Holly

Until it is burried

It didn't take long to get home. I really am a fool to have thought Killian took me that far from home or the ocean. The only thing that is pissing me off now is the fact that I am not drowning in water.

Usually that is a good thing. I guess I'm turning my trauma into anger. Last time Arius super swam me somewhere, I almost drowned. Now, I am on the surface on his back as we glide through the water. This mother fucker made me think transportation with him would always be that horrible.

The familiar beach comes into view, and I bring my lips to his ear. "Fuck you, you tried to drown me last time."

I feel him chuckle when his shoulders shake under my arms. "You never fail to have that spark in you."

"I'll light it under your ass when we get home."

"I'm sure you will, my love."

We quickly arrived at the beach, and he shifted. "I have to call Kaia."

"Wait, Holly." He reaches out and gently grabs my hand before I can walk away. "Don't you want to umm talk about what happened? Like let out your trauma or something?"
I smile and place my hand on his perfect cheek. "There are more important things, Arius. I've never been one to talk about my trauma."

"Holly, I'm sorry for not protecting you." He pulls me against his chest, and he frowns down at me. "I really am. I was so caught up in losing control that I didn't want to hurt you."

"Why didn't you tell me about losing control? I'm not mad, I just want to know your reason."

He pauses and looks down at his feet. His perfect face looks even more exquisite when he is thinking hard. "I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I don't want you to get hurt. I know enough about the curse that it involves some kind of sacrifice. I can't lose you, Holly."

"I can't lose you, Arius." I press my forehead against his and we close our eyes, enjoying the touch. "You won't lose me." I give him a kiss and start running for the house.

"Holly!"

"Trust me, Arius."

I run inside and race for my room.

"Holly!" Abuela shouts from the living room.

"Yeah?"

"Where the fuck were you?"

"Watch your language, Abuela."

"You have been gone for hours and didn't tell us." I can hear her struggling to stand and I stick my hand in the living room, so she doesn't have to hobble to me. "Where did you go for so long? It has been a full 24-hours."

Oh, shit. I didn't even think about the fact that no one knew where I was for that long. I've been too preoccupied with the whole mermaid-monster-ticking-clock thing.

"I was at Ira's house. Sorry, I forgot to tell you."

"I called!" She throws her cane in the air and glares at me.

"I left my phone here."

"How does a Gen Z kid leave their phone behind?"

I give her a cocky smile and leave the room. My excuse is good enough and I hope she doesn't find out I lied.

I rush into my room and find my phone on the nightstand. Picking it up, I quickly dial the number I've been needing to call for a while.

"Hello?"

"Kaia, I figured it out. I know where we need to go!" I hear grunting and something breaking in the background. "Kaia?"

"Holly," her voice is shaky, and she sounds like she is about to cry. "He is running out of time." Another crash.

"I know. So is Arius. We have to go now."

"Meet me at the docks where I keep my boat." I hear bickering in the background before the phone call ends.


The sun has completely set and the only thing lighting the dock is the occasional lantern from a boat. It is calm, the breeze strangely still. I really hope it won't affect how well we sail.

"Holly!" I turn around to see Kaia and someone with her. Someone small and with a body I'd recognize in any poor lighting.

"Ira?!"

"I told her everything," Kaia says giving me a sheepish grin.

Ira shrugs. "Don't you think crazy runs in the family? Jane is my aunt for Heaven's sake."

"The fuck? So how long did you believe in it all?"

"Since we were little. But I only just found out you have a mermaid boyfriend," she punches me really hard in the shoulder. "You bitch!"

"That hurt."

"Guys, let's go." Kaia rushes to her boat and starts getting it ready. I notice that Ira has her board with her.

"Why are you bringing your surfboard?"

"It might come in use to get from the boat to the island. What if there are reefs?"

"You're a genius."

We both join Kaia on the boat and Kaia gives us instructions on what to move where.

"How do Atticus and Arius feel about this?" Ira asks, holding a rope she has no idea what to do with.

