The police boat bobbed up and down in the water, the motion making the rookie feel a little sick. Officer Trey Mixon was already nervous about his first day on boat duty, but the vessel’s movement was doing little to keep his burrito lunch where it belonged. He put his head down between his legs and breathed in deeply, fighting to keep the contents of his stomach at bay.
“You look a little green around the gills there, rookie. Do I need to fetch you a bucket?”
Trey sat up and swallowed hard, trying not to let his training officer see him in a moment of weakness. Sal Johnson was a veteran cop who did things his way and did little to hide the fact that he was not pleased about training another rookie, especially a black kid. He didn’t do anything overtly racist, but Trey noticed the little things that Johnson said and did, things that he has experienced over and over again in the primarily white community where he lived. “I’m fine, sir. Thank you for asking.”
“What about a life preserver? You need one of those?”
“No need, sir. I can swim.”
Johnson raised his eyebrows as though surprised by the statement. “Good. One less thing for me to worry about.”
The pilot stepped out of the boathouse and addressed his fellow officers. “Gentlemen, we will be pushing off in a couple of minutes. Our captain has overruled my objections to taking the boat out in this weather.”
“Why the hell do they have us going to Alcatraz? It’s closed down right now. Shit, the construction guys working there haven’t been able to get onto the rock since this fog blew in.”
“Tell me about it. Seems there are some security guys out there who haven’t checked in for hours now. Probably just an issue with their communications, but the captain is friends with the guy who owns the security company, so we gotta go wet nurse these pricks.”
“That’s bullshit, Larry. You want me to operate the big light up front? Might help you see a little further ahead.”
“Good idea. Hey, rookie. When I give you the order, untie us. You got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Alright. Two minutes and we are good to go. If we don’t hit something and sink to the bottom of the bay, I might just treat you fellas to a beer when we get back on dry land.”
Trey winced at the comment and said a silent prayer. This was not how he expected his first visit to Alcatraz would go.
***
Construction lights lined the walls of the cellblock where Raven rested. They were dimly lit and didn’t give off much of a glow, which was fine by her. She had grown accustomed to the half-light during her time and captivity and felt comforted by the familiar surroundings. Freedom was going to be more challenging to adjust to than she imagined, but once Thorn was out of the picture, Raven had a feeling things might go easier.
She closed her eyes and tried to imagine how her daughter looked now. She could sense her close by, but couldn’t worm her way fully inside her head to get a clearer picture. Raven was concerned about Thorn and how much of his DNA had seeped into their child. She also worried that Thorn and his people might have corrupted her girl and told her things that were not true. She would just have to cross that bridge when the time came, but if they had messed with her child, there would be hell to pay.
Raven sat up as gooseflesh prickled her flesh. Danger was coming; she could feel it. She stepped out of her cell and placed a hand on the Rake’s shoulder. “Go,” she said, pointing at the exit to the prison. The creature bounded away on all fours, sniffing the air and gathering speed as he picked up a scent.
No sooner had he left the building than the Nuckelavee bounded in. The horse approached slowly and bent its front legs to get down to eye level with Raven. The rider leaned forward and spoke in a gruff Scottish accent. “Men are coming. Get on.”
Raven grabbed onto his outstretched arm and allowed him to pull her onto the horse. The exposed bones of the horse and rider, who were fused together, dug at her skin, but now was not the time for complaints.
The rider stopped on the way out of the building and lifted a long piece of rebar, which he twirled like a baton. The metal made a swishing sound as it cut through the air. Happy with his weapon, the rider turned to Raven and said, “Hold on tight, lass.”
They flew out of the building, the wind whipping through Raven’s hair as they rode. Looking down towards the dock, she saw a vessel approaching, its bright light looking like the glowing eye of a sea monster as it breached the surface.
She was ready to fight, but with her familiars in place, Raven believed she might not need to.
***
“Keep that light on the dock, Sal, and hold on tight. I can’t guarantee a perfect docking,” Larry yelled from the boathouse.
Trey looked up at Alcatraz, but there was little to see. The high-powered light operated by Sal caught parts of the main building as the boat bobbed up and down, but they were nothing but fleeting glimpses of the structure.
Larry eased the boat into the dock, the sound of metal on metal tearing through the night as he got a little too close. “Tie it up, rookie.”
