Emerge

Chapter 6

Literally one year later. Yes, it's back. Sorry for the long wait. 

  Meri walked down the beach, admiring the colors of the sunset in the sky. Her white dress billowed in the breeze. She spotted a man on the nearby dock she was approaching. He was moving his hand over the water. The water moved in the same direction.

Was he like her? A child of the Watas?

She stepped onto the dock, trying to make out who it was. He turned around and the feeling of familiarity stopped her.

He smiled. "Princess," he said, stretching his hand to her.

Dumi. Dad.

An involuntary smile appeared on her face. She stepped toward him in small careful steps. Her hand raised, reaching out for his.

A loud shot rang in the air. Meri ducked, falling to her knees. She turned around slightly to see if she could see where it came from. She turned back to Dumi. He remained standing. Staggering. A blank expression on his face. Red began to bloom in his white shirt, over his heart.

"No." Realization held her frozen. This wasn't a random dream.

He looked up at her, an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry, princess."

He fell back into the waters. Meri ran to the edge. His body was nowhere in view. The water bubbled furiously, turning deep crimson from his blood.

Meri tore up from her bed in a sweat. Her heart pounded in her chest. She looked to the windows on her right. It was dark and raining. The pitter and patter of water on the glass started to calm her. She reached for her phone on her nightstand, turning it on for the time. It was nineteen minutes past two. Meri gave a defeated sigh. She wished for the presence of day and the sun's warm light. Something to rid her mind of the nightmare and the many thoughts that began plaguing her mind

...

"Is it going to rain all day," Vanessa asked, looking out the window.

"Possibly." Jade checked through the weather app on her phone. "We can still go out."

Vanessa turned to her friend. "We need umbrellas. They're in the stores. Out there." She pointed outside.

Jade and Vanessa looked over at a silent and still Meri, staring off into the distance. Her head rested on her hand.

"Rain got you down?" Jade asked.

Meri snapped out of her reverie, shaking her head. "I had a nightmare last night. Couldn't really sleep afterward."

"Maybe we should just stay in until it clears," Vanessa said. "Get some rest. Order some room service."

Jade shrugged in agreement.

Meri stood up. "I gotta pee."

She walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She exhaled in relief. She didn't have to pee but she needed a moment to herself. The images of the nightmare haunted her waking hours. Her whole situation had haunted her since her birthday. Normalcy and peace was in a place far away from here. She looked at herself in the mirror. Before she arrived in Soufriere, she was the daughter of two loving human parents. Now she was the daughter of a murdered man and a mythological nymph.

Nissa's words came to her mind. "You can start and stop storms."

Could she really change the weather?

Meri closed her eyes. She searched for that feeling, that connection to the waters of the sea and sky. The power within her connected with the primordial element. She imagined breaks in the clouds and sunlight spilling through. The clouds sailed away, revealing a clear sky.

A few minutes later, Meri emerged from the bathroom and went back to the living room with her friends.

"What channels do they have here," Meri asked.

"I don't know," Jade picked up the remote off the glass coffee table. After turning the television on, she began the search. After a passing minute, Meri noticed the room getting brighter. The three women turned to the window. The sun's rays were coming through. The leaden ceiling was floating away. Meri stood up, walking to the window. She could see the coming end of the clouds in the distance.

Oh, shit.

Jade blinked. "Well, damn."

The next chapter will most likely be uploaded this week. Keep your eyes out for any notifications. It will most likely be new edits. Thank you for reading.