Fangtooth

Chapter 25

Bruce cupped his hands around his mouth. “Jack?” he shouted. At his side, Shazam barked. When his son didn’t reply, Bruce bit his lip and continued along the road. He slipped a hand into his pocket, fingering the wallet with the lucky charms. If ever there was a time he needed their aid, it was now.

With Duncan and Erin’s help, he had searched almost all the village, but there was no sign of Jack.

“He’s got to be somewhere,” Bruce said.

At his side, Erin nodded. “We will find him.”

Bruce hoped she was right. The thick bank of fog had started to thin out, but now the light was fading. A solitary streetlight had already come on, throwing a pale orange sheen across the road.

Bruce stopped and turned to face Duncan. “What about that old madwoman? You know, the one who grabbed Jack and marched him into the bar.” He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of her before.

Duncan scratched his nose. “You mean Lillian Brown? I suppose it’s worth a try.”

“At this point, I’d try anything.”

“Follow me,” Duncan said, turning tail and marching away.

Bruce and Erin followed with Shazam trotting alongside. Bruce looked down at the dog. “Some help you are. I thought dogs were meant to have a heightened sense of smell.”

Shazam looked up, and for a moment, Bruce thought there was sadness in the dog’s expression. “I’m sorry girl. I know you’d help if you could.”

Duncan led them away from the high street to a house overlooking the harbour. He stepped up to the door and rang the bell. When no one answered, he knocked.

“Doesn’t look as though anyone’s in,” he said.

Bruce stepped forward and started banging on the door. “Jack, are you in there?” he shouted.

Duncan grabbed his hand. “I don’t think that’ll do any good.”

Bruce exhaled slowly, turned away from the house and walked to the road where he leaned against the wall at the front of the property, trying to gather his thoughts. After a moment, he took his phone out and tried ringing Jack again, but the voicemail cut in straight away.

The sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he looked back down the road to see a slim girl with brown hair tied back in a ponytail running towards them.

“Mr. Roberts,” she wheezed, head bobbing up and down as she fought to catch her breath. “It’s… Jen and that… new boy…”

Duncan started towards the girl. “Sara, what is it—”

“What? What’s happened to them,” Bruce said, grabbing the girl by the shoulders before Duncan reached her.

Sara looked at him, her brown eyes wide with something he recognised as fear.

“Jen’s grandmother… she’s tied that new boy up. It’s… crazy. I think… she’s lost her marbles.”

“She’s what? Where are they?” Bruce demanded. He wanted to shake her, couldn’t believe what he heard.

“Calm down,” Duncan said, prizing Bruce’s hands from Sara’s shoulders.

“I need to find my son,” Bruce said, fighting to remain calm. He could feel his temples pound, could feel the throb of blood in the thick veins sticking out on his neck as he clenched his teeth.

“I understand,” Duncan said, “but terrorizing Sara isn’t going to help.”

“I’m not terrorizing her. I just need to know where Jack is.”

“They’re down by the cliffs past the cove,” Sara said.

“Then take me there,” Bruce said.

Sara looked at Bruce, her expression alarmed. “I… I…”

“It’s okay,” Erin said to Sara. “We’re here with you now.” She smiled.

Bruce nodded encouragement. “Please. If they’re in trouble, then I need to find them.”

Sara closed her eyes and nodded.

“Then let’s go,” Bruce said.

Sara lead the way, but Bruce could tell by the way she walked that her heart wasn’t in it. She had seen something or experienced something that she obviously didn’t want to repeat.

They followed the main road out of the village, past the small beach, and continued further along the coast. The road went up an incline so they now had a view of the sea to their left. The fog had virtually dispersed, but darkness had fallen, bringing with it a mantle of stars and a gibbous moon. If anything had happened to Jack, he would never forgive himself for dragging his son away from the city.

A scream pierced the silence, chilling Bruce to the core. “What the hell was that?” he cried.

“It sounded like Jen,” Sara said.

Before anyone could say anything else, Bruce started to run. Shazam ran alongside, her hackles up like a cat. Whatever was wrong, she sensed it too.

On one side of the road there were fields bordered by a low hedge. On the other, there was a drop to the sea, which he could hear crashing into the rocks far below.

The scream rang out again, louder and more insistent. With it came a shout for help that Bruce recognised as his son, spurring him to run faster.

Although dark, the light of the moon was enough to see by, and Bruce spotted a small trail leading towards the cliff edge. He followed it to a meandering path that wound down the cliff face. Without waiting for the others, he started down, using his hands to steady himself. Shazam accompanied him, jumping from rock to rock with the assuredness of a mountain goat.

The drop to his left was precarious to say the least, and he didn’t look in case it turned his stomach to see the water churning below. The tide was at its highest, and he could hear the waves sloshing between rock formations, invading crevices and cracks.

“Jack,” he shouted. “Where are you?”

A moment’s silence, then a voice, “Dad, we’re over here… But be careful. There’s… something here. Some sort of creature…”

Creature? Bruce followed the sound. Jagged rocks pierced the flesh of his hands, but he ignored the pain. He had to reach his son. Nothing else mattered.

Two figures stood in what looked like a recess in the rock less than twenty feet away, but between them and Bruce was the sea.

Bruce looked at the expanse of water, the moons reflection glinting from the surface like a shoal of dancing fish.

“Jack, swim across,” Bruce shouted. Shazam stood on a rock, growling.

Then Bruce noticed movement at the water’s edge, saw something black and shiny that clung to the rocks. Moonlight glinted from its body, and despite the distance and the lack of light, Bruce felt a sudden ray of terror pierce his soul.

The creature opened its mouth, revealing large fanglike teeth, and emitted a keen wailing sound that chilled the marrow in his bones.

What the hell was that thing?

Shazam barked loudly, her tail between her legs as though in fear.

He watched Jack throw a rock at it, trying to drive it away. The rock missed, splashing harmlessly in the water beyond the creature. Jack threw another, which hit the creature on the head, but with no discernible effect.

Rocks skittered at his side, and the next moment, Erin stood beside him.

“What the hell is that thing?” Bruce asked as he looked at Erin.

She swallowed, her face ashen. “I knew I’d seen them somewhere before, but not like that. It’s impossible….” She pursed her lips, shaking her head as if unable to believe what she was seeing. “Anoplogaster cornuta.”

“Can you say that in fuckin’ English?” Bruce snapped.

“Fangtooth.”