It all started with my curiosity.
Months have passed since that tragedy of the cul-de-sac, my once favorite view of the ocean was tarnished by knee leveled murky waters. I gazed left and right at the time trying to cope with the new normal, yet all that washed upon me was regret.
The regret of not soaking in the view of the beach hours prior, I know I shouldn't have beat myself up too much, how could I have known? How Was I supposed to be prepared for a disaster with no warning.
The sun sets high, bright and warm just like that day, yet the rays it casted were swallowed whole by the darkness of the depths instead of dancing on the gray and dark blue ripples of the once great ocean. Not a sign of life anywhere can be sensed within the depths, the atmosphere of my surroundings changed from joy and life to a gloom and depression.
The wind blew into my face gliding through the strands of my 4c Afro hair, my thick lashes fluttered while trying to peel my eyes open to the wind. An awful smell ran up my nose and I nearly gagged to the scent, something was rotting in the distance as if meat was left out for far too long after it's expiration.
Another dead body near by, I wonder what it'll look like this time. No Eyes? no head? or the worst, no torso. I shivered continuing on my trail in hopes of it not being my father.
"Monica sweetie stay close, we're going to be heading back shortly." My nana cries in the distance before picking up her conversation with a neighbor.
I simply nodded with a smile, holding Up my dress as I climbed over the large rock. My little thick legs hopped over a few rocks further and further lost into the surroundings. Maybe it was because it was during the day, but the water didn't feel so scary anymore, picking up a few pebbles and launching them one by one into the murky waters with a distant mind.
Unraveling the mystery of my father's disappearance, of each and every body turned in none of the corpses were his. No call informing us he was found despite the many countless days that have passed. I sighed staring into my younger reflection in the water. Astonished that light can reflect at all.
But then again water surfaces resemble glass.
I huffed a mini smile, I was my mother's daughter I think to myself.
Little dough orbs hidden in the almond shape of my eyes, thick lashes with a button nose sitting above my plump lips. I am all alone, never to see my mother's face again and now I have lost my father, both their memory burned deep in my chest, my eyes blurred with hot tears ready to spill.
Just as I was ready to wipe my face came a swish sound just below me, in a second my eyes widened and I glanced down in the nick of time to catch a tail gently graze through the ripples of the dark waters. Grayish or a light blue? my first instinct was a fish but with everything I went through I wasn't taking any more chances.
Slowly I rise to my feet careful to not make any drastic moves, there is no other way but down, deep into the unknown with one of them still lurking by. My heart spiraling with fear, I walked too far, deep away from my Nani and must find a way back, being Caribbean I have been taught one major important factor when alone with the great ocean.
Never turn your back to it.
However in this case I didn't have the luxury of patience, I needed to leave and fast. Heaven stood for me when I reached the end of the curved rock to shore but than I heard a sound, the surface of water breaking, the hairs stood all over me and I stifled a cry. It's watching me. I can feel it's eyes on my back glaring at me.
Awaiting for my downfall.
My curiosity was to blame, instead of keeping foreword I glanced back slightly, there it was. The orbs of pure darkness peeking at me, it's complexion blended in well with the water and background and could have easily been missed hadn't it been for the silky midnight strands of his hair damped to the skull.
My breath hitched witnessing it in broad daylight, Alien like as it blinks like a reptile and long pointed ears, I couldn't make out any expression. No pupils to indicate where it looked. But this one appeared to be smaller compared to the larger ones that were in my room that day.
It doesn't budge; glaring at me, my bones shake an shrivel with fright Confused as to why it never ducked or hid from my eyes. I couldn't move, suddenly it moved closer and I wanted to scream.
Inconspicuously gliding my legs foreword on the rock, the blood running through my veins turned cold seeing it noticing my movements and halted before ducking down, disappearing quickly from sight.
With not a second to spare I launched myself onto the rocks landing roughly on my knees, the sharp rocks pierce into the thick of my skin but that meant nothing compared to the real danger lurking within arms reach of me.
The sound of a splash right behind me made me freeze, it couldn't come on land could it? No time to question, I winced deeply to the pain shooting through my ankles, the tears spilling blur my vision, I don't even know where was I heading to as long as it's away from the water. Limping away as fast as I can until my head was filled with a song, a haunting melody of a sweet choir.
All my senses shut down leaving me a mindless zombie to the serenity. That tune, that song, the spell it was working on me, the same tune that brought that lady to her demise. I was correct again, they couldn't come on land and thus use their songs to lure one to the sea.
The story about pirates never made sense to me until now, no matter how much I wanted to flee the only thing I can think about was getting closer to the ocean. The sudden wind broke through the chords of the voice breaking off the melody in my head, furiously I blink until I come in tune with my surroundings; my knees have disappeared under the water, it all happened so fast.
With no time to spare I am using my strenght to at least climb onto the rocks near me. My mini grip latched on for dear life while using my legs to push myself upwards.
What started off as a success was about to end in misery or death, the foot with the broken ankle numbed out, when I thought I had a good grip I slipped bringing down my entire weight with it. Gravity couldn't save me and I was tumbling down. Life was escaping me quickly and I thought I was ready to join my mother.
My eyes than peeled open at a soft wet feel, I lay on something cold. I was still in the air? somehow levitating. I try not to move, whatever I layed on didnt feel solid until I was slowly being brought down, back on land. Water? my hair dampened while I glared at the wet rocks, wincing deeply as I adjusted myself to sit. I was alive, the water saved me? water couldn't do that on it's own, has my mother been sent by our Heavenly Father to save me?
All My questions answered when I glanced down to the water, there it was again, the eyes of pure darkness peeking through me halfway above. My breath hitches violently trying to regulate my heartbeat as it swam closer and closer to me, I Caught sight of a large tail behind gently slicing through the water.
With the ramming of my heartbeat my strength was depleting faster and faster, all I could do is lean my body back pressing into the sharp pebbles of the ground.
"Pl-please don't hurt me." A single tear glided down my face, it paused its movement cocking its head sideways, a somewhat question like gesture. Unsure of what I am And what I'm saying.
It rose than, revealing a young face of a demon. I wanted to scream and yet was very intrigued. Different from what I saw in the pictures, smaller features than that of the one I saw in the glass box that day.
Features of a boy, in demon form. Only thing that stood out was his awfully pale complexion and the inhumane pointed ears, something appeared on the side of his neck but quickly disappeared by the time I looked at it. It opened again with a slimy whistling sound, six slashes on the side of its neck, gills.
I was almost fooled into thinking it was nothing more of a mere costume, until he smiled. My Blood ran cold, large sharp teeth like a shark, razor like and deadly. Would definitely tear my flesh to pieces in seconds.
"N-Nani"
Trying to keep my voice as low as possible, it watched my every move even glancing around to the surroundings behind me at the cry for my Nani.
It sat there in the water staring at me occasionally blinking it's reptilian eyes. I the same. Leisurely he raised its arm out of the water cautiously, a hand with black claws like an eagle, cupping something and I prayed it wasn't detrimental or anything. I leaned back as he reached over to the ground whimpering in fright to the crunchy sounds.
Eyeing his every move while he kept his eyes on me, something was hitting the ground, removing his hand I noticed the webbing. Pebbles?
He was holding pebbles? I furrow my brows in confusion and looked back at him. Once finished he slowly pushed himself back into the water, staring, awaiting.
"W-what are these?"
No response, he can't talk, duh.
For a mere second I peeled my eyes away to look down at the mini rocks when my heart lurched at the sound of splashing. Like a happy dog he swims around flapping its tail, droplets of cold water landing on me.
I couldn't help the chill running down my spine. All I did was throw pebbles earlier, and he collected them? That only meant he was here from the beginning, I was never alone. "Y-you want me to throw these?"
He only flapped his tail in response after processing my words and I huffed. Extraordinary, would father be proud I Just communicated with a fish? Never breaking eye contact I lean towards the pebbles keeping my guard up for any traps or another one lurking by.
Regathering them in my palm before launching them one by one into the depths, he disappeared under for a few seconds, I glanced back and forth between him and the trees wondering to myself would I make it in time? It didn't look too far but a part of me felt bad, would he be upset at my departure?
lingering on in the one sided debate in my head, the surface of the water breaks, the ripples stretch in to large O's while it's onyx orbs peeked in the middle. Seeing I was still there and alone he rose with a sinister smile gently swaying closer to shore where he placed the little pebbles before me.
Astonished, no words to describe my emotions. This creature indeed was communicating with me, the look in his eyes only indicated he wanted to play more, or at least that was what I assumed considering I couldn't make out anything but pitch black. Noticing my hesitance he slowly glides further away, "Uh - you want me to do it again?"
Dead, silence, It got awkward at some point. Leaning over the sharp pain in my ankles shot bullets and I cried out. I felt something rattle inside and bit my tongue to not soothe it forgetting I was in the midst of a predator of the sea, eyes burning my body as it watched me, occasionally cocking its head to the side as if wondering what I was doing howling.
I take it being a ferocious beast with deadly spines all over it's safe to say he never felt pain of a human. Kind of like an underwater porcupine, no one and nothing will dare. Cautiously I watch him swim towards me gently and calculatingly, the shooting pain numbs all of my mechanical muscles forbidding me from moving even an inch, I whimpered seeing how close he was to shore and how close he was getting to me.
"N-no please don't" I stifle my loud cries to not irritate it as it continuously glided to me.
Im freezing, petrified and helpless. Do I pick up a rock? Would it would think it's a challenge and kill me. last thing I want to do is anger it, at least have a less painful death. Suddenly I heard it than, the song that melody, No. Taking both my hands I cup my ears hard but even than I could still hear it, loudly I hummed my own tune to counter it both eyes locked on him.
Unbeknownst to me that he stopped, head cocking to the side in confusion; a very human like trait made me pause my humming. No brows yet it's like his face scrunched, so human like. I took that moment to really examine him, there were hints of human featuristics, though arms and fingers weren't obvious enough.
Despite that, the alienated features were more prominent.
Seeing as I was prepared to dodge the song he slightly wagged two fingers, right before my eyes the water surrounds me lifting me inches from the ground, right towards it.
"W-what? No! Ahhhh Nani"
I couldn't stifle the cries and let out a shriek of pure terror, my heart thuds violently I could feel the heart attack sneaking up on me watching it smile. My vision and conscious battles to keep me awake even as I look at him face to face, I hear my breath shudder for one last attempt before everything went black at the sight of its forked tongue slithering out.
***
"Monica, sweetie? can you hear me?!" a fist was placed on my chest before I felt my body bounce into the ground and up continuously.
"Monica? baby? it's Nana." woman cried.
"Step back ma'am we will get her an ambulance."
The woman sobbed loudly to the comment, calling out my name. Peeking my eyes open I was met with the clear sky, I blinked out and remembered the creature before me and launched myself up.
"Oh! Thank you Jesus." I hear my Nani cry loudly wrapping her arms around me. Im suffocated from her sudden bear grip hug.
My chest constricts,"Nani, - I can't breathe." The oxygen in my lungs were dying out quickly before she thankfully released me. Like a fish on land I inhale for oxygen seeing the purplish stars reside from my eyes.
"Alright sweetie, we are going to do just a little examination alright?" The hefty man assured me before kneeling before me with a flashlight.
I stare blankly and silently at his white T, my nana sat beside me rubbing my back. For some reason I was unsure of my surroundings, unsure as to where I was or why I was even sitting on the ground.
"Pupils perfectly dilated, no sign of shock." The man than turns to a young woman, my eyes locked on the water behind him, distantly in thought. My memory is fuzzed, I couldn't remember. What was in the water?
"Alright sweetie I am just going to do a quick check up on you Alright?" I could hear A soft southern accent spoken directly to me, but my eyes remained on the water until I was slightly nudged.
"Hmm?" I blinked out from my gaze to the freckled red head woman, finally noticing my surroundings.
"I am just going to do a slight check up alright?" Slender fingers lifting my dress. My Nana gave consent, absentmindedly I watched her every move, gentle and feather like until she reached my legs. A sudden electric shock sent through my brain and quickly latched on to her wrists.
"What's wrong Monica? Were you hurt?" My nana spoke to me questioningly.
I trembled, feeling everyone stare in confusion. Why Did I grab her like that?
"May I just do a quick check? Is it your leg?"
I shook my head.
"Your knees?"
I still shook my head, searching for my own answer.
"How about your ankle?"
My brows relaxed, a part of my brain screaming to speak. Something was correct, my ankle? Wait, I sustained an injury. I nodded my head and the woman smiled softly. Before she could touch it I already winced.
"It's alright" She assures. Porcelain fingers hover over my ankles. I hear my breath shudder feeling her fingers feel up the bone.
"This ankle looks fine honey, I'll check the other one."
Strangely, she spoke the truth. I didn't feel any pain even as she felt the other one. My ankle was ok? For myself I feel it up, slightly pressing even wagging my feet. No pain.
"She looks fine grandma. If it's alright I would still like to take her the hospital just to get some examinations."
The conversation with the woman and Nani fade out into the distant, nothing but a mere echo in the background as I stared down At my feet in question. My ankle was in horrible pain, so bad I thought I completely dislocated it. But now touching it, it was as if I've been regenerated.
Was it all in my head? truly puzzling.
"Come on sweetie. let's get you on the stretcher here."
A few large men stepped within my view, blocking the background of the water. Hooking his elbows under my knees while a hand supported my back, I feel my body lift off the ground gently placed onto some stroller. I never blinked away from the waters behind them, watching even a ripple or mini splash intently, not knowing what I was awaiting for until a sudden wave rolled gently towards the rocks. I adjust my head to squint my eyes, Within the rise of the water were a pair of eyes, somehow glowing. Under the waves it lingered before ducking further into the depths.
I whimpered trying to speak.
"It's ok baby girl, Nana is here. I'm right beside you." Another attempt was mistaken and I swallowed the tears, Just as the doors of the ambulance close.
***
"She hasn't eaten in three days, Isn't there something you guys can do about this?"
The frantic whispers of my Nana to the nurses in the background helped my blink from the window. A full week has passed since the encounter with the fish boy, Grateful I should have been for being a survivor. But for those days I was silently miserable, starved and deprived In need to hear that tune once more. Quickly picking up a silent habit; staring and mumbling.
I also dream, dreamed of him coming to see me, breaking me out of this place. Watching me from the waves, waiting to see me again, me the same. The same to see my new friend again.
The ticking of the clock irritates me, I want to leave. "Nana?"
Somehow my voice picked up through her rambling and she launched herself to me, My goodness. You finally talked." Rough hands roughly grab and feel my shoulders, the panic and relief in her voice.
"I want to go home."
"We will honey, it's just ... " I could feel Her mood change, every haste touch was now a lingering squeeze. Something weighs heavy on her chest, "They want to make sure you truly are alright and want you to stay at the hospital for a few days more."
I was unease at the suggestion, "No, Nani. Please I want to leave" I eyed the red headed woman, uneasy at how she remained at the door glaring at me and my nana.
Stepping into the room the red headed lady gently placed her palm onto my nana's shoulder. "If she does not want to it is alright, I will go ahead and prep the discharge papers." She smiled at me and I caught a her eye twitch. "But in the meantime do you remember anything that happened?"
I do. My memory came back a couple of days after I was admitted. Vivid images of the creature replay at the back of my mind ongoingly, "A- a little bit."
"Grandma why don't you go grab the discharge papers, and I'll speak to Jane for a little bit."
"I think I'll remain just here. she is a minor."
"But she'll never open up knowing there are more than one person." The woman smiles. unwilling to take no for an answer.
Hesitantly Nana agreed before casting me a remorseful look. "I-I'll be right back honey"
The door closed and I peeked at the red headed ladies name tag. Dr.Mackenzie.
She is a provider?
Eerley she glanced around the room before glaring out the window, long crimson hair tied lowly behind her head. "I bet it was tough for you wasn't it sweety?"
I swallowed at the low whispery tone of her voice, on edge. A build up of her real intentions.
"Things have just been devastating since the flood. Countless of people have died, and " she huffed before sniffling. "And countless of children now orphans." My uneasiness was suddenly starting to subside, A topic I could relate too and glanced over to the window.
"You know I used to work with your father."
My head whips to her, I watch her adjust her white jacket sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Indeed, I worked alongside of him as a standby assistant. And for one thing I will let you know, he indulges in his work engaged and focused as well as organized in every aspect."
My chest heaved, ready to cry. My father, she knew my father?
""He was one of my favorite scientists and Family medicine Dr. truly someone a force to reckon with and yet people tarnished him, joked about him and his aspects to the point he over indulged letting his practices run cold."
Hot strings of tears run down my cheeks listening to every word.
"None of that however bothered him, he had one goal and one goal in mind and that was too always make sure you had everything you ever wanted. He would never stop talking about it, it was all he wanted and what pushed I'm further."
A sob broke out from me, I feel her body heat near me before her fingers rubbed behind my back. feathery like leaving circles while silently shushing me. "It's ok love, he would have been proud of the woman you have become, if only he were able to see you now." she sighs planting her cheek on the top of my head. "I heard everything ... and I don't believe it for one second. He never ran away, he was taken. By one of those creatures in the sea."
My breath hitched as I looked into her eyes, a hard glare with soft eyes. "Yes sweetheart, I saw them too and even now they haunt me. They destroyed everything and took everyone innocent. Even my dogs. My home and everything were destroyed leaving me on the streets near decaying bodies." Her eyes sinister staring out the window out into the ocean. I could see a story of revenge and I shivered.
"I know you want to avenge your father sweetheart." she wiped my tears. "And I want to help you"
"How?"
The sudden sound of my Nani returned made her clear her throat. "Take this card, I will follow up with you again when you are sixteen, in the meantime that friend of yours, keep him close by."
My friend?
It's always easy to trick kids, especially those that were traumatized. A plan she device on her own. Using my pain and trauma for her own gain letting me believe it was for my purpose. But I believed her anyway, every word and tone, someone who didn't ask me to stop talking but to share the burden on my mind and with that was how I grew to the boy.
Weeks after my discharge i did my best to refrain from stepping on the beach, but that never stopped my eyes from lingering out the window. Every ripple played with my brain into believing he was still out there waiting for me to step on the beach. But one night my curiosity could not wait anymore; Nana fell asleep on the couch, grayish dark clouds above as the wind picked up blowing my dress opposite direction. It felt like forever since I stepped on the beach, the sandals were pointless.
On the pier I peered out, glancing at the darkest spot of the water, afraid of any splashes. "M-monster?" only the waves responded, but that didn't take away that feeling of being watched.
"Thank you for playing with me." by that point I spoke to myself, nothing but nature against a young child. The wind became more fierce and so did the waves. I whimpered, it was time to go and away from the mighty seas. Suddenly I caught sight of a shimmer in the water, a reflective glow in the distance underneath the waves, Odd? there was no light reflecting towards it but the glow was bright. Leisurely I rose to my feet unknowing that my dress was caught under my foot and I slipped face forward into the depths.
Thrashing and heaving, violently trying to stay afloat. Everything opposite of what my father has taught me. But the water was no longer my friend, what it hid underneath was betrayal to human kind. I scream to no efforts, i'm far beyond the shoreline, no one was coming even if I whistled, my best bet was to swim. With a deep breath I prep myself only to witness the surface of the water break two inches away from me.
My heart collapsed, there he was. The orbs of darkness peeking at me form the short distance, the alien boy. Recognizing me he smiles and my stomach dropped, the shark teeth. "Pl-please stay righ -"
I don't get to finish the sentence before he ducks under the water. I cry out, afraid of where he will pop up next, the anticipation nearly kills me until he was right in front of me. Face to face, Up close only to swim closer to me until my chest met his. Unearthly sounds of purring with a slimy body. It was worse up close, I thought my heart would give out any moment and yet with him it was calm; it beats, but not out of fear.
Even as it smiled at me all I could do was smile right back, "I am monica" I tell him, giggling when he cocked his head to the side. "I wanted to play pebbles some more." With that he smiles, understanding that. "Please help me?"
I wanted to test how far I could go, trying to calm my heart rate just enough so he could not sense my fear, though I still did not fully trust him. I began shivering seeing him swim around me until he is at my backside afraid of when he wrapped his arms around me, This will end in misery and I only had my curiosity to blame. My eyes tightly shut awaiting my fateful end when I was suddenly nudged forewords, the water around me gently swaying me to shore. As I glanced around I noticed the grey skies were clearing uo and the large waves have subsided, against my cheek he leaned, smelling my now damped hair before he purred.
Onto the sand the water gently sways me, I peer back to seem him duck in the waves but lingered behind the rock, I should be angry being close to the enemy and yet, I only urged time to speed.
Just so I could see him again.