Read Online Slow Turns The World by Andy Sparrow - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andy Sparrow
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enough, Torrin.”
The ship grew nearer, white water splashing at the bows and with a great turmoil of foam in its wake. It moved by some means they had not seen before, or ever heard of in the tales from other tribes; there was a paddle wheel across the stern, turning swiftly, driving it across the expanse of sea. They could make out some of the ship's crew now; moving dots upon the decks and scrambling high upon the web of rigging. Once again they shouted and waved their tunics around their heads; once again the ship sailed on unaware of the tiny desperate figures perched upon the iceberg.
“It is no good,” croaked Torrin, hoarse from shouting. “We are too distant to be heard.”
“But they might see us if they had reason to look this way,” said Valhad.
“They might, but we are too far away; too small.”
“We are, but our companions are not.”
At this, Valhad slid down the ice to the water's edge, shouting into the blue-green water.
“Come! Come to me! Are you not hungry? Come and eat!”
Torrin scrambled after him.
“Valhad! No! No! They are too swift, come back!”
He grasped Valhad and tried to pull him back to safety but Valhad fought back with unexpected strength.
“Not yet, Torrin,” he said, watching quivering dark shapes loom through the water. “Not yet. Come my beauties. Come on. Now, Torrin, move!”
They lunged at the icy slope and heard water erupting behind them. The iceberg shuddered under a great impact, then a second and there was a sound of huge jaws snapping shut. They were safe, barely; for much of the ice had melted away and the beasts were enraged. Perched upon the icebergs tip they were only just out of reach from the dagger jaws that surged towards them again and again.
Sharp eyes upon the ship turned towards them and its course changed. Greater than any vessel they had seen, imagined, or heard tell of in tales, it came closer; ploughing through the humps of water, throwing up spume in its turbulent wake. The serpents hissed at the approaching bulk and slid from the ice. The ship’s deck stood taller than the iceberg; a wooden wall looming above them. Faces looked down from the ship's side, from high on the rigging and from open hatches. Strange faces; faces of many tribes, some dark, others fair, sad faces, cold faces, grinning faces. Indistinct voices shouted on the deck above until a wooden boom with block and tackle swung above them and a rope was lowered. Valhad took a firm hold and was hoisted away out of sight.
The rope returned and Torrin took his turn, gripping with hands and feet as he was hauled upwards. It was then that a harsh voice sounded out above the others and the hoisting stopped. The great wheel that drove the ship began to turn and it drew away from the iceberg. Torrin clung to the rope over the sea, heard the voice shout an order, and found himself being lowered towards the water. He saw a serpent approaching as he sank lower, watched it dip below the water, gaining speed, preparing to lunge. As the beast burst forth he was hauled sharply upwards again. The jaws snapped shut much too close. There was a great cheer and loud laughter from above. He was lowered again until the sea made his feet wet and was left dangling with his legs cutting a furrow in the swift passing water. He had become bait.
Torrin climbed the rope, dragging himself from the water with every muscle straining. More laughter followed as unseen hands slowly let the rope down so that his efforts were in vain. The serpent lunged again and locked its jaws around the rope below his feet. It gripped, writhed and pulled and as the wooden boom creaked and strained the cheering and laughter grew louder. Torrin struggled but could not climb the tensioned rope, his strength was failing and he began to slip downwards. There were more orders barked out above and he was raised again. But so was the beast, for
The ship grew nearer, white water splashing at the bows and with a great turmoil of foam in its wake. It moved by some means they had not seen before, or ever heard of in the tales from other tribes; there was a paddle wheel across the stern, turning swiftly, driving it across the expanse of sea. They could make out some of the ship's crew now; moving dots upon the decks and scrambling high upon the web of rigging. Once again they shouted and waved their tunics around their heads; once again the ship sailed on unaware of the tiny desperate figures perched upon the iceberg.
“It is no good,” croaked Torrin, hoarse from shouting. “We are too distant to be heard.”
“But they might see us if they had reason to look this way,” said Valhad.
“They might, but we are too far away; too small.”
“We are, but our companions are not.”
At this, Valhad slid down the ice to the water's edge, shouting into the blue-green water.
“Come! Come to me! Are you not hungry? Come and eat!”
Torrin scrambled after him.
“Valhad! No! No! They are too swift, come back!”
He grasped Valhad and tried to pull him back to safety but Valhad fought back with unexpected strength.
“Not yet, Torrin,” he said, watching quivering dark shapes loom through the water. “Not yet. Come my beauties. Come on. Now, Torrin, move!”
They lunged at the icy slope and heard water erupting behind them. The iceberg shuddered under a great impact, then a second and there was a sound of huge jaws snapping shut. They were safe, barely; for much of the ice had melted away and the beasts were enraged. Perched upon the icebergs tip they were only just out of reach from the dagger jaws that surged towards them again and again.
Sharp eyes upon the ship turned towards them and its course changed. Greater than any vessel they had seen, imagined, or heard tell of in tales, it came closer; ploughing through the humps of water, throwing up spume in its turbulent wake. The serpents hissed at the approaching bulk and slid from the ice. The ship’s deck stood taller than the iceberg; a wooden wall looming above them. Faces looked down from the ship's side, from high on the rigging and from open hatches. Strange faces; faces of many tribes, some dark, others fair, sad faces, cold faces, grinning faces. Indistinct voices shouted on the deck above until a wooden boom with block and tackle swung above them and a rope was lowered. Valhad took a firm hold and was hoisted away out of sight.
The rope returned and Torrin took his turn, gripping with hands and feet as he was hauled upwards. It was then that a harsh voice sounded out above the others and the hoisting stopped. The great wheel that drove the ship began to turn and it drew away from the iceberg. Torrin clung to the rope over the sea, heard the voice shout an order, and found himself being lowered towards the water. He saw a serpent approaching as he sank lower, watched it dip below the water, gaining speed, preparing to lunge. As the beast burst forth he was hauled sharply upwards again. The jaws snapped shut much too close. There was a great cheer and loud laughter from above. He was lowered again until the sea made his feet wet and was left dangling with his legs cutting a furrow in the swift passing water. He had become bait.
Torrin climbed the rope, dragging himself from the water with every muscle straining. More laughter followed as unseen hands slowly let the rope down so that his efforts were in vain. The serpent lunged again and locked its jaws around the rope below his feet. It gripped, writhed and pulled and as the wooden boom creaked and strained the cheering and laughter grew louder. Torrin struggled but could not climb the tensioned rope, his strength was failing and he began to slip downwards. There were more orders barked out above and he was raised again. But so was the beast, for
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