My merman

Chapter 12 - long journey

I groan. My body exhausted. We have been swimming for 3 days consistently and we haven't stopped, we haven't eaten, ryder hasn't slept or stopped swimming, drank, or really spoken for 3 days. I rest my head on Ryders back. Well what's not in the water. My stomach growls hungrily.
"Ryder I'm starving." I say exhausted. He sighs.

"I know I'm sorry I am too we will eat soon." He says. My stomach aches. I need something, anything it hurts.

"Ryder can we stop and eat now? I can't wait for soon, I need food my stomach is hurting." I say holding onto him with one hand and wrapping my arm around my belly with the other. I'm in so much pain. My body aches from not moving and my arms burn holding on. My skin burns from the salt water, itching for me too get out. My throat burns from the lack of fresh water. My stomach squeezes from the emptiness. My eyes droop from the lack of sleep, I have slept but not much. I need rest.

"Ryder I need to eat , I need water, I need rest. You need rest!" I say and rub his shoulders
Looking at his muscles on his back. His muscles are all tense and knotted.

"Sophie I know! But we can't! We really can't! Damien will catch up to us again! And I'm not having that." He says in a sorta angry tone. His voice sounds exhausted. I just sigh defeated closing my eyes. I lay there helplessly. My body being dragged in the cold water. Ryders swimming slows down before suddenly stopping. Before I know it ryder collapses into the water sinking down. I quickly swim up to the surface not wanting to be dragged down with him. What just happened.

Suddenly everything slows down. I pant. My eyes close and I sink down into the water. Forgetting who's on my back. All of a sudden everything goes black. And a weight lifts off my back. Water engulfing me. I sigh in relief. Sleep coming in. Finally.

"Ryder what in tridents name are you doing." A small voice says. I recognise it.

"Sleeping Lillian what does it look like." I say grumpy. I'm so tired can I not just sleep.

"You know you left Sophie on her own up there." My eyes fling wide open. Shit I forgot! How could I forget her?  I quickly power upwards using as much energy as I can. I break the surface In-front of her and pull her in close. I held her waist with one arm and her head with the other, her head on my chest just out of the water.

"Hey watch it you big oaph." Two sea nymphs say at the same time. Lillian emerges in the middle of the 2 sea fairy's.

"This is spike and you already know Florian." Lillian says introducing me. Sophie wraps her arms around my middle underwater.

"You said you would look after her, what is this. This is just hurting her." Lillian says angrily. I look down at Sophie. She has a point I'm only harming her. But I feel if we stop it will harm her more because of what is coming. I feel if I keep going it's protecting her. I rub my fingers over her waist. I can feel her ribs and hips sticking out a hell of a lot and it's my fault. I should of listened to her.
"But your not just hurting her, your hurting yourself. Your still children the both of you. Your not ready or made for this yet so stop doing what u can't." She says sternly.

I look at Lillian."I'm not a child I-" Lillian cuts me off.

"She is! Ryder your forgetting what you do she does and what u don't she doesn't either. You are both exhausted so just take a break. Out of the water for her sake."  I sigh keeping my mouth shut nodding. I need to start too look after her better. I'm killing her and it's my fault. Out of nowhere My stomach growls hungrily and loudly interrupting the mood. Lillian looks at me.

"When was the last time you stopped and ate." She asks me with a threatening look. This time sophie pipes up.

"3 days ago." She says tiredly. My lips press into a thin line. Lillian looks furious.

"When was the last time you actually stopped swimming ryder." Oh Fuck, here comes trouble.

"3 days ago." I say looking down at Sophie again. I run my hands through her hair. Lillian looks at me furiously.

"Your not helping your human you know this! You decided to save her." I feel Sophie stiffen underneath me. I lean my head down onto sophies shoulder.
I sigh. The way Lillian just put it I know Sophie feels uncomfortable.

"I'm so sorry." I whisper too her. I feel so guilty. She's in this position because of me. "I'll get us out of here too a island somewhere, hopefully with villagers on it." I whisper too her again. She nods.

I lift my head off her shoulder and look at the sea nymphs. "Can we just get too an island somewhere that has people? Like a place for us too sleep and get food." I ask them. They turn around and speak to each other for a bit. Sophie looks up at me, her big brown eyes tired and her once pink lips cracked.

"Are you okay." I mouth too her being quiet. She shakes her head. I look at her with concern. I look at her up and down. She looks ok, other then her skinny she is, and her lips. Her wounds are healing nicely, she has no new ones. I don't understand.

"I'm hungry." She mouths. I smile. She frowns. I try and hold my laugh in and She notices. "It's not funny ryder, you were complaining when you didn't eat!" She half whisper shouts. I stop smiling. She has a point.

"Ok I'm sorry, we will get food soon." I promise her. She groans flopping her head back into my chest. I slightly giggle and kiss  the crown of her head. I haven't done that before. Sophie relaxes. It's not a I like you thing it's a old friend thing. That's all. That's something I've been telling myself for years. Even when we were kids. My thoughts are broken by the sea nymphs turning around.

"The next island that has people is about a 2 hour trip. Can you swim that long?" She asks me. I look down at Sophie. For her sake I will.

"Yes I can." I say. Lillian nods at me.

"It's not a great trip tho. There is a storm over near that island and it's very rocky to swim to get there. And with the storm we need to be careful." She says nodding. "Especially swimming above water for sophie, ryder u need to make sure u have her at all times." I nod.

"Ok I understand." I say. Lillian nods. "Are you ready." I whisper too sophie. She just nods. She wraps her arms around my neck softly. I nod. "Lead the way."

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I will probably fix this chapter but it is Another short chapter I'm not sure what to write for in between main events so it's hard but if there's anything you want in between please let me know and I will!! Hope you enjoy