‘I don’t care.’

‘Just pick one.’

‘It doesn’t matter!
You pick.
You always do anyway.’

‘Don’t be like this.’

‘Like What?
I am Literally just saying.’

‘We’ll eat and then we can get back to the voyage.’

‘I don’t want to play that anymore.’

‘So what?
Back to the dragon?’

‘No.’

‘Okay.
What if —
You were a superhero —
Saving the city from evil?’

‘Boring.’

‘Harsh.’

‘’I'm bored of that.’

‘What about —
Explorers —
Climbing the highest mountain in the world.’

‘No.
Sounds cold.’

‘A group of bank robbers planning a heist /’

‘No!
I hate that.’

‘You’re gonna have to help me out here.
Come on, let’s go back to the pirate ship.’

‘Ugh.’

‘What was happening?
The storm was raging, right?
Huge waves slamming against the side of their ship —
Crates and barrels toppling off the deck like dominos —
The pirates are clinging on for dear life but they’re determined —
They know they can weather this storm —
They’ve been through far worse!
They’ve fought a kraken and seen it thrash against the side of their ship —
They’ve blocked their ears against sirens leading them onto the rocks —
They’ve broken through solid ice floes in the dead of winter —
This is nothing.
What does the girl do?’

SIDE BY SIDE IMAGES CREW AND CROWS NEST LIKE POP UPS

‘The boat sinks.’

‘What?’

‘The boat sinks.
Sorry.’

‘That’s not an option.’

‘Well I’ve made it one, so.
‘
There’s actually a massive hole in the side of the ship.
Look.
Uh oh.
Oh no.’

‘I see it, I see it —
I mean —
It’s fixable.’

‘No because we’ve actually hit a massive iceberg.
And it’s cracked a huge hole in the side of the ship.
And now we’re drowning.’

‘We’re not drowning.’

‘Yes we are —
There goes Madam Underwell, uh oh, she’s fallen in.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes you weren’t watching your step and you slipped.’

‘That doesn’t sound like me.’

‘Too late, you’re dead.’

‘Oh —’

‘And now I’ve fallen in.
I’ve fallen into the water.
Help!’

‘So I dive in after you —

‘But it’s too late because I can’t swim and there’s water in my lungs and it’s filling up and now I can’t breathe and now I’m drowning and now I’m dead.’
‘
‘A pirate who can’t swim.’

‘I guess.’

‘What about /’

‘Where is she?’

‘What about —
Hey —
You’ve been locked away in the prison under the kingdom’s castle.
And —
Uh —’

‘Why?
Why have I been locked away?
What did I do?’

‘They discovered you have magic powers —’

‘Am I still a pirate?’

‘And and and —’

‘What powers?’

‘Magic is banned in these parts —
So you’re considered a Public Menace.
A Public Threat.
They’ve locked you away /
‘

‘Who’s “they”?’

‘The Evil People.’

‘Uh huh.’

‘And the cell —
Well, it’s pretty small —
There’s not much to do inside —
But —’

‘My powers are that I can blow holes through stuff with my hands.
So —
I blow a hole in the side of the jail /
‘

‘What is it with blowing holes in the sides of things?’

‘And then I go and kill the evil people.’

‘Uh —’

‘I go and I hunt them down and I pull off their toenails and I hit their heads against the
ground until their skulls crack open.
I win, the end.
‘
‘Let’s play something else.’

‘I don’t wanna play, I wanna watch TV.’

‘We can’t.
It’s Broken.’

‘Then fix it.’

I Don’t Know How.
‘

‘We’re on the ship.’

‘Yeah.
We’re —
We’re on the ship.’

‘We’re on the ship —’

‘Great.’

‘And —
There has been a storm —
And —
We’re —
We’re sinking.’

