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chapter fourteen. the killer tulkun. ━━━━━━━━━━━━
The clear water was calm.
Cold droplets fell from Maleia's skin as she come back to the surface from beneath.
The warm sun soon evaporated the cold water and warmed her entire body as Lo'ak rode the ilu to the place he decided to call Payakan.
"Payakan!" Lo'ak yelled.
Maleia waited patiently for the tulkun to swim from beneath the surface.
"Payakan, Payakan!" Lo'ak exclaimed