The Water Monster 6

I woke up with a jerk, beads of perspiration on my face. Taking a few deep breaths I sat up.
Just a dream, I thought nervously, looking out of the window. It was dark outside; night had fallen. Just a stupid dream...
I got off my bed and started getting dressed. I had to do something...
Jason was not there and that was a great comfort for me. I didn’t have to bother about waking him up accidentally. I looked around and spotted a plate of food near the bed. Maggie must have told Mother that I was not well. I hadn’t eaten all day, pretending to be asleep, still I didn’t feel hungry at all. The sight of food made me sick to the pit of my stomach. I turned away.
I crept downstairs barefoot, without making a sound. I could have climbed down through my bedroom window but I knew that would be noisy enough to wake Mother up. I went to the kitchen, took the broad, heavy knife which was used to cut meat, lit a lantern and crept to the backdoor. I remembered something quite suddenly and went upstairs to my room again. I hurried back downstairs with a dark coloured sheet, large enough to wrap Pearl into, took the knife and the lantern and stepped out into the night.
I had walked a small distance when someone called out, “Hey, you!”
I froze in my steps. I had the sheet draped around my shoulders coming down to my waist, concealing the knife behind me. The only thing I had in my hand was the lantern. I turned to see who had called.
“Where do you think you are going, boy?” a man asked, taking long strides towards me. “How old are you?”
“Nineteen, sir,” I said in a calm voice.
“Nineteen, eh?” The man looked at me, recognition dawning on his face. “You are not Christopher’s younger son, are you?”
“Yes, sir,” I nodded, giving him a small smile.
“Why are you out so late at night?” he asked, looking a bit friendlier.
“Actually, sir, my mother lost one of her earrings,” I spoke, trying to be convincing enough. “She thinks she lost it on her way back from the market in the evening, a few hours ago. Since my elder brother isn’t here right now, she asked me to go and see whether I can manage to find it.”
“Alright,” the man said in a gruff voice. “Just don’t go near the place where that monster is tied up, okay?”
“Isn’t anybody guarding that place?” I asked in surprised tone.
“Yes, there are two guards there,” he said seriously. “The problem is, nobody knows what sort of creature it is and people are scared about what it can do to them if they get too close. Even the guys who are guarding it in shifts of three hours, two at a time, they want to get away from it.”
“Oh, I see,” I muttered. I had just got an idea about how to free Pearl. “Don’t worry, sir. I’ll keep away from that place.”
“Go back home within an hour, get it, son?” he added, turning to go. “If you get into trouble, I’m here.” Saying this, he left.
I heaved a sigh of relief and started on my way to the village square.
It was really dark when I reached there. I had to approach the guards, but I didn’t know how. There were two of them, in front of the huge tree in the village square, just as the man had told me earlier. They were huddled together, glancing at the tree every few seconds, evidently scared. Slowly, I walked towards them.
“Excuse me,” I called out to them, as I got closer. “Did you find any earring around this place?”
The fatter of the two guards got to his feet, his stick in his hand.
“Stupid kid,” he growled, sounding angrier at his bad luck than my appearance. “You came here to look for a sissy earring in the middle of the night?”
“Mother sent me here,” I told him quietly. “And if you are bothered about the monster, I’m not scared of it.”
The guard looked at me in a very irritated way.
“Listen boy,” he said through gritted teeth, his nose inches from mine. “If that monster does something stupid to you, I’m not responsible. Get it?”
“It’s tied there,” I said, walking closer to the tree. “It can’t do any---”
I stopped short, making a choking noise. My lantern fell down and smashed on the ground, extinguishing the flame.
“Hey,” the other guard said, now on his feet, staring at me. “What’s wrong with him?”
The fat guard seemed to be at a loss of what to say or do as I sank to my knees, coughing, choking and uttering hoarse screams.
“Help…” I said in a barely audible voice, stretching my arm towards the pair of them. They stepped back from me, their faces white.
“What in the world---” the thinner of the two said in a shaky voice.
