NIGHTMARE FROM the DEEP

THE SEA DRAGON was a fine-looking sailing vessel.

The ship was painted dark red with a yellow stripe on either side. It had a dragon figure head and a stern – shaped like a dragon’s tail. The white sail had the image of a green dragon it.

There were twenty benches and twenty oars – twenty large, heavy oars, ready to be pulled by twenty strong rowers.

Then there was the helm and the crow’s nest.

Furthermore, (THE SEA DRAGON) was painted on either side, in fine bold gold letters.

A masterpiece of craftmanship, THE SEA DRAGON was.

The sailors were a fine lot too. Twenty-three of them there were – twenty-three sailors with powerful, strong-looking muscles and tough, tanned skin.

The names of the sailors are as follows.

Jason – captain. Hylas – watchman. Argus – ship builder. Orpheus – rower. Hercules – rower. Acastus – rower. Idas – rower. Lynceus – rower. Mopsus – rower. Castor – rower. Pollux – rower. Zetes – rower. Butes – rower. Euphemus – rower. Talaus – rower. Staphylus – rower. Meleager – rower. Admetus – rower. Anceas – rower. Azorus – rower. Echion – rower. Idmon – rower. Peleus – rower.

“It’s a perfect morning for sailing,” said Jason, who was watching his crew load food, water and other provisions on board THE SEA DRAGON. “Don’t you agree Argus?”

“Yes, I totally agree Jason,” the ship builder replied.

“A fine ship to sail in and a well put together crew of strong, experienced seafarers, like ourselves.”

“Yes,” Argus said slowly.

When all the provisions had finally been stowed on board, the crew members got off the ship and approached Jason and Argus.

“Good work everyone,” said Argus.

“Now then, I know you’re all well experienced sailors,” Jason said. “But if anyone wishes to back out, now’s the time to say so.”

“Anyone?” asked Argus.

Not a single crew member showed a sign of wanting to walk away.

“Good,” Jason said. “Now let’s get on board.”

The sailors got on board THE SEA DRAGON.

“Up into the crow’s nest Hylas,” said Jason. “The rest of you to the benches.”

Hylas climbed the ropes and into the crow’s nest and the rowers sat on the benches and grabbed the oars.

As for Jason, he went to the helm to steer the ship.

Argus accompanied him.

“Blades in the water,” Jason said.

The rowers dipped the oar blades in the water.

“And away you go.”

As the oarsmen began to pull the oars, THE SEA DRAGON, slowly moved away from the shore.

“Get the rhythm going now,” said Argus.

“ONE – TWO – THREE – FOUR – FIVE – SIX – SEVEN – EIGHT – NINE – TEN – ELEVEN –

As Jason counted, the rowers leaned back and forth on their benches – pulling long, powerful strokes with the oars. Huge swells came off the blades.

“That’s good,” Jason said.

“Keep it going,” said Argus.

“IN AND OUT – IN AND OUT – IN AND OUT – IN AND OUT – IN AND OUT –, the oarsmen repeated over and over again in unison.

As they did so, the rhythm and speed began to pick up gradually.

So THE SEA DRAGON and its crew had finally left the shore.

The sailors had fear in their hearts – fear of sailing into unknown areas of the sea, into uncharted waters and

of stormy weather – possibly yet to come.

Furthermore, they dreaded the thought of being eaten by a sea monster called, the Kraken.

However not all vibrations were of fear.

The sailors had plenty of food and water to look forward to and many ancient seafaring legends and myths to tell.

“A perfect day’s sailing it’s been,” said Jason. “A calm sea and not a change in the weather.”

“And with a fine crew,” Argus said.

“They could do with a rest after rowing all day non-stop.”

“Yes – they need rest, food and water.”

“After Sundown, we’ll have some entertainment.”

For a moment, Jason watched the Sun, gradually lowering towards the horizon.

He then turned back to face the rowers.

“Stop rowing all of you,” he said.

The oarsmen did as they were ordered.

“Eat, drink and rest,” said Argus.

“Come down and join us Hylas,” Jason said.

Hylas descended from the crow’s nest and dined with the other sailors until Sundown.

When the Sun was below the horizon, stars appeared in the night sky and a large, full Moon came into view.

“Time for some entertainment,” Jason said.

“How about story-telling?” asked Argus. “A seafaring myth or legend?”

“That’s just what I had in mind,” Jason said.

“Me too,” said Acastus.

“And me,” Castor said.

“How about Jason and the Argonauts?” asked Hercules.

“That’s my favourite,” Hylas said.

“And mine,” said Pollux.

“Mine too,” Lynceus said.

“After all, we are all named after sailors of the Argo,” said Idas.

“Very well,” Jason said. “You tell the story Hercules.”

So Hercules told the story of Jason and the Argonauts over the next two hours.

By the time he finished, the Moon was at its highest in the cloudless Heavens. It cast a path of bright light on the calm sea.

