“Are you in there?What the bloody fuck?”I said, frantically moving the burlap bags and dragging the heavy crate towards me.The thumping of Pearl’s tail against the wood of the crate reassured me that at least she was alive.For now, anyway.The box was barely her size and there was no feasible way she had gotten into it herself.Someone, or something, had put her in it.
I frantically examined the box.The gaps between its slats were barely an inch wide and it was nailed shut on all sides.Who had done this to her?And why?
At that moment, Domingo returned from his searching.
“What are you doing?Did you find her?”he asked, rushing over.
“She’s in this crate!Is there a crowbar handy?”
Domingo gasped.“How did she get in there?”
“Please!I don’t know if she can breathe in there.Pearl, it’s all right.I’m here.We shall get you out.I promise.”
“Hold on,” Domingo said, “I’ll get something.”
A strong smell of brine and salt came from the container.
After a moment, Domingo returned and handed me a metal crowbar.With the strength of increasing panic, I slipped the edge of the metal beneath one of the wooden slats and used all of my strength against it.
“Come on, come on…” I panted.
The wood snapped and I pulled the slat free, peering inside the darkness as a familiar snout pushed through and the slapping of her tail became louder.
“Oh my darling…what on earth has happened?”
She was wet and covered with slime.Green and brown lengths of seaweed were wrapped around her, binding her muzzle and preventing her from opening her mouth.
“Oh my God,” Domingo muttered, helping me break more of the slats so we could get her out.
When there was enough space, she pushed her way through the gap and into my lap, trying to get as close as she could, shuddering and trembling in my arms and shoving her face against mine.I almost fell backward, she was so desperate to reach me.She was trying to lick my face but the seaweed around her muzzle was wrapped so tight that it prevented her.
“What the ever-loving fuck?”I said, a chill moving through me.Was this the work of whatever evil thing was haunting us?Or was one of the crew playing a dastardly prank?
I’d kill the bastard who might think this was amusing.
“Rooster?Are you here?”Dinesh’s voice came from the galley entrance.
“I’m here.I’ve found her!”I said, pulling at the weeds wrapped around her muzzle first and then clearing the ones wrapped around the rest of her.
“What in God’s name has happened to her?”Dinesh asked as he crouched down, gazing at the broken crate and at the soaked dog with seaweed still wrapped around her middle.
I pulled the last of it away as she scrambled for Dinesh.
He welcomed her into his arms and gave her kisses and soothing words.
“She smells terrible.What on earth?Who would have done this?”He looked at me and then Domingo.
Domingo and I gazed at each other.
“We think it was the thing.The thing that’s been threatening Simon,” Domingo said.
“Aye,” I agreed.
Dinesh frowned.“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, we don’t even know if it’s a corporeal being.One of the men has played an ill-advised joke on us.And I shall find out who.Mark my words.”
He stood.
“Clean her up and dry her,” he told me.“Then meet me on deck.I’m gathering the men.I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”
