The River

Chapter 11

Laura heard the roar too and started to look at Logan with fear. Logan pulled his dagger out of its cover and took the light up his head so that it would make a farther distance visible. Laura pulled out her bow and put an arrow in it. The same arrow that she killed the wolf with, she felt lucky having this arrow in her bow.

They were both standing still, they knew that a powerful enemy was on the way. A few seconds later they could hear the sound of footsteps coming toward them. They were shivering but yet stood strong, Logan was hoping that this creature would just pass by them like the one before.

Maybe they should have just blown off their light, but he was sure any creature that lives here can see in the dark, so blowing the light off would just make it harder for Logan and Laura.

Suddenly in front of them appeared, two shining eyes looking straight at them. Nothing else could be seen. The creature stopped there and looked at them. Laura was aiming straight toward the eyes but avoided to shoot yet.

Logan took a deep breath and was thinking about what to do next. Suddenly the creature started running toward them with a loud roar. Laura screamed and shot her arrow, and the sound of the arrow hitting the wall made her disappointed. The creature was advancing with the same paste, she put another arrow in the bow, if she would shoot this one, there would be just three more arrows left, she decided to let the creature get closer to have a better chance.

Logan put the light on the ground and stood in front of Laura with his dagger in his right hand and ready to fight. He could see the creature coming fast, and in a matter of seconds, the creature passed by him and attacked Laura.

Logan turned and ran to help Laura, she had shot her second arrow and it did nothing but a scratch on the creature.

Laura was screaming loud. The creature bit Laura’s right hand, then dropped her on the floor and put its lion-like paw on her chest and started dipping its nails into Laura’s chest and blood started running out of her body.

Logan reached them at this moment and jumped with all his weight on the creature. It did fall off Laura and gave her a chance to get up and run behind Logan. Logan was on top of the creature trying to hurt it with his dagger. But with a powerful blow, the creature threw off Logan.

The creature stood on its four legs and walked slowly toward Logan and Laura. It was black, looked like a lion but bigger and its face was different, it was so much like a human face. Logan didn’t notice its face till now and he got shocked in a moment. 

Its face was so human-like that for a moment Logan wanted to talk to it, but when it opened its mouth and showed its tiger-like long teeth, Logan changed his mind. The creature was advancing slowly, it was looking at Laura and completely denying the presence of Logan. Its long black tail was straight up and it’s nails were out of its big paws, ready to tear apart anything in the way.

Laura had three arrows left and put her next arrow in the bow. She tried hard but the pain in her right arm and her chest wouldn’t let her pull the bow. Logan realized this and told her in a whisper, “Just let go of your bow and run as fast as you can when I tell you,” Laura wore her bow on her back with the arrows inside her backpack and took a deep breath.

“Run,” shouted Logan and attacked the creature, Laura ran back toward the direction of the water reservoir. Logan managed to do several injuries on the creature, but the creature was not attacking him at all and just wanted to get rid of him and follow Laura.

Finally the creature got rid of Logan and ran fast toward Laura, Logan roared and followed the creature. They ran for some time before Logan heard Laura screaming, he was getting farther away from their lamp and it was almost completely dark, but he gathered his energy and ran as fast as he could, finally got to them beside the underground lake.

There was no light coming from the water this time, but something was lighting up the dome. Logan looked around for a fraction of a moment and saw some little dots of light on the walls. Some of them were moving, he had heard about these insects from his parents before, they could light up the night as his parents told him, and there they were lighting up the cave. The noise of the fight between the creature and Logan must have woken up the insects and made them light up.

But Logan focused on Laura fast, the creature was on top of Laura and was about to bite her head up, Logan jumped on it with all his power and threw it off Laura. Laura could not get up, she was laid on the ground feeling too much pain.

The creature stood up again and started walking toward them slowly. Logan started to roar like a wild animal, the creature roared back with such a loud voice that Logan actually stepped back a little.

Suddenly they heard a sound from the water, something was inside the water. They all looked at the water, even the creature, a mermaid came out of the water. For a moment Logan thought that was Amphitrite, but she was very different.

