Chapter Sixty-Nine

The next thing Rafferty remembered, she was pawing her way through what seemed like thick black cobwebs, her ears buzzing so loudly she could barely stand. Her vision was sliding in and out, like she was blinking without realizing it. When she saw, she saw figures at the fringes. They wore dark clothes and long, thick braids, their faces covered by masks with painted, staring eyes.

She swiped at them when they drew near, but her hands only touched the air.

Rafferty found her way to a door, pushed it open, and stumbled outside. The brightness smacked her in the face, and she nearly fell over. She squinted through the sunlight, one arm thrust forward, looking for the rest of her group. She saw no one.

Her vision went out again, and she knew she took at least a few steps, but when she looked back she was a good thirty paces from the open door.

All right. Find a safe spot. Get your head right. Find the others.

Rafferty saw a brick wall, and staggered in its direction. She liked the idea of putting her back against it, and taking deep breaths until her eyes and ears worked.

She made it about halfway before she had to stop, and she put her hands on a concrete surface as her knees buckled. Rafferty looked down, and saw an extra finger on her right hand, to the left of her pinky. It was pudgy and slick, and maybe half the length of her ring finger. When she flexed her hand, the extra digit flexed with the others.

Rafferty closed her eyes, and exhaled. When he opened them again, the new finger was gone.

The concrete that her hands were resting on turned out to be the edge of a large pool of water. Small, circular boats floated in front of her. They had motors and steering wheels, and Rafferty wondered if they could be driven like a car. The water was sludgy and gray, full of dirt and leaves. The sewagy smell hit her hard, and she had to clench all the muscles in her chest to keep from vomiting into the closest boat.

There was another sign.

Ahoy kids! Horatio Hippopotamus here! Captain of the S.S. Toothsome, that's me. Now there's plenty of room out there on the Seven Seas, my little sailors, so be sure to be nice and share the pool. There's just one thing though…. Don't ever, ever drink the water. It's as foul as the sea be wet, and it'll tear your insides right out, and then you'll never find your friends, will you girlie, 'cause you'll be dead? Dead, dead, dead.

Ok, this is isn't good, thought Rafferty.

Rafferty was about to resume her quest for the brick wall when two hands grabbed the sides of her head, and plunged it into the water.

Suddenly, her whole world was sticks and leaves and gray water. The cold and surprise forced the air from her lungs, and she drew in the most unfortunate breath of her life. The stuff that went up her noise burned like Leslie's special ointment, just as thick, textured foulness forced its way down her throat.

I'm choking to death.

There was a grate at the bottom of the pool. A short, pudgy finger, for some reason Rafferty was certain it was the same one that had been on her hand a moment ago, extended through it and made a beckoning motion.

Nope. I'm not dying like this. I'll die any other way. I'll die bloody. I'll die painful. I'll die naked in a crowd. Not like this. This is the worst. Nope. Nope. Nope.

Rafferty twisted, just a little, and managed to get her right arm above the surface of the water. Her attacker held the grip on her head. Rafferty's thoughts were getting fuzzy, but she decided this was a good thing. It meant they probably didn't know what the bracelets were.

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Which means they don't know what I'm dunna goo.

She closed her eyes, clenched her fist, and twisted her wrist. The bracelets activated, she slammed her fist down into the water. When she struck the bottom of the pool, she launched into the air, and felt the hands let go of her head.

Rafferty hit the ground, and vomited gray water onto the pavement. Her stomach and lungs were having quite the disagreement, her stomach intent of ridding itself of the hideous liquid, her lungs wanting great gulps of fresh air, which only causing her to start choking all over again. Rafferty gasped and spit for several minutes, all the while a part of brain screaming at her that she was an easy target for her attacker.

She finally got herself under control enough to sit up and look around. Colin was standing in front of her.

Wait a minute. Colin doesn't have tusks.

But Colin did have tusks. Little ones, in his upper lip. Cody's Jack made a weird grunting sound and stepped towards her.

"You don't have tusks!" Rafferty shouted, leaping to her feet as best she could.

She took a step forward and raised her fist in a threatening manner when the world went black again.

When the light came back she was on her hands and knees. She didn't see Colin. Rafferty kept crawling in the direction she was facing, vaguely remembering something about a brick wall.

She stopped when a pair of boots appeared in front of her. They were fancy. Shiny and black with gold lacing.

Rafferty knew these boots.

She looked up with relief to see Blaspheme.

Rafferty stretched out one of arms, hoping Blaspheme might help her up.

Blaspheme looked down at Rafferty and hissed.

Her mouth was full of sharp teeth.

