My Calling (AJR Metmaid Challenge)

7

     Jack and Ryan were sitting on the beach, neither of them saying anything. Adam had been missing for two weeks. Emily had been frantic when she noticed his gloves and trash bag on the ground, the sand scuffled up like there had been some kind of struggle. She called the brothers and asked if Adam had come home. They said no.
     The police hadn't done anything to help. There wasn't much they could do. Adam had just vanished into thin air. No one was after him as far as they knew. There wasn't any blood at the scene so it was doubtful someone had killed him. No footprints except Adam's own. Something similar to a body had been dragged across the sand, and that was all they knew. It didn't lead anywhere.
     It was hopeless.
     The brothers had called their friends, parents, anyone who might've known where Adam had gone. None of them were even aware he was missing.
     Jack and Ryan had returned to the beach one last time. The shock had mostly worn off. Ryan set down a small flower where Adam had last been. No one was allowed to go near or touch the area. Rain, wind, and high tides had washed away most of the 'evidence'. Jack hugged Ryan tightly, sniffling and trembling. He didn't think he had any tears left to cry. He was wrong.
     Once the man had calmed down, Ryan suggested they just walk along the beach to see the progress Adam and Emily had made so far. Jack stayed by Ryan's side, needing comfort. The wind started picking up a little, making them shiver. Most of the trash had been cleaned up. Emily wasn't able to finish the project.
     Jack and Ryan stopped for a moment to sit down in the sand. It was still warm from the sun beating down on it. Ryan glanced at his little brother.
     "I don't think Adam's coming back,"
     he said quietly. Neither of them had spoken much lately. Ryan's voice sounded cracked and broken.
     Jack looked down and closed his eyes tightly, hugging his sides. He'd give anything to have his older brother back. Even if it was just for a few minutes, so he could say goodbye. Ryan hugged him gently, his own eyes welling with tears. He didn't want Adam to be gone. But if no one had heard from him in two whole weeks, then...
     The two held each other, only the sound of Jack's sobs were heard on the beach.
     Ryan glanced up again to rub at his eyes. He saw something small and black a little ways away. Once he put his glasses back on he could see it was someone's hair. Ryan pulled Jack up and told him to look. The person was wearing a dark gray t-shirt and black shorts. Their hair was half-dry, clumped with sand. Their skin was ghostly white and they were unconscious. The two raced over to the body, Jack collapsing to his knees as he recognized the face.
     "Holy shit..."
    Ryan shook his head, his eyes wide as he kneeled down next to him.
     "Adam...?"
     Jack immediately looked for a pulse. His heart sank as he felt the iciness of Adam's skin. There seemed to be no heartbeat. After a moment he gasped, feeling a faint and slow pounding against his fingertips.
     "He's alive. Adam's alive!!"
   
. . .

     The ambulance had rushed him to the hospital. The doctors told Ryan and Jack that Adam was severely malnourished and dehydrated and had almost no body fat whatsoever. He had an extreme Vitamin D deficiency and his muscles had started to waste away. Jack covered his mouth with his hand. His poor brother had gone through so much.
     Adam's eyelashes fluttered as a bright light reached his eyes. He whined and tried to turn away. Jack and Ryan looked up at him, both rushing to his side.
     "Adam! Adam, can you hear me? It's Ryan!"
     "Where have you been? Did someone take you? Can you talk??"
     The doctors told them to leave Adam alone, he was probably in a very bad mental state due to his abuse and loud noises or crowding could freak him out. The brothers nodded and hesitantly backed off.
     Adam made a small whining sound as he squinted at his surroundings. Everything was so loud and bright... where was he? Was this Heaven? He hoped he wasn't dead. He thought Heaven would be warmer.
     "Adam? Can you see us?"
     A faintly familiar voice called to him. Adam took a shaky breath as things started coming into focus for him.
     "Please... the light..."
     The blinding light above him was switched off. Adam's eyes found his worried brothers by his side. The two hugged him tightly as he started to sob, clutching onto them and never wanting to let go.
    
. . .

     Adam had to stay in the hospital for a few days. He had a mild concussion and bruising on his ribs, and he vitamin deficiency was treated along with his malnourishment. Adam had never been happier to eat something that wasn't fish. Yeah, sushi might've been ruined for him.
     Or not, he thought as Emily set down a small take-out box in front of him.
     A few weeks later, Adam was allowed to go home. His skin was still quite pale and his ribs were visible, but other than that, he was fine. Adam spent the whole first day home in his own bed, actually starting to cry when he held the blankets to his face.
     "I never thought I'd feel these again..."
     He refused to talk about what happened, though, which worried Ryan and Jack. They could hear him at night, begging someone to let him go, that he just wanted to go home. Each night was the same nightmare. He'd thrash and scream in his sleep, and had to be woken up by his brothers. He had Shay sleep with him some nights so he'd feel a little safer.
     One night Adam had been woken up from a particularly bad nightmare. Ryan and Jack refused to let him sleep until he'd told them what had happened to him.
     "It will lift a weight off of your chest, I promise. We'll know how to help you."
     Adam looked hesitant. Eventually he asked if he could have a glass of water. Jack got up and handed one to him. Instead of drinking it like he'd expected, Adam poured the whole thing onto his legs. His brothers stared in confusion. He sighed and looked at them again.
     "Don't scream."
     Adam's legs pushed together and soon scales were growing out of them. Ryan's jaw dropped and Jack nearly fell off the bed. Soon a shiny blue fish tail had replaced his normal legs.
     "Wh... What the fuck?!"
     "I saved a water spirit from a fishing net. She gave me this 'blessing' but it's caused nothing but problems. I was getting used to it and starting to swim in the deeper ocean when someone grabbed me."
     Adam explained the details of his 'kidnapping', saying Charlie wanted to keep him there forever. He ate nothing but raw fish and could only drink the salty ocean water. I don't care if that's not physically possible this is a story. He never saw sunlight and didn't know if he ever would again. As Adam finished his story his scales retreated, and his legs had reappeared. Ryan and Jack looked at him with horrified expressions.
     "I'm so sorry,"
     Ryan whispered, crawling over to Adam and hugging him tightly. Jack did the same. Adam hugged them both back and assured them he was alright now.
     Adam went back to the ocean the next day. The manatee was laying on a rock, soaking up the sun with a happy look on her face.
     "Hey."
     She looked up at him, disturbed from her basking.
     "Can you... make the curse so that I can control it? Like... I become a mermaid at will? Showering is getting to be a chore."
     She seemed to laugh and nodded. The manatee looked at Adam again before wiggling back into the ocean and swimming away. Adam sat down where she'd just been, taking off his shoes and socks and dipping his feet in the water. After five minutes, they were the same. Adam smiled and pulled his shirt off as well, shimmying down into the water. His tail grew, just like he wanted. Adam looked out at the blue expanse around him, grinning to himself as he started swimming quickly through the water. He started going deeper and deeper before swimming straight up, launching out of the water like a dolphin would. Adam took a deep breath of fresh air, watching as the world moved past him. He closed his eyes as he plunged into the water that called him back.
     He was home.

The End

{1481 words}

A/N: wow. very long chapter. I'm glad I finally wrapped this story up and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. please comment or vote on the chapters you liked best! I really appreciate feedback. again, thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a wonderful day.
-Adam 💙