outward and long neck skyward, she twirled in the water like a ballerina. Nestor followed suit, spinning Ian around.
He grabbed on to Nestor’s back for the ride. “Okay, okay. Sorry. That’s what we learned in school.”
“Yes, well. They used to teach that evil spirits could be sucked out of you by leeches, too.”
“They can’t?”
“Very funny,” Nestor said.
Ian climbed up Nestor’s neck so he could see where they were. “Which way are we going?” he asked.
“The right way.”
“Is that supposed to be a joke?”
“You would prefer the wrong way?”
“I just want to get to my friends.”
“I understand,” Nestor said, “but you must know that the road will be long and fraught with danger.”
“Yeah, the green gremlin said that, too.”
“Ahhh, so you’ve met Alistair then. Good.”
“Yeah, we met him. He gave me this.” Ian pulled the small flask of clear liquid from his pocket. “Never told me what I need to do with it though.”
“Save it,” Nessie said. “You will need it later,”
“What is it? Is it magic?”
“No. There is no magic here. Only Him.”
“Who?”
“Him, the Maker.” She slowed her speed so she could see Ian. “That is a gift.”
“What is it?” He shook the flask. Nothing happened.
“Careful,” she cautioned. “It’s water.”
“Water? Since when do I have to be careful with water? Maybe I’ll just drink it and be done with it.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Why,” Ian asked. “Will I die? Is it poison? What will happen if I do?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? You two aren’t making any sense. I have to be careful with it, but I can’t drink it; it’s not poison; and nothing will happen if I open it; but it’s mine it and I have to take care of it. Is there anything else?”
Nestor stopped swimming and curled his head back around onto his back again. “It’s special water. Not magic as you said, but touched.”
“Touched? By who?”
“By the Maker. When used the right way, it can wash away all that holds us back in life.”
“There’s nothing holding me down.”
“Not down, Ian. Back. Before. Things like fear, hurt, rejection, —“
“I don’t have any of those,” he cut in.
“—anger.”
“Who you calling angry?” he barked.
“No one,” Nestor smiled. “It was just an example.”
“So how does this stuff work anyway?” He shook the bottle again. He peered at it with a skeptical eye.
“First of all, you must believe.”
“Ok. What else?”
“When the time is right, you will know. Magic comes from within and will always fail you. Miracles come from above, and will never let you down. Always thank the One who gave it to you. He alone is in control.”
“Hmmm.” Ian nodded. He thought about Alistair. Ian had no idea how he would be able to thank the little green thing for it, so far away. He didn’t even know where he was.
“Tuck the flask away someplace very safe,” Nestor instructed, “and lay low. We must be very quiet. We are heading into some very dangerous waters.”
The smell of seaweed was pungent. The rope Ian had braided to secure the flask around his neck was strong. The strands were still moist against his hot skin. He lay flat on his stomach, on Nestor’s barely protruding back. Both Nessie and Nestor were low in the water, only their nostrils and the tops of their heads floated above the waterline. The three slinked along the water’s surface for some time.
Ian loved adventure. He loved the sea as well; the sand, the salt, the smell. He thrived in this environment. Well, usually he did. Right now he was bored to tears. There was no adventure. There was no action, and there certainly didn’t seem to be any danger. In fact, there didn’t seem to be any reason for the stealthy incognito approach at all. Yet every time he made a sound or tried to sit up, Nestor had snapped him back down, quieting him. That giant green lug was really beginning to get on Ian’s last
He grabbed on to Nestor’s back for the ride. “Okay, okay. Sorry. That’s what we learned in school.”
“Yes, well. They used to teach that evil spirits could be sucked out of you by leeches, too.”
“They can’t?”
“Very funny,” Nestor said.
Ian climbed up Nestor’s neck so he could see where they were. “Which way are we going?” he asked.
“The right way.”
“Is that supposed to be a joke?”
“You would prefer the wrong way?”
“I just want to get to my friends.”
“I understand,” Nestor said, “but you must know that the road will be long and fraught with danger.”
“Yeah, the green gremlin said that, too.”
“Ahhh, so you’ve met Alistair then. Good.”
“Yeah, we met him. He gave me this.” Ian pulled the small flask of clear liquid from his pocket. “Never told me what I need to do with it though.”
“Save it,” Nessie said. “You will need it later,”
“What is it? Is it magic?”
“No. There is no magic here. Only Him.”
“Who?”
“Him, the Maker.” She slowed her speed so she could see Ian. “That is a gift.”
“What is it?” He shook the flask. Nothing happened.
“Careful,” she cautioned. “It’s water.”
“Water? Since when do I have to be careful with water? Maybe I’ll just drink it and be done with it.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Why,” Ian asked. “Will I die? Is it poison? What will happen if I do?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? You two aren’t making any sense. I have to be careful with it, but I can’t drink it; it’s not poison; and nothing will happen if I open it; but it’s mine it and I have to take care of it. Is there anything else?”
Nestor stopped swimming and curled his head back around onto his back again. “It’s special water. Not magic as you said, but touched.”
“Touched? By who?”
“By the Maker. When used the right way, it can wash away all that holds us back in life.”
“There’s nothing holding me down.”
“Not down, Ian. Back. Before. Things like fear, hurt, rejection, —“
“I don’t have any of those,” he cut in.
“—anger.”
“Who you calling angry?” he barked.
“No one,” Nestor smiled. “It was just an example.”
“So how does this stuff work anyway?” He shook the bottle again. He peered at it with a skeptical eye.
“First of all, you must believe.”
“Ok. What else?”
“When the time is right, you will know. Magic comes from within and will always fail you. Miracles come from above, and will never let you down. Always thank the One who gave it to you. He alone is in control.”
“Hmmm.” Ian nodded. He thought about Alistair. Ian had no idea how he would be able to thank the little green thing for it, so far away. He didn’t even know where he was.
“Tuck the flask away someplace very safe,” Nestor instructed, “and lay low. We must be very quiet. We are heading into some very dangerous waters.”
The smell of seaweed was pungent. The rope Ian had braided to secure the flask around his neck was strong. The strands were still moist against his hot skin. He lay flat on his stomach, on Nestor’s barely protruding back. Both Nessie and Nestor were low in the water, only their nostrils and the tops of their heads floated above the waterline. The three slinked along the water’s surface for some time.
Ian loved adventure. He loved the sea as well; the sand, the salt, the smell. He thrived in this environment. Well, usually he did. Right now he was bored to tears. There was no adventure. There was no action, and there certainly didn’t seem to be any danger. In fact, there didn’t seem to be any reason for the stealthy incognito approach at all. Yet every time he made a sound or tried to sit up, Nestor had snapped him back down, quieting him. That giant green lug was really beginning to get on Ian’s last
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