[ chapter twenty-one ]
SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GRASP ANYTHING IN THAT MOMENT, too many things were shot at her. She could hear her mother screeching under water. The water muffles her words, as water invades her lungs with a piercing iron tang as the woman begins to suffocate for calling to her own daughter.
And then moving on, the impact her body took made her incredibly weak. Her body aches with so much pain, the stinging on her muscles wrecks her. Not physically, mentally as well. The agony was like stepping on fire stones and the feeling of her flesh being ripped apart.
That alone made her want to cry, she wanted to go insane and scream , to go home. She wanted to sleep in her hammock with peace— staring out towards the sea. The sounds of the water bringing in a warmth.
This time she was surrounded by it, inside the waters where the ocean's waves blocked her hearing and fire agony that purely felt in her arms and body. The parts of her losing it's feelings, losing all hope and as it slowly succumbs to herself falling asleep.
Her body goes extremely numb.
The jolt of her undying spirits brought back a static feeling to the top of her fingers. Slowly parts of her body regaining back it's conscious, as if it were aware of the current dangers that were held in her situation.
Her arms and legs paddled by instinct, the reflex coming in handy her eyes then finally her fingers take in her surroundings.
Still in the depth of waters surrounding the corals, but much further away from the spot where she was hit. The pearlescent sparks shining silver and cold, a rush of chilly waters prickling her skin. She didn't have much air left—
And at the first sight of the net shooting her way, Arwani skillfully swan downawards and avoided the planned ambush. Armed with only her dagger, she knew no chance of her coming out alive from a fight like this would be there.
With adrenaline pump of her heart, pounding erratically in her chest as well as her ears. Arwani became more aware of one thing: she would be needing air quick. The Metkayina girl took the chance to make calls for any of her underwater direhorses— her ilu or Tsurak, but no vibrations, no waves of familiar movement.
Her tail paddled as her arms, held on to the corals. The colourful rocks etching little scratches and cuts on her hands, shifting herself between a few reefs.
Skin colour camouflaging more better in deeper waters. Yes, Arwani's known for her breath-holding skills. It lasted more than others, but she wasn't a God.
Her eyes widened and hatred boiled from the pit of her stomache. Eyes taking in the rage of her heart as she saw the machine demolished countless of life— causing such ruckass, all just to find her and for what?
They should've given up by now. They really should, Arwani felt the air in her lungs slowly cease from her nostrils, her chest slowing decresing its size and puffes downwards.
Her brow began to pinched in thinking, to make a call would make her presence noticed. Ley'fe hadn't even responded to her in the first place—
She tried sneaking away, grippingthe corals to keep her from floating even if shebso desperately wants so. Just to be out of sight from the machinery.
Abruptly flashing lights spilled her view, another of these metal mechanics was thrown right at her. This time crashing, and crushing feeling went up to her leg.
The waves of agony running up her leg, with each cold water that flew by made the girl squeel in crying laughter. The shooting pain made her laugh in such pain, losing a couple more of bubbles of her breath.
Her throat began to burn as few shots of salt water rush down as she swallows it, her nose equally burning and the pounding of her lungs drummed against her head.
Pounding like a hammer. Squishing and squeezing her consciousness. Salted tears that escaped her eyes left and became one with the salty sea.
S
he wanted scream and yell an d cry and sob and laugh so uncontrollably— yet in the end the sea was swallowing her up. Her body growing becoming tireful and weak.
Eyelids keeping themselves awake, her dagger found the slit between the machinery and her food. Her leg lifted to take it out— Arwani cried even more, air keeping on losing some more from Arwani.
Her leg finally slipped through, she huffed, her tail and other movable leg pushed itself to paddle stronger. Her arms crashing against the water, hurrying to reach for air.
A punctured to her broken leg had the girl crying in agony underwater, mouth shot open as water seeped into her lungs burning everything inside her up. A small red flower exploding in the sea— blossoming of red.
