Daughter of the Tide

It's About to Go Down

I am an island and you are the ocean

we're so close we're touching

completely surrounded. 

But I can not have you the way that I want to

cause I am an island and you are the ocean. 

— Svrcina (Island)

~~~

Sunlight streamed in through the main window and onto my face. I blinked and turned away from it, looking up at the blankets that hung over my head and smiling. I sat up slowly and found Ryan still asleep next to me. I rolled out from under our little tent and stood, stretching the sleep from me and taking in the apartment and shop. It was coming along nicely with the paint and our shelves were due to arrive any day now.

What was missing was my father. My eyes drifted to the window, where his boat was tied to our dock right next to mine. Frowning, I nudged Ryan with my foot.

"Ryan, wake up," I muttered before heading towards our kitchen to grab some food. I heard him grumble from under the tent and I huffed out a laugh. "Ryan!"

"Let me sleep, Rina," he pouted. I heard him shift and after a few minutes, realized that he wasn't trying to wake up.

"Fine, I guess I'll just go confront my mother all alone..."

He shot up so fast that he destroyed our tent, the blankets caving in around him. He flailed underneath them, trying to remove them quickly and I laughed again.

"Rina—"

"I'm joking," I assured him as he tugged the last blanket away. He rubbed at his face and glared at me all the while. "Do you want some cereal?" I pulled out a box and set it on the table, then went to retrieve the milk.

"Uh... sure," he grumbled, walking over and sitting at the small table. "I don't think that's something to joke about." I rolled my eyes and set the milk down as well, looking out at the water.

"You go ahead and eat, I'll be right back," I told him. I headed for the door and he stood up.

"Whoa, wait," he said, "are you sure going out there alone is a good idea?" I placed a hand on my hip as I looked at him, shaking my head.

"Ryan, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. You can't jump into the water every time I decide to," I reminded him. "Plus, you can see through the window if you're that worried." With that, I turned and left. The skies were a dark grey and the wind was strong. We'd been lucky enough to miss the last storm but I wasn't sure if it would happen again.

The grass was cool against my feet as I walked down to the dock. I couldn't help the quickness in my steps or the eagerness I felt at the idea of getting in the water. I stopped at the edge and looked back at the shop, where Ryan was indeed watching, and motioned for him to turn around. With a quick look around, I shed my clothes and jumped in without hesitation.

The first thing I noticed was how hurt the water felt. The stomach twisting emotion in the water had me freezing to the spot as I grew my tail and adapted my lungs. I frowned as I blinked in the water, swimming a little way from the dock and out into the water. I swam along the bottom, sending sand flying up around me. I stopped when I came to a little drop off and peered down into the murky darkness that not even my eyes could see in.

You feel it too, don't you? I jumped at the voice in my head despite the familiarity of the voice. I looked up to meet eye to eye with Taron and backed up a few paces.