Episode Nine, The Last Straw
The nameless scout flew high over the forest as he scanned the ground for movement of the food he sought for his master. His master hadn't given him a name yet, but the nameless scout knew deep down that he would soon have a name. He would soon show his worth in the eyes of his master. He would make his master proud. He couldn't remember what his life was before the gift was given to him, for that's not how the gift worked. One should not be attached to the human they once were before. One should be filled with pride for what has become of them in their new life.
Movement from below caught the nameless scout's eyes and he shifted in the air to break from the air current he was riding in order to scan for what he first saw. Tipping his wings, nameless drifted down to get a closer look. His sharp eyes spotted two people making their way onto the beach only a mile from the large ship that the humans had come from.
Nameless never thought of lands from outside, but from time to time wonder seeped into his curiosity. What kind of land could build such a ship that could carry so many humans at once? There must be a lot of power and magic outside of the island for these humans, who never possessed such gifts, to ride to and from wherever they wanted.
Nameless shook his head and watched the humans for a bit longer. The two were walking north along the beach and he knew they would end up at the ship within the next half hour or so. The nameless scout's long lizard-like muzzle twisted into a smile as he sent images and words to his master.
"Nameless found two," he sent with pride. "Master want nameless to take?"
A long pause followed and Nameless began to wonder if his master had even heard his message. His master had been filled with worry lately and didn't seem his usual self. He hadn't come to the living area to visit in a long time and his greetings had become brief and without the old respect that he used to give.
"No," his master called back finally. His tone was flat as if he were tired. His master worked too hard sometimes. Nameless would help more. "I'm sending a party. You need to keep a view of it from the air."
"But master," nameless began without thinking. He wanted so bad to be the one to catch this food and bring it to his master. He wanted a name so badly.
"I said no," his master snapped back into his head so forcefully that nameless almost fell from the sky as his head shook. "You must remain in the sky."
"Yes master," Nameless answered back and flapped his large wings a few times to lift himself further in the air so as not to gain attention from food.
Brian smiled as they were almost on the ramp of the ship. The cruise ship seemed to be tilting to one side a bit more than it had been earlier, but it seemed sturdy enough as is. Carolyn gave his hand a slight squeeze and he looked to her to see her smiling as well.
"Supplies," she said with a nod. "We will gather what supplies we can and then we can find the others."
"Supplies," Brian agreed. His smile broadened a bit more and Carolyn started to laugh.
"Okay," she chuckled. "Maybe we can find some booze and stay the night on the ship before we head back out."
"You took the words right out of my mouth," he laughed.
The two stepped up the ramp and stopped once they were on the deck. His delighted mood shifted as he looked around.
Large scratches and broken boards scattered the deck along with dark stains that couldn't be anything but blood. The doorway that led to the stairs had been ripped off its hinges and lied stuck in the floor of the deck twenty feet away. The monsters had raided the ship. He started to wonder if there would be any supplies in the entire ship for them to be able to use.
"Let's go," Carolyn whispered. Brian looked to her and saw that her mood had taken the same turn that his had.
Carolyn carefully walked across the deck, hopping over some weak spots where the monsters had damaged it. He followed her, hopping over the same parts. They stepped into the doorway and looked down the steps, which were made of metal with ripped carpeting across each step.
"First," Brian started. "We should go the bottom and see if we can find anything worth taking in that room the captain had sent Adam. He was only looking for one item and might have missed something of importance."
"Okay," Carolyn said with a nod.
Taking Carolyn's hand, Brian started down the steps. Each step they took echoed down the stairwell as they descended. Carolyn's breathing increased as the darkness swallowed them. He took a lighter from his pocket and flicked it a few times until a small flame rose. The light was that amazing but it was enough to at least see their feet as they walked down.
A few minutes of silence went by and they found themselves stepping in a foot of water as they reached the bottom floor. A large metal door had been bashed open and submerged in the water set various metallic objects.
"Do you have any idea of what any of this is," Brian asked as he swung his lighter around the room.
"Unfortunately, no," Carolyn answered with a frown.
Brian shared Carolyn's frown as he pushed his feet through the water and slid his hand across the wall. Something sharp cut his hand and he pulled back with a hiss. He held the lighter up to the wall to see a slash in the metal where claws had swiped across during the raid. Something reflected the light from the other side.
"Here," Brian said as he leaned into peak through the gash. "We need to find a way in here."
Carolyn sloshed over and peered through. Her eyes went wide and a smile returned to her face.
"What is it," he asked.
"Explosives," she said, looking at him with excitement. "Someone hid explosives in here."
"Why would a cruise ship have explosives in the storage compartment," Brian asked.
"I don't know for sure," Carolyn said as she ran her hands across the wall. "But I would say that rich woman that ran off with Adam stored them here."
Carolyn hummed in delight as she found something and pulled. A hidden door moved outward slightly before getting stopped by a large metallic object in the water at her feet. Brian stepped over to the object and tried to move it, but it weighed entirely too much for him. He shrugged and Carolyn squeezed through the crack where the door had opened. He followed.
The secret room was much smaller, only large enough for the two of them and a secured shelf with strange looking things attached to wires tied to them. Brian held the lighter up to get a better look and gasped as he realized what he was doing. He released the lighter allowing darkness to swallow the two up.
"Fire won't make it explode," Carolyn assured him as he felt her hand on his arm. "It'll take an electrical charge from something like..." A blue light sent the small room in a glow as she opened a laptop that had been tied to a shelf next to the things. "This."
"Can they be moved," Brian asked, standing next to her.
"I believe so," she said. She looked to him and her smile broadened once more.
Caught up in the excitement, Brian leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She returned his kiss and embraced him with her arms. He took her in a hug as he felt her tongue slip in his mouth.
What sounded like a hundred roars called out from above them. The monsters were here! Did they know they were down here? Were they here for another raid or had they been following them?
"Shit," Carolyn whispered as she pulled her lips from his. "I guess we can't catch a break."
The roars were rapidly getting louder as the beasts descended the stairs as if they knew exactly where to go.
"What do we do," Brian asked.
Carolyn pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it, a splashing sound followed as she lifted a leg and pulled her skirt off. She yanked his pants and he lifted his leg as she pulled the leg off from under one foot.
