Sea Spell

Chapter Eight

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Cryptic, indiscernible writing was scratched on the cave walls in dark ink. It was in a pattern of odd shapes and hieroglyphs, showing a timeline that stretched far into the darkness. Cavemen like paintings of mermaids, serpents and sailors, and what appeared to be chartings of major storms. In looping, hurried handwriting at the center of the wall was the phrase, "Sane sciendum est non visum videre."
Lanakila scrunched up her nose. She couldn't even began to comprehend what that meant.
Treading water lightly as she flattened herself against the surface, she inched farther within the cave, lulling her tail in a circle. Each new grip on the rock brought forth a higher level of trepidation, her jaw chiseling back and forth on her teeth.
The entire roof of the cave was decorated as well, intricate designs covering the body like tattoos.
Her fins, fluttering and delicate like feathers, peeled at barnacles scraping at them. Barely indistinguishable blood blended against the dark water. She chewed her bottom lip and pressed on, marveling at the splattered lavender designs.
The farther Lana swam into the cave, the more elaborate and modern they were, leading up to a huge mural illustrating some sort of celebration. Stick figures succumbing to creatures luring them to sea, and a horizontal line of transformation from one being to another sent chills down her spine.
Written notes gestured towards the pictures in spear arrows.
Straining her eyes as the terrain plunged deeper, Lanakila could almost see the scattered pieces of land, surrounded by tropical waters. Guadeloupe.
Why would there be a drawing of her island here? And the celebration...

Midnight Sun Festival.

Suddenly, everything made sense, the realization pouring in as puzzle pieces fell into place. Why else would she have received urges to venture here? The Sea Spell-
She whipped her head around, tensing up at the ragged breaths tickling her
neck.

You're not alone.

Slimy, crippled hands gripped her waist from behind, pulling her backwards. She thrashed wildly about, clawing into the darkness. A foul stench overpowered her, her head feeling light and airy. Grabbing onto the strong tentacles wrapped around her, she bit as hard as possible, hoping to draw blood.
Whatever was attacking her, it was extremely powerful. None of her efforts wavered it's steadiness, dragging her further and further towards capture.
She had long since stopped focusing on breathing. The water was capsizing her lungs, bending them like a flower stem. She would drown here, in this horrid place, hidden from the sunlight forever.
Lana flailed about in oblivion, so enveloped in it that even the black maroon patches under eyes were invisible. Blindness would be her hamartia, strangling her deeper and deeper into the never-ending cave.
A pungent, husky odor clogged the atmosphere, winding its way around her neck like clenching fists, ripping at her skin. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes, and splurges of glowing spheres swung in the distance.
In a way, she realized, this was all completely irrelevant. If this was just a dream, she'd be fine.

If.
Maybe this isn't a dream anymore.

She was thrown mercilessly into a cramped, tiny cell, catching herself with the palms of her hands. It was shaped like a tulip bud, made of rough coral that would in and out. A small, water beat cloth buckled in the corner was her only sense of comfort.
The room was spectral, thick rib bones obtruding from the roof and arching around to the floor. Assorted spindly cages suspended on rusted chains, swaying supernaturally. Entrapped within them were the illuminate lights, hovering just above the rock.
Lanakila curved herself into a ball, tucking her tail gently underneath her back. She dared not breathe, dared not make a sound, to give that- that thing another advantage.
It presented itself, imminent before her now, it's wrinkled face portraying a face more fathomless than the oceans. Deep-seated eyes stared straight at her soul, the sockets of milky white unwavering. Tentacles streamed behind it, in hair-raising fluidic motions. They poised behind it back, ready to strike.
It tilted it's angular jaw, smirking in a rather unsettling way. Tiny creatures of claws writhed about on its arms, dormant with beady eyes. It's legs were joined by an evergreen web, slimming downwards until only razor like claws remained.
Unfurling it's tentacle, it drifted gradually towards her, snagging at the bars until they were the only thing safeguarding Lanakila.
She squirmed, shifting on her tail and flicking her eyes about to avoid contact. This couldn't possibly be the end. She had so many people to live for, so many things she wanted- no, needed- to do before she died.
The mutant peered curiously at her, muttering to itself in a tenor, hoarse voice.
So near to her was it that she could touch the craters of its skin, pierced and punctured like the moon. Retched breath sprayed in her face, tickling her nose. The temptation to scratch, just with the edge of her pinky, was overbearing. But she was petrified, frozen in her position, forced to meet its eyes. Shying away at the endless abyss of its cold, unforgiving gaze, she let out a small scream, startling the silence.

The creature thrust its mouth open, immeasurable barbed teeth injecting at her skull as it sneered.
Crackling noises like fireworks stunned her head, as images of the room riveted over and over. Her entire brain felt like a minefield, filled with the ringing of explosions.
" Bad choice-ies, missus. Bad choice-ies."
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Sorry for the wait- had a bit of a writer's block.
This is so close to 1k reads, I'm excited !! Plus I know these earlier chapters are bad compared to the teens' chapters but they'll be longer and revised in the final version of this story, which I also am excited for.
xoxo
payton.