Species Unknown [Book 2: Pisces)

04. SINK OR SWIM

I bit my lip. "I'm from Oahu, and no I can't."

"Bullshit." Hunter sneered.

My eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"Come on guys, don't do this. Can we just drop it." Noah pleaded, casting Hunter a dangerous look. Hunter simply shrugged and sauntered off, but not before he swiped another beer from the table.

Noah turned back to look at me. His eyes were apologetic. "I'm sorry Lani, he's an ass when he's drunk."

"He's an ass when he's sober too." Chloe chimed in, coming up to us. "So much for first impressions." She said as a form of apology.

I shrugged, clutching my necklace.

"That's pretty." I heard Chloe say from beside me.

For some reason it made me hold the pearl tighter, "Thanks, it was my mother's." I said simply, not wanting to elaborate further. Fortunately Chloe didn't ask any other questions.

"Why don't we introduce you to the others?" Reid added, gesturing towards the other group of people standing closer to the shoreline.

Too close to the shoreline.

I swallowed. "Alright." I agreed, following Reid, Noah and Chloe as we walked over to the other group.

This time around, the introductions seemed less awkward and the people were kinder. I actually ended up having a good conversation with a few people and maybe even making some friends.

The night was looking up. So, when Noah came beside me with a peace offering of snacks, I couldn't refuse.

As time went by, Noah had wandered off and I found myself in a deep conversation with a member of the research team named Austin. I figured this would be a good opportunity to find out more about the odd fish I saw and the vanishing escapee.

"Do you know anything about the species that got out? The one requested by Dr. Grant?" I asked suddenly. At my question, the easy smile Austin had all night dropped.

"Who told you about that?" He said suddenly, stepping closer to me and glancing around us.

I frowned. "Noah did...why what's wrong?"

Austin pinched the bridge of his nose, which pushed his glasses up, "Damn it. Noah should know better than to go around spreading rumors like that."

"Rumors? So it's not true?" I asked.

Austin stared into my eyes and leaned in to whisper, "Look, you're new here so I get your curious, but let me give you some advice. If you hear the name Dr. Richard Grant, you drop it. You forget anything you've heard and you drop it. Trust me, you don't want to be involved with him." He said, his voice stern.

I couldn't help myself. "Why?"

As soon as Austin opened his mouth to answer, I felt thick arms wrap themselves around my waist.

"Hey-" I began before the arms tightened, cutting off my breath as they lifted me up. I couldn't see who was holding me, but the smell of beer gave me all the hints I needed.

"It's time for your first swimming lesson Miss Hawaii." Hunter slurred from behind me, hoisting me up to run towards the ocean.

My blood ran cold.

"Hey wait! Don't! Please just put me down!" I cried, flailing around trying to push myself from out of his grip. It wasn't working and the ocean was approaching fast. I could feel the spray of salt water on my face as he carried me into the water.

I gasped at the sight of water beneath my feet, starting to hyperventilate.

He was going to throw me in the water.

I couldn't breathe.

I could hear Noah's muffled voice shout something from the distance. He must have just noticed what was going on. But he sounded far, too far to do anything quick enough.

The cold water continued to rise as Hunter waded further. It crawled up my legs all the way to my throat, suffocating me. Just when I thought we couldn't go any deeper, Hunter stopped. I could feel the warmth of his moist breath on my neck, making me gag.

"Lesson number one." Hunter breathed in my ear as a hot tear rolled down my face.

I felt him lift me up as high as he could. I held my breath.

"Sink or swim." Hunter murmured, tossing me forward, into the water.

The cold water rushed over my head as I fell into the ocean. The waves were quick to rush over me, burying me under the surface. I scrambled, my feet flailing as they tried to touch the ground that had suddenly vanished. The current was strong, carelessly tossing my body around beneath the waves.

I thrashed around, trying to claw my way to the surface. Just as I got my head above water, another wave crashed over me, sending me back under.

I knew how to swim, and my limbs worked in tandem to bring me back to the surface. It was the fear that kept me under. It was the fear that made my body stiffen with panic, every muscle, every nerve, suddenly locking.

I wasn't sure how long I had been under, I wasn't counting. It was a lot harder to focus on counting the minutes while you were being tossed around under the freezing water, quickly racing towards death. But I had enough experience holding my breath to know more than a few minutes had passed. Just long enough for my throat to tighten and my lungs to begin to burn. I was running out of time.

Memories like knives slashed through me. Images of that day. The day that haunted me every second for the last five years.

I pictured myself as my mother. Thrashing around under the water, desperately seeking a breath she would never get.

My arms grew heavy, and my movements slowed. I could hear people shouting in the distance, muffled by the water.

Their voices jumbled in my brain as my head began to spin.

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

My chest ached with the crave of breath.

I was dying, just like her.