Leaping onto the dock, rope in hand, Trey formed the best knot he could and hoped it would hold.
Sal jumped down beside him and patted him on the shoulder. “Good job not throwing up, kid. Let’s find the security guys and get the hell out of here. This place gives me the willies.”
The cops pulled out their flashlights and used them to guide themselves along the dock and up onto the prison’s main landing area. They both almost screamed aloud when a large man stepped out of the mist, a big grin spread across his face.
“Sorry, officers, I didn’t mean to startle you. What brings you to the rock?”
“It’s a routine check-in, sir,” Sal said, shining his light in the man’s face and looking for signs of intoxication or drug use. “Your boss says he hasn’t heard from you guys in a while.”
Raising his hands and motioning at the sky, the security guard said, “We can’t get through. Communications are down with this weather. You can let them know that we are right as rain here.”
Sal nodded, but something felt off. It was the big man’s eyes and how they reflected the light from his torch. “Makes sense. Where’s the rest of your crew?”
The big man took a step back and to the side as he pointed up the hill. “We have a place up near the top. They’re up there now having a bite to eat.”
“You wouldn’t have any coffee up there, would you? It’s cold out there on the water, and I could use a little something to warm me up. You thirsty, rookie? You wanna come for a hike with me up to the guard station?”
“Sound good,” Trey said, moving in beside his boss and getting the feeling that something was very off.
“Lead the way. Sorry, big fella, I didn’t catch your name.”
“It’s Norman, but there’s no need to follow me. My friends are coming to you.”
Sal pulled out his weapon and pointed it at Norman, who was now trembling as his skin seemed to change with each movement. “Trey, get your ass down there and get that boat untied. We are leaving now. Norman, get your ass on the ground and put your hands behind your back.”
Trey bolted for the dock, but he had barely taken three steps when something big and fast came out of the air and pinned him to the ground. The smell of rotting flesh hit him in the face, and this time he did lose his lunch as vomit flew from his mouth as he tried to scream.
“Get the fuck out of here, Larry,” Sal yelled back to the boat as the Aswang and the Rake advanced on him. He unloaded his weapon, missing the targets with every shot, and fumbled in his utility belt for a fresh clip. He never got close, as his attackers took him down and mercifully ended his life quickly.
Trey scrambled backward, trying to evade the beast that was now toying with him. It would let him get a couple of feet away, but every time he tried to stand, it would hop forward on its weird hind legs and pin him down again. As it landed on him again, his flashlight rolled out of his hand, the beam of light resting on Sal, who had a pair of creatures feasting on his insides.
“What’s happening up there?” Larry called out.
“GO,” Trey screamed. “Save yourself and go.”
Larry ran to the back of the boat and hopped onto the deck. He untied the rope, tossed it into the vessel, and went down hard as he slipped on the wet deck. Scrambling to his feet, he ran for the boathouse but stopped as he heard the sound of hooves on concrete. Looking into the fog, he saw a pair of what looked to be red lights approaching. It took his brain a moment to register that they were eyes. That was when Larry screamed.
***
The Nuckelavee picked up speed as it raced down to the waterfront, the rider now holding the rebar like he was about to joust a knight. Raven held on for dear life as they made the final turn and galloped across the landing area. She had a moment to see the Wenlutah snapping off the head of a cop in a single bite before the horse leaped and they flew through the air.
The rider leaned low and extended his arm, shifting the rebar a touch to the right. His measurements were inch-perfect as the metal flew into the open mouth of the screaming cop and out through the back of his head.
The Nuckelavee soared over the boat, the rider lifting the impaled officer as they cleared the vessel and plunged into the frigid water beyond. The horse navigated the water with ease, turning smoothly and heading back to the dock as the rider tossed the rebar and the attached cop into the depths.
They climbed out of the water and onto the dock in one graceful motion. Raven was cold and wet, but she couldn’t remember a time in her life when she’d felt more alive. She jumped down off the Nuckelavee and shook herself like a dog. Walking around the landing area, she watched as her friends fed and knew that she had chosen well. She knew that they would give their lives to protect her, and she vowed that she would do the same for them.
Like watching a very violent, very bloody, very gripping movie. Hollywood hasn't put out anything this good in 20 years.
Really enjoyed getting to know the beasts a bit better. I loved that little detail about the Nuckelavee not being a comfey ride!