“Well done, Hercules,” said Jason.

“Thank you, Jason,” Hercules said.

“The same thing tomorrow night,” said Jason.

“If the weather holds," Argus said under his breath.

“Get some sleep everyone,” Jason said to his crew. “Then back to work at first light.”

His thoughts were along the same lines as Argus about the weather.

Fortunately, things were just as perfect throughout the second day and night at sea.

After rowing non-stop from first light to near Sundown,

the oarsmen dined with Jason, Argus and Hylas.

When the Sun was below the horizon, the Moon and stars appeared again in another cloudless night sky.

To add to it, Orpheus told the story of Odysseus.

After that, it was more sleep.

So that’s how things continued – rowing in the day time, dining before Sundown, story-telling under the Heavens and last of all, sleep.

Everything was going so perfectly well – for the present moment.

The sailors still had their fears of bad weather – maybe yet to come and worst of all, the Kraken.

Fortunately, the dining and entertainment took their mind off such things, at temporary moments.

One day however, things did start to change – slowly at first.

THE SEA DRAGON was halfway through its eighth day at sea, when a slight breeze sprang up out of nowhere. Small waves began to form and a few clouds drifted over.

“I feel a change in the weather,” said Argus.

“So do I,” Jason said.

The rowers also felt it and Hylas too.

At first, the breeze was gentle, but then it began to pick up more.

As it did so, the sea became slightly choppy. THE SEA DRAGON started to rock from side to side.

“The oarsmen will have to start rowing harder,” Jason said.

“They might have to row much harder if this picks up

more,” said Argus.

Jason faced the rowers.

“You’ll have to row harder I’m afraid,” he said. “This may last some time.”

The oarsmen started putting more work into their rowing.

“That’s good,” said Jason.

“Keep it going,” Argus said.

Hylas was getting fearful.

“Hold on up there Hylas,” said Jason. “I have a feeling this is about to get much stronger.”

Jason was right to think that.

The wind did get much stronger.

As it did so, the sea became rougher.

More and more clouds drifted over.

THE SEA DRAGON rocked more violently.

“I feel a very bad storm coming,” Argus said.

“I feel it too,” said Jason, who was losing control of the steering. “I’m afraid there won’t be any entertainment tonight.”

“Hylas, is worse off.”

Jason stared up at Hylas, who was trying to crouch as low as possible inside the crow’s nest. He was terrified of being hurled into the sea.

“It’s no use us telling the rowers to keep in control,” Argus said.

The oarsmen were having a very rough time, trying to row against waves, which were over three metres high

and increasing in size dramatically.

Unfortunately, they lost control of the oars and fell off their benches. All the oars ended up in the sea.

Jason wasn’t finding things easier. He lost control of the steering and almost went overboard.

Argus just managed to save him.

It was a far worse story for Hylas, who was hurled screaming into the sea.

“HYLAS!” Jason shouted.

“This is dreadful,” said Argus. “No oars, no Hylas, the wind’s getting stronger, the sea’s growing wilder. Look at those waves. They’re over four metres high and growing higher still.”

SPLASH!!!

A huge mass of foam sent Argus flying overboard.

“ARGUS!” Jason said.

“Not Argus too?” asked Acastus.

“Not Argus?” Mopsus asked.

“Who will be next?” asked Admetus.

The moment he asked that, he went flying overboard.

Butes went too. So did Idas, Lynceus and Zetes.

The situation really was most appalling.

Not only had the sea changed, but the sky had too. It was no longer blue like before. Instead, it was a mass of grey clouds.

Furthermore, it was starting to rain slightly.

“What could be worse now?” asked Hercules.

He suddenly went overboard.

“That,” Jason replied under his breath.

A huge mass of dark clouds rolled over from the horizon.

“Oh no,” said Echion, who was hurled into the sea.

Thunder sounded, lightning flashed, torrential rain cascaded, the wind picked up and the sea became even wilder.

Mountainous waves crashed right across the ship – sending spray everywhere.

Jason clung to the mast pole, for dear life.

He watched in horror as the remaining members of his crew were tossed into the sea.

With all the crew gone, Jason was the only sailor left onboard.

He knew all too well that fate was soon to be upon him.

Indeed it was so, but not in the way he expected. A far worse fate it was in fact.

Jason’s fate happened as follows.

There appeared up from the depths, a gigantic octopus-like creature. It was dark green with luminous, red eyes and a mass of writhing tentacles – lined with huge suckers. It was larger than THE SEA DRAGON.

Jason’s very worst fears had been realized.

The monster, was every sailor’s most dreaded nightmare.

“Oh no. Not the Kraken.”

Jason watched in sheer terror as the Kraken seized THE

SEA DRAGON with its mighty tentacles.

His fate had caught up with him and there was no way out of it.

The Kraken carried THE SEA DRAGON and its helpless captain, deep beneath the waves.

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