"They're fol owing us. It must be good luck or something, right?"

I heard an ugly snort behind me. I turned to see Jose

walking by. "Don't get too excited," he grumbled, scowling down at the dolphins. "They're hoping we find shrimp for them to steal. Greedy bastards. Carroneros! " He angrily slapped the side of the boat, and I was glad when the loud resulting thump didn't spook them. I didn't like him cal ing the dolphins

"scavengers.". When Jose was out of earshot, Wil leaned toward me.

"Don't let him bother you," he said.

"He's just creepy." The captain left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn't wait until we got rid of the Enshi and got the hel back to San Juan. And then home.

"You used to think I was creepy, " Wil said. He grinned. I held his eyes chal engingly. "Used to?"

His grin widened. "You don't mind me so much, now."

I huffed. "Don't get your hopes up."

Nathaniel appeared around the cabin, glowering. "These men are real y awful."

"Why?" I asked.

He shook his head. "They like to talk--and we'l just leave it at that."

I had an idea of what he meant by that. I suddenly felt cold and damp and wished I'd brought a hoodie to wear on board. Or even a trash bag.

"Shal we go below?" Nathaniel offered, seeing me shiver. Wil and I agreed and we al went into the kitchen belowdecks. The room was painted a dul white, with only steel appliances, rust, and something black growing on the wal s as accents. The room smel ed of mold. I wrinkled my nose disapprovingly. Wil sat down at the wobbly kitchen table and I joined him. Nathaniel pul ed out a grimy pack of cards from his jeans pocket and laid them on the table as he plopped down on a chair.

"Where'd you get those?" I asked, happy that we had something to do during the trip.

"The first mate gave them to me," he explained, pul ing the yel owing cards out and shuffling them. "What shal we play?"

"Poker," I answered.

"No chips."

I raised a finger. "Imaginary chips."

He laughed. "Al right, then. You in, Wil ?"

Wil nodded and smiled. "Deal me in."

We played a few hands, and Nathaniel kept trying to bet with more imaginary money than he had, which got annoying. Wil was pretty good and had a disturbingly effective poker face, but I stil destroyed them both. I got bored after a few games and left to go above. Wil fol owed me.

On the main deck some of the crew sat at a smal table, two of them smoking fat cigars. I smiled pleasantly when I walked by them and made my way to the stern. When I saw the sun dipping below the horizon, I uselessly wil ed the ship to go faster. A giant wake streamed behind the boat, and swirling strips of white water danced on the dark surface of the sea. The water was no longer the bright sapphire of the Puerto Rican coastline but a murky blue-black with no end I could see. The Caribbean twilight sun cast fiery golden light on the clouds above as it set. I caught myself searching the horizon for the silhouettes of winged monsters. I had a horrible vision of reapers swooping down us, like the Wicked Witch of the West's army of flying monkeys, tearing us to pieces and taking off with the sarcophagus.

Wil stepped up close behind me and laid his hands on the rail on either side of mine, resting his chin on my shoulder. "We'l be fine," he assured me. "This is the scariest part of the night, but we'l make it through." His cheek touched mine inadvertently and my gut did a little flip. I stood frozen like a statue, afraid to move. "Relax," he said, and kissed the back of my neck. His warm touch sent a shiver through my body and didn't pay much attention to what he said next.

"Nothing is going to happen. We're almost there, and we're going to shove that damn box off the ship and it'l be crushed to nothing before it even hits the bottom of the ocean."

I smiled and let out a breath, trying to loosen up. I turned around to face Wil , who kept his arms wrapped around me, but his body stiffened. I leaned back against the railing.

"You always say the right things, don't you?" I grinned playful y up at him.

The wind blew through his hair. "I like happy El ie more than sad El ie."

"It's going to take more than that to make me happy."

He flashed me a mischievous grin and relaxed. He dipped his head low, but his lips stopped a few inches from mine. "Then what wil it take?"

I struggled to breathe and speak at the same time, staring at his mouth. "You've got a good imagination. I think you could come up with something."

"May I?" he whispered.

I nodded stupidly, unable to articulate a yes. His lips brushed mine, lighting tiny firecrackers on my skin. His hands settled on my waist, and he pul ed me a little closer to his body.

I heard a scream and Wil spun around, releasing me. A second scream tore through my skul . Wil threw an arm out to shield me, and I stepped up close behind him.

A body flew through the air and landed on the deck in front of us. When he slid to a stop, I recognized him as one of the crewmen. He was bleeding horrifical y from his chest. He sputtered and reached up for me, his eyes wild and bloodshot. My body froze with fear as I watched the man die. I heard another shriek.

We were under attack.

31

MY BREATHING WAS SHALLOW AND RAPID. THE screams grew louder and they multiplied, fil ing my head. I heard laughter, high and lilting, maniacal, like a clown on crack. I was suddenly lightheaded, and nausea overcame me. I pressed against Wil 's back, feeling faint.