Storm and Sea - Book 1

Chapter 8

TW in the Description
Credit to: Inkendz on Instagram for the art!

Luca POV

The pain in his leg was the first sensation that returned to Luca. He knew he was awake, but for some reason, he couldn't open his eyes. He felt groggy, like a fog had descended over his mind. Slowly, different sensations began to reach him.

Smell. The air smelled like cleaning supplies

Sight. Small patches of light began to flicker through his eyelids, but he still couldn't open them.

Hearing. He could hear the steady beeping of a heart monitor as well as some quiet chatter in the distance.

Touch. The pain in his leg, his head, almost everywhere. But there was....something else.

A warmth spread through him coming from his hand. He let that warmth seep into his body. Comforting him. Relaxing him. Suddenly the pain didn't seem so bad. He knew that if he clung to that warm sensation coming from his hand, he would be ok.

He drifted away once again.

The next time Luca's consciousness came back to him, his senses were stronger. His mind felt sharper and the pain lessened. All the sensations came back to him. The smell of cleaner, the sounds of the heart monitor but most importantly - this feeling in his hand. This time he began to hear someone talking to him. Luca strained his ears, but the words came to him in a jumbled mush of sound.

He listened. Then he realized he knew this sound—this voice. In a blur, he heard -

"I think I know the answer now - Luca. I think I'm in lo-"

He tried to call out the name, but his mouth was stiff. He pushed through the mental barrier and tried to regain control of himself.

"b...rto." He managed to get out. Luca tried again and again. Slowly, like someone pouring water into a glass, he regained himself. His eyes opened, blinking away the harsh light. Luca looked to where the sound was coming from.

And there he was. Alberto, holding his hand.

Alberto POV

Luca spent the next five days in the hospital. Mattias wanted to monitor his head injury while making sure his leg wound didn't become infected. Alberto had been discharged and free to go home the day Luca woke. But he didn't leave. When Mattias had said visiting hours were over, it took one menacing glare from Alberto for the doctor to give up and let Alberto stay the nights.

Alberto only left Luca's side for the restroom and to call a nurse whenever Luca showed any sign of discomfort. He walked around on foamy slippers Mattias had given him to keep from breaking open the cuts on his feet. Alberto looked down at the fluffy slippers and bared his teeth. They were bright pink and in the shape of bunny rabbits.

"I'm gonna kill that guy." He said.

Luca laughed, "I think they're funny."

"Well, the second we get home, they're eating trash," Alberto said, flicking his foot, so the ears flopped.

"No! I'll take them if you're just going to throw them away," Luca said.

"Deal. As long as I don't ever have to see them again."

Giulia came by every day. She told Luca and Alberto that the little girl they saved was safe and back with her parents. The village of Carollina was safe thanks to the early warning Luca gave them, but they stayed on the deep side of the reef for now. Just as a precaution.