Unnaturals. Dean J Anderson

staggered into the cabin, watching the waterspouts roar past, grabbing the radio. `Jesus Christ, boss. This is the Monarch.'

      `Monarch, Monarch, what's going on over there? The weather satellites just went freaking nuts. There's a tsunami and severe weather alert but the radar isn't working.'

      `That's a copy on the damn waterspouts. Two big sons of bitches just came out of nowhere.' Mullet fell into the captain's chair as the Monarch lurched again. `And they're hanging around. Damn it, here they come again.' Mullet strapped himself into the chair as the waterspouts raced across the water. `Sweet Jesus, they're huge' He craned his neck, looking up as they passed by.

      `Monarch, Monarch. Goddamn it, are you there?'

      `Still here,' Mullet yelled, watching as the waterspouts stopped moving. `It's freaking weird. They're just off the bow. Not moving.'

      `Mullet, get Monarch the hell out of there!'

      `Aye, aye, boss. Oh, shit.' His fingers froze over the engine's preheat buttons.

      `Mullet. You there?'

      `Nope,' he whispered. Mullet switched the radio off. The waterspouts had vanished and a tall woman covered in silver lines stood on his deck. He reached for the deck lights switch and she vanished.

      `Mason needs your help.' Words echoed from behind him.

      He didn't move. Hair stiffened on his neck. A long hand rested on his arm. `You'd be one of them, then?'

      `Yes.' Her breath brushed cool against his ear. `You owe him, the Douglas, a blood debt.' She squeezed his arm. `Leave your weapon where it is.'

      Mullet eased his hand away from the hidden knife.

      She moved to stand beside him. `You don't react like other humans do when they see me.'

      He looked up into a lopsided smile that wasn't comforting.

      `Very few reach for a weapon.' She touched the stumps of his missing fingers, making his skin tingle. `You're a gifted storyteller. Many hear you. None would really understand how close to the truth those stories are, particularly the story about Mason.'

      `Sometimes the truth is unbelievable.' He flexed his hand, the stumps still tingling. `No one could do what he did, no one.'

      `Hmm. He was strong even before?'

      Mullet finally had the strength to pull his arm away from her. `Before hell rained down all the shit it could find on him and his family?'

      `Yes. And now he needs your help. See,' She pointed to the bow of the Monarch, now linked to the beach by an ice bridge. Three women were lifting a body on board.

      `Mason.'

      More women ran towards the Monarch, carrying more bodies.

      `Damn it. Ruth. And Wilson? What did you do to them?' His hand itched for his knife.

      `Nothing.' She looked down at him. `We're not the ones who have harmed him and his family. Take us back to the mainland.'

      He looked right into her eyes. Mason had said that if he met one of the dark ones, he would know. He needed to know.

      `Cold, hard, evil things that kill for fun he called the dark ones.' He touched her hand. `He never mentioned anything like you.'

      `He only met us today.' She didn't pull away from his touch.

      He watched as Wilson was carried on deck. `The fact I'm still alive probably proves you're not one of them. What happened?' He blinked in surprise as she sighed and patted his shoulder.

      `We're not sure. As Mason might say, some weird shit went down tonight.'

      `That's Mason for you.' He leaned forward. `Get your people to hang on. We're leaving.' The anchor winch hummed into life and he reached for the prestart buttons.

      `Hmm.' Her lips brushed his cheek and Mullet swallowed hard. `Mason seems to make good friends.'

      `Damn right.' He looked up but she had gone; just the sensation of her kiss remained. Mullet shook his head and started the twin diesel motors of the Monarch. He checked the front lower deck was clear as the anchor seated in its cradle. `Coming about!' he yelled out of habit as he manoeuvred the Monarch around so her bow faced towards the mainland.

      `Welcome aboard the Monarch,' he said with a grin into Monarch's on-board announcement system. `People, hold onto your hats 'cause the Monarch is about to depart, Douglas-style.'

      Mullet drove the dual throttles flat onto the helm. Huge motors roared into life, thrusting him back into the chair.

      `Welcome back, Mason, you crazy bastard!'