The Icy Grip Caressed My Spine

The undulating moonlight filtered through the sea. A beautiful sight, until the icy grip caressed my spine. A tentacle slithered around my neck, bringing my gaze down where the red coral bloomed like fresh blood upon bone. I reminded myself to breathe.

“What have you?” asked the enormous octopus. I held out an emerald the size of a robin’s egg. “It is smaller than before.”

“It’s twice the size,” I corrected. “But first you must promise to stop batting the sailors about. I saw your tentacle around that merchant ship.

“You see nothing from that winky spire of yours.”

“A lighthouse, to keep ships safe. It doesn’t work if you break them apart.” The massive creature unfurled, eight arms forming a menacing arc. I closed my hand. “Promise.”

“Fine.” It constricted into a petulant pile and snatched the jewel. “Next moon, I shall take you as my gem.”

“Who’d bring you treasures?”

“Then I want one of those fuzzy quadrupeds.”

“The queen’s Corgis would make all three of your hearts burn.”

The icy tentacle coiled around me, and the octopus’s beak chattered. “Then bring me an adventure!” Releasing its grip, the octopus flew toward a shiny orb. Opening the lid, it flowed into the teapot, a tentacle tip emerging from the spout. One great eye watched from under the half-closed lid. “You know what kind.”

“A terrifying story of you conquering ships and toppling lighthouses.”

“Exactly.” The lid snapped shut.

I suppressed a smile as I swam for the surface.

Photo by Masaaki Komori