Across The Sea by Eric Marier Page A

kill, aiming straight for Bodin’s heart.
    Francis held his breath.
    Something pinched the Captain
in the lower chest. He looked down. Bodin had his own sword in
between Mann’s ribs, impaling up, right through his heart. The
Captain tried to meet Bodin’s gaze, but it was so hard to manage.
His heart was stopping. He glimpsed a dark beady iris, drowning in
a pool of translucent grey.
    The sword pulled out.
    Mann glanced at Francis and
Francis saw the Captain’s eyes, dimming. The Captain turned back to
Bodin, as his sword fell and plopped into the water.
    “No!” Templeton boomed from the
dock.
    Bodin was expressionless. “I
warned you,” he told Mann.
    Captain Mann tried to take in
the last face that he would ever see. He had always believed that
he would die a heroic death; something grand, self-sacrificing.
Never, ever, did he believe it would be by the sword of some aging,
common thief. He slumped over and tilted backward, freefalling, and
hit the water gone from this earth.
    Shouts of vengeance exploded
from the sailors on the dock but Bodin acted unaware as he stepped
back into the cockpit, sitting down on one of the side benches and
grabbing hold of the wooden tiller. His eyes never met Francis’
own. It was as though Francis was not here, on this small boat with
him. He tugged on the chain, making Francis dive off the cabin’s
roof and land beside him in a jumble of arms, legs and chain. He
pulled a padlock from his robes and locked the end of the chain to
a handle beside the cabin’s door.
    Francis lifted himself and sat
on the bench opposite his captor. He looked up behind them, the
city of Grand Marine fast becoming but a series of bright dots in
the distance. He turned to look up ahead. He could not tell the
night sky from the dark water. On both, glittered the moon and the
stars. Francis was filled with thoughts. What could be worth all
this death? All this destruction? And where was Bodin heading for
in the deep dark of night? What awaited Francis out at sea?
     
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    Orange gleamed against Francis’
closed eyelids. He opened them, and then raised his hands to cover
his eyes from the strong sun, his wrists still tethered together
with the heavy chain.
    It was the morning after Bodin
had escaped Grand Marine.
    Francis brought his hands down,
and saw that he had fallen asleep, sitting up in the cockpit. On
the bench across from him sat the towering figure of Bodin,
steering the boat with the long wooden tiller.
    “This isn’t about my brother,”
Francis stated, after a few moments. “He wouldn’t be involved in
something like this.”
    Bodin turned and looked down,
meeting Francis’ gaze. The monster’s small eyes were almost all
white. A chill ran through Francis’ body.
    “What would make you say that?”
Bodin asked.
    “Because everyone is killing
each other…” Francis began. “Two Royal Navy ships sinking the Red
Mist. Naval sailors everywhere. And they’re not after me. They’re
not even trying to rescue me. They’re after you. You’re the one
they want. I saw it in that man’s eyes last night when he looked at
you.”
    Bodin grinned and looked up
ahead. “I’m impressed. You’re a smart little boy.”
    “So what is this all about?”
Francis asked.
    “So what is this all about?”
Bodin repeated, as if he were speaking to himself.
    Francis waited for an answer.
None came.
    “What’s this about?” Francis
asked again. “Tell me. If this isn’t about my brother, what’s all
that’s happened about?”
    Bodin took a moment before he
responded with, “It’s about what everything has been about for
about as long as I can remember.”
    “And?”
    “It’s about what motivates
us.”
    “And what’s that?”
    “Treasure,” Bodin answered,
lowering his white, grey eyes on Francis. He smiled his pointy
toothed smile, adding, “And it’s the biggest treasure of all.”
    “Which one?” Francis asked.
    “The only one that would have
all of us