The Dacabre Killings

 05 ~ jett

Silently closing the door, I made my way out into the brisk of the morning, full of youth and excitement. Whistling a tune I had heard a musician playing once, I lugged the net down to the dock, relieved to be one of the first ones there.

Boarding the old, crude, boat, I cast the reeking mesh of net into the sea, bringing out my lucky charm. Should I wear it? Should I toss it in the water? After putting a generous amount of thought into the decision, I plopped the gadget into my net, smiling at the thought of what was to come.

My small, callused, hands gripped the oars, the boat cutting through the water. I inhaled the normality of salty wind, closing my eyes in a childish sense of euphoria.

Every now and then, I would check my net, praying for it to be overflowing, but the best I got was six. I kept reminding myself to be patient, and that good things come to those who wait, but soon I began to suspect my charm's power. Half the day had gone by, so why hadn't I caught anything?

A deafening boom exploded within the sea, and before my mind could register what had happened, I was blasted into the air, my body unnaturally immobile as I crashed down into the waters beneath me.

Looking into the murkiness, I caught a glimpse of the debris from our boat and net, littering the floor of the sea.

My vision was fading from loss of air, and just as large hands grabbed my arm, I caught a glimpse of my lucky charm, ominously sinking to the depths below.

  

"Jett! Would you...wake...up!" Harsh slaps stinging my cheeks yanked me back to the world as I gradually peeled my eyes open, groaning when Harlyn's blows didn't cease to end.

"Hey, stop! I'm awake!" She was stronger than I liked to admit, and I could already feel bruises forming on my face. It was then that I realized I had been shivering uncontrollably. I probably had been too grateful to be alive to notice the icy shock of the water, but apparently, it had settled in now.

"Gee, finally. I thought you were going into a coma or something." Although the remark came off casually, and her tone remained condescending, I thought I had seen an instant of worry in her face when I had awakened. Maybe it was the pensive knit of her brow, or the tight line her lips were sealed in, or maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part. I couldn't help but hope that the only person who could save my life now cared about me. Care; one of the many emotions absent in my sixteen years of life.

"No...it wasn't a coma," I muttered, not yet willing to meet her eye for fear of giving myself away. My teeth began chattering, reminding me once more of the cold. "L-l-let's g-get-t ou-out of h-h-here b-b-bef-fore w-we g-g-get-t hyp-p-potherm-mia."

"Wow. What a great idea. Why don't we go back in the boat? Oh wait! We don't have a boat! It blew up in the storm. Remember?" Her words were smooth and chatter-less, prompting me to wonder if she was even cold at all.

"Would you stop the sarcasm?" I managed to stop stuttering, thankfully. "It's not helping and the only thing it's succeeding at is making things worst." It might've been the first time I spoke out against Harlyn, but she acted as if I had announced that we were going to dance together.

A laugh danced from her lips as she shook her head at me, her smile holding an ulterior meaning that remained unknown. "Like that's gonna happen. If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that sarcasm is built into me, and there's nothing you can do about it Wimpy."