Gone Fishin' Part 5 (Patreon)

The boat gave a lurching tip, sending a wave up and over the sides. Malcolm slipped, scraping across the bottom, only saved from being launched over by Gabriel’s hand around his arm, the strength of his grip pulling him back.

“Hold on!” Milo shouted.

Belladonna was gripping the side of the boat, looking down into the rolling sea. “You’ve got at least three serpents down there!” she yelled back at Milo. Writhing masses undulated beneath the boat, their tail whipping upwards to smack against the sides. A loud crack was heard from somewhere beneath the water and they simply had to pray that the vessel would hold.

The boat rocked again and Gabriel pulled his sword. He held it in such a way that looked as if he were about to stab repeatedly into the water in a vain attempt to scare off the mammoth sized creatures. Milo was turning the boat quickly, causing them to rock and spin but the sea was becoming tumultuous, tails whipping out from the dark ocean and slapping against the surface in warning.

“Hazel!” Malcolm was yelling.

“Already on it!”

Hazel was climbing to the top of the cabin, her fingers scrambling on the roof. She let out a shriek as she slipped down, tumbling off the side. Belladonna’s long, tapered fingers gripped her, pushing her back up. Rain began to pour down as if the sea serpents were calling to the heavens. With each thrash, with each loud shriek from the waters, more began swimming forth, the water frothing around them as they circled the boat.

On wobbling legs, Hazel stood. A sickly green light began to drip from the tips of her fingers, like acid from a bubbling cauldron. Her eyes went black, the veins of her arms just as dark, as she began to mutter under her breath. Around them, the wind began to whip, causing the boat to dip and spin.

“Fuck! We aren’t going to make it!” Milo was yelling. “Now would be good, Haze!”

“Shut up and let her work, Next!” Bella was yelling.

Hazel’s arms stretched outwards on either side, the magic pooling at her feet and sizzling into small green pools. The boat lurched hard but she remained standing, the tips of her toes barely grazing the top of the captains quarters now. Behind her, the serpents rose, their bowed neck inching forward to strike, jaws open to reveal fathomless depths that they would not return from.

And then they stopped.

The waters calmed around them, the tails slowly began to sink below the waves, and the serpents… the serpents remained poised, swaying back and forth in a trance, with their mouths still open and fangs glinting in the silver light of the moon.

“What the fuck?” Milo whispered.

“Go,” Malcolm demanded. “Get the boat out of here.”

Hazel’s head was tipped back, her mouth moving in silent prayer, and behind her, the serpents swayed. Milo hit the boat into gear, directing it as far away from the three poised forms. He didn’t see what was happening behind him. There was no sound to indicate the situation they were fleeing from.

Yet, the rest of them were staring.

As the boat began to put distance between itself and the serpents, a thin line was drawn across the belly of the beasts. It happened so slowly that Gabriel blinked, clearing his vision from the water that had splashed across his face. A thin black line appeared, running straight up the white and scally underbelly, to the creature's throat. It then turned pink, then crimson, and soon, blood was spilling into the ocean.

The creatures did not scream as they died. They showed no pain. Instead, their eyes were alight in ecstasy as they swayed gently with each crashing wave.