Balls.

The next thing Rafferty remembered, she was pawing her way through what seemed like thick black cobwebs, her ears buzzing so loudly she could barely stand. Her vision was sliding in and out, like she was blinking without realizing it. When she saw, she saw figures at the fringes. They wore dark clothes and long, thick braids, their faces covered by masks with painted, staring eyes.

She swiped at them when they drew near, but her hands only touched the air.

Rafferty found her way to a door, pushed it open, and stumbled outside. The brightness smacked her in the face, and she nearly fell over. She squinted through the sunlight, one arm thrust forward, looking for the rest of her group. She saw no one.

Her vision went out again, and she knew she took at least a few steps, but when she looked back she was a good thirty paces from the open door.

All right. Find a safe spot. Get your head right. Find the others.

Rafferty saw a brick wall, and staggered in its direction. She liked the idea of putting her back against it, and taking deep breaths until her eyes and ears worked.

She made it about halfway before she had to stop, and she put her hands on a concrete surface as her knees buckled. Rafferty looked down, and saw an extra finger on her right hand, to the left of her pinky. It was pudgy and slick, and maybe half the length of her ring finger. When she flexed her hand, the extra digit flexed with the others.

Rafferty closed her eyes, and exhaled. When he opened them again, the new finger was gone.

The concrete that her hands were resting on turned out to be the edge of a large pool of water. Small, circular boats floated in front of her. They had motors and steering wheels, and Rafferty wondered if they could be driven like a car. The water was sludgy and gray, full of dirt and leaves. The sewagy smell hit her hard, and she had to clench all the muscles in her chest to keep from vomiting into the closest boat.

There was another sign.

Ahoy kids! Horatio Hippopotamus here! Captain of the S.S. Toothsome, that's me. Now there's plenty of room out there on the Seven Seas, my little sailors, so be sure to be nice and share the pool. There's just one thing though…. Don't ever, ever drink the water. It's as foul as the sea be wet, and it'll tear your insides right out, and then you'll never find your friends, will you girlie, 'cause you'll be dead? Dead, dead, dead.

Ok, this is isn't good, thought Rafferty.

Rafferty was about to resume her quest for the brick wall when two hands grabbed the sides of her head, and plunged it into the water.

Suddenly, her whole world was sticks and leaves and gray water. The cold and surprise forced the air from her lungs, and she drew in the most unfortunate breath of her life. The stuff that went up her noise burned like Leslie's special ointment, just as thick, textured foulness forced its way down her throat.

I'm choking to death.

There was a grate at the bottom of the pool. A short, pudgy finger, for some reason Rafferty was certain it was the same one that had been on her hand a moment ago, extended through it and made a beckoning motion.

Nope. I'm not dying like this. I'll die any other way. I'll die bloody. I'll die painful. I'll die naked in a crowd. Not like this. This is the worst. Nope. Nope. Nope.

Rafferty twisted, just a little, and managed to get her right arm above the surface of the water. Her attacker held the grip on her head. Rafferty's thoughts were getting fuzzy, but she decided this was a good thing. It meant they probably didn't know what the bracelets were.

Which means they don't know what I'm dunna goo.

She closed her eyes, clenched her fist, and twisted her wrist. The bracelets activated, she slammed her fist down into the water. When she struck the bottom of the pool, she launched into the air, and felt the hands let go of her head.

Rafferty hit the ground, and vomited gray water onto the pavement. Her stomach and lungs were having quite the disagreement, her stomach intent of ridding itself of the hideous liquid, her lungs wanting great gulps of fresh air, which only causing her to start choking all over again. Rafferty gasped and spit for several minutes, all the while a part of brain screaming at her that she was an easy target for her attacker.

She finally got herself under control enough to sit up and look around. Colin was standing in front of her.

Wait a minute. Colin doesn't have tusks.

But Colin did have tusks. Little ones, in his upper lip. Cody's Jack made a weird grunting sound and stepped towards her.

"You don't have tusks!" Rafferty shouted, leaping to her feet as best she could.

She took a step forward and raised her fist in a threatening manner when the world went black again.

When the light came back she was on her hands and knees. She didn't see Colin. Rafferty kept crawling in the direction she was facing, vaguely remembering something about a brick wall.

She stopped when a pair of boots appeared in front of her. They were fancy. Shiny and black with gold lacing.

Rafferty knew these boots.

She looked up with relief to see Blaspheme.

Rafferty stretched out one arm, hoping Blaspheme might help her up.

Blaspheme looked down at Rafferty and hissed.

Her mouth was full of sharp teeth.

Balls.