Chapter 53 (PART - C) end of chapter 53


“Blisterin’ Barnacles! You just sit down and shut up you fool! You nearly cost all of us our lives!” Haddock blasted him out.

“We’re safe aren’t we?!” he shouted resentfully.
“We need to keep the torches going Lucille so boats may see us so we can get into the port! Yates! Help me row!” Haddock ordered ignoring Ballard.
“Yes Captain!” Yates obeyed taking the other oar.
“I’M da Captain!” Ballard shouted as they were riding wave after wave as the rain fell and the wind blew.

“I wouldn’t antagonize him anymore if I were you! We may die from pneumonia! Now sit down and keep quiet!” Lucille scolded him noticing Haddock was about ready to pummel his face.
Ballard sat in the middle of the raft resentfully. Everyone was cold and wet using all they had to reach the port.
“Ahhhh! It’s a monster!” Ballard suddenly screamed out.
Haddock stopped paddling, “Thunderin’ typhoons! If I have to turn around!” he muttered under his breath as a bright flash of lightning lit up the sky drawing another wail out of Ballard.

Haddock reached out and grabbed Ballard by his coat in frustration ready to punch him. Lucille noticed something behind them in the water that resembled a person but looked almost like a fish in the flash as well.
“No! Captain wait!” Lucille turned around with both flashlights in here hands.
“Don’t tell me this heathen saw something!” Haddock said almost disbelievingly.
“I don’t know what it was, maybe in the lightning it was an optical illusion of some kind” Lucille shouted.
“Captain I need yer help to keep us going! If we just push a bit further the waves may carry us into port” Yates suggested.
Haddock let go of Ballard and began quickly paddling in sync with Yates. Lucille kept looking out behind them when the lightning would flash, but she couldn’t see anything. Ballard kept looking with paranoia.

“I see lights up ahead! Just a bit further!” Lucille shouted.
Haddock and Yates paddled vigorously until they were navigating through using the light from the light house and the other residual lighting from the port. Luckily, the port was hardly active at this hour and the waves knocked them almost into a pier. Haddock and Yates used their oars to steady the raft so one of them could get out. Lucille began tossing their bags to Yates and carefully Lucille and Haddock helped Ballard step out of the raft.

“I can walk!” Ballard shouted with his pride being hurt as Yates helped him on the pier.
“You go next lass!” Haddock prompted. Lucille took Yates hand and steadied herself onto the pier.
Haddock tossed the other oar on the pier and carefully tried to step off. A rogue wave about caused him to slip and fall, but fortunately Lucille and Yates were able to catch him.
“Thanks you two, I owe ya one!” Haddock nodded.
“Quickly! My raft!” Ballard complained.
“Ok ya landlubber! Help Lucille carry the bags off the pier so we can get out of this horrible weather!” Haddock ordered.

Haddock and Yates slowly pulled the raft out of the water. They drug the large cumbersome raft off the pier.
“Where are we goin’ ta put this thing?” Yates asked unsure.
“Wherever we can, we got ta get out of this weather!” Haddock yelled.

They stashed the raft behind an old building as the thunder rumbled loudly and the lightning flashed illuminating everything. As the lightning illuminated everything Ballard turned around again with his drunken face contorted in fear unable to speak.

“..uh bu-bu-bu-bu-bu!” Ballard stuttered.
“Quite! I’ve heard enough out of you!” Haddock yelled at him as they were continuing trying to find an inn or somewhere to get out of the rain.
Yates turned finally curious to see what Ballard kept having outburst about. After noticing an odd shadow, he walked close up to Haddock.
“Don’t look now, but me thinks we gots’ a meddler behind us” Yates whispered to Haddock.
“Is that so?” Haddock muttered. “We’ll show ‘em” Haddock finished.
“Just give me da word and it’s done” Yates whispered as they continued walking with Ballard stuttering and Lucille shaking her head unable to see clearly who was behind them following.
“Don’t look behind Lucille…keep moving!” Haddock whispered loudly to her ahead.

