Prologue

5.3K 331 74
                                    

The ocean water turns in on itself, powerful waves and strong tides shifting. Joy clutches her baby boy to her chest, swimming through the thick waves of blinding sand and sharp shells. One hand presses her son's face to her shoulder to protect him front breathing in any sand while the other holds him close to her body. She swims faster, desperate to reach the shore before the tides become too strong.

Talk about the upcoming storm had circulated around the community, but nobody took the right measures for preparing. The clans hurried to find shelter in the constructed caves once the storm began, but the water wasn't safe for Joy's child. He hasn't developed his tail yet, not strong enough too swim against the waves, his lungs to tiny to handle breathing in the dusty sand. Joy realized quickly that she needed to get him to land.

The storm fell in fast, and Joy was mid-journey to the shore when it struck. She blinks sand from her eyes as she forcefully swims through the dark waves. She has trouble seeing, desperately trying to reach the shore that she knows must be close by.

After a moment of consideration, Joy swims to the surface of the water, taking a breath of oxygen as she bursts through the surface. Her son's lips part, breathing in air as water droplets stick to his eyelashes. Joy scans the horizon, her chest lifting when she sees the shore only a mile or two away, dry and protected by the canopy of the trees.

Joy dives back underwater, swimming faster than she's ever swam, her tail tiring quickly from the force of charging through the strong tide, but she ignores it. Anything for her son.

She reaches the shore quickly, the tide having incredible force, threatening to pull her back into the deeper waters. She struggles to fight it, waves forming around her and pushing her unsteadily. Joy swims as far up the shore as she can, stopping when she can't move any further without the help of the waves. The worst thing she can possibly do is get stranded on the beach, unable to get back to the water.

Joy gently places her boy onto the soft sand, underneath one of the trees. Its strong leaves protect him from the rain, and Joy watches her son's wide brown eyes watch her as she pushes herself back into the water, succumbing to the tide.

"I'll be back once the storm is over," Joy promises. The boy blinks.

She dives back into the waves, turning around and swimming as fast as she can back to her home with the rest of the family. She reaches the caves and slips inside just as the storm picks up, sending sharp rocks and dangerous ocean objects flying through the water. She feels the touch of her family and friends, knows they want to know if her son is safe. He is, Joy notes silently, relief filling her veins. He's safe.

The storm lasts for three hours, as horrible and as strong as a storm could be. When it calms, the clan of mermaids are nervous as they swim out into the open. A lot of their structures are destroyed, but they all feel relieved when they see that everyone was safe and unharmed.

Joy checks to make sure everyone is fine before leaving in direction for her son, swimming much faster than before due to the storm being over. The water is calm and clear, sand settling back at the bottom and shells floating back down to the floor. Joy is quick, reaching the shore she left three hours ago in a span of twenty minutes.

She swims up the shore, pushing herself onto the sand with her arms and surfacing the water eagerly. Joy opens her eyes and goes to retrieve her son from under the tree.

However, her heart sinks in panic when she finds nothing but a bunch of leaves and wet sand.

He's gone.

Joy begins to panic, her heart throbbing in her chest as she scans the shore, breathing quicker. He's too young to walk, he couldn't have even crawled. She worries that maybe he got pulled back into the ocean.

Joy dives back in and searches the nearby waters hurriedly, but comes up with empty arms. She collapses on the sand, waves of water crashing around her as tears flood her cheeks, begging the storm to return her child to the safety of her arms.

---
A/N how dramatic lol

dudes im so excited for this

Under the Sea ⇔ Cashton ✓Where stories live. Discover now