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Jennifer bit her lip as she took another long drink of punch. Her head began to whirl as a bitter taste twisted down her throat. Someone had obviously spiked it, though she figured it didn't really matter at this point. The more details of the previous day were foggy in her mind, the better. She wanted the pain to feel as numb as possible.
Sitting down on a wooden bench, she put on her best "fake-smile" and admired the party from afar. Teenagers, mostly dark skinned, danced, drank and laughed around the bonfire. Vibrant paper lanterns hung from rope stretched between two posts, swaying in the wind. The fire flickered and sizzled as the waves crashed upon the shoreline, reaching far enough to envelope her toes and send a chill up her spine.
Jennifer squinted into the horizon. Clouds gathered in strange, deformed clumps, the waves grew to taller heights than normal.
That's weird, she thought.
Isn't it supposed to be low tide?
The warm ambiance of the fire was rapidly fading as shadows hovered over Myrtle Beach. As palm trees ruffled and bent, a leaf tumbled through the air onto Jennifer's lap. She stood up abruptly, marching over to where Marci was, chatting with a few other girls. Her stomach churned with anticipation. Something about the way the island was acting didn't feel right. Although Jenn had only been on Guadeloupe for less than a year, she was well aware that this mysterious weather wasn't typical.
"Guys, I think something's happening. Look at the weather," Jennifer warned them. "We should probably go."
A black haired girl, Kanisha, rolled her eyes. It seemed obvious that the group was too drunk to have any respect for Jennifer.
The annoyed stares and sounds of disgust made her furious. Are they REALLY too stupid to realize what's going on here? she fumed to herself.
Turning swiftly on her heels, Jenn chucked her plastic cup into the fire pit. She was no longer in the mood to party or enjoy the night. Crossing her arms and scowling intensely, she stomped off to find Lanakila.
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About fifteen minutes later, a weary, concerned Jennifer plopped onto the sand beside Marci. She'd scouted out the entire shoreline, as well as the boardwalk. Her friend was no-where in sight.
By now, Myrtle Beach was empty and deserted for the most part. People filed off the shoreline, fearful with crinkles in their foreheads and wide eyes. Lifeguards began to usher the teens on land, telling them to get to higher grounds.
Marci, too, had a look of anxiety across her pale face. Across Guadeloupe, the hurricane sirens had already begun to shriek their dreaded call, reminding citizens to evacuate and head to the shelter.
The redhead leapt up, tugging Jennifer up with her. Rain drizzled from the sky in fat, cold drops, splattering the girls head to toe.
Faster than lighting, they raced up the beach, sprinting towards the boardwalk. The rain had accelerated, and was now pouring immensely.
Jennifer gulped. "What about Lana? She's probably at the sea caves! What if she doesn't hear the sirens?" she hollered.
Through the downpour, Marci pursed her lips. "We can't go looking for her! Report her missing to the lifeguards!"
Wrapping her cardigan around her waist and tying it into a firm knot, Jennifer felt as if she was drowning in guilt. If anything happens to Lanakila, it's gonna be all my fault, she told herself.
Waves crashed up to the beach chairs, sweeping them briskly off to sea. Trees tumbled to the ground, and dirt from ghandi roots swamped the floor.
Everything seemed all to repetitive. Guadeloupe was an orchestra, the waves cymbals, the rain was the rice shaker. The screams of people were the woodwinds, the ongoing message over the sires was the melody.
" There is an approaching Category 5 hurricane. Get to the nearest shelter and travel to high ground. There is an approaching hurricane..."
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Hey guys! I can't wait to rewrite this chapter later in the final version of Sea Spell so we can get to know Jenn a little better.
thanks for reading through these earlier chapters, you deserve a virtual seashell.
xoxo
payton.
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Sea Spell
Fantasi[Major Editing Coming Soon] A rising tension. A waning moon. Shady, skeptical beings. An underwater dynasty, crumbling at the fists of rebelling forces. Nestling just off the rocky, tourist-swamped coasts of Guadeloupe lies an aquatic, mythological...
