Un Lun Dun - China Mieville [128]
“It saw us,” said Deeba. “We have to move.”
She knocked on the windshield. Skool’s faceplate appeared below. Obaday beckoned.
“What’s that?” said Lectern.
Something dark was circling Skool in the water, in little spasms, fingering the leather suit with filaments.
“Just a bit of shudderwrack,” said Obaday.
“There’s another,” said Deeba.
Suddenly there were several, and Skool was waving as vigorously as the water would allow, to disperse them. The utterlings jumped up and down in agitation, Cauldron pointing all his arms.
Something moved behind Skool’s back. Ropelike limbs snaked out of the black and coiled around Skool’s legs, arms, chest, and faceplate. There was no sound at all.
“No!” said Obaday, his hands flat on the glass. A huge mass of weed loomed from the mud and enveloped the diver, folding in on itself again and again, pulling Skool out of sight into the dark.
“The shudderwrack,” said Deeba. “It’s got him!”
Everyone scrambled onto the concrete shore. They leaned out over the water as far as they dared, hissing Skool’s name.
“I’m going in,” said Obaday frantically, searching his bag for a weapon, finding nothing but a heavy hand-mirror.
“No!” said Deeba. “That won’t help.”
They were sticking planks and ropes into the water, but for several seconds nothing happened. Then the surface began to bubble. The canal shook and fountained, and a gloved, weed-smothered fist punched out of the water.
“There!” said Obaday.
The fight below the surface was brutal. Thick shudderwrack emerged in temporary claws and mouths, and went swiping back under. Skool’s heavy boot came kicking up at an amazing angle, through a chunk of waterweed.
With huge strength, Skool began to stagger from the deeps, weighed down and bent by weed. But pieces of shudderwrack trembled across the water, alerted by the commotion. They coagulated together, leapt up, and dragged Skool down. Deeba could hear the slimy noise of shudderwrack gnawing.
Deeba took the UnGun from her belt.
“Stand back,” she said. Everyone obeyed.
“Quick,” said Obaday.
“Don’t you…need that?” Lectern said, but everyone ignored her.
Only one of Skool’s hands was in the air now, and as Deeba stepped to the edge and aimed into the water, whips of weed spiraled out, and pulled it under.
Deeba fired.
There was a roaring boom, a spit of flame. She staggered, but this time Deeba didn’t fall.
The air was filled with the smell of cordite, and also, Deeba realized, of the sea. What’s that about?
Then she saw what was happening in the canal. The water was boiling, frothing, and then was choppy, suddenly covered in waves and white foam that jostled the boats and spattered against the concrete walls.
The UnGun had fired the salt crystal. The fresh—though dirty—water of the canal for meters around had been instantly transformed into brine.
The water seemed confused. It was attempting to mimic the sea. Deeba was sure she heard a gull somewhere overhead. Waves were surging as if the canal were tidal, and slapping against the Diss&Rosa.
Meters to either side, Deeba could see where the new patch of ocean met the regular waters. The edges of the join were perfectly sharp.
Clots of shudderwrack drifted to the surface. Their trembling didn’t look like the healthy, unpleasant motion from which they took their name. One by one they stopped moving.
“What’s happening?” said Deeba.
“That’s what happens when the freshwater variety of shudderwrack suddenly finds itself in…the sea,” Lectern said. She eyed the UnGun in awe. Whatever it is, it always uses its bullet well, Deeba thought. No wonder it’s such a legend.
There was one sudden big wave, and the water broke over the concrete wall, and deposited Skool at their feet, flecked with dying weed, and highly bewildered.
84
Across the Yard
There were noises from the factory.
“They must’ve heard the UnGun,” said Deeba.
“Quick,” said Jones. “Let’s get in before they get here.”
But before they were even halfway across the yard, the door flew open. With a waft of fumes, death, and rotting