This mermaid was darker and somehow wilder. The mermaid started to speak in a language unknown to Logan, she seemed to be singing a chant, then she went straight toward the creature, and the creature went by the side of the water toward her.

The mermaid hugged the creature, pet it, kissed its face, and whispered something in its ear. Then the creature walked some distance away and sat on the floor like a cat and started watching Laura.

The mermaid swam toward Logan and said with a deep harsh voice “who are you? What are you doing here? Who has blessed you?” Logan was confused and asked “Blessed? I’m blessed?” “A mermaid or another powerful creature blessed you, or else you would be dead by now,” said the mermaid. Logan looked at Laura on the floor in wonder and then ran toward her and hugged her.

“Answer me, you pathetic creature,” said the mermaid again with a loud voice, her voice seemed to be the combination of several voices talking in unison. “My name is Logan,” said Logan, “I and my friend are on a journey to find the source of the river, we mean no harm,” said Logan. Mermaid stared at him with anger and Logan continued “I didn’t know that I’m blessed but now that you mention it I remember another mermaid named Amphitrite made me unconscious for a while, maybe she did whatever you are referring to.” the mermaid was shocked by hearing the Amphitrite and said, “Do you know Amphitrite?” “Yes,” said Logan with confidence, “And she sent you on this journey?” asked the mermaid, “Actually,” said Logan while looking at Laura’s wounds in her chest, then he realized that the voice of the mermaid softened a little after he mentioned Amphitrite’s name, so he thought to himself that maybe lying a little bit would help them, “Yes,” continued Logan “Amphitrite helped us for the journey.”

The mermaid looked at Logan and then Laura, she seemed a little calmer now, “What is the purpose of your journey?” asked the mermaid, “We are looking for the source,” said Logan, “Source of what?” asked the mermaid again with doubt, “River,” said Logan “We are searching for a source of water,” “You can not,” screamed the mermaid “Use these waters, this lake is mine,” “No, no,” said Logan while his body was shaking from the mermaid’s angry voice “We are not looking for an underground water source, we seek a place where rivers are made.”

The mermaid looked at Logan deeply, she was a little confused “There is no river,” said the mermaid, “I know,” said Logan denying the river “But there might be a source to the rivers from ancient times,” the mermaid was getting bored and shook his hand toward Logan “I have no time for your nonsense, and I don’t care for it.”

Then the mermaid swam to the edge of the water, she seemed more friendly now, “What happened to your friend?” asked the mermaid, “That creature of yours,” said Logan pointing at the creature, “Did this to my beloved Laura,” “Well,” answered the mermaid, “It's not his fault that she was not blessed like you,” then Logan looked at the creature and said “What is that?” she put her finger on Logan’s lips and made a hissing sound. Logan stopped talking. She swam back in the water and said: “You will die, go no further, turn back to your home, you have lost enough already.” Logan looked at her, “Can’t you do anything for Laura?” asked Logan, “Bring her by the water’s side,” Logan grabbed Laura and put her down near the side of the underground lake.

The mermaid came close again and touched Laura's body all over. Laura moaned in pain by the mermaid’s touch. Then the mermaid started to sing, suddenly her voice went soft, she no longer had that horrible sound, it was so beautiful and the reverberation of her sound in the big stone dome made it more magical. While singing, she washed Laura’s wounds 

After some time Laura fell asleep to the mermaid's unworldly singing and then the mermaid stopped singing. Mermaid Looked up at Logan, “There is not much I can do,” said the mermaid, “She needs to rest, but she will survive,” “Is there anything I can do for her?” asked Logan, “Yes,” answered the mermaid, “There is a small plant growing there,” said the mermaid as she pointed at the tunnel “You can pick some of them for her, she will heal faster by eating them.”

Logan remembered about their stuff and stood up to go get them, but he suddenly stopped and looked at the creature, “Don’t worry about him,” said the mermaid, “He won’t attack you or your friend unless I want him to,” Logan stood for a moment “And I don’t want him to,” continued the mermaid with a smile.

Logan started walking with hesitation in every step, “That way,” said the mermaid, “You are going to the wrong direction,” “I know,” said Logan, “We have picked some of those plants and they are in our bags, I’m going to bring them back,”