Dark Water

Chapter 14

As soon as Arlid had been thrown off her, she pushed herself up from the water, gasping for air. She stumbled up, the waves crashing around her as she heard a familiar animalistic screech. There was Orliantha, drowning Arlid as he had just tried to do to her.

"Orli! no!" She rushed over, grabbing Orliantha and trying to pull her off. She shoved her away and Mihris let out a cry as her claws cut her across the chest, just enough to draw blood. She ignored the stinging pain, wrestling Orliantha off Arlid and practically throwing her to the side. Orliantha looked up at her, slowly realizing it was her who had thrown her off.

"You have to get out of here Orli!" Orliantha reached out to her, her eyes filled with fear as she saw the cuts. She had tried to protect Mihris and hurt her in the process. Arlid had risen, stumbling slightly.

"Throw the nets!" He yelled. They had planned this, him, and his group.

"Go Orli!" She pushed her towards the open sea. Mihris had no clue how she had gotten over the shark nets, or if she could even manage to get back out. Orliantha swam back out, trying to get past Arlids crew. They had barbed nets made from wire, and spears that glimmered with salient sharpness. Mihris was practically frozen in place, her heartbeat thumping so hard she could hear it in her ears.

"Mihris!" Mr. Gulliver practically dragged her from the water. The rain was pouring down around them, and there was an occasional clap of thunder, the lightning that followed illuminating the sharp barbs of the nets and spears. She fought against him, and soon he had lifted her off her feet, holding her and restraining her in his grasp.

"I need to make sure she's okay, that she makes it." Mihris's voice cracked, her voice soft as the fought back tears. She could only pray that Orliantha made it.

It felt like she had been shot when she heard one of the men call.

"We got it!" Arlids crew cheered, some of the other sailors gathering near her and Mr. Gulliver, Maeve by his side.

"No!" Mihris fought against Gulliver, getting to the point where she bit his arm out of desperation. Maeve's face saddened as she looked away from Mihris.

"Maeve, please." But it was no use pleading with her. Mihris watched as Orliantha was dragged from the water and onto the dock, her animalistic shrieks could be heard for miles, her cries of desperation echoing across the water. Arlid had climbed up onto the dock, Orliantha's claws had cut him up, his shirt practically to shreds. They dropped Orliantha on the dock with a thud, and she let out a loud hiss as the men neared her. She swept her tail across the dock, effectively slicing some of the men's legs and ankles.

"Give me that!" Arlid took one of the spears from the others, and in a quick motion drove it down into Orliantha' s tail, pinning it to the dock. She let out a pain-filled shriek, her dark, ink-colored blood staining the dock and water as it dripped down and pooled around her. Tears stung Mihris's eyes and ran down her face, quickly washing away with the harsh rain. The other sailors stood by Gulliver, ones she has practically grown up with. People she knew. They stood there and only watched. Orliantha' s eyes met hers, and Orliantha reached out to her through the net. She could only sob, flinching as she heard another pain-filled shriek come from Orliantha as Arlid kicked her in her side. Mihris choked out sobs, flinching with every shriek and scream Orliantha let out as Arlid struck and pierced her skin and flesh with the spear.

And they all stood by and watched.

And then there was silence. Only the storm could be heard, along with wheezing, ragged breaths coming from Orliantha as she struggled to live. The image of Orliantha' s broken battered body would forever burn in her mind, and at that moment she remembered what she had been told.