And the world became darker than usual as her eyelids began to give out but the second metal plunger produced a bigger red blossom in the sea. As her eyes are filled with terror and fright of going away crawling up to her, became—
"OH GREAT MOTHER! No Great Mother! Please! " Louds sobs filled the air, as the eclipse took place to capture the day into the night. The raw emotions bursting through everyone as they tried so hard to keep it in, the cries of a mother's pure grief sending everyone over onto the edge.
She hysterically cried, shaking the unmoving body as her husband slowly takes the woman into a tight. The wife collapsing into his arms, the man experiencinv the same denial of grief.
It very well flashing through his eyes. Speaking with so much intensity as his body had chosen to accept it instead. Taking care, holding onto Neytiri as her rock with eyes watering. Daring to tear up infront of a body that won't reassure him it's okay, that it was alright.
That it was simply a foul prank that his son's had chosen to play on them.
The other son in question sucking in his breath, eyes red and puffy with same matching palms— but much redder. His teeth biting down the howls of his tears as he laid his palms flat facing the sky.
Hot, salty tears speaking so much agony as their dropped down his face. His hand, the red liquid turning unnaturally sticky as it dries up.
And beside the boy, holding onto a dead boy's arm. As she she'd her own set of tears. Not for a family, not for tsakarem duties to express her emotions, but to a friend. A good person.
Tsireya's mouth quivered. Not realising her body felt so cold, her eyes linger to the boy she liked— drowning in his own sea of sadness. Eyes staring with pain at his bloodied hands as he repeated apologies to the air, to the sky, to his mother, to his brother and to his father.
Tsireya's stomach churned and turned, his sisters still tied up and captured on the boat. Unknown of all the pain that's happening down here— she shivered and curled into herself as she gripped her hand on Neteyam's forearm.
Trying to figure and find the strength. Thinking of his cluess sisters, thinking that their eldest brother had gotten into some danger and is currently being lectured.
And Lo'ak then loudly sobbed as he had finally broke down. Wailing in pain, his stained hands clenching chest as he leans himself into his older brother's leaving warmth.
And slowly a smaller hand rubbed his back, teal skinned. Tsireya's eyes watered more as Wira stood in silence, disbelief clear on her face— confused.
Her eyes erratically bouncing between them all as if they were on part some joke she wasn't apart of. But Tsireya watched as her expression quivered before frowning with tears spilling her face— the younger holding her mouth compreased shut to avoid any sound being made.
Her breaths becoming heavy as she tries to breath in and out. Her chest becoming heavy and hard to breath with.
Tsireya then gulped down the lump in her throat, how was she suppose to tell this to her brother? Her friend, Rotxo? How was she going to tell Arwani,
Oh, Arwani. Where were you?
What was she suppose to tell her mother, her father and her aunt? How was she suppo— how-
Tsireya pulled the little girl in her arms as Wira began to cry quietly, almost scared to make a sound within them all.
Wira wanted her sister.
BLOOMS OF RED FLOWERS crept the sea, the injured fled back to the village for treatment. As did Wira's mother after her aunt dragged her, to be treated and to treat people.
One died with his head turned to the sea, the water sparkling with hints if silver. After failing to say what herm wanted to his father, his eyes stretched onto the natural horizon.
Remembering his mother's face before and the touch of his brother's hand and his own warmth-losing hands. And then hints of shiny pearlescent found in the waters like he first saw them.
Eyes belonging to pearlescent eyes, wondered with thought with so many things. That she wanted live.
The thought of her mother hating her still but the thought Wira hating her even more for leaving the girl alone ached even more— and the thoughts of her cousins, she didn't want to leave them.
She didn't want to die.
How she desperately wanted to be found, to be treated and kept safely and sound. She wanted to live. The second metal plunger making a hole right through her stomach and already collapsing lungs.
Her free hand gatherings strength a spot between her face. The one between the curve of her brow and nose, where a kiss last lingered there still.
And her world went black.