Mad As A Hatter (Completed 2015) [WATTY AWARD WINNER *Featured Story*]

Chapter thirty: THE FIRST WAVE

Unedited! Yikes!

I finished MAAH! An update every day! :)

Chapter thirty: THE FIRST WAVE

Alice's POV*

It was a three days journey before we came across it.

The wind suddenly picked up and dragged our ships to the thick cloud that rested over the horizon. I stared into the heavy fog that laid ahead, one hand sitting on my belt.

Isaac lowered his glasses and then raised them, and then lowered them again. "Are you sure we should be heading into that?"

"Don't question me," I told him.

We ventured forward in silence, breathing only audible. A dead coldness filled our perimeter; not a single wave of body heat laid ahead.

However that wasn't the only thing dead.

The wind disappeared as did any sound.

The silence captured everything but the creak of the ship. I heard one person attempt a step and lifted my hand. They paused. Silence again.

Alice, Isaac spoke through our thought connection. We can't see a thing. How are we supposed to steer?

I responded, Just keep moving forward. Soon I can—

Suddenly, this radiant heat spiked up to the left but before I could warn them, our ship was hammered hard to the side.

Some soldiers flew across the deck, others falling over as the ground shook our feet. I tightened my grip on the rope as the boat swept sideways, putting us out of control.

I jerked my head up and realized the attacking boat was hidden in the fog. I felt their energy level thriving now. They were in position to hit again.

"We have to move!" I shouted towards the wheel.

"There isn't much wind!" one called back.

My frustration boiled and I glanced back to the attacker. "We have to move now!"

"We can't!"

My boots stalked heavily along the deck. "Top crew, prepare the weapons. Bottom crew, don't lose your feet."

Isaac shot me a confused look and I closed my eyes, palms facing up. The water bubbled under us and I felt it stir faster, circling the boat. I felt the smoothness snake through my fingers and I raised my hands, the water pulling us forward. There was tension in the ropes, everyone tightly gripping on. Tension in their bodies—tension in the air.

As the water took a life of its own, we were out of attacking range and I opened my eyes. "Stay focused!" I ordered the soldiers, heading to the side of the boat. I gazed over the railing. Body heat was now everywhere, all hiding in the fog. And then the enemy emerged.

Black flags full of holes with burnt ends whipped in the wind. I heard the shadows whisper on their ships, saw shapes of horns and tails whipping around their decks. A captain stood at the front.

I knew whose head I wanted.

Their ship was full speed ahead, and I sensed the shadows pushing their boats faster. "Here they come!" I said but our soldiers were not prepared.

Shadows captured men, fog wrapping around necks, snaking into the mouths, human eyes rolling back and—snap. Their bodies hit the floor. What was shaped to be birds flew over our heads. The fog enveloped anything in its pass, giving the demons camouflage. I heard cries from the boats behind us, and endless splashes into water. The enemy fired their demons through the cannons, bombing our deck with slithering fiends. Wood splintered in all directions, demons collapsing into floors and puncturing holes.