Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 3 2018 | Page 356

"Make it open its mouth!” shouted Edon as Finn landed upon his back.
Christopher took a few cautious steps forward, careful not to slip. He looked around, looking for something
that might make the monster open its grisly jaws.
Then the plump figure of De la Cosa snagged his eyes.
Christopher looked at the man. "Come over, Master De la Cosa. I have an idea,"
The Captain walked forward warily. He gave a strangled shout as Christopher knocked his legs out from
under him, and he clutched desperately at the splintered deck. Finally, the Yacumama opened its maw.
Tentacles shot out and wrapped around De la Cosa's body as Christopher held him in place.
"Hurry, Edon!"
Edon shifted back to human, setting the glowing cane aflame and tossing it down the Yacumama's throat.
Bluebell flames swirled up from the depths of its throat, and the stick itself had burst into a fiery explosion.
The Yacumama wailed, uncoiling itself from around the Santa Maria , retracting its tentacles from De la Cosa
and the grotesque form submerged with a huge fwooom that drenched them all.
"Well,” said Edon. "That was fun,"
"Fun?” cried De la Cosa, mopping blood from a gash on his arm. "Fun? You sank me ship, 'ya monster!" He
heaved himself on deck like a fat salmon. "And you!" He pointed a shaking finger at Christopher. “‘Ya fed
me 'ter it!"
Christopher averted his eyes, slightly ashamed. "I apologise. I've done you a great wrong." De la Cosa
scowled at him. "Oh, shut yer trap," He glared at Finn, who was wringing himself out. "You. Midget. Heal
me."
"I'm an elf, boy , and four times older than you ," Finn sneered at him. "If I were you, I'd ask me politely, if
the great elf wizard can transport me to a ship that isn't sinking,"
"Or I could also take the dinghies," suggested Edon. "Oh look, here's one!"
Christopher grinned. "C'mon, lads," he said, "leave this sinking past behind and walk towards tomorrow,"
And so, they rowed back to the Niña , where they continued on their perilous Journey to the West.
And the road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
When they had finally touched the shore, they called it Asia. The name stuck for a bit, but Finn changed it
later. It was, indeed, Canaan on Earth.
Now far ahead the road has gone and I must follow if I can
The travellers separated, one by one. Finn disappeared, melting into a tree as they set foot in the New
World. Edon, freed from service, roamed the wilds as the grey wolf we know today. Captain Juan De la
Cosa, though, never got his lighter back, but travelled the seas until he died a gruesome death.
Where many paths and errands meet
And wither then? I cannot say