Chlorine Halos

Giveth & Taketh

Underneath the soft glow of the penrose orbs in the sky, undeniable beauty sprinted toward me. Her long, ebony locks floated freely in the sea breeze and shimmered with a shade of scarlet. A single braid slid over the crown of her head, slipping behind the straightened layers. Her almond eyes held a mesmerizing stare with speckles of mint green dancing around each chocolate iris. A silk scarf wrapped around the fair skin of her neck as the tassels disappeared and reappeared inside her waving hair. The draping ends of her black, lace cardigan caught every gust and brushed the high-waisted shorts, which hugged the lower curves of her hourglass. The hilt of a dagger peeked out from a holster, strapped to one of her slender thighs.

"You're here," she said, her angelic voice fluttering. "You came back." Before I could lose myself in her glistening eyes, she leapt with open arms, embracing me. "I know this can't possibly mean anything to you." She tightened her hold, pressing her body into mine. "But, it means everything to me." My hands cautiously rubbed her shoulder blades, half-heartedly reciprocating the affectionate greeting. She pulled away and dried her moistened cheek with the cuff of her cardigan. "Sorry. I'm sorry. That was probably really awkward for you."

"No, no—it's okay," I assured, blushing. "It was nice."

"Nice. Right," she muttered, fidgeting with her sterling necklace. She kissed the clasp next to the dangling gemstone charms before moving it around her neck.

"We should get back to the shelter," Anthony advised as Natalie nodded in agreement. 

"Wait," I said, shaking my head out of the daze Maddie drew. "No, I need to get all of you back to the other grid. Right now."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Natalie questioned.

"With this," I replied, tapping the center beacon on my Valet. The lights flickered with a gargled hum and slowly faded.

"Oh, Donovan," the twins said in unison.

"Someday, he'll learn that you can't replace drivers with life jackets and Christmas lights," Anthony said, adjusting the strap to the leather knapsack over his shoulder. With sleeves rolled past his elbows, an oxford shirt stretched over his husky build. A pair of wire-framed sunglasses sat just above his dark widow's peak.

"I doubt he accounted for underwater excursions," Natalie giggled, looping her thumbs around the suspenders over a white camisole, halting at her midriff. The yellow fletching of a dart poked out from a twisted bun which kept her hair from flapping in the wind, save for the few strands which grazed her face. An assortment of silver bangles jingled around each of her wrists.

"This can't be happening," I said, still trying to start the sequence with my soft taps growing into panicked slams. "I'm supposed to get you back. I have to get you back! I have to get back!" I stripped off the Valet and threw it down on the sand as the images of Riley, Oz, and my mother suffocated any other thought. "I can't lose them again!" I fell to my knees. The crests of waves crashed harder onto the beach.

Maddie quickly knelt in front of me, placing her palm on my forehead. "Calm down," she whispered, gazing into my eyes. Warm, colored light strobed against my skin, transitioning from green to gray to blue. "We can't lose you again. I can't lose you again." My pulse, pounding against my temples, tapered off into a steady rhythm. As my muscles relaxed, the roaring tides softened and the wondrous light evanesced.

"How did you do that?" I asked in an exhale. 

"You're looking at the queen of mind games," Anthony replied as he and his sister brought me to my feet. "She could've easily dropped you into a cackling hysteria."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "I think she made the right call."

"Madison Maestro," she said, extending her hand. "This is probably how I should have started things." I shook her hand, gently chuckling. "It's a pleasure."