Vengeance
Flynn reached the middle of the lake. He was in a tiny canoe with no weapon, floating on top of an angered prehistoric dinosaur with a man firing harpoons nearby.
What was he thinking?
A cloud covered the moon and everything around him darkened to blackness as thick as a sheet. He shivered, holding the paddle as a weapon as his eyes tried to adjust.
Nothing. He couldn't have seen Nessie if she'd floated two inches from his face.
Flynn tried to calm himself, listening to the waves lapping against his canoe. Surely a two-ton dinosaur would disturb the waves if it came close enough, giving him time to defend himself?
Right. Like an old moldy paddle was going to do any good. He'd seen those jaws. Here he was trying to protect Nessie and he could become her main course.
Pull yourself together, man.
Tom. He had to find Tom. That man had had the nerve to shoot a harpoon through his sister and he deserved to face some jail time.
Flynn whirled around, trying to find something that stood out among the league of shadows surrounding his canoe. A twinkle of light caught his attention from the right. He turned, watching the blinking red light of Tom's tracker coming right toward him from underneath the surface.
He'd have given anything to see Nessie, but he hadn't ever thought he'd die trying. So ironic. He could already read the headline of the town paper: Local Loch Ness Boatman Killed by Monster.
Flynn raised the paddle higher and took a deep breath. At least he wouldn't go down without a fight.
The blinking light disappeared underneath his canoe. He released his breath and loosened his death grip on the paddle. Maybe she can't see me?
Above him, the cloud passed off the moon and the world filled with silvery light.
"Hold it right there. Don't move." Tom stood in his canoe five feet away, his harpoon gun aimed at Flynn's chest.
Flynn froze, his brain racing with rational arguments to convince Tom not to shoot. "What are doing? You can't kill me."
"Yes, I can, and no one will know any better. You know how deep this loch goes down. One more witness ain't gonna do me any favors." He shook the harpoon gun and his fingers tightened on the trigger. "Drop the paddle and put your hands up."
"Gail saw you shoot Tabitha. She's on her way to the hospital right now. Soon this whole forest will swarm with police." At least Flynn hoped. He tried to keep his voice even. "It's over, Tom. Put down the harpoon."
Tom sneered. "And give up the one prize I've wanted to hunt my whole life? Never."
And he'd thought Blarney was the crazy one. Flynn debated which was more dangerous: staying up here with Tom or jumping into the water with Nessie. Either way he'd most likely be fish meat. "Think about what you're doing."
Tom tied a length of rope to the end of the harpoon. "I have thought about it. Looks like you'll be the perfect lure."
This was it. Decision time. Flynn could hurl the paddle at Tom and make a swim for it. It would take Tom a minute to reload, and Flynn could possibly overtake the betrayer in that time if he swam to Tom's boat.
If he was fast enough. If Nessie didn't eat him first.
Two big "ifs."
Flynn brought the paddle back slowly. He only had one shot.
Just then a black fin broke through Tom's canoe, splintering the wood and sending Tom into the water. The force of the waves tipped Flynn's canoe, but he balanced it forward, holding onto the sides.
Nessie's head came through the middle of Tom's canoe, splitting the boat in half. She lunged at the pieces of wood, breaking the planks into splinters while Tom swam in the opposite direction.
Flynn knew he should try to get away, but swishing the paddle in the water would certainly draw her attention.
When the monster had broken all the pieces to shreds, she turned to Flynn.
Flynn froze, looking her in the eye, which was the worst thing to do when confronting a wild beast. But he believed Nessie was more than that. He'd heard longing in her calls and felt her pain. He was willing to bet his life on his gut instinct. Besides, if he was going to die, he wanted to see the beast he'd been searching for his whole life one last time.
He dropped the paddle. It would do no good, and he couldn't bring himself to fight her. Flynn spread his arms like Tabitha had. "I've been looking for you my whole life. I mean you no harm."
Behind them, Tom splashed.
Nessie turned and dove into the water toward Tom.
Tom screamed, flailing his arms to swim faster, which only made louder splashes. Seconds later he disappeared under the black water. A stream of bubbles burst from the surface, along with his harpoon gun. The lake descended into silence.
Flynn collapsed in his canoe, burying his face in his shaking hands. Tom's screams replayed in his head. Flynn gazed at the last place Tom had swum before Nessie had pulled him under. The water flowed in tiny crests, serene.
Gone.
Tom was gone. Nessie had taken him.
Blarney's words came back to him. Some say she wakes to grant leif to ane lost soul. While others say she wakes to take it away.
Then he remembered Tabitha and Gail. Clutching the paddle, Flynn made his way back to shore.
****
The ambulance whined in the distance as Gail and Blarney carried Tabitha to the edge of the forest and set her down. Tabitha's face grew paler by the minute. Her eyes were still open, but a glassy, shocked stare had taken the place of the usual spark of life. Gail checked the makeshift bandage she'd wrapped around Tabitha's midsection. Blood soaked the fabric a deep red crimson.
"Hold tight, Tabitha, and try to stay conscious. I'll be right back." She gazed at Blarney. "Stay with her."
He held her up gently so she wasn't resting on the harpoon. "Aye, lass."
Gail stood on the side of the road and waved her arms until the headlights settled on her. "Over here!"
The ambulance slowed and parked on the opposite side of the street. Gail ran to the driver. "She's over here. She's lost a lot of blood."
Paramedics jumped from the back. An older woman pulled out a stretcher. "Check her pupils and prepare an IV."
A team of paramedics went to work stabilizing Tabitha's condition while others unloaded a stretcher. They positioned Tabitha over multiple pillows to prop her up against the harpoon.
"Is she going to be all right?" Gail hugged herself. Every nerve in her body was injected with adrenaline and she felt as though she'd fall apart any second into a blubbering mess. She had to be strong for Tabitha.
"Stay calm, ma'am." The paramedics ignored her question as they lifted Tabitha to the gurney.
Tabitha grabbed Gail's hand. "Stay with me?"
"Of course." Gail followed Tabitha to the back of the ambulance. She expected Blarney to follow, but he remained on the wood's edge as if unwilling to leave the forest.
She squeezed Tabitha's hand. "I'll be right back."
Blarney backed away toward the first clump of trees. Gail shot him an accusing look. "You're not coming?"
"The modren warld's nae place for me, lass." Blarney grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it as the paramedics loaded Tabitha into the ambulance. "Ye take guid care of the lassie. I'm gaun efter Flynn."
"Thanks, Blarney." Gail hoped Flynn was all right. Her eyes welled up, and she swallowed her emotions down. Now wasn't the time for tears.
She jumped into the ambulance, and the paramedics closed the back doors. The last she saw of the old woodsman was the tail of his raccoon hat swinging as his shadow disappeared into the forest.