Dark Waters

Chapter 6

(Jade's POV)

Why isn't she resurfacing?

Everyone on the beach is standing right at the water's edge, looking out into the crashing waves. The band stopped playing, standing in the crowd. 

Kaitlyn and I stand side by side, hugging each other. A large storm is coming in. A few minutes have passed since she went under. 

If she came up for air, we most likely would have seen her. But I guess considering there is a storm coming, we might not have.

Stormy gray clouds continue to roll in as we all stand there, watching and waiting for her to show up. Thunder claps loudly in the near distance. Lightning takes over the sky, making Kaitlyn jump in my arms.

I'm beginning to worry. It's been 15 minutes since we saw her last. There are people going up and down the beach looking for her out in the water. People are shouting things that I can't fully hear, but I join in.

"If she doesn't show up soon, we will need to call the coast guard, and notify her parents."

"She can't swim...what if she drowns?" Kaitlyn breaks down, crying.

"I can feel a storm coming. We need to find her, and fast."

"Attention! Send out the rescue boats if she doesn't show up in the next 15 minutes."

Kaitlyn and I are now in full break down mode. We're both crying, clinging onto each other. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happens to her. 

"What if she's dead?" I ask. Ben is nearby and hears me, taking me out of his sister's arms. 

He hugs me, "She'll be okay. Don't think like that. We will find her." He whispers in my ear, trying to comfort me. I would be totally freaking out right now if we had been under different circumstances.

He lets go of me, and I run to Kaitlyn. Together we cry, thinking about the possibilities.

We keep searching, but find nothing. There's no trace of her. 

Suddenly, there is a distinct coughing that sounds almost like somebody is choking. 

The coughs get louder, and intensify. Everyone rushes towards the sound, screaming and shouting. I try my best to make out what they're saying. 

I hear someone say something alone the lines of "Avalon" and how she "appeared." 

Kaitlyn and I begin pushing our way through the crowd, trying to see if the crowd is correct. We tell people to get out of our way as we rush in the direction the crowd is heading, but it doesn't work very well. 

Everyone is panicked and worried, and are also trying to get to the front of the crowd to see if she is okay. 

Once we are finally able to get through the large crowd, there she is. 

Avalon is sitting there on the ground, shaking violently with coughing fits as water spews out of her mouth onto the sand in front of her. We kneel next to her, trying to get her attention. 

"Av? Are you okay?" I ask, not really being able to believe it was really her. With one last violent cough, she opens her eyes. They open slowly, as if she is in pain. 

Is she in pain?

She looks around her as if getting a hold on her surroundings, her gaze flitting from Ben, Kaitlyn and I before they land on the Coast Guard. Her eyes widen slightly. 

Then out of nowhere, she bursts into tears. She collapses into our arms, and we hold her tight. 

She looks up at us. "C-can we j-just go ho-ome?" She stutters, looking scared and shaken up. The Coast Guard nods at her, and we pick her up off of the ground. 

We start to lead her away, when Ben stops us. He hugs her tightly. 

I know he's just glad that she is okay, but I feel jealousy build up when he takes her in his arms. 

She begins sobbing into his shirt, and then her legs give out from underneath her. He's left completely supporting her weight, but it doesn't look like he minds. He picks her up and holds her close to his chest as we continue to walk. 

I can't help wishing that it was me. 

(Avalon's POV)

Ben says goodbye to his friends with me in his arms, having decided that he would carry me back to his house. I'm in his arms as Kaitlyn and Jade walk beside us. We are all going back to his and Kaitlyn's house, so that Ben doesn't have to worry about walking the long distance to my house. 

There are streaks of lightning scattered across the sky as thunder booms loudly, getting closer and louder. It's going to rain soon, and we are still outside. 

I need to get inside somewhere and quickly if I don't want my secret to be exposed. 

An icy breeze flows past us, making me shiver slightly. Ben takes notice and holds me slightly closer to his chest. 

I look in Jade's direction and notice her looking at Ben and I with an envious glint in her eyes. What's that about?

I can feel the storm getting closer, and Kaitlyn's house is still about a ten minute walk away. The storm will be here sooner than that. 

I squirm in Ben's arms, getting out of his grasp. Once my feet are on the ground, I begin running in the direction of Kaitlyn's house, as they follow closely behind me. 

They ask me why I'm running, but I don't give them the reply they hope for. They want an explanation for everything, and instead I tell them that I want to avoid the rain, which is actually true. 

The thunder roars louder, and I can hear the ocean getting angry in the distance. The skies seem darker all of a sudden as clouds cover what sun was left. 

Just as the house comes into view, raindrops form on the sidewalk near me. I run as fast as I can until I reach the porch, protected by the roofing. I only narrowly avoid getting rain on my skin, breathing a sigh of relief. 

As the door is opened, I have a get a light headed feeling. I continue walking, shaking it off. The second the door is closed, it begins pouring outside. 

Kaitlyn leads Jade and I up to her bedroom, and I know they will expect me to explain what happened to them. 

Ben heads upstairs as well, stopping me as I reach the top step. I turn around, and he asks me if I'm okay. 

No. 

"Yes." I reply, smiling lightly as he hugs me one last time before I go into Kaitlyn's room and close the door behind me. 

"Av... explain. Now." Jade orders me, as I sit next to them on the bed. 

 "Yeah. You tell us you're afraid of the water, and then disappear into it? What's up with that?" Kaitlyn presses deeper, and I know that I have to tell them. Right now.

I get up, and walk over to Kaitlyn's bedroom door. Just as I turn the lock, I feel an immense pain in my head. I groan, and fall to my knees. 

The pain gets worse, black spots clouding my vision. I clutch my head in my hands, and fall onto my side. Then, it all fades away, and everything goes dark.