Far Pangaea 58: Small World

Before Fenway reached the sailboat a vicious thump from underneath tossed the two men overboard. Swimming against the current moved them further from the boat. One man gets devoured in seconds. The other fights to reach the boat. The females screaming and reaching for him.

Iota sensed their needs and zipped toward the man in the water. Grabbing his hand with a surprising strength she lifts him from the sea. Dangling with flailing limbs Iota smiles knowing she was doing the right thing. On the way back however the weight of the man changed dramatically. A shark rose up and severed the Man from his chest down. Iota was more intent on the rescue and not so much on the outcome of it. Reaching the boat she drops the remainder of the Man on the deck smiling for achieving her goal. It took the two women pointing in horror at her to make Iota understand. Looking down she grits her teeth and offers an expression of sadness. Seeing a ring upon his lifeless hand Iota swoops down and tugs it from his finger. Flying upward with it she poises the ring toward the women as an offering.

The Mate of the deceased, in awe of the entire situation drops to her knees. The other female who read the note crouched beside her friend to share in her grief. All the while the boat sustained another battering before Fenway showed up. Hovering over the sailboat the drone activates its gravitational tractor beam and literally lifts the boat out of the water by three feet. That was the highest his capabilities could lift. Regardless it was a slow drag back to shore.

The sharks however had no desire to abandon their quests for dinner. At only three feet out of the water they could still rise up and snap at the hull. Massive jaws gnashing at sections trying to pull it back down. There came more turbulence. Rocking the boat sent the girls toppling sideways toward the water. The woman who read the note grabs her friend to prevent her going over. In the process a smaller shark arcs high and collides with the ledge of the boat. Snatching the woman closest by the arm into a pull downward. The shock made her drop the wedding band on to the boats deck.

Iota began to fire up after noticing Fenway's help. Ready to rain down at the shark. Before she was able to, fire from another source took away her target. Two separate shots carved into the head of the shark forcing it to fall back into the water. Taking the woman along. The final female forced to relinquish her hold to save herself.

On the shore Lowball had his hands over his ears. Jack's gunshots making him jumpy. The awe of his weapon making the Leprechaun wonder what he had befriended.

"Thunder from a stick." He ushers with a gasp.

"Dammit. I couldn't save the other woman. This is going bad." Jack hissed, "Iota is holding back."

Lowball admits using fingers to plug his ears, "That be because the wee Lass donae know right from wrong."

"Great. We need to have a talk about that."

On the boat the final woman fell to her knees in shock. Retreating into her head that this was it. She too was going to die. Iota examines her emotions and looks out over the water. Sharks were sharing the other woman. It was a gruesome sight. Growing angry at all the depression in the air Iota clenches her fists and zips over the side of the boat and flies under it. Touching the bottom she strains herself but utilizes an unimaginable strength to lift the boat higher. Between she and Fenway they had achieved a height of 12 feet into the air. Too high for the sharks.

Jack through his scopes infrared capabilities dropped his jaw, "She couldn't have did that before everyone died?"

"I told ye Laddie. It takes O'tah a bit to understand. Her heart be in the right place if not her head."

"At least we saved one of them. Could have lost them all." Jack sighs lowering his gaze from his scope. He offered a prayer to those gone forever. From there he sat up and awaited the two mighty mites to bring the boat to shore.

As the boat touches down on the beach Fenway releases it and hovers there waiting for further commands. Iota? She was under the boat buried in mud. Lowball shuffled down to the boat before Jack had. Looking about for his tiny friend.

"O'tah? Where be ye Lass?"

Below in the mud a trench was being dug up until out of the beach rose a mud covered Sprite. Shaking off her exterior. Spitting sand from her mouth. Seeing a happy Lowball made her fly to him and hug his nose. It took Lowball to sneeze before she released him laughing.

The girl on the boat sat immobile. Her eyes barely blinking. The shock had made her lose track of reality. Sharks eating her friends. A flying girl the size of a toy. A metallic ball lifting the boat out of the water. Now a midget in a golden helmet glinting in the moonlight. That was all she wrote. The girl passed out and fell to the deck. Before even seeing Jack.

"Lowball? Go stoke our fire. We need to keep her warm. Iota? We need to talk young woman."

"She be older than ye." Lowball informs then sulks at Jack's sneer, "I be kindlin' me flame."

Crawling into the boat Jack cradles the young beauty. Limp in his arms he carries her over the side and marches up further on the beach to their camp. Once there he places her on his unrolled sleeping bag. Covering her for warmth. The fire rising at Lowball's encouragement.

"She be a lovely one. A wee bit like y'er lady spirit."

"Nothing like Ruby." He sighs, "Nor Renee."

Wincing at Jack's response and expression Lowball thought better to hush. Iota flutters next to Jack pouting. She obviously sensed his emotions. Once he looks up at her he notes her patting her belly.

"You hungry?" He didn't comprehend. She rubs her belly next, "Are you referring to Ruby's belly?" Nodding vividly Jack shakes his head, "She's pregnant. Probably mine." Iota tilts her head to the side as if unsure. Finally, she zips down to his crotch tugging at his pants. Her persistence made Jack lose his cool. He had enough to contend with concerning their new companion.

"What? You're not riding my dick again. Get over it." He swats her away with the back of her hand until she expresses a hurtful look. Pouting she turns her back to him and flies off.

"I donae think she was after y'er nether region." Lowball frowns, "Somethin' has her in a tizzy."

Jack merely narrows his eyes. He was tired. He was hungry. He just wanted a moment to think about tomorrow's move. Although not the best move considering safety they did have a boat. If he could get the others aboard that would keep them from exhaustion. He could survive. Lowball and this new girl not so much. He expected the girl to go against him. Terrified of the water most likely. Who could blame her.

"Fenway?" Jack looks about for his drone, "Go pull us up a fish or two. Yay big." He motions with his hands showing size. Shrill ping later the orb takes off like a light and probes offshore about 30 yards. It used sensors to abduct dinner from below the water. Minutes later the ball of metal delivers two forty pound fish. Dropping them at Jack's feet still flopping for life. Boot on one he takes his hunting knife and cuts the head off. Before turning to the other he tosses the headless fish at Lowball.

"You clean one. I'll clean the other."

"Aye! I be likin' y'er pet Fenway."

"Comes in handy. Let's keep him that way. No more attacks on him. Understood?"

"As ye say."

After a thorough cleaning, filets were roasted over the fire. Dinner served the Gentlemen ate like Kings. Laying back burping and releasing gas Lowball winks at Jack, "A wee bit thirsty after a fine meal."

Grinning Jack digs out his flask and offers it up, "Three swigs. No more."

Greedily the Leprechaun accepts the Tequila and indulges on a defiant fourth swig before handing it back. His sheepish grin made Jack smirk. Quiet for long minutes Jack sighs and begins whistling. Lowball eying him at the tune.

"That be this John Elton ye mentioned?"

"Nope. Not Elton John. A tune my Mom used to sing to me when I was a little boy about your size. No offense."

"A big lad ye were."

"Tall for my age but yeah I suppose."

"What be the name of the song?"

"Don't laugh. It's kind of fitting. It's from a magical place. Sleeping Beauties." He looks at the resting girl, "Dwarves, Leprechauns. Pixies or whatever Iota is. I half expect to run into Pirates and flying kids." He chuckles, "The song? It's called A Small World after All."

It was indeed.

Too small.