The dock stretched endlessly into the mist, the creaking wood beneath my feet barely audible over the distant crash of waves. I kept one hand on Leery's shoulder, dragging him along as he swayed in and out of consciousness. His weight was deadening, his breaths shallow and uneven.
"Come on, old man. Just a little further," I muttered, though the fog swallowed my words as soon as they left my lips.
Leery didn't answer. His head lolled to the side, his bloodstained cardigan damp with sweat and seawater. He'd saved me with that second coin, but it had cost him dearly.
My own arm throbbed where the creature's mist had marked me. I didn't dare look at it too closely, afraid of what I might see. Dark veins spidered beneath my skin, pulsing faintly, a reminder of the coin's twisted nature.
The fog parted slightly ahead, revealing a faint glow. My pulse quickened. Shelter, maybe? Someone who could help? Anything was better than dragging a half-dead man across an endless dock.
I stumbled toward the light, my legs aching, every step a struggle against exhaustion and fear.
The glow resolved into a small shack perched precariously on the edge of the dock, its wooden frame sagging under years of salt and weather. A lantern hung from a hook near the door, swaying gently in the breeze.
"Leery, we're almost there," I said, though I wasn't sure if I was reassuring him or myself.
I kicked the door open with my foot, half-expecting it to fall off its hinges. The interior was sparse—just a table, a few chairs, and a cot shoved into the corner. It wasn't much, but it was dry, and for now, it was safe.
I lowered Leery onto the cot, wincing at the sight of his pale, sweat-slicked face. His breathing was shallow, each rise and fall of his chest more labored than the last.
"Stay with me, old man," I said, grabbing a rag from the table and dabbing at the blood on his temple.
His eyes flickered open, glassy and unfocused. "Dax…"
"I'm here," I said quickly. "You're gonna be okay. Just hang on, alright?"
He shook his head weakly, his voice barely a whisper. "You can't… save me."
"Don't give me that," I snapped, the edge in my voice surprising even me. "You've survived whatever this coin crap is for years. You're not dying on me now."
Leery's lips twitched into something resembling a smile. "Stubborn kid…"
I turned away, gripping the edge of the table to steady myself. The coins in my pocket felt heavier than ever, their weight pressing down on me like a curse.
I pulled one out, staring at its strange engravings. It was cold now, lifeless. My wish had drained it. The other coin—the one Leery had used—felt the same.
"Come on," I muttered. "You've got to give me something."
The coin didn't respond. No glow, no hum of power. Just a small, unassuming piece of metal that had already twisted my life into something unrecognizable.
A loud creak echoed from outside, and my head snapped up. Something was moving in the fog, heavy footsteps reverberating across the dock.
"Shit."
I grabbed the taser from my pocket and turned back to Leery. "Stay here. I'll handle it."
His hand shot out, gripping my wrist with surprising strength. "No… run."
"I'm not leaving you," I said, but the look in his eyes stopped me cold.
"You'll die here," he rasped. "And the coin… will take more."
I hesitated, my grip tightening on the taser. "There has to be a way to fix this. I'll find help."
Leery shook his head, his hand falling away. "Help won't come, kid. You've been marked. The coin… it's yours now."
The footsteps outside grew louder, accompanied by a low growl that made my blood run cold.
"No," I said, my voice trembling. "I'm not giving up on you. Just hang on."
I slipped out of the shack, the door creaking shut behind me. The fog was thicker now, swirling with unnatural movement. My taser felt laughably inadequate, but it was all I had.
The creature emerged from the mist, a new nightmare born of the coin's twisted power. It was smaller than the first but no less grotesque, its too-many limbs skittering across the dock like a spider on steroids.
"Alright," I muttered, raising the taser. "Let's see what you've got."
The creature lunged, and I dodged to the side, barely avoiding its claws. The taser crackled as I jabbed it into the thing's side, but it barely flinched.
"Of course," I muttered, stumbling back.
The coin in my pocket burned suddenly, flaring with heat that made me yelp. I pulled it out, the engravings glowing faintly once more.
"What the…"
The creature screeched, its many eyes locking onto the coin. It lunged again, and I reacted instinctively, slamming the coin into its flesh.
The glow intensified, and the creature let out a piercing wail. Its body convulsed, dark mist pouring from its wounds as the coin absorbed it. The mist swirled into the coin, and then—silence.
I stared at the coin, now glowing faintly with renewed power.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.
The realization hit me like a freight train. Killing the creatures restored the coins.
I glanced back at the shack, where Leery lay fighting for his life. The coin in my hand pulsed faintly, almost as if it were waiting.
"Not yet," I said softly, slipping it back into my pocket. "You'll get your turn."
I turned toward the fog, where more shapes were beginning to move. If I wanted to save Leery, I'd have to survive first.
"Alright," I muttered, raising the taser. "Let's see what comes next."