"Atticus wanted to tie me down, but he is too busy losing control to stop me," Kaia says curtly. I can hear the weakness in her voice though.

"Arius has no idea. He might drown me."

"These men sound violent as hell..."

"Shhh!"

Ira and I grow deathly silent when Kaia hushes us. At first, I hear nothing but the sloshing of water against the side of the boat. Then I hear a thud on the dock and feel something bump the boat.

Fuck.

"You think it is Arius or Atticus?" Ira whispers.

"I would be dead by now if it was Arius," I say.

Another thump. Ira and I look to the side of the boat where we heard it. "I'm sure it is nothing. Just a big fish," Ira whispers, trying to reassure us.

Ira starts to walk towards the edge.

"Ira, don't."

She keeps going, eventually leaning over the edge to look down at the water. Kaia and I hold our breaths as the silence is overwhelming.

"I don't see..." Ira screams and we both rush over to us. She is bent over the side, and we grab her shoulder to yank her back. I hear the worst ripping sound I have ever heard.

When Ira falls onto the boat, she is holding her bloody arm with a large scrape of flesh taken out of it. We hear a hissing and look up to see a wild one trying to climb into the boat. Its wild eyes search over us until they land on Ira on the ground in agony. It reaches a bloody clawed hand in her direction.

I scream in anger and grab a spear on the side of the boat, jabbing the thing in the hand. It howls in pain and retreats into the sea. I try to stab it again but only miss.

"Holly! We have to get her to the hospital!"

The tears flood my vision as I look down at Ira and the amount of blood she is losing. I see a gleam of white is visible in her arm and my stomach drops. A long stream of crimson trails along the dock as we carry her, and every movement is agony.

When we get in the car, I hold Ira while Kaia drives frantically. My vision blurs as the amount of blood everywhere catches up to me.

"Fuck... I hope it didn't... get an artery. Fucking bastard." She whispers, exhausted from the pain.

"Hold on, Ira." I look down at her arm wrapped in my hoodie.

"You know, my life has always been boarding, Holly. It just got exciting; don't think I'm going to die now." She says between breaths.

We pull up to the hospital and Kaia runs around the side of the car to help. I don't remember much of what happened next. I remember Kaia calling for help when we get into the ER.

I remember Ira's weight being lifted off my shoulder when they put her on a stretcher and cart her away to a room.

All I see is red, red, and more red. Red seems to be a common theme in my life. It takes me back to the first time I saw a large amount of blood.

I fall on the ground outside the hospital room. Tears run down my face, and I struggle to catch my breath. I think Kaia tried to shake me out of it but then the doctors asked her something and she walked away.

My dad and I were on our way to see Roslyn. She had just gotten her new hotel and we decided to take a road trip. The semi-truck came out of nowhere. I think it was carrying poles or wood or something.

My head pounds as I rest my head in my hands. The tears stop running but my eyes are wide open as the images flash through my mind.

"Holly."

When I came to, I looked to my left where my dad was. His face was twisted in pain, and he was fully conscious, aware of every little pain he was feeling. My head was badly smashed which is why my balance was never the same. I had to spend months in the hospital doing physical therapy.

"Holly!"

"...dad..." His head rolled over to me and I saw blood spill from his lips. The stick or pole...it was a blur...was sticking out of his chest. His eyes...the same color as mine...lit up with love even as his life was fading. That spark I got from him faded so quickly in his eyes.

"HOLLY!"

My head snaps up and I am met with a pair of terrified deep blue eyes. They are so much more alive than the brown ones I was just staring at.

"Arius," my voice is small and weak.

"Ira will be fine."

"Ira will be fine?" I nod my head, trying to catch up with what he is saying. My lips quiver as I reach out of Arius. He picks me up and holds me close to him.

"I'm taking her home," he says over his shoulder.

"Arius, I have to get to the island."

"Not now, Holly. You need rest."

"You need rest," I parrot back.

I want to fight him. I want to get back on that boat to help him. I can't lose him too. Most of all, I want to forget about the trauma and shove it back down like I have been doing for a year.

Keep shoving it down until it is buried.