Envelop the evil in your tide
To make things right with all who died.”
Pointing my open palm toward the marsh, I concentrate on the cool, blue-green liquid that’s laden with salt, the boo hag’s only nemesis aside from the sun. Instantly, I feel a connection to the water and all the life forms in it. It’s as if my energy flows into them and theirs into mine. We are one. I sense the throb of their collective pulse as easily as I feel mine ping against my temple.
As I force my hand forward, the water ebbs, receding from the reedy shoreline. As the marsh retreats, its power and strength coils like a spring waiting to be let loose. Even from here, half lying on the ground in the cemetery above the marsh, I can tell the tide has withdrawn at least halfway to where the water normally is. I raise my forearm as far as it will go, lifting the pent-up water in a massive curling wave, then drag it toward the bank.
I can’t make the boo hag go into the water, but it looks like I can bring the water to the boo hag.
Sabina’s floating form hovers above me, her face drawn and filled with a mixture of surprise and distain. “Your magic is stronger than I realized.”
I focus on the tidal wave I’m trying to build and attempt to ignore her. But it’s nearly impossible because she looms before me, blocking my view.
“There are others in the Lowcountry with power just as strong who will help me seek my revenge. This is not over. We will meet again. And when we do, any happiness you have, I will crush it, along with those you carry in your heart so that you may know the pain I’ve endured for nearly three hundred years. Then perhaps, you will understand why I must have my revenge. If you manage to escape the boo hag and save your friends,” she taunts then floats up into the air, tosses her turbaned head back, and laughs before dematerializing, this time, hopefully for good.
I spy Cooper dashing around the bank, keeping just out of the boo hag’s reach. It’s so intent on catching him and draining his life force, it doesn’t notice the salty death trap looming just over its shoulder.
“Cooper, now!” I yell, hoping he realizes what to do.
“Got it.” He calls, then pivots and changes course. Rather than running from the creature, he tucks his shoulder and heads straight for it, barreling into its slimy, crimson gut.
Caught off guard, the boo hag launches off the bank and flies into the waiting wall of water. It shrieks as it crashes into the salt-infused, captured wave. Sparks fly and its gangly limbs flail as the liquid consumes it. Its rectangular head bobs up over the surface, howling as its red flesh melts and oozes with chunky, black sludge. Steam floats off what’s left of the dying boo hag as its flesh cooks, turning an ashy gray.
Overwhelmed, I exhale a breath I didn’t realize I was holding and blink to make sure I didn’t just imagine all this. Nope, there’s still a wall of water looming over the bank, pieces of the boo hag are bobbing on the surface, and Cooper’s safe. At last.
Cooper throws his arms in the air and shouts in victory. He spins around to face me, his picture perfect smile wide across his face. “We did it, Emma! We did it!” He howls with joy, then curls his hand in a colossal fist pump.
Happiness floods my chest as a sense of security and accomplishment sets in. We did do it. Together. The Beaumonts are finally free. Amazing! Giddy, I clench my own hand into a ball and send him my own fist pump.
Only it’s the worst thing possible because I completely forgot that my hand was holding back the wall of water, and that simple gesture is enough to release the flood, releasing its pent-up power on Cooper and the rest of the cemetery.
Cooper must realize what’s about to happen because his face falls slack and his eyes stretch wide. “Emma—” He begins, but the salt marsh crashes down on him and slams the rest of the graveyard.
“Take a breath, Jack!” I manage just as the water gushes over me, lifting me off the ground, but the vines hold tight and keep me in place. The wave finally crests, then recedes after dousing the fire and splashing all the burning artifacts.
The spirit lights dim and slowly shimmer to earth, then wiggle back into their graves.
Gasping, I look for Jack to make sure he’s okay.
His pale blue eyes lock on mine. “Mmmm!” His mouth is still covered by vines.
“I’ll get you out as soon as I can,” I call, then strain my neck to peer over the bank to the salt marsh for Cooper. I don’t see anything but a lot of frothy salt water seeking its equilibrium in the normally calm marsh.
With each passing second, my heart races faster. After all we’ve been through to save him, I might have accidentally drowned Cooper because I foolishly forgot what the heck I was doing.
After a long minute without any sign of him, I’m trembling, and my heart has dropped to somewhere around my knees. I’m sure he’s dead and gone thanks to my incompetence. Tears stream down my cheeks as I tear at the kudzu that’s wrapped around my body. But since only my forearms are free, it’s nearly impossible to break the thick, knotted vines.
A splashing sound cuts the nearly silent night. My heart skips a beat as I peer into the darkness. There are only a handful of spirit lights still hovering in the sky so it’s difficult to tell shadows from real objects.
More splashing. A hand slaps against the surface, followed by the steady beats of kicking feet. It’s Cooper’s freestyle. I’d know it anywhere.
“He’s alive!” I yell to Jack whose eyelids close with relief.
Another long minute later, Cooper hauls himself out of the water, then slogs up the side of the bank.
“Cooper!” I yell, unable to contain myself. I’ve never been so happy to see him in all my life.
His chest rises and falls as he drags himself across the graveyard. Despite his panting, he grins. “I’m okay. That wave pulled me halfway to St. Helena Island Sound. Wasn’t really expecting that.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to drop the water on you.”
Staggering toward me, he waves away my concern. “Nah, I needed the exercise.” Then he stoops to where the fire was and digs through the artifacts that were scattered by the wave. He picks up the pirate’s dagger, then heads straight for me. “Let’s cut you loose.”
I shake my head. “No, get Jack first. At least I can move a little. Him, not so much.”
Cooper glances at Jack and laughs. “You do look pretty funny, bro.”
“Mmmm.” Jack glowers.
Cooper crosses his arms. “Are you seriously going to back talk me now? After everything I just went through? And before I free you?”
Jack growls.
“Fine.” Cooper chuckles then stoops to cut him loose.
“Thanks, dude,” Jack says when he’s finally liberated and Cooper helps him to his feet. He stretches his arms up over his head. “That was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Cooper scoffs. “I think I’ve had my fill of crazy this summer. What do you think Emma?” He smiles as he crouches next to me and cuts the vines. Amazingly, the knife is pristine, not even scorched. But that’s not nearly as amazing as the fact that Cooper is here, next to me, alive and not possessed by a hideous monster. If my biceps weren’t still tied to my side, I’d throw my arms around him and weep with joy.
I laugh as my cheeks burn from smiling so wide. “Every time I think it can’t possibly get any weirder, somehow it does.” Luckily for me, the summer’s nearly at its end. Soon I’ll be back in DC, safe and sound, and hopefully out of Sabina’s vengeful reach.
When the last of the kudzu is cut away, Cooper stands and extends his hand to me. I slip my fingers into his broad palm and he pulls me to my feet.
His strong arms clasp me, tugging me tight to his soaking wet body. He stinks like the marsh, but that hardly matters. I’ll take dead fish over boo-hag funk any day.