Ariel's Daughter

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I don't know what to do. He's not home yet." I overheard Madilyn telling someone. I guessed it was her father, Jack, the man my father had told to keep a watch over me in case something happened to him.

"I know Madilyn. It's been...been two weeks." I heard a reply and it only confirmed that it was Jack. I sighed and didn't realize I had tears streaming down my face until I nearly had a heart attack when soft small hands brushed against my face to dry them. I felt a small figure hug me, their head falling on my chest. I put my hand on their head and confirmed it was Avery, with his soft tendrils of curls cascading into me. I smiled. We sat there on the docks, our feet slipped in the water in front of us, with Avery's head sinking into me, just above my rib cage and I had my head on his shoulder for comfort. I felt more tears fall but every time his soft tiny hands would find themselves back to my face to brush them away. I knew he didn't want me to cry, I knew it. I knew that Avery had felt the same at some point when he'd lost his mother, but I didn't want to bring it up. That would be wrong. It hurt him so much, and yet he was thinking about it when he found me crying over the overheard conversation between his sister and father. That was courage. That was Avery, and that's what I liked about the small frail boy.

I had apparently fallen asleep next to Avery. I could hear his soft snores and breathing from beside me where his head rested against my chest comfortably. I smiled. I wondered what time it was but I didn't dare move in case I would wake Avery up. I heard quiet footsteps, and I knew they belonged to Madilyn herself as she came near us on the edge of the docks.

"Its time for dinner. We should probably wake him up." Madilyn's voice came so quietly that I could barely hear it.

"Alright." I told her, but I don't move. I don't want to wake him from his peaceful slumber.

"Here, I'll carry him." Madilyn replied after a moment. Its silence until we reach Madilyn and Avery's cabin. I can smell the fresh dinner cooking and we enter to find the heat of the oven basking the house in warmth. I sigh in relief. It had been a little chilly when I'd woken up outside. I heard Jack coo from in front of me somewhere, probably at the sight of his son sleeping in the arms of Madilyn. I heard the couch groan in response to a body being set upon it and guessed that Avery was now comfortable on the couch. I sat down on the table, ready for dinner.

After eating dinner, I think about what I heard Jack and Madilyn talking about. I know its been two weeks, and I know it can't be possible that he's still alive. I hate that. I hate the idea of not knowing which one it is. If he is dead, or alive. Not knowing is the worst. But then I think, what if I did really know, that I could confirm that he would never ever return. That he drowned. I couldn't breathe. I myself, felt as if I was drowning.

"You okay Ember?" I heard, but I couldn't respond. I couldn't speak, I couldn't move. Was I dying? Before darkness overtook me I thought I saw something, someone. I actually saw something, though my eyes.

...

I woke up, my eyes finding darkness flooding my mind like normal. I remembered seeing a woman, one with sleek long brown hair, her eyes gray but soft. I wouldn't tell anyone what I saw, it would seem strange, because I've never seen anyone before, it couldn't be possible. I was blind, I couldn't have seen anything with my eyes. Nothing but darkness. That's all I should have seen.

I returned home to my own cabin where it was incredibly lonely without my father. I felt tears rise from my eyes from the thought again but brush them back. I grab my ipod from my pillow and plug it into the wall to charge, because I know that once it's been playing my music all night without stopping, its probably dead. I fall onto my bed and as soon as I lay down under my blankets, and find the cozy warmth of them I fall asleep. "Wake up! Come on." I heard someone yelling at the top of their lungs.