Still Breathing

Chapter 21. WASTE

"Everything that lives has gone to waste." ~ Kxllswxtch

Anger.

That's all Erica felt since they buried her little brother a week ago.

She didn't know who she was most angry at though. Was she angry at the Great Mother for taking away a soul as pure as Neteyam's? Or maybe she was angry at the Sky People for taking away her brother, for leaving her siblings without their protector.

The sounds of Spider's mask was keeping Erica awake at night, at least that's what she told herself. Each breath he took made her ears twitch, and she didn't know how any of her family could sleep with it.

She didn't know how any of them could sleep after what had happened.

After laying in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling of their pod for what felt like an eternity, she sat up. The sounds of the waves crashing onto the shore outweighing the sound of Spider's heavy breathing.

She stood up, walking over towards the dock outside of their pod. She sat down, dipping her feet into the water as she stared out into the ocean. Light from the sun creeping out slowly started to light up her surroundings.

Erica let out a sigh, feeling the tiredness slowly starting to creep up on her. Everything felt so hard, she didn't know how she was supposed to continue without Neteyam.

"Hey." A quiet voice from behind her brought her back to the present. She looked over her shoulder only to spot Kiri standing behind her. Erica turned back to look at the Ocean, Kiri making her way beside her sister as the two of them sat together. 

"Have you slept at all?" Kiri asked, looking over at her sister with concern painting her face.

Erica avoided her gaze, looking down at her feet as she shook her head. 

"I uh- I couldn't sleep." She stammered out, "Spider's breathing is too loud."

Kiri let out a slight chuckle at her sisters words as she looked out into the ocean. Erica looked over at her sister, a smile tugging at her lips. The two sisters sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, looking out as the sun was slowly making it's way out. 

"Look, Erica." Kiri spoke suddenly, earning the attention of her sister. "About Neteyam-"

Erica frowned, standing up from her spot on the dock before Kiri could even think about finishing her sentence. She hand't spoken about Neteyam since his funeral, she couldn't bring herself to. Anytime his name was mentioned, she'd find away to avoid the conversation.

"I'm tired." Erica spoke quickly, cutting off her sister. Kiri looked up at her sister as she still sat on the dock. Her ears dropped as she pursed her lips together, furrowing her brows together at Erica's reaction.

"I'm gonna get some sleep." Erica turned around and headed back inside the pod, leaving her little sister out on the dock alone. She laid back down, hands laced together under her head as she stared up at the ceiling.

She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing as she slowly drifted off to sleep. 

-

Erica woke up in her room back on Earth, in her human form. 

She panicked, standing up from her bed and pulling at her flesh. She was trying desperately to find her blue skin, her pointed ears. She'd gotten so used to having a tail that she felt as if she was missing a limb without one.