Happy Friday, my fellow feisty feline fans!
Time for another chapter of Lava Cat Cruise Ship! ! If you missed the last chapter, find it here. And if you are new to LCC and want to start at the beginning, you can find the first chapter here!
School is almost out for the summer where I am, so that means everyone is scrambling to figure out a summer read. Might I suggest jumping on the Lava Cat Cruise Ship….er…ship…so you always have an adventure in your pocket this summer? Become a paid subscriber to access the full ebook - and the ebook for the companion novel, Zombie Shark Highway! Plus all the exclusive posts, tutorials and digital downloads!
Also, I don’t share this story via email so as not to overwhelm subscribers and clutter inboxes. I only post and hope readers find it. Word of mouth is really the only way this story finds itself in front of eyeballs. So on that note, if you’re enjoying these fiery felines, I would love if you told a friend, shared it with a reader you think might like it.
ANYWAYS, let’s get to the LAVA!
EIGHTEEN
Eidon snatched the polaroids out of Dr. Troyer's binder and made a run for the hall. His skin was drenched in sweat from the heat, but still goosebumps pimpled his flesh. The image of that wriggling grey worm, it writhed in his memory. It scared him, worse than the Smilodons. Whatever it was, it had made the ancient cats into the monsters that stalked the Silver Queen. And worse, if Dr. Troyer's notes were correct, it could change any human it came into contact with too.
He had to get back to the Silver Queen. Had to warn Celia.
Eidon ran though the dark bowels of the Hydra, kicking open door after door. If he was going back to the Silver Queen, he had to be prepared. Finally, in a little office that might have belonged to Troyer himself, Eidon found what he needed -- a gun. The rifle was huge, and he stumbled from the unexpected weight. He'd never held a gun in his life. Never even seen one. Not in real life. But he'd need one now if he was going to take on the Smilodons.
A box of bullets lay spilled open on the desk -- Eidon hoped he'd have more luck than whoever had used this gun last. He collected as many as he could, dumping them back into the box and sprinted back out onto the deck.
He ran along the slippery floor, his eyes frantically scanning every piece of large equipment that cluttered the Hydra as he looked for the last thing he needed -- and he found it, tied securely at the back of the research vessel just in front of the crane -- a boat.
Eidon pulled off the tarp -- a little grey inflatable dinghy that practically glowed with promise. It was in perfect condition, the rain of fire and ash and lava hadn't gotten through the tarp. She was sea worthy.
Eidon looked out over the boiling ocean -- but was she worthy of this sea?
He shook his head, pushing the question away and set to work lowering her into the water. She'd have to be. There was no other way back to the Silver Queen.
There was a button lying beside the dinghy, a long cord hooked somewhere to the crane. Eidon stomped on it and he felt the deck vibrate beneath his feet, heard the grinding and squeal of metal. The floor beneath the dinghy began to lower, taking the little vessel down with it, and dropped it gently on the water's surface.
With the rifle and the box of bullets, Eidon climbed aboard, keeping a wary eye on the bubbling water. The geysers of lava still seemed to be quiet. There was no telling when they'd start up again, if they'd start up again. But the Silver Queen wasn't far. He just had to prey the ocean cooperated.
He wrenched the starter and the motor rumbled to life. So far so good.
Eidon looked out across the water at the massive cruise-liner floating in the distance. His father's ship. What would the good Captain say if he could see her now? The old man had always been so at home on the sea. More at home there than in the house he'd shared with Eidon and his mother, that was for sure. But this ocean -- this nightmare landscape of hostile, boiling water -- this was not his father's home. This place belonged to the Smilodons. And those monsters had beaten the good Captain.
What chance did Eidon stand against them?
Eidon's grip tightened on the throttle grip of the dinghy's motor.
He'd find out soon enough.
The dinghy bounced on the roiling waves -- even without the explosive lava, the water was so choppy Eidon had a hard time keeping his hand on the throttle. The boat rose and fell with such force, Eidon worried he might be tossed overboard. What then? Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. The last time he'd been plunged into those waves, he'd nearly died. He couldn't take the plunge again. He couldn't. Wouldn't survive it.
The Silver Queen loomed as he approached, a massive giant, still and lifeless as a mountain jutting out of the sea. He could hear her groaning -- whatever held her together was getting ready to give up. Just hold on for me, he begged her. Just until I find Celia.
The Silver Queen groaned in response, unable to promise anything. He stared up her starboard side, dark and quiet. No sign of life anywhere. Wherever all the passengers were hiding, they were hiding well. A shudder shook Eidon -- he hoped they were hiding. Hoped they all were safe. Hoped whatever had infected the brains of the Smilodons hadn't found it's way into the brains of any people onboard.
Hoped it hadn't found Celia.
An image of her flashed through his mind -- that otherworldly girl, blue and sparkling, brave and daring and beautiful. He saw her, eyes red as flame, teeth bared and bloodied, and something grey trailing out her ear.
Eidon swallowed.
The dinghy leaped suddenly, a wave launching it skyward, and the gun flew up, nearly flying over the side. Eidon dove for it, clutching it to him as the dinghy leveled out.
He'd taken the rifle to fight the Smilodons, but as his grip tightened on the cold metal, a new fear crept up his spine --
-- if the parasite had spread, would he have to use the gun on something other than a saber-tooth?
Before Eidon could decide if he was even capable of firing on a human being, the ocean behind him exploded -- a thunderous boom with an otherworldly scream as a plume of liquid fire rocketed up a hundred feet high.
The ocean was waking up.
Thanks for reading!
The next chapter of Lava Cat Cruise Ship drops next Friday. See you then - Me-OW!