‘Riley, no —’

‘We Are Sinking —
There’s this huge —
Whirlpool —
Which has been whipped up by the wind —
It’s growing bigger and bigger —
We can see the edge of it from where our ship thrashes on the waves —
It’s this —
Dark —
Creeping thing —
And what’s so strange about it is that —
It’s so loud here —
The sound of the water rising and crates falling and thunder cracking —
But as we get closer to the whirlpool there is this —
Silence.
‘

‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s —’

‘Quiet.’

‘Not just quiet —
Quiet is —
Still Something.
This is like —
Just total Nothingness —
All coming from the inside of the whirlpool.
Radiating out of it —
Turning everything around it numb and silent.
We’re getting closer to it.’

‘No —’

‘Yes —’

‘No no no —
We can turn the ship around —’

‘There are chunks of wood flying off the sides —
There’s no chance!
It’s falling apart before our eyes.’

‘I can steer us away —’

‘The whirlpool is dragging us towards it —
There’s no stopping it —’

‘Riley —’

‘And it’s odd because the closer we get —
It’s like —
Your fingers begin to feel —’

‘What?’

‘You can’t feel them anymore.
Or your toes.’

‘I don’t want this —’

‘And it’s creeping up your arms, your legs —
It feels like they’re dissolving.’

‘Bring it back —’

‘You can’t stop it.’

‘But I’ll struggle.
I’m struggling and the feeling starts to return to my body —
Like pins and needles.’

‘No, it doesn’t —
It’s gone too far now.’

‘I don’t —’

‘It’s pulling you in —’
You can’t —’

‘Don’t, Riley!
You don’t know what you’re doing.’

‘But there’s nothing you can do.
You look at your arms and they’re evaporating into thin air —’

‘No!’

‘And you look back to the whirlpool —
Through the lashing rain and the wind screaming in your ears —
And you just see —
Darkness.’

‘Where are we?
‘
Eliza?’

‘Where are you?’

‘Riley?
Where are You?
You sound —
I don’t know where you are.’
‘I can’t see anything.’

‘Riley, come back.
You’re getting further away.’

‘It feels —
Wet.
Hot.’

‘I’m near.’

‘Where did I take us?’

‘I don’t know.
I’ve never been here before.
This is all you.’

‘I don’t know where you are.
It’s all dark.’

‘Follow my voice.’

‘I can’t —
I don’t —
It’s all —’

‘Just come towards my voice.

‘Okay.’

‘How did you do it?’

‘I just —
I thought of —
The darkest —
Most horrible place I could think of.
Where there’s —
No light —
And no warmth —
No nothing.’

‘Why?
‘
‘You weren’t listening to me.’
‘
So you’re happy now?
You’ve taught me a lesson?
Huh?
‘
Stretch your arm out.’

‘I’ve never been anywhere so dark.’

‘Stretch your arm out and feel your way towards me.
We fell —
Hard and fast —
But it’s okay.
We’ll get out.’

‘Is it my fault?
‘
I created the whirlpool.
I know I did.’

‘It’s okay.
Listen closely.’

‘I can’t hear anything.’

‘Very closely.
There’s a drip, don’t you hear?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Put your hands on the ground.
It’s rocky, see?
Can you feel that?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Solid ground.
It won’t give out.
It’s dark but there’s
Come towards me.
It’s okay.’

‘How are we meant to get out?

‘Just move towards me.
Slowly.
It’s okay.
There’s —
I can feel a wall near me —
There are stone ridges —
We can climb.
It’ll be a long way up but —
It’ll be okay.
I’ll help you up.’

‘You sound /
‘

‘I’m fine.
We’re both fine.’

‘How do I —
How do I know it’s you?
How do I know it’s not some —
Shapeshifter?
Some siren?’

‘You don’t —
You just have to trust me.
Slowly, now.
The darkness is thick.
It feels like someone’s fingertips pressing against your eyelids.
Be careful.’

‘Okay.’

‘Wait.
What will we do?
When we get out of here?
‘
‘We’ll —
We’ll be back on the ship.
And —
The sea will be calm —
And the sun will be coming up.
And we’ll sail home.
We’ll be home.
And —
The maiden will be there.
And —’

I’m scared.
What if I can’t climb?’

