Brian Keene: Deluge: The Conqueror Worms II

That can’t be right, she thought.

It is, Simon’s voice said inside her head. But I need another moment to stabilize the doorway.

Startled, she glanced at Gail and Henry to see if they’d heard the telepathic message as well, but if so, neither of them gave any indication. Instead, they’d turned back to the battle. Above them, Novak was clambering down to the deck.

The song of the sirens began anew, as the feminine forms surfaced once more. The pain on Mylon’s face disappeared as the song grew louder. He lay the gun on the deck beside him and struggled to rise, leaving a bloody smear on the bulkhead behind him.

“His ears aren’t stuffed,” Sarah hollered at Henry. “Stop him!”

Henry, Gail, and Sarah battled their way toward the injured man. Sarah was dimly aware of Novak doing the same behind them. Leviathan roared again, and the ship lurched sharply, sending both the crew and their attackers careening. Mylon clutched the railing, steadying himself, and peered out over the side. His expression was peaceful.

“Mylon,” Gail yelled. “Don’t listen to them!”

“So beautiful.” Smiling, he climbed over the rail. “They say they can stop the pain. All I have to do is go to them.”

A starfish creature squealed as Henry buried his hatchet in its chest. Sarah leaped over the thrashing creature and slid across the wet deck, trying to reach Mylon before he leaped, but she was too late. Still smiling, the wounded man let go of the rail and plummeted into the ocean. When Sarah reached the railing and peered over the side, she saw the mermaids swarming over him, biting his throat and wrists and feasting on his blood. Mylon squirmed as if in ecstasy. A wave crashed over them all, and when it receded, both Mylon and the mermaids were gone.

You can’t help him, Sarah. Focus.

“Simon…” Sarah paused, and then thought it instead. Simon?

I’m here, came the response.

If you were telepathic, Sarah thought, then why didn’t you use it before?

Because when you first found me, I was too injured and weak. More importantly, when I do so, it can potentially attract the attention of other entities, such as Shtar. I’m only doing it now because I have no choice—and because in a few moments, it won’t matter.

Novak reached Gail and Henry. The three turned to Sarah. Novak made a sweeping motion with his hand. Sarah glanced around the vessel and realized that all of the creatures were dead.

“I think,” he panted, “we won.”

Sarah shook her head. “We’re going need more than guns and broom handles to deal with Leviathan.”

Novak opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, something small and silver jumped from the water and soared toward them—a shimmering school of flying fish, more teeth than body, tiny black eyes full of malevolence and hunger. The creatures swerved in mid-flight, targeting Henry. The teen stumbled backward, screaming, but Gail stepped in front of him, clutching a can of roach killer in each hand.

“I’ve got this.” She unleashed a spray directly onto the fish, who wheeled away, plunging back into the water.

The ship rolled again as it got caught in the whirlpool’s current. Sarah, Novak, Gail, and Henry grabbed on to each other to keep from falling.

Listen to me, all of you, came Simon’s voice in their heads. You need to leave this vessel immediately, before Leviathan arrives. Swim toward the center of the whirlpool. Don’t fight it. Just let it take you through the door.

How will we know when we’ve reached the other world? Gail asked.

Sarah was surprised that she could hear the question. Judging by Novak and Henry’s expressions, they heard, as well.

You’ll know, Simon said. The important thing is that you not fight the current. Let it sweep you along. If you fight, you could end up somewhere else. The Lost Level, or a different realm than the one I’m sending you to. Or simply wandering the Labyrinth.

What about you? Sarah thought. You’re coming, too, right?

No, I cannot. This ritual requires a sacrifice. That sacrifice is me. Consider it a karmic debt for what we did to the people aboard Locke’s ark. Had we not sacrificed them, we would not have made it this far. And now, to insure that the rest of you make it through the door, a further sacrifice is required.

Fuck that, Novak protested. Can’t you use one of these shark-men? Hell, we could catch one of those mermaids or something. Use one of them instead.

I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way, Mr. Novak. And besides, somebody has to remain behind to stop Leviathan and his spawn from following you through the doorway.

I’m the Captain, Novak said. If anybody is going down with the ship, it’s me.

Leviathan roared again. They glanced up, startled to see how much closer he was. He loomed over the boat now, blotting out the sky.

There is no time for bravado, Mr. Novak. Now go! All of you.

Novak stumbled as something pushed him toward the rail. Sarah felt it, too—as if a giant, invisible hand had shoved her. Gail and Henry struggled against the unseen force, as well. Above them, one of Leviathan’s tentacles curled around the antenna mast, snapping it off. Novak’s resolve dissipated. He turned around and jumped into the water. Gail, Henry, and Sarah followed.

Even as she slipped beneath the dark, foul water, Sarah could still hear Leviathan thundering overhead.

CHAPTER 89

Something brushed against Sarah’s leg. She opened her mouth to scream, forgetting that she was below the surface. Cold, black water rushed down her throat. Gagging, Sarah reflexively tried to breathe, and more water flooded into her. She glanced around, frantic, but couldn’t see anything. She might as well have been swimming in ink. She shuddered, choking, as the unseen form pressed against her leg again. Then, something else seized her hair and jerked her upward.

Sarah broke the surface, coughing and gagging. Waves crashed over her head, threatening to plunge her below again, but the grip on her hair remained. She lashed out blindly, raking her fingernails across her attacker’s face.

“Stop it,” Novak yelled. “Sarah, it’s me. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

She blinked water from her eyes and saw Henry and Gail struggling to swim toward them. Both were caught in the whirlpool’s current, and their efforts proved useless.

“Help!” Henry reached for her.

“Don’t fight…” Sarah coughed, hacking up more filthy water. Then she took a deep breath and tried again. “Don’t fight it, Henry. Simon says to go with the whirlpool!”

Nodding, the boy surrendered to the swift current, fighting to stay afloat. His eyes were wide and panicked. Gail dog-paddled next to him, her horrified expression illuminated by the light pouring from the center of the vortex.

A telephone pole floated by, spinning clockwise and trailing wires and cables like tendrils. Sarah reached for it, but Novak tugged her hair, pulling her back.

“Don’t,” he grunted. “It’s infected. There’s white fuzz all over the side. We can’t take that shit through the doorway with us.”

The pole zipped past them. Henry and Gail did their best to avoid it.

“You can let go of my hair now,” Sarah gasped. “I’m fine.”

“Okay,” Novak said. “I’m sorry. Just wanted to make sure you—”

His grip tightened and his muscles tensed. Sarah was about to ask him what was wrong when Novak screamed. Suddenly, he was jerked up out of the water. Sarah went with him, dangling by her hair, until the fistful Novak had been clutching ripped free at the roots. She plummeted back into the water and surfaced again in time to hear Henry and Gail shrieking.

Novak thrashed hundreds of feet above them, punching and kicking, caught in the grip of one of Leviathan’s tentacles. Even as she began to swim toward him, Sarah knew it was pointless. Already his struggles grew weaker as the teeth-lined suckers sliced through his clothing and feasted on his flesh. She paddled in place and watched, transfixed, as droplets of his blood fell with the rain. Novak gave one last strangled cry, and then went limp.