Sargasso Skies by Allan Jones Page B

powerstone basket could be seen where the mast had splintered.
    â€œI suppose the powerstone must have floated away,” said Esmeralda as she reached a leg out over the prow of the Thief in the Night . “I wonder what became of the sky mariners?”
    â€œBest not to think about it,” said Jack.
    Esmeralda found a firm footing in the rigging and clambered slowly down into the white mist. Jack went next, and Trundle brought up the rear, his sword in his belt—just in case!
    Trundle shuddered as fingers of mist crept in through his clothing and nasty putrid smells assaulted his sensitive snout.
    â€œUgh!” It was Esmeralda’s voice.
    â€œWhat?” Trundle called down.
    â€œOh, my!” Jack exclaimed.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI think we’ve found out what happened to the crew,” said Esmeralda.
    A moment later, Trundle reached the deck and saw what had upset his friends. Skeletons were strewn around the smashed and crumbling deck of the windship.
    â€œOh! How dreadful!” Trundle sighed, his gaze drawn to the skulls, with their empty eye sockets staring out from among the sad little piles of bones.
    Jack picked his way across the groaning deck and stooped to stare more closely at one of the skeletons. “I don’t want to alarm anyone,” he said. “But some of these bones have tooth marks on them.”
    Trundle shivered. “You mean they ate one another?” he stammered, more horrified than ever now.
    â€œI don’t think so,” said Jack. “By the looks of the skeletons, I’d say this crew was mostly goats—but the gnawings aren’t from goat teeth.” He frowned. “They’re long and pointy, like knives.”
    Trundle stared at the mysterious and threatening mists that crowded around the battered windship. “Do you think there could be cannibal animals living here?” he asked.
    â€œThe crews of wrecked windships turned wild and wicked by starvation and hopelessness, you mean?” Jack intoned bleakly.

    â€œSomething like that,” said Trundle.
    â€œIt’s possible,” Jack admitted.
    â€œThen maybe we shouldn’t spend too long standing around chatting,” said Esmeralda. “Come on, Jack, let’s look for some useful bits of wood and for tools. The sooner we’re out of here, the better. Trun? You keep watch! If you see anything suspicious, give a yell!”
    â€œYou bet I will!”
    Trundle edged nervously across the precarious decking, aware of every creak and crack in the sagging timbers. He came to the gunnels and leaned over, staring down into the murky depths.
    He almost jumped out of his boots with shock.
    Several pairs of luminous green eyes were staring back up at him. And at that same second, the air filled with high-pitched whoopings and hollerings.
    Trundle leaped back with a yelp. “Fiendish things!” he shrieked. “There are fiendish things climbing up the side of the windship!”
    â€œWhat kind of things?” called Esmeralda.
    â€œ Those kind of things!” yelled Trundle, pointing to where the head of a large green lizard had appeared over the gunnels. The lizard’s mouth opened. Its teeth flashed white and sharp, and its long black tongue flickered out. The eyes gleamed, hungry and ferocious. The creature gave a high call that was like nails scraping down a blackboard.
    Another lizard head appeared. Then another. And another and another and another. And along with wide mouths filled with knife-sharp teeth, Trundle noticed, the lizards clutched terrible weapons—great clubs and cudgels with iron spikes hammered through them.

    â€œRun for it!” yelled Esmeralda.
    Trundle zoomed across the deck as though he had been shot from a cannon. Yelling and screaming, the lizards swarmed after him.
    â€œJump!” shouted Jack.
    Without any time for thought, the three friends threw themselves over the side of the windship. It