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Since she’d blown open the first case which had killed her mate, Willow’s face had been splashed across the media. She was pretty damn famous.
A girl from a small village, she’d never wished to have herself easily recognised. But her parents had installed a strong sense of right and wrong, and Willow was determined to see justice done. And it appeared she wasn’t alone in that.
Several times lately, she’d boarded ships that were polluting the oceans and discovered the crew in a state of terror. Many babbled about the creature from the seas, and at first, Willow had believed they’d drunk their own toxic waste.
Then, one night about six months ago, she’d seen something slithering over the side of a ship. Her disbelieving eyes had told her she’d imagined it.
But then Willow caught more glimpses of it. She always wiped the cameras on the ships; it never paid to leave evidence of her being there behind. But on one occasion, CCTV showed a ginormous man erupting from the waves; a man who had changed into the creature. Willow had downloaded the footage before wiping it and making her escape.
Stunned beyond belief at what she’d seen, she’d watched it well over one hundred times for the images to sink in. Willow finally concluded that this was Poseidon, the God of the Seas and Oceans. She could have leaked the recording, but something made her cling to it and its secrecy. They were both battling those greedy corporate fat cats who thought nothing of destroying the seas. Those who destroyed marine life and coral reefs. Together, she and Poseidon were a team!
Which is why, when Willow sensed him tonight, she surprised herself.
“I see you, Poseidon,” she stated.
There was no movement, no acknowledgement, nothing. Willow’s lips pursed; damn it, Poseidon was there.
“I’ve seen you several times; it is you, isn’t it? Poseidon, God of the Seas and Oceans? Please, I will not film or harm you,” Willow pursued.
A dark, cackling laugh drifted in the wind.
“Hurt me? A human?” the taunt whispered on the slight breeze that’d broken out.
Willow shivered. The voice didn’t sound friendly.
“I won’t. I’m trying to help you stop these… um… bad people. You are Poseidon, aren’t you?” Willow asked, scanning the ship for a sign. She was on the top deck, but the moon was hidden behind clouds, and there were many shadows and dark areas he could hide in.
Hardly any lights were turned on. She had been filming the barrels when everything had gone black, and knowing what it meant, Willow had crept upwards towards the open air. She’d heard the screams and even gunshots, but the ship had slowly ceased all human sounds.
“You’ve left the crew alive but insane, just like the other times, haven’t you?” Willow called.
“What does it matter to you? You film and reveal these monsters. Are you looking to expose another one?”
“No! I only wish to talk. I’m trying to save the oceans, too. What these people do sickens me; they murder thousands of humans and sea life every year. I want to stop them as you do,” Willow stated passionately.
“You think human life matters to me? They are a plague on this world. They’re a disease that there’s no stopping. Kill a thousand, ten thousand, hell, even a million of you, and it would barely make a difference. Eight billion of you flesh bags ravaging this beautiful planet, destroying it for greed. If I could send a pox at you all to wipe you out, I’d do so. I wouldn’t blink twice; I’d not hesitate, but I would certainly pull the trigger as you waste of spaces say.”
Willow blinked and stepped back protectively at the hate in the voice aimed at her. She’d believed they were working together to save the planet and the human race, but now self-doubt crept in.
“You hate humans?” she whispered and shrank as a figure appeared.
It was the creature she’d seen before, the version of Poseidon she had thought to be some sort of merman. But the eyes glowing red with rage and chest heaving angrily warned Willow to place her safety first and be wary of her words.
“Hate them? I loathe them. Because of humans, I look like this. Me, Poseidon. A human destroyed my race of people, and then we were hunted by you and had to watch you ravage this planet. A gift from God himself, and yet humans are too stupid, too greedy to understand what they have in their grasping hands,” Poseidon seethed.
“Not all humans!” Willow cried.
“All. Even you seek something from your actions,” Poseidon hissed, moving closer.
Willow stepped further away, and her back touched the ship’s rail. “I do not!”
The creature was insane. Years of godhood had weakened his mind. After all, he must have been lonely, she rationalised.
“No? You are famous now, millions know your name, people give you money, and you’re invited to talk shows. You say you get nothing from these actions? I say differently. You claim to be an eco-warrior, warriors bleed little girl. Where have you bled? Where are the scars from your battles? Show me… no? Not surprised.”
“I may not have scars on the outside, but I carry them!” Willow nearly yelled. Her mind shied away from the image of her dying friend, how yellow and brittle she’d become.
Insidiously, a memory attacked her forcing her to recall Naomi writhing in pain from the toxins in her body.
