could. With no sense of direction or time, he knew he just had to get out of there, and fast. A few feet into the water, the serpent’s giant tail skimmed the surface and dragged him back up onto its back.
“Stop,” it called to him, but Ian launched back into the water again, swimming harder and faster.
Again the tail swung across the top of the water and hurled Ian back onto itself. “You can’t—” the creature tried to speak, but again Ian leapt into the warm water.
Over and over again they followed this routine, with Ian growing more angry with each new try at freedom. Harder and harder he stomped back into the water, fear gone and rage taking its place, only to be flung back onto the serpent’s back one more time.
“Let me explain,” the serpent tried again, but Ian’s closed mind would have no part in it.
“Let me go!” Ian swung his boot back and kicked the thing as hard as he could.
“Fine!” it sputtered, then submerged, leaving him floating in the water once again.
Ian gasped and choked from the sudden splash of water against his face. When he relaxed, he looked around all directions, spying nothing but water as far as his eye could see. Somewhat bewildered, he struck out toward nothing.
When the giant head popped up in front of him, he gasped, again taking in a mouthful of water. Choking, he stopped swimming to catch his breath. Without a word, he turned to swim another direction.
“Don’t you want some help?”
“I don’t need your help,” Ian snapped. “You, or anybody – anything – else.”
“Oh, come on,” the thing prompted. “Let’s be friends. My name is Nestor.”
Ian kept swimming.
“And you might be…?” it trailed off.
“None of your business.”
“You know, for a human, you’re pretty angry.”
Ian spun around in the water to face Nestor and tread water. “You dumped me in the water.”
“You kicked me.”
“You made me mad.”
“You made me mad first,” Nestor quipped. “And now that we’re through with all this nonsense, can’t we just be friends?”
“I don’t need any friends.”
“What about the ones you are trying to find?”
Ian slowed again, still floating, with Nestor following closely behind.
“Do you know where they’ve gone?”
Ian was silent.
“Because, I do.” Nestor stopped.
Ian spun to face it again. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Ian screamed back through the rippling surf.
“You never asked.”
The answer seemed so simple, yet it enraged Ian again. He swam back toward the creature with hatred shooting from his eyes.
Nestor bobbed and weaved his long neck both in and out of the water, dodging Ian’s attempted blows. The more Ian missed, the angrier he became. Turning to swim away, Nestor’s great tail swung in front of him and dragged Ian up onto his back, again protruding from the water like a tiny island. Ian screamed and flung himself back into the water. Again and again they followed this same routine. Ian finally collapsed near the waterline of Nestor’s back, exhausted. He lay still, barely breathing, not sure what to do next.
Nestor’s giant head hovered over him just like it did when this whole nightmare began. He snorted, but Ian swore it was more of a snicker. The head dipped down to his prone body and sniffed. Ian reached out a balled fist and slugged the snout as hard as he could.
“Ouch!” It reared back, ready to strike, then settled down. “Ok, I guess we’re even. Now can we be friends?”
“Why do you want to be friends with me?”
“Because we can help each other.”
“Help each other? How?” Ian asked.
“I can help you find your friends.”
“Yeah,” Ian ventured. “What do I have to do?”
“Nothing,” Nestor said with a grin. “Just let me tag along.”
It’s a trick , Ian’s insides churned a warning. It’s too simple . He eyed the serpent, an uneasiness rising in the back of his throat.
“What do I get out of it?” he demanded.
Nestor’s grin
“Stop,” it called to him, but Ian launched back into the water again, swimming harder and faster.
Again the tail swung across the top of the water and hurled Ian back onto itself. “You can’t—” the creature tried to speak, but again Ian leapt into the warm water.
Over and over again they followed this routine, with Ian growing more angry with each new try at freedom. Harder and harder he stomped back into the water, fear gone and rage taking its place, only to be flung back onto the serpent’s back one more time.
“Let me explain,” the serpent tried again, but Ian’s closed mind would have no part in it.
“Let me go!” Ian swung his boot back and kicked the thing as hard as he could.
“Fine!” it sputtered, then submerged, leaving him floating in the water once again.
Ian gasped and choked from the sudden splash of water against his face. When he relaxed, he looked around all directions, spying nothing but water as far as his eye could see. Somewhat bewildered, he struck out toward nothing.
When the giant head popped up in front of him, he gasped, again taking in a mouthful of water. Choking, he stopped swimming to catch his breath. Without a word, he turned to swim another direction.
“Don’t you want some help?”
“I don’t need your help,” Ian snapped. “You, or anybody – anything – else.”
“Oh, come on,” the thing prompted. “Let’s be friends. My name is Nestor.”
Ian kept swimming.
“And you might be…?” it trailed off.
“None of your business.”
“You know, for a human, you’re pretty angry.”
Ian spun around in the water to face Nestor and tread water. “You dumped me in the water.”
“You kicked me.”
“You made me mad.”
“You made me mad first,” Nestor quipped. “And now that we’re through with all this nonsense, can’t we just be friends?”
“I don’t need any friends.”
“What about the ones you are trying to find?”
Ian slowed again, still floating, with Nestor following closely behind.
“Do you know where they’ve gone?”
Ian was silent.
“Because, I do.” Nestor stopped.
Ian spun to face it again. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Ian screamed back through the rippling surf.
“You never asked.”
The answer seemed so simple, yet it enraged Ian again. He swam back toward the creature with hatred shooting from his eyes.
Nestor bobbed and weaved his long neck both in and out of the water, dodging Ian’s attempted blows. The more Ian missed, the angrier he became. Turning to swim away, Nestor’s great tail swung in front of him and dragged Ian up onto his back, again protruding from the water like a tiny island. Ian screamed and flung himself back into the water. Again and again they followed this same routine. Ian finally collapsed near the waterline of Nestor’s back, exhausted. He lay still, barely breathing, not sure what to do next.
Nestor’s giant head hovered over him just like it did when this whole nightmare began. He snorted, but Ian swore it was more of a snicker. The head dipped down to his prone body and sniffed. Ian reached out a balled fist and slugged the snout as hard as he could.
“Ouch!” It reared back, ready to strike, then settled down. “Ok, I guess we’re even. Now can we be friends?”
“Why do you want to be friends with me?”
“Because we can help each other.”
“Help each other? How?” Ian asked.
“I can help you find your friends.”
“Yeah,” Ian ventured. “What do I have to do?”
“Nothing,” Nestor said with a grin. “Just let me tag along.”
It’s a trick , Ian’s insides churned a warning. It’s too simple . He eyed the serpent, an uneasiness rising in the back of his throat.
“What do I get out of it?” he demanded.
Nestor’s grin
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