Page 84 - Microsoft Word - FANG EMPIRE - NOVEL.docx

standing alone on a small ark with a great white sail. Emblazoned upon the sail was the insignia of

a black, thorned rose. The ark rocked helplessly upon the angry waves of a tempestuous sea. She

reached out and grabbed the mast to keep from being pitched overboard. A voice came up from

the water.

“Give me your hand,” the voice said. “Reach, reach for me.”

“Reach where?” said GoGo.

“The water.”

GoGo stumbled over to the bow of the ark, looked down at the waves. A pale white hand

reached up from the water.

“What alchemy is this? Am I dreaming? ” GoGo asked.

“Take my hand before thy ship crashes against the rocks,” said the voice.

GoGo looked ahead and saw two large jagged rocks jutting from the sea. The sail filled

with a sudden gust of wind and the ark was thrust forward. GoGo grabbed the pale hand and it

pulled her overboard. She closed her eyes, screamed out, and fell into the sea under the waves just

as the ark struck the rocks and broke into planks. She opened her eyes underwater but the pale

hand was gone. She tried to swim back to the surface but the powerful ocean current pulled her

under. She struggled but she was tossed and turned and tiring.

The voice spoke to her. “Do not struggle. I am the ocean around you.”

GoGo obeyed and began to float under the waves. The pale hand reached down into the

water from above the surface.

“Take my hand,” said the voice.

GoGo reached up and grabbed it. The hand pulled her to the surface of the ocean . . . that

was now a sea of sand. The hand became sand and crumbled away. GoGo fell back, exhausted on

the Sahara Desert under the soft light of the crescent moon.