Splendid Fall

Ch.7 Ships

Chapter 7

When Birdie was younger she had once accidentally fallen into her grandparent's pool.

Her lungs had started to scream immediately as water rushed in through her nose, burning all the way down and filling her tummy. Her eyes had watered and her vision blurred, making everything seem unreal and hazy. Her little arms, stuffed into a thick wool jacket grew heavy as it drank up the water. Birdie could feel herself getting heavier with each passing second. She knew she was headed for the bottom of the pool when her fingertips could no longer feel the air above the surface.

But luckily, Exton, her grandfather had seen her fall in from the second floor window of the farmhouse. He ran out and fished her out as if he was a bear snatching a fish out of the river.

Struggling against the strong waves that seem to want to keep her forever, Birdie was suddenly reminded of that day in her grandparents' pool. She looked up, pushing her body to rise and break the surface, hoping to find a savior like her grandfather to come scoop her up.

With her lungs burning and her eyes stinging, Birdie fought against the strong currents and shot forward, rising out of the water. Breaking the surface like a mermaid, she gasped for air, spreading her arm to keep her afloat.

"Baba!" a little child yelled.

Birdie opened her eyes to find a large fishing boat bobbing in the water a few feet away. A small child peeked over the sides, his curious eyes watching her as he called to his father.

"Abdullah, get away from the edge!" A man yelled, rushing forward and snatching the child back.

"There's a lady in the water," the little boy said, trying to turn back to look at Birdie.

Birdie pushed the water in front of her and swam the short distance to the boat. Her cold fingers gripped onto the edge as she tried to pull herself up. But before she could escape the cold waters, the man began to beg for her not to come onto the boat.

"Please," his face twisted in fear. "Please, we don't want any trouble."

"I'm not going to hurt you," Birdie said, half her body in the water.

"I have children, please," the man continued to beg, his eyes ready to fill with tears.

"Sir, I am not going to hurt you," Birdie repeated. "I just need to get out of the water."

"Find another boat," the man said, his fear making him a little aggressive.

"What other boat?" Birdie looked around for the first time at the dark waters.

She could see a town a few miles away with a busy harbor. The sun had set, leaving a trail of purple and pink on the horizon. Other than the fishing boat, there was nothing else for Birdie to find shelter in until she figured out where she was.

"I just need a second," Birdie pulled herself up and rolled onto the boat.

"Bilaal!" A woman called out in fear.

"Please!" the man, Bilaal, folded his hands together in plea. "Please, leave. Get off our boat."

"You're...." Birdie slowly climbed to her feet. She peered at the man and the child standing behind him. "You're a jinn."

"Y-yes," the man said. "I have the paperwork for the boat. I'm doing no illegal business."

"Where....where am I?" Birdie's legs shivered as she let go of the edge of the boat and looked around.

On one side of the harbor was the busy town with the boat and little shops that were lit up like Christmas. One the other side, much farther away from where the boat was, the riverbank rose up to meet stone walls that showed off neatly kept gardens and bungalows.