Astrid is the crown princess of Atlantis, but she barely has time to worry about the kingdom with six younger sisters to watch over, especially with the youngest coming into her powers as a daughter of the sea to navigate time. When Astrid fears tha...
Standing on the small boat that I first saw Brandon on, I keep a hold of the railing as I survey the ocean we are even now speeding across. It calls to me.
But, strangely enough, its song is dimmer now. Even as another tune has begun in me. One that keeps having me glance toward Brandon.
It was a strangely remarkable sensation kissing him.
Brandon catches my gaze from behind the wheel he's using to steer the boat, and he grins.
Cecilia takes notice of that from where she's perched next to him, and she starts chatting him up, like if she talks fast enough, perhaps that will create a spell to bring him back to her. The Ben who apparently is in a relationship with her is lying on a long chair behind her, ignoring everyone.
The other Ben, the taller, darker one, grabs the railing next to me.
"So, I have to ask this," he says as the wind blows my hair backward- and can't seem to touch his closely-shaved cut. "But do you have a sister? A close cousin, perhaps?"
My eyes tear up at the mere mention of my sisters and I hold up my hand to show six digits.
"Whoa!" Ben yells. "Six whole female cousins?"
I shake my head.
"Wait..." His jaw drops. "Six sisters?"
I nod. Then, to my absolute horror, a teardrop falls from my face to join the salty ocean water.
"I'm sorry. Did something happen to them?"
Again, I nod, not sure why I'm baring my heart to someone I don't even trust to hear me speak. But here I am, unable to turn back.
"I'm so sorry. I can't imagine-" Ben Two is cut off by a sudden lurching of the ship.
He grasps the railing, keeping himself steady. But I don't have land legs, let alone sea legs, and lose my balance.
I go sailing into the ocean, plunging deep even as Ben Two yells my name.
Because I don't want to get hit by the ship, I keep forcing myself downward, just narrowly missing hitting my head on the ship.
But something else is wrong. I'm not breathing water like I normally do. It stings my nostrils, and I feel it filling up my lungs.
What is happening? Where are my fins?
As if my thought reminded my body of what it was supposed to do, my body begins to convulse, and I lose all control of it as it violently lurches through the water. I can no longer breathe, or even choke, and a strange new sensation washes over me that I haven't felt before.
No, I have. Just not for a physical reason. Drowning. Like when my mother died, and the emotions seemed to smother me.
My swimsuit tears, and then I see my beautiful fin returned to me. For a moment.
Then my body lurches back again, and my head collides with the boat.
Since water is no longer drowning me, darkness swallows me in its stead.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