Lucille didn’t question him, but an eerie feeling was overtaking her as she anxiously kept hoping they would find an inn or even a pub at this hour in the business district as they walked inland. Ballard looked terrified. Cocoa trotted briskly by Lucille’s side turning around with her ears lying flat as she would show her teeth growling.

“Come on Ballard no lagging!” Lucille whispered to him. “Come Cocoa!” Lucille called out.
They continued for several blocks turning and crossing streets and still the figure seemed to be trying to follow them poorly trying to conceal his or her presence.
“I see a building that looks as if it may be open” Lucille sneezed.
“Aye, Yates is our pursuer still tracking us?” Haddock asked.
Yates looked behind them and could see what appeared to be a person wearing a raincoat and hat in the light coming from a block behind them.

“Stop…let’s deal with this right now!” Haddock growled annoyed.
“No Captain! I have a bad feeling about this! Let’s just keep moving!” Lucille pleaded with him as Cocoa was echoing her sentiment continuously growling and barking now.
“Boulderdash! I’m a Haddock and don’t fear anything!” Haddock affirmed.
“Aye aye Cap’n!” Yates echoed.

Suddenly Haddock and Yates turned as the figure finally emerged out of the shadows.
“Show yourself and tell us why yer following us!” Haddock demanded.
The figure came to a stop and stood just under ten paces away from them. A deep growl and breathing could be heard. It stood there silently for a moment.
Lucille began noticing strange features about this mystery person. Whoever it was looked like they hadn’t cut their nails in years. Cocoa was barking and growling more intensely showing her teeth as if she was going to attack if the person dared to come any closer.

“The devil’s come fer us!” Ballard began babbling.
“Answer me ya ignorant savage!” Haddock cursed.
The mysterious person began slowly walking towards them growling.
“Ya think we’re playin’!?” Yates yelled jumping in front of Haddock brandishing his knife at this unseen individual.
“Grraarr hisssss!” was the only response that came and Yates slashed at the person.
Only the tip of the knife cut some of the person’s raincoat ripping, but the creature quickly grabbed Yates wrist squeezing hard causing him to drop the knife. Yates swiftly came back with a left hook knocking the raincoat hat off its head revealing a hideous looking lagoon creature.

“Ahhhhh!” Yates screamed out suddenly caught off guard not expecting to see such a thing. The creature opened its mouth showing its razor sharp teeth.
Haddock jumped back caught by surprise as well.
“I knew it was the devil! By God’s name I banish you devil!” Ballard said pulling a small wooden crucifix from around his neck brandishing it in the creature’s face.

The creature reached out and swiftly clawed Ballard across the face leaving four scratch marks causing Ballard to fall down screaming in pain. Yates took advantage and took another left hook at the creature’s face barely phasing it. Cocoa couldn’t take it anymore. She dashed at the creature too.
“No Cocoa!” Lucille cried out.

The creature focused on Yates letting go of his right wrist. It grabbed him by the throat choking and showing its teeth again growling only to be distracted again by Cocoa biting its ankle causing it to growl. Yates struggled trying to get the clawed hand of the creature off his throat.

The creature retaliated against Cocoa by kicking her with its other foot sending Cocoa reeling back towards Lucille not moving.
“Cocoa!” Lucille cried out again drawing her gun as Haddock did likewise.
“You hold it right there ya monsterous animal abusing instigator!” Haddock shouted brandishing his gun.
The creature lifted the choking Yates off his feet tossing him a couple yards to the side into a barrel now focusing its attention on Haddock.
“Stop right there or I’ll shoot!” Haddock warned, but the creature began to run at Haddock.
Haddock pulled the trigger but nothing happened. Haddock pulled the trigger again and again and still nothing.

“What in blazes!?” Haddock gasped jumping back as the creature clawed at him. Haddock threw the gun at the creature hitting it in the side of its scaly head.
The creature redoubled its effort to go after Haddock reaching out overextending itself. Haddock countered with a strong right and left hook and stomped hard on the creature’s webbed feet getting it to roar out in pain. The creature recovered much faster than Haddock anticipated. It blocked Haddock’s third and fourth furious strike. It countered by grappling Haddock’s arms opening its mouth wide showing its razor sharp teeth.

