Evelina and the Reef Hag (15 page)

Frankie and Cliff were waiting when they arrived.

They didn’t look happy.

“Tough luck, dude.” Abby punched Cliff on the shoulder. “But ya’ put up a good fight.”

“Sorry, guys. It sucks.” Evelina didn’t know what else to say. “How could they have come from behind so fast?”

“They cheated!” Cliff wore a look of outrage. “That’s how.”

“Probably.” Frankie sounded resigned. “But, we don’t have any proof.”

“How else could they come up on us so fast? They were in third place, and then wham!” Cliff made a sliding motion with hands. “There they were.”

“It seems very unlikely.” Tally rubbed her chin. “They’d been trailing from the start.”

“Something isn’t right,” Frankie agreed.

“Yeah!” Cliff boomed. “They’re partying and we’re not!”

“We were right in sync.” Frankie scowled. “I wonder how they did it?”

“Maybe it wasn’t magic.” Evelina had a sudden brain wave. “Maybe it was something they did to the boat—that didn’t involve magic at all.”

“That’s it!” Frankie’s gold eyes sparked. He grabbed her by the shoulders, then kissed her square on the lips. “You’re right!”

“You think it’s the boat?” Cliff perked up. “It could be.”

Evelina tingled with curiosity, or maybe it was the sudden shock of Frankie’s warm mouth touching hers. “I think we should check it out.”

Tally’s eyes went round like an owl. “Now?”

“Why not?” Abby agreed—as usual, game for anything. “Let’s do it!”

“I’ll wait here.” Tally stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. “In case Burble shows up.”

Frankie took Evelina by the hands. “Ready?”

A tingle raced up her back.

She nodded.

Poof!

The next thing she knew she was standing in a grove of palms staring at a moonlit beach.

The Swamp Hog’s camp.

It resembled the Swamp Hag’s, with a crude shack on stilts and a rickety dock leading up to it.

Hooting and hollering could be heard from within. The place was
rockin
’. No doubt they were celebrating their win. Seaweed and driftwood littered the beach all around. The scent of burnt marshmallows and dead fish, tangled in the breeze.

“Sounds like they’ve moved the party inside,” Frankie said peering through the cattails.

“Can you see the boat?” Cliff poked his head between them.

“Over there.” Abby pointed through the palms, to the right of the shack. “Pulled up on the beach.”

The mustard-colored war canoe sat in the sand, a few feet away from the smoking embers of an abandoned fire.

“Come on.” Frankie arched his hand in the air. “Let’s check it out.”

They raced across the beach to the war canoe.

It took all four of them to flip the canoe over.

Evelina gasped.

“What is it?”

“It looks like metal fins.”

“Shhh!” Abby made a slicing motion across her neck. “Someone’s coming!”

They raced for the cover of the trees, then huddled down between a palm and a pink flowering acacia.

Frankie crouched so close to Evelina their shoulders touched.

His breath tickled the little hairs on the back of her neck.

Every molecule vibrated.

 
“Are you cold?” Frankie whispered.

She took a long, shuddering breath. “No.” If anything she was hot, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. “I’m good.”

He smiled.

Her belly did a flip.

“Good.”

“But… thanks for asking.”

“No problem.”

The Dirty Diaper Gang, minus Wendell, sauntered down the sandy path toward the dock.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Frankie said keeping his voice low. “I did some digging and found out the captain of the Six Doubloons was
Rafe
Lefever
, who just happens to be a very dangerous Time Pirate.”

“Why is he so dangerous?”

“He figured out a way to keep his powers when he time skips.”

“Maybe he has something to do with the Reef Hag.”

“Hard to say.”

“But he could have.”

“I don’t know.
Morwitches
are usually his demon of choice.”

Evelina ground her teeth. Boy, when Frankie had something in his brain it was good and stuck. Well, she wasn’t ruling
Lefever
out. It was too much of a coincidence that she ended up on that ship. Whoever sent the Wave Wire led her there for a reason.

“Evening, folks.” A voice said behind them in the dark.

Evelina spun round.

Wendell Barnes.

She should have known he wasn’t far behind.

At the sound of his voice, Ronny and Donny sprinted toward them.

Wendell’s mouth curled in a smirk. “Out for a little stroll, are we?”

Frankie stood. “We came to have a look at your canoe.”

Wendell crooked one auburn brow. “Did you now?”

“That’s right.” Cliff’s voice boomed in the darkness.

“You cheated!” Frankie’s mouth curled in disgust.

“No we didn’t,” Wendell scoffed. “The rules said no magic. We used good old ingenuity.”

“Technology that doesn’t exist yet.”

“The advantages of being a Time Keeper.”

“Except you aren’t anymore.” Frankie sounded dead calm. “Your memories have been stripped, due to misconduct.”

“Even if they weren’t,” Cliff gritted. “It would still be cheating.”

“Semantics.” Wendell cracked a smug smile.

“You won’t get away with it,” Evelina informed him flatly.

“Is that so?” Wendell’s voice hardened. “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way.”

The Dirty Diaper Gang snickered.

“Get them!” Wendell commanded.

