Hate

Chapter 1

The ocean. A calm place for some and others, a place that ignited fear. However, that was not the case for Cold. For her, it was a place of comfort. A haven.

Home.

Cold sat on her bed staring at the ocean as the waves crashed against the shore. With every wave that broke, so did her heart. Tears flowed down her cheeks. It was hard having this uncontrollable pain. This heartache. 

'Why am I alive?'  she thought, 'Why does it still hurt?'

Cold was disappointed to find herself alive, yet another day, living an empty, incredibly sad life. She should be numb by now, she should be over it. He died four years ago, so it shouldn't hurt as much.  

'I don't want to be here.'

The hushed voices of Cold's parents caught her attention. Tuning into their conversation, she listened to their comments. With every word that left their mouths, a little part of her died.  

"Do really you think Jason is the reason why she's depressed?" Her father harshly whispered, "That was four years ago! Move on already! Yes, he died! Yes, he was her best friend. But she should be over it by now!"

"Ethan, they've been friends since they could walk. That's a little insensitive," her mother defended.

"No, it's not. I think she's too negative. Why can't she be happy like every other teenager?!" Her father exclaimed as Cold rolled her eyes.

Typical response from him. He didn't care. He never did! Unless it pertained to following in his footsteps to become an oceanographer, he didn't give a crap! They never cared, until it was too late. She gritted her teeth as her blood began to boil.

But as she got a whiff of the sea breeze, she felt the fire within her extinguished.

Her attention was unwillingly drawn back to the ocean. Its movement was almost hypnotic. Cold twirled her golden locket, as a wave of calmness washed over her. 

Memories of her past, with Jason and Nate, flashed before her eyes. Like when Nate got stuck in the tree, crying until his father brought him down. Or that other time when they chased her and she ran into a wall of her house. 

Ah, simpler times. 

Then, the memories gradually grew darker. Her last memory of him wasn't exactly the happiest. 

The pain in her chest intensified.

'Maybe I should go for a swim, that'll make me feel better,' Cold thought, watching the enticing waters. The ocean always took her pain away. It made me feel at peace. At home. Her home didn't feel like the ocean, calm and comforting. 

But to everyone in Blue Land, Aurelia, the ocean was a priority. The ocean was a necessity. For without her, the citizens of Blue Land could never survive. 

'Come to me,' she whispered to Cold, though she thought nothing of the whisper but just her inner voice. Eyes fixed on the ocean, Cold floated towards the door.

Gently opening it, she stepped outside, the breeze caressing her brown skin. 

As she made her way to the beach, she had an overwhelming urge to be consumed by the ocean. Her heart rate accelerated as the voice telling her to come closer intensified.  She ran into the water and dove under. The warm seas embraced her and for a moment, she had no care in the world.

~~~~

'This is going to take some time to heal,'  Xavier thought to himself as he let the ocean consume him. He barely escaped that hunter after destroying the harbour.