“It’s…” I choked again. “It’s going… to… kill me… help!” And with a final shudder, I fell silent.
The next thing I heard was the sound of running feet and a clatter of sticks falling on the ground as the two guards ran for their lives. I remained still for a few more seconds, and then sprang to my feet.
“Pearl?” I called, running frantically towards the tree. It was very dark and I couldn’t see properly. “Are you there?”
“Is that you, Patrick?” came a weak voice. I could make out the dark shape tied to the trunk. I reached her and started cutting the ropes in a frenzy.
“Stay still,” I told her, as I worked with the knife, barely able to see anything.
“I thought I heard your voice a while ago,” she whispered. “Were you hurt or something? I heard you asking for help.”
“I was trying to scare the guards away.” I cut my hand accidentally but didn’t bother to stop. “Did they hurt you?”
“Not really. Just that the ropes are too tight. Still, my skin has got bleeding cracks at places. I didn’t get water, you see…”
Finally, I finished cutting the ropes. They loosened and fell apart and she collapsed at once.
“You have to get back to the river,” I said, holding her. “Then you’ll be okay.”
“I won’t be okay anymore, Patrick,” she whispered weakly, scaring me. “I have stayed out of water for too long. I just wanted to see whether you’d come to free me… I’m glad you did.”
“Don’t say all that!” I told her fiercely, but she simply closed her eyes. “You’ll be just fine, understand?” It had started to rain. I somehow managed to wrap her up in the sheet and took her up in my arms. Then, I set off in the direction of the river as fast as I could.


“Patrick, it’s not going to work,” Pearl said, her low voice barely audible above the splashing sound of the heavy rain and the roaring river. I ignored her. I carried her, wading into the water and lowered her slowly, sinking to my knees as I did so. The river seemed to swell; the water was up to my chest.
“Patrick…” she spoke again, looking into my face.
“Stop trying to talk,” I said, looking at her full in the face for the first time that night. “Just… just get better. Okay?”
She simply stared at me with those dark eyes. Then she said, “I cant get better. I’m sorry.”
“Try, at least!” I almost yelled in my despair. “For my sake?”
She placed her hand on the side of my face and I took it in my own.
“I have to go, Patrick,” she whispered. The water was up to my shoulders, increasing fast.
“Then I’ll go with you,” I told her. “I can’t stay.”
“You have to stay… You have to live on. Your family is here.”
“I want to go with you,” I repeated, putting my arms around her so that her head rested on my shoulder. “And I will…” She put her arms around my neck.
“Patrick?” she asked without looking up.
“Yes?”
“Can you recite that poem again for me?”
The water was now up to my chin. It was only a matter of time before we would both drown in the furious river… It didn’t bother me.
“If you say so…” and I began.
“The princess of the seven seas,
She came out of the deep.
She was alone, she had no one,
And all she could do was weep.
The ground was hard, the sun was harsh,
As she kept walking on.
She lived on fruits and river-water,
And slept from dusk to dawn.
Then one day, she met someone---
A young village guy.
He found her in a forest, tired,
As he was passing by.
She slowly came to know him more,
And he knew her well.
They met each-other everyday,
As if bound by a spell.
The bond grew stronger, hidden from all,
While they came to know---
It was something more than that,
And the feeling did show.
It had to happen someday, sometime,
So, one fine summer dawn---
They let go of themselves in love,
And couldn’t stop then on.
But the happiness and the laughter,
Didn’t stay for long.
God had planned to test the bond,
Which had grown so strong.
So, one day, the princess sweet,
Was caught by villagers and bound,
She was hurt, lonely and sad,
But didn’t make a sound.
She knew her friend and love will come,
And she’ll be free and happy again.
So, she waited for that time,
Though she didn’t know when.
But when the young boy came to her rescue,
It was just too late.
One glance at her face told him that
What was in her fate.
He took the princess to the sea,
The water swirling blue,
She said, “Farewell, I have to go…”
He said, “I’ll go with you.”
And so, the princess with her prince,
Was happy at last and free,
And together, smiling, hand in hand,
They slept under the sea…”