the mist of. But this was stronger than those baking dried carcasses. It was all at once, and too late, that Angel understood what it was.

She skid to a halt, gripping the sword at her side. Tilting her head to listen. Wet slapping drew closer from behind. With a tumbling roll she dodged out of the way of a colossal spiked fin. Beneath its' blow the sand dusted cave floor cracked. Sending shutters that threatened to break free the sharpened stalactite which hung from above. Angel scanned the ceiling briefly before dodging another blow from the darkness.

"Scaredy fish." Angel mocked the creature that hid in the shadows. Expertly coaxing it into the light. It was gargantuan, monstrous. A spiked fish of slime with a gargle in its' booming roar, bordered by layers of sharpened teeth. Without fear Angel shot forward. Her sword slashing away at the fin which made for her person. With a screech the creature pulled away, frightened at her ferociousness as well as pained by the sting of her blade.

In its' retreat it swung its' tail about, landing a blow at Angel's side. With an exaggerated 'oof' she collapsed in a heap to watch the thing slither down a new passageway in the cave. Of course it made a mistake. Because now Angel knew exactly where to go.

Pulling herself off the floor she found the strength to carry on despite the pain from that monster's hit. The new passage was newly formed, perhaps the beast was creating it as it ran from its' attacker. But Angel had to defeat the thing or else the treasure would never truly be hers. So she pushed on, hiking her skirt to gain more speed. The makeshift hall ended in a plummeting drop. Below, surrounded by dark water, was a stone island. Illuminated by a singular light of hope sat a wooden chest, which most certainly held her treasure. It had to. Plugging her nose little Angel stepped off the cliff and into the water below.

This was the monster's territory but as Angel surfaced the water around her remained disturbingly still. Like polished obsidian. She had no time to ponder, she had to get to land. Tucking her sword at her waist she made way to her destination. One arm flung desperately over the other in a determined stroke to her prize. She turned her head to the side, taking in deep breaths before pushing through the water again. From the corner of her eye, before she turned her head once more, she saw a threatening break in the still water. Shining dead eyes of the beast.

Before Angel could react she was thrown into the air. Her body turned to see those rows of sharpened teeth. Faster and faster they approached. Before the monster's maw Angel thought on her journey so far, and how much her family would miss her. Everyone would miss her. The whole town would be so sad, that couldn't happen. Taking out her sword she embraced her consumption and the monster's jaw snapped shut as she passed through cleanly into its' stomach. It smiled (as well as a fish could smile) and pat its stomach with its' uninjured fin. Then it paused, gagging. It held its' mouth shut with both fins, doubling over as its' dinner threaten to make a second appearance out the way it came. The fish swallowed, shaking its' head. Then screamed and awful, garbled, scream as Angel's sword pierced its' belly. Without remorse she plunged it down and stepped through holding the heart of the monster in her free hand. The beast screamed, then its' eyes rolled back. Angel watched from within the water as its' body sunk beyond what she could see in the endless pit of the water below.