Three Days Out in Rough Seas.

No land in sight.  The water they'd saved to drink was getting low and the fruit was on the far side of ripe.  Something needed to change and change fast.

The sea swells opened up like giant gnawing mouths, lapping up the next bite.  Everybody was feeling sea sick, tummyitis.  When one swell started to get big, bigger than all the others,  bigger by far,  big enough to cover a giant sea creature, the size of five whales and it was wiggling an eel-like body.
Long, slow undulations appeared as the creature took shape and it's personality, not a good one, took hold.    Must have been those red burning eyes.  Dragon eyes.

"Omega!  Do something about this guy!"  Petey shouted.

"Yeah, but what?  I don't harm God's creatures, all of them are my brothers and sisters."  Omega reminded them.

"Now you tell me," grumped Petey.

Then it turned it's great, red burning eyes at Omega and the crew, and blew hot flames at them. Close enough to singe their eyebrows. The final undulations was immense and the waves swamped their fine, little boat.  Because the boat was put together with reeds and willows, with broad board used for ballast, the water quickly washed back into the sea.

The thing settled back into the water. The kids looked around the small craft and into the deep blue sea.
"Hey!"  Rick said.  "I can't find Tim!"  That sent everybody into the small boat's hidey holes and then they peered over the side.  No  Tim.  He had been washed overboard.

Deep, sad silence.

Then the sea erupted into a huge explosion, that sent spray in every direction,  and unsettled wave after wave.  The dragon look back at the boat.  In it's mouth was a wiggling, yelling Tim, alive, but water-logged.

A huge surge of energy enveloped the whole ship, as if the wood and the reeds could conduct energy.  A huge crack sounded and then one of the masts listed to the right.  The mast had developed a spiral break, like a bad break in a leg.  The green sail slumped to one side.

"Well, crap."  Rick said.

"What happened?"  John-John asked.

Omega shrugged, "It just got away from me.  I get upset and it just goes. . ."

The dragon took flight, taking Tim with him.








.