“No!” Lucille screamed aiming her father’s revolver.
“Please by all that’s good FIRE!” BANG! Lucille screamed pulling the trigger hitting it in the thigh.

The creature then refocused its attention toward its newest deadly threat, Lucille. It then grabbed Haddock by the color and swung him around making Haddock hit the wall head first. He landed on top of Yates. Now with no one else to get in its way, it would incapacitate its last threat and do away with all of them in a fell swoop.

Lucille nervously tried to aim firing hitting it in the leg instead of its head. Lucille could see Ballard was grabbing his face lying in a fetal position on the ground seemingly in excruciating pain. Yates was out cold probably from hitting his head on the barrel and being chocked. Cocoa lied just behind her just breathing slowly. Haddock didn’t show any signs of movement either as he lied on top of Yates. Lucille fired again this time missing. She turned and ran.

“HELP ME!” she screamed running towards the lit building ahead. The creature gained on her quickly, but Lucille turned and fired again grazing it on the shoulder.
“Somebody please help me!” Lucille called out to anyone.
A night patrol officer came out of the lit building, “Whose there!?” he shouted.
“Officer! Help me!” Lucilled cried out.
“What are you--!?” the officer answered his own question as she ran towards him and he saw the thing that was pursuing her.

“By the banshee’s curse!” the officer said taking out his club trying to be brave.
“Now you hold it right there ya Blarney kisser!” the officer said swinging his club hitting the creature antagonizing it even more. It slowed down and fiercely backhanded the officer knocking him out instantly.

“No!” Lucille screamed continuing to run but the creature got its clawed hand on her coat jerking her back. Lucille swiftly turned with her coat and fired her last shot hitting the creature in the chest weakening it this time, but not enough for it to let go. It slowly pinned her up against the building as Lucille struggled in vain to get out of its grip. The creature slowly opened its mouth again and Lucille put her arms up in a last defense; but, the creature roared out in pain instantly letting Lucille go.

“Ya thought ya could put ole Haddock down eh?” The Captain screamed from behind the creature. It turned to face Haddock as he pulled his right hand back coming up with what seemed to be an uppercut which was Yate’s knife stabbing through its chin.
“I’m gonna gut me a fish tonight!” Haddock roared back fearlessly. Lucille was amazed at Haddock’s sudden rush of adrenaline despite their exhaustion. The creature flailed blindly at Haddock as he pulled the knife out and gutted it in the stomach then kicked the knife deeper.

“Die ya fiendish devil! That will teach ya to mess with my friends” Haddock said triumphantly.
Lucille breathed a deep sigh of relief once the creature finally quit struggling and moving all together.
“Officer! Are you alright?” Lucille woke him.
“Ugh…what in devil’s name was that?” the officer asked slowly.
“Don’t know” Lucille answered honestly.
“Something that can’t possibly be of this world!” Haddock nodded confidently.
They all took a look at it and right before their eyes its flesh melted right off and it turned into a small puddle of dark green goo.
“I’ve got ta lay off da whisky” the officer replied.
“Whiskey?!” Lucille looked surprisingly at him.
“Did I say whisky? I mean…my fiancée works here at this tavern inn” he explained.
“Drinkin’ on the job and seeing your girlfriend…but you said it’s an inn! Good, help us get a few rooms and we’ll forget this whole incident” Haddock said expediently.
“Right away…I don’t even want to think about what just happened” he officer agreed disappearing back in the inn.

“We need to get inside in dry off by the fire and let our clothes dry” Haddock said as they walked back to help their companions.
“What a night!” Lucille sighed still shaken by this new monstrosity.
“I’m da captain?” Ballard asked as they walked in the inn drawing a quick reproachful stare from Haddock.
“Yes Mr. Ballard, you’re the captain” Lucille said patronizingly looking at Haddock.
“I hope Tintin and the rest are ok…” Haddock’s tone of voice changed to that of worry.

Lucille was too tired to converse any further as they helped Ballard who was finally able to walk now and a still dazed Yates and Cocoa to the inn. Shortly after getting their rooms weariness overtook them. It was already in the early hours of the morning. They would rest and worry about tomorrow when it arrived.

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