Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 3 2018 | Page 355

"What is going on?" demanded Christopher, over the lashing of the rain against the deck.
"...onster!" screamed Edon, his eyes trained on something in the horizon.
"What?" yelled Christopher. "I can't hear you!"
Edon looked down, eyes glittering with indiscernible emotion. "Monster."
Christopher elbowed his way over to the prow. It was a huge serpent, its scaly body writhing under the
waves. It had a large snout and blood-red feathers streaking atop its head. When it opened its mouth to
roar, he could hear was the sound of a thousand drums. Bits of bone and meat and cloth clung to its filthy
maw.
"YA... CU... MA... MA..."
"Did the monster just say something?” shouted Edon.
"Secure the rigging!” shouted De la Cosa. "All hands shorten the sail!" But the terror-stricken crew heeded
him not, staring aghast at the ghastly leviathan.
The Yacumama snaked over, it's body cutting through water like a crocodile in the river. In a flash, it had
curled itself around the Maria and lunged, snapping up six men, tossing them down its gullet, effectively
scattering the crew.
Christopher had frozen in fear. It was only when the Yacumama had got him he realised it was too late.
Finn screamed, as he’d tied himself to Christopher earlier. Christopher could make out Edon morphing in
the chaos as he launched himself at it.
Christopher groaned in relief as Edon broke the fangs that were holding him in place and pried him out.
"Master Columbus,” rasped Edon as he set them onto the deck. "Master Finn. Are you alright?"
"No, thank you," Finn severed the rope that tied himself to Christopher. Together, they attacked the
Yacumama, Edon raking his claws across its snout and Finn hacking at the chinks in its armour. Then
another figure joined them, his Captain's cloak billowing behind him as he stabbed a yellow eye.
“‘Fer Santa Maria!" roared De la Cosa.
The Yacumama screeched in outrage, bucking violently until the three were thrown back on deck with a
thud. The Yacumama glared at De la Cosa and opened its gaping jaws, clamping down on the quarter deck.
"Finn,"shouted Christopher over the din of splintering wood, "Any ideas?"
Finn vaulted over a tentacle. "Fire!"
"There ain't no fire here out in the ocean!” snarled De la Cosa.
Edon shifted to human. "What do you use to light cigars?"
De la Cosa cursed and threw him his lighter, glaring spitefully. "Don’t lose it!"
Edon caught it, shrugging. "At least I'd wean you off those awful cigars." Then he bounded off, leaving
behind the spluttering Captain.
He pounced onto the Yacumama, shifting in mid-air. Fur rippled up his body and his jaw dislocated,
lengthening into a furry muzzle. His clothes melded into his fur coat and his hands and feet became clawed
paws. His bones cracked and grew to hold up his new frame. A tail sprouted from his rear as he tore into the
Yacumama's snout.
Finn scooped up Edon's abandoned stick and picked his way through the debris, muttering under his breath
and making the cane glow under his hands and magic hum in the air around him.