Mermaid Reef

Behind the fog, Sable Island reveals its grim face to Cindy.

The yellow sand that surrounds the island sings the music of death, and weeds grow in the crevices of the rocks. They are a rough gray-green, lifeless, and even suspect that they are fake plants.

Rocks, rocks, rocks everywhere.

The soil for weeds to grow is the accumulation of countless years, a "gift" blown by the wind from a distant land.

Likewise, storms slash away a layer of "flooding soil" from the island each year.

Just like this back and forth tug-of-war, for a long time, no plants can be seen on Sable Island.

Until the climate cycle of this planet changed again, the storms suddenly decreased, and the soil finally accumulated a weak advantage, supporting the weed seeds that came with the wind, and the developed and tough roots of the weeds also grabbed the soil, and they finally succeeded. ——although before that, countless weeds had disappeared.

These weeds are like farmers who have been exiled here to work hard. Storms will destroy their homes again and again, together with their lives. Finally, one day, they stand firm and actively grow in these rock crevices on Sable Island. The growth spread till it changed the gray face of this dead island.

Cindy naturally couldn't know these stories, she just heard the voice.

The voice of the weeds.

——Although it is an ordinary weed, it grows outside the ancient god's house, and it is inevitably contaminated with a mysterious atmosphere.

But these auras are too weak, and they don't have any power at all.

They are just "talking" weeds.

The voice is low and inaudible, and it is hidden in the waves.

"I think the lifeguard is standing in that direction." Cindy looked along the direction where the weeds grew vigorously.

The people at the lifeguard station, the horses, and even just the houses themselves provide shelter to the weeds, not the cold stones.

Coincidentally, Cindy also needs shelter.

"We may not be able to stay at the lifeguard station for too long. I hope there is a map of the island and supplies there." Mrs. Fenier said ramblingly.

She had rested enough, and was supported by Cindy, walking with one foot deep and one foot shallow.

Although I want to stay away from the coast, the ground is uneven, but the place near the quicksand beach is relatively flat.

Cindy used her grandmother's cane to explore the way, constantly beating the ground.

Cindy was initially worried about a snake swimming in the grass, but after walking some distance she realized that it might be worse than a snake, because Sable Island didn't have any insects, and small animals, which made her start thinking with horror" The true meaning of Dead Island.

After all, with human navigation activities, some animals will spread uncontrollably all over the world, such as rats.

There are permanent personnel and horses on Sable Island, and the supply ship will definitely come to this island of death regularly.

Not entrained once, not twice, not so many times?

Or... are they all dead?

Cindy felt a chill down her back.

***

From the evil god's perspective, after Cindy left the group of survivors, her journey was safe and sound.

She chose a tortuous forward route, which seems illogical, but as long as the field of vision is wide enough, she can understand the reason for her doing so—to avoid the quicksand group that suddenly expanded in scope, and to bypass the A flock of giant birds resting.

If a good hunter is here, he will choose the windward side carefully and avoid conflict with these monsters.

Cindy and Mrs. Fenier directly sprinkled themselves with sand, and then moved forward completely relying on Cindy's "intuition".

There are not many giant birds on the island. Under the call of their kind, they are gradually gathering towards the quicksand where the Elizabeth sank, like a safari team gathering.

Several times, the giant bird almost sniffed out its prey and spotted Cindy.

——It's like an adventurer holding a balance pole and walking on a tightrope over the strait.

Dangerous and beautiful.

"What is she afraid of?"

Cindy suddenly changed her route, and Gemil subconsciously searched for the nearby giant bird.

No.

Jason was looking at the quicksand. They were not evenly distributed. They usually gathered in large quantities in places with more rocks, and they were concentrated at both ends of the island.

The Elizabeth is attracted by the terrible magnetic force. Unfortunately, it is also the area with the most quicksand, as long as it gets out, the situation will be much better.Jason also saw a crude pier, like a stop at a supply station, where the quicksand was very thin, and he could break free with full power.

Of course, that was before the mutation on Sable Island.

The area of ​​the quicksand is expanding on a large scale, and half of the pier has been swallowed up by the yellow sand.

Cindy was like wading through the swamp of death. The quicksand on the first foot only reached the ankle, and the next foot might be a big hole, which made people sink directly.

But Cindy can hear the grin of death, and she can always avoid these traps in time.

Now that Cindy circled around again, the evil god's first reaction was to look for a threat, but he didn't find it.

Watching Cindy, who was fighting wits and courage with the air from time to time, Jason asked thoughtfully, "Is it too nervous?"

"No no, humans may find tiny traces that we didn't notice." Gemil insisted.

"...I felt as if she was afraid of something invisible, so she kept changing the safety route."

There is more than one safety route, and Cindy changed it back and forth, stemming from her strong inner anxiety.

"They're almost here."

Appearing in the fog was a lighthouse.

Yes, compared to the lifeguard station, the lighthouse at this end of the island is actually the closest to the sinking site of the Elizabeth.

Lighthouses stand in the most dangerous places to warn ships not to approach.

Now, the lights went out.

