Read Online Mariah Mundi and the Ghost Diamonds by G.P. Taylor - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: G.P. Taylor
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his fist against the glass in delight. ‘Got you now, lad – get yourself down here.’
Unseen to them both, something stirred in the far corner of the piscary.
Mariah looked down through the crystal-clear water and could see Titus and Grub far below. He looked along the gantry and quickly measured the race he would have to run to get to the end and down the steps before they would capture him. Without thinking he leapt to his feet and set off at a pace. The gantry shook back and forth. After just two strides there was a sharp thud from below. At first he felt no pain and then a sudden burning tore into his skin. He tried to move his leg but was held fast. Reaching down, he took hold of what he at first thought was the head of a snake that had wrapped itself around his ankle.
Suddenly from the water came another and another. They lashed at him like long strands of thick, barbed rope as they took hold of every part of his body.
‘No!’ Mariah screamed as the beast rose from the water and began to envelop him with long tentacles.
‘Quickly, Grub – the octopus has him!’ Titus shouted at the dog as he ran to the steps that would lead him to the gantry.
Mariah couldn’t move. The octopus had quickly wrapped itself around him and was squeezing him to the gantry. His face was squashed against the metal slats and dragged closer and closer to the water. He stared down and the beast stared back at him as it snapped its bird-like beak.
‘Stay still!’ shouted Titus Salt as he ran along the gantry towards Mariah. ‘Let it think you’re dead – just until I get to you.’
Mariah could hear Titus getting closer. The old gantry moaned and twisted with his weight. The octopus sniffed at him as it slowly unwound its tentacles. Then, without a sound, it pulled him slowly into the water. Instinctively Mariah gripped onto the gantry for as long as he could, but the octopuswas wrapped around him and he could feel its heart beating against him and its beak gnawing against his shoulder.
‘Steady, lad,’ Titus said as he drew closer. Mariah could see the man’s shadow cast across the water. He saw him raise his walking staff like a spear and take aim. There was a crack like lightning. Mariah felt the octopus suddenly tense itself. The water filled with black ink. The creature shivered. The crack came again and again as Titus Salt beat his stick. Grub howled like the gates of hell had been opened and heaven was about to be vanquished.
‘Back! Back!’ shouted Titus as he hit the creature again and again.
Mariah could feel his fingers giving up their hold as the water sucked him down.
‘You’ll not be taking him this time,’ Titus shouted at the beast. ‘Not from old Titus Salt.’
A hand reached down and took hold of Mariah by the locks of his hair just as he vanished under the water.
‘Now you belong to Titus Salt and he will have his pound of flesh,’ the man jeered as he dragged Mariah from the water.
[ 6 ]
Titus Salt
M ARIAH woke up with the smell of his smouldering trousers fresh in his nostrils. Instinctively he reached out. His hands felt the leather of the large armchair in which he had slept the last hour. As he opened his eyes he could see the chiselled roof of a small cave. In the corner by a wooden chest that looked as if it had been nailed together from pieces of driftwood was a black stove. It burnt brightly and lit the room, and resting on the top was a simmering kettle of water. He looked at his smouldering trousers and steaming boots and watched the vapour rise in spirals. His face felt sore, the salt water stung the wound on his cheek and now he could feel burning in his neck. Mariah rubbed his hand around the collar of his shirt. He could feel a circular blister just under his chin. It was sore and stung as if he had been scalded.
From the top of the fire stove, a long black chimney went up the rock wall and into the roof. His eye followed it higher until it disappeared in the rock. From
Unseen to them both, something stirred in the far corner of the piscary.
Mariah looked down through the crystal-clear water and could see Titus and Grub far below. He looked along the gantry and quickly measured the race he would have to run to get to the end and down the steps before they would capture him. Without thinking he leapt to his feet and set off at a pace. The gantry shook back and forth. After just two strides there was a sharp thud from below. At first he felt no pain and then a sudden burning tore into his skin. He tried to move his leg but was held fast. Reaching down, he took hold of what he at first thought was the head of a snake that had wrapped itself around his ankle.
Suddenly from the water came another and another. They lashed at him like long strands of thick, barbed rope as they took hold of every part of his body.
‘No!’ Mariah screamed as the beast rose from the water and began to envelop him with long tentacles.
‘Quickly, Grub – the octopus has him!’ Titus shouted at the dog as he ran to the steps that would lead him to the gantry.
Mariah couldn’t move. The octopus had quickly wrapped itself around him and was squeezing him to the gantry. His face was squashed against the metal slats and dragged closer and closer to the water. He stared down and the beast stared back at him as it snapped its bird-like beak.
‘Stay still!’ shouted Titus Salt as he ran along the gantry towards Mariah. ‘Let it think you’re dead – just until I get to you.’
Mariah could hear Titus getting closer. The old gantry moaned and twisted with his weight. The octopus sniffed at him as it slowly unwound its tentacles. Then, without a sound, it pulled him slowly into the water. Instinctively Mariah gripped onto the gantry for as long as he could, but the octopuswas wrapped around him and he could feel its heart beating against him and its beak gnawing against his shoulder.
‘Steady, lad,’ Titus said as he drew closer. Mariah could see the man’s shadow cast across the water. He saw him raise his walking staff like a spear and take aim. There was a crack like lightning. Mariah felt the octopus suddenly tense itself. The water filled with black ink. The creature shivered. The crack came again and again as Titus Salt beat his stick. Grub howled like the gates of hell had been opened and heaven was about to be vanquished.
‘Back! Back!’ shouted Titus as he hit the creature again and again.
Mariah could feel his fingers giving up their hold as the water sucked him down.
‘You’ll not be taking him this time,’ Titus shouted at the beast. ‘Not from old Titus Salt.’
A hand reached down and took hold of Mariah by the locks of his hair just as he vanished under the water.
‘Now you belong to Titus Salt and he will have his pound of flesh,’ the man jeered as he dragged Mariah from the water.
[ 6 ]
Titus Salt
M ARIAH woke up with the smell of his smouldering trousers fresh in his nostrils. Instinctively he reached out. His hands felt the leather of the large armchair in which he had slept the last hour. As he opened his eyes he could see the chiselled roof of a small cave. In the corner by a wooden chest that looked as if it had been nailed together from pieces of driftwood was a black stove. It burnt brightly and lit the room, and resting on the top was a simmering kettle of water. He looked at his smouldering trousers and steaming boots and watched the vapour rise in spirals. His face felt sore, the salt water stung the wound on his cheek and now he could feel burning in his neck. Mariah rubbed his hand around the collar of his shirt. He could feel a circular blister just under his chin. It was sore and stung as if he had been scalded.
From the top of the fire stove, a long black chimney went up the rock wall and into the roof. His eye followed it higher until it disappeared in the rock. From
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