Ronny and Donny charged.

Wendell pulled two stun guns from his pockets like six shooters, incapacitating Frankie and Cliff in seconds.

Ronny and Donny grabbed Abby.

Evelina sank to her knees to help Frankie, who writhed beside Cliff in the sand, moaning in pain.

Wendell jerked her to her feet, dragging her away. “He’ll live.”

“He’d better!” Evelina choked, attempting to twist away. “Or you won’t.”

“There, there!” Wendell dragged her toward the beach. “Sorry.” Wendell shoved her down beside the war canoe. He trailed one finger down her cheek. “But, I’m afraid I can’t have you running around smearing my good name.”

Evelina flinched away.

“Ha!” Abby didn’t bother to disguise her disdain, as Ronny and Donny wrestled her down beside the war canoe. “Since when?”

Wendell’s eyes narrowed. “Since always!”

“How can you feel good if you cheated?” Evelina blurted, hoping to buy some time. “Isn’t it better to win fair and square?”

“No.” The Dirty Diaper Gang chimed.

“Hurry up!” Wendell shouted. “Tie them up. I’ll deal with the other two.”

Evelina’s mouth went dry.

That didn’t sound good.

Chapter Twelve

The tide was rising fast.

Evelina writhed and wriggled, and jerked, pulling on the ropes, but couldn’t pry her wrists free.

Abby growled and snarled like a rabid dog, attempting to gnaw the gag from her mouth.

Frankie and Cliff were no help—buried up to their necks in the sand—knocked out cold.

Evelina couldn’t even call to them to wake them up with the gag in her mouth. The Swamp Hog’s shack was in the next bay. No one could hear them over the rush of the surf and wind, even if they were inclined to help them.

Every minute the ocean inched closer.

Evelina’s panic grew.

It was already lapping at their necks.

The black fin of a shark appeared and disappeared beyond the frothy breakers.

She had to get loose and dig them out.

Fast!

Frankie moaned.

Evelina thrashed and pulled harder at the ropes.

If only she knew some untying spell. Or, a dissolving spell. Maybe something to eat the ropes. Or burn them.

Lightning would definitely be overkill.

The shark’s fin appeared above the water, circling closer.

A shiver raced over her scalp.

Think, think, think!

Abby snarled louder.

A spark lit in Evelina’s brain.

That’s it!

The transformation spell.

“Initio Infra!” She choked in muffled gasps under the gag, wiggling her finger at Abby.

Razor sharp piranha teeth appeared in Abby’s mouth. Abby chewed through the gag like a shark through sushi. Seconds later she’d ripped off the ropes on her wrists. The spell began to fade just as she untied her ankles.

“How did you do that?” Abby gasped when the razor teeth disappeared and she could speak again.

“I don’t know.” Evelina was a little shocked herself. “I just concentrated and it happened.”

“We need to talk.” Abby untied Evelina’s gag. “Seriously.” She moved on to Evelina’s wrists. “I need to get more into this witch thing.”

They worked together on the ropes at Evelina’s ankles.

Cliff began to sputter and choke.

The water had risen to his lips.

Evelina and Abby raced over.

Evelina slapped Frankie’s cheeks. “Wake up!”

“Come on, Cliff!” Abby pinched Cliff’s cheeks, pulled on his ears, then gave him a sound slap. “Snap out of it!”

The girls started digging.

But the faster they dug, the faster the ocean rushed in.

Frankie groaned.

Cliff made no sound, no doubt due to the huge welt on his noggin.

Frankie’s eyelids fluttered open.

“Frankie! Come on! Wake up!” Evelina shook him again. “Hurry up!”

His eyes went wide.

He must have heard Cliff choking.

In an instant, the sand began to whirl beneath Cliff, like batter in a mixer.

Abby jumped back.

Cliff rose up and up, landing with a splash on his butt in the sand. His eyes popped open.

Evelina backed away from Frankie as the sand began to whirl under her feet.

Cliff groaned, putting a hand to his head.

“You’ll live.” Abby slapped Cliff on the back.

“Barnes won’t when I get my hands on him,” Cliff ground out, coming to his feet. “Where is he?”

“It’s almost morning.” Frankie stretched and flexed his arms and shoulders before brushing off the sand. “They’re probably gone. Don’t worry,” his tone turned dangerous, “We’ll get them.”

Sure enough the shack was empty when they arrived—locked up tight.
Keep out
was scrawled in the center of a massive shark’s jaw on the plank door. A putrid stench seeped from every nook and crack.

There wasn’t much to see through the grimy windows. A filthy mess of fish bones and dirty cutlery littered the wooden table. Fishing poles and nets leaned against the walls. Whatever twisted freak show they had going on was apparently on hold until Friday.

It was Monday morning. Everyone returned to their mortal existence. Which meant, they had a long day ahead. Evelina stifled a yawn behind her hand just thinking about it.

How would they keep their sales higher than the Hell Hut with two of them asleep on their feet?

***

Three hours toting a sandwich board up and down the beach and Evelina was pooped. Sweat beaded on her upper lip. Her eyes were closing fast.

She felt like the walking dead.

Hopefully, this was drumming up more business.

The last thing she wanted was the Hell Hut to win. But, sales or not, she needed a rest before tackling any more thirsty tourists. The Coconut Shack would have to wait. She needed some shut-eye.

She sank down on the sand, then crawled under the giant cardboard snow cone to take a nap.

It seemed like she’d barely closed her eyes when she heard a familiar voice say, “It didn’t work!”

Psycho Sally?

What was she doing here? Making house calls? Meeting clients on the beach for a little stroll and a palm reading?

“You said you’d handle it,” another woman said. She sounded angry.

“I thought I had.” Sally’s voice turned hard. “She must have found it in time.”

The voices grew distant.

Evelina peeked out from under the board, straining to hear what they were saying. Whatever they were up to, it didn’t sound good.

Psycho Sally and a tall blonde strolled further down the beach. The other woman looked vaguely familiar. If only she’d turn around.

Evelina picked up the sandwich board, then scurried up behind them, taking care to stay hidden.

They halted.

Evelina planted the board in the hot sand.

“As long as we are slowly eliminating the competition, he’ll be happy,” the other woman said in a cold voice.

“With each tribe down one, the Swamp Hogs will certainly win,” Psycho Sally said. “Well played,
Thoosa
!”

Evelina’s mouth went dry in the silence that followed.

She peeked out from under the sandwich board.

The tall woman strode away.

Sally walked out into the surf.

Then something extraordinary happened.

Her skin began to melt off her body, swirling with the foam of the ocean to rise ahead of her in another body—the Reef Hag’s, leaving Psycho Sally’s muscles and bones exposed. She wriggled and writhed, her face contorted in pain. Then, just as quickly a wave washed over her making her whole again.

It all happened so fast, Evelina wondered if she’d imagined it as she watched Psycho Sally saunter down the beach and the Reef Hag slither into the surf.

Wow!

It was true.

Sally was possessed by the Reef Hag. She was working with the Swamp Hags. And it sounded like
Lake
of the Isles was next. Evelina struggled to her feet. She had to get back and tell the others.

They had to do something!

Before someone else died.

Evelina picked up the sandwich board, to trundle in the opposite direction down the beach.

“We have to tell Burble!” was Abby’s reaction when Evelina relayed the news.

“We can’t wait until the weekend.” Tally appeared horror struck. “It might be too late.”

“Great.” Abby wore a bemused look. “But, how do we contact her?”

“I don’t know.” Evelina searched her brain. “She always contacts us.”

“We don’t see her until Friday.”

“We can’t wait until then.” Tally shook her head.

“Udora will know what to do,” Evelina said, hoping she was right. “I’ll find out tonight.”

“
Thoosa
? Is that what she said?” Abby wore a look of distaste. “As in
Thoosa
Barnes?”

“I don’t know.” Maybe that was why she looked so familiar. She must have seen her at meetings. “Maybe.”

Abby made a long whistling sound. “She’s a bitch on wheels.”

Tally huddled closer. “She has a fierce reputation.” She lowered her voice to a hoarse whisper. “I heard my mother speak of her once. Seems they went to school together. Let’s just say the adjectives were not flattering.”

Evelina had to agree with Tally’s mother. Fierce was close. But, blood thirsty would be a more accurate description. She wasn’t anybody you wanted to mess with. That’s for sure.

Evelina never thought she’d feel sorry for Wendell, but after encountering his mother she kinda did? Having a mother like that had to be brutal. What must his father be like? Who married a freak like that?

Of course it explained a lot about Wendell—depending on which way you wanted to go with the nature, nurture thing, or in his case, a combination of the two.

He was one messed up dude.

No doubt about it.

***

“Burble?” Udora turned from pruning her lamb’s ears in the garden, appearing neither surprised nor alarmed by Evelina’s request.

The plant, more of a curly
venus
flytrap with yellow eyes and white dreadlocks, bleated for attention.

Udora scratched it under the chin. “I can send out a message of course.” She set down the shears on the stone table. “But there’s no telling if she’ll get it soon enough.”

“I don’t know. Atmospheric pressure is low today.” Mrs. Segal climbed down from the step stool under the lemon tree, straw hat askew. “It’s difficult to say, my dear.” She examined the lemons in her basket one at a time. “She might get it and she might not.”

“Councillor
McCrystal
must be notified at once,” Udora said in dour tones. “If anything is to be done at all.”

 
“Most disturbing!” Mrs. Segal hugged her basket. “I’ve always made it my business to give
Thoosa
Barnes a wide berth. She’s the worse sort of Hag!”

“Here we go.” Udora rolled her eyes.

“Not at all suitable company.” Mrs. Segal shuddered. “I remember during our Flurry her unsportsmanlike behavior. Shocking!” Mrs. Segal appeared incensed. “Proper etiquette must be observed—propriety upheld or we all fall to ruin.”

“Meantime, back in the real world,” Udora said under her breath. “Right. Let’s get on with it, shall we?” Udora strode to the back porch of the little pink cottage. “It’s been some time since I sent a Wind Wire.”