The tall lighthouse is like a giant made of black stones, standing silently in the thick fog.

"Great."

Mrs. Finier is very pleased with the shelter.

The outer wall of the lighthouse is straight and steep, and the height is amazing, and the giant bird cannot fly to it.

Stairs leading to higher places are usually spiral and narrow, making them easily guarded terrain.

The disadvantage is that there is no way out.

Once retreating steadily and stepping on the top of the tower, there is only one dead end left.

But what Mrs. Fenier needs is not a retreat. On this deserted island where the thick fog persists, the ending of escaping from the lighthouse is the same as jumping off the lighthouse.

After Cindy confirmed that there were no giant birds in the tower or in the mist, Mrs. Fenier almost prayed to God, thanking Him for granting such a shelter.

"Grandma, the door is locked."

Cindy failed to push the door open.

The door of the lighthouse is very strong, which is to withstand the storm.

"She doesn't seem to know how to pick a lock." Jason frowned.

Cindy had practiced the barn technique, and perhaps learned some first-aid dressings, but it was obviously impossible for a young and rich London girl to learn to pick locks.

Whether it is family education or social education, there is no such content.

This makes the audience anxious.

——You defeated the giant bird, you were not afraid of death, waded through the quicksand and through the thick fog, and finally found the ideal shelter, but you couldn’t pick the lock? ?

Of course, the evil god can provide help without any trace, but whether it is Jason or Gemil, they both think that their "help" will be in a more critical place, rather than...opening an ordinary iron lock?

Cindy has no idea that there are "people" who are worrying about her.

She was thinking of everything the Elizabeth's mate had said about Sable Island.

The island is very large, and daily patrols and maintenance take a lot of time. The lighthouses are built at both ends of the island, the farthest away.

The lifeguards stationed on Sable Island must have the keys, but what if they lose them?

Even if you lose your key on a football field, you have to lie on the ground or bend down along the road you walked, and search patiently and carefully. This is an isolated island full of stones, and weeds grow in the crevices of the stones!The island is as large as one-ninth the size of the Canadian capital.

If you forget the key at the lifeguard station, do you have to go back to get it on horseback?

Thinking that some people like to put spare keys under doormats and flower pots, Cindy quickly had an idea.

Cindy searched around the tower and found the gate key from under a stone.

For The Cthulhu, it's a bit like magic.

Jason couldn't figure it out, not because he didn't have the talent to be a detective, nor was he lacking in wisdom, but because he didn't have such "life experience".

All in all, Cindy and her grandmother, Mrs. Fennier, made it into the lighthouse and immediately got to work making it an ideal sanctuary.

Something magical happened.

After Cindy checked the stairs, she suddenly found several bottles of wine in the corner.

Didn't pick up dust, labels were intact and expensive.

They should be at an auction or a luxury resort, not a lighthouse on a deserted island.

——Human odorant provided by the evil god.

Mrs. Finier saw some loaves of bread on the lighthouse table.

Fresh as if it was baked, it even has sesame seeds on top.

Newspapers were placed under the bread, and a few magazines were stacked at the foot of the table. These things could be used as raw materials for burning.

——It's all Jensen's useless collection. Jensen always spends money to buy things he doesn't need at all. Buying is not the point, the main thing is that the people who sell things "see" him.

Cindy also found a bag of soybeans on top of the tower, apparently rations for the horses.

The problem is that it is impossible for the people at the lifeguard station to transport soybeans to such a high place.

——Gamil took it from the lifeguard station and put it on the tower because Cindy and Mrs. Fenier were at the bottom of the tower.

This is no longer a sanctuary, it is simply a witch's dream house.

"grandmother!"

As soon as Cindy turned her head, she found Mrs. Fenier eating bread, and she was startled.

The origin of these foods is unknown, how can they be eaten easily?

"We have to persist here for a long time, and rescue may not appear until seven days later." Mrs. Fenier hinted that if she didn't eat, she would starve to death.

They only had time to bring some candies, and took a salt shaker, a lighter and a kitchen knife from the kitchen. Mrs. Fenier decided without hesitation to try these foods by herself, and if there was no problem, let Cindy eat them.

"Some drugs react very slowly. After we take them, maybe..."

Become a monster.

Cindy swallowed the words back. She picked up the newspaper and found that it turned out to be a Times, dated 1927.

"On the bright side, Cindy, if this is a devil's trap, then at least it's an English devil, or can speak English." Mrs. Fenier was already exhausted after walking such a long distance, and she yawned Said, "When we need to sell our souls, there is still a basis for bargaining!"

"Grandmother!" Cindy stopped Mrs. Fenier from continuing to speak ominous words.

"No... Seriously, I don't really care if it's a gift from God or a contract from the devil... as long as you can live..."

Mrs. Finier grunted, closed her eyes and dozed off.

Cindy silently took the half-section of bread from her grandmother, put it under her nose and sniffed it carefully.

It's very fresh and doesn't show any abnormalities.

the devil?

Cindy hesitated for a few seconds, brought the bread to her mouth, and took the first bite.