‘I’ll boost you up.
I’ll put you on my shoulders.
You’re nearly here —
Just a bit closer.’

‘Will she be back?
When we get up there?’
‘
‘Yes.’

‘You’re —
You’re lying.’

‘Riley —’

‘No —
You’re —’

‘Just come to me —
You’re so nearly there.’

‘Stop Lying To Me!
A rumble.’

‘What’s that?’

‘The floor —
It’s breaking open —
Look —’

‘Is this you?
What are you doing?
You’re breaking it!’

It’s not me!’
‘Then what’s happening?’

‘It’s not me I promise I promise I promise!’

‘It’s getting too big!
Jump!
Quick!’

Riley jumps.

‘Hold onto me!’

‘I’m slipping!’

‘No!’

Hello?
‘
Hello?
Eliza?
Hello?
‘
Where are you?’

‘Riley?’

‘You sound —
So far away.’

‘I’m here.
I’m here.’

‘I can’t even see you —
Where are you?’

‘I’m —
I don’t know.
I’m ankle deep in something.
Something sticky.
It smells like —
Like —
Dead leaves and and and —
Rotted leather —
Dried blood.
‘
This is —
This is my place.
I know it.
There’s this knot in my stomach.
I know this place.’

‘You caused the cracks.
‘
‘Yes.
It’s my fault.
This is my fault.

‘You knew what to do before.
There was a wall.
There were things we could climb on.
You were gonna get us out.
This is your place.
You must know how to get out.’

‘There’s nothing here.
We can’t do anything.
You ruined it.’

‘It’s not my fault!

‘It Is your fault!
This is your fault.
If you’d just listened to me —
If we’d just stayed on the ship —
If you hadn’t spoken to the witch —
We wouldn’t be in this mess.’

‘That’s not true!

‘So we’re stuck.’

‘Don’t say that!’

‘We’re stuck here.
That’s it.’

‘We can’t go anywhere.
We’re here, forever.’

‘Why’re you saying that?’

‘We shouldn’t try.
It’s fine.
This is fine, here.
We’ll stay.’

‘I don’t want to stay here.
It was —
It was a mistake.
I want to go home.
I want to go back to our home.
To the sagging sofa and the mouldy fridge and and and —’

‘Why?’

A squelching.

It’s rising.

‘What’s going —
It’s moving up —’

‘Huh?

‘The —
The stuff around my ankles.
It’s up to my knees now.
Isn’t it for you?

‘No?
I don’t —
It’s dry where I am.\

She starts to run towards Eliza.

‘It’s —
I can’t get it off —
It’s sticking to me —
I I I —
Eugh —
I can’t move —
Riley!’

‘What’s happening?’

‘It’s up to my w —
My w —
My waist —’

‘What’s wrong with your voice?’

‘I don’t —
I cccccan’t —
It’s pulling me down —
H-lp —’

‘Where are you?
Eliza!’

‘It’s swallowing m m me —
It’s at my n n neck —
It’s ggggoing —‘

She gurgles and goes silent.

‘Eliza?
Eliza!‘

Riley scrabbles at the sticky stuff. It almost sounds human. It groans and slurps. She yanks at it.

Eliza gasps.

‘Eliza!
Can you hear me?’

‘I I I —’

‘Come on, I’ll pull you out!’

‘Nnnn —’

‘Huh?’

‘Nnno —
‘

‘I’m not going without you.
I’m just not.’

‘D-n- b-th-r w--- -e —’

‘We’ve still got to —
We have a dragon to fight —
Remember?
We have a storm to weather on our ship —
We have a maiden to find —
Remember?
We have to find her.
We —
Us —
I can’t do it on my own.’

‘She’ssss —
Sh- —
I lied t- y-u —
She’s -t h-me —
A-le-p —
I- her r--m —
‘

‘What?
I can’t —
You’re going deeper —
Come on Eliza —
Please —
I can’t do it without you —
I can’t stay here —
We have to go home —
She’s relying on us —
‘