Under The Sea

Chapter Fourteen - Shelling

"Take a deep breath," Axel whispers, coming up beside Samuel from the right, "relax and aim."

Samuel shifted against the sand, his abdomen rubbing against the rough floor. He extended his hand, bringing his other up to pull back the loaded slingshot, and aiming for the hole in the sand.

"Would you stop hovering?" Finn calls from her own hole a few feet away, "he's not a baby."

"Ignore her," Axel whispers beside him, bringing a hand up to rest on Samuel's shoulder. "Just focus on the hole. You can do it."

Taking a deep breath, Samuel adjusts his aim, confident that he would hit the hole this time, and releases the band, shooting the small pouch and watching as it flew. The pouch sped towards the hole and then right past it, bouncing off the sand, ricocheting and smashing into a nearby mermaid.

"Sorry!" Samuel calls, his face flushing in embarrassment, as the mermaid glares back at him before rushing away. "I'm never going to get this right."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Samuel-"

"Sam," Samuel cuts him off, "please call me Sam. Samuel was what my..." Samuel trailed off as he brought a hand up to his chest to grasp the necklace.

"Stop babying him, Ax!" Finn exclaims, coming up beside them. "It's not that difficult, dude. Take the slingshot, aim at the hole, shoot the smoke bomb inside, wait for the snail to come out, then take your hook and pull the creature out and collect the shell."

"Fi-,"

"What about that is so difficult?" Finn concluded, ignoring Axel's attempt to stop her, as Samuel cast his gaze down at the slingshot.

They had been at it for hours and Samuel had yet to succeed even once. He had watched as the others did it, hurrying across the field. Finn was a pro at the sport, and Axel wasn't half-bad himself. Though, Samuel felt bothered as he watched how Bast rushed around the field, repeating the process and catching everyone's attention as they admired his quick work.

"She's right," Samuel sighs, giving into his thoughts, "it shouldn't be this hard."

Finn raised her hands in frustration, gesturing to Axel behind Samuel's back as if she had just won the argument. With a serious glare, Axel made it clear for her to back off as he swam up beside Samuel.

"Hey, none of that, okay," He soothed, "come on, let's try again. I'll help."

Samuel had no desire to keep trying. He knew his odds of succeeding were slim as it was, and it was getting more embracing with every failure as people stared. Yet, as he glanced up at Axel's bright eyes and his toothy grin, he couldn't bring himself to say no.

Samuel sank down onto the sand, allowing his body to fall flat against the ground, reaching for a new package and loading the slingshot. He stared at the hole, taking his time to aim and concentrate.

"Relax your muscles," Axel whispered beside his ear, his hands running down Samuel's arm until his palms fell over Samuel's against the slingshot. Samuel felt his entire body shiver as a tingling sensation ghosted his skin in the shadow of Axel's fingers. "Take a deep breath."

Axel's hand gripped his own and helped him aim, and before Samuel knew what happened, he released the band, sending the package flying into the hole. Yet, he was too focused on the lingering impression of Axel's hand on his to realize what had occurred as their eyes met over Samuel's shoulder.

"Hey, stupid," Finn calls over at them, bringing them out of their trance, "your snail is getting away."

They broke apart as Samuel finished the task, collecting the shell and releasing the snail back into the sand. As the day sped by, he fell into a rhythm beside Finn and Axel as they foraged for more shells. He was not the best, but by the time they wrapped up for the day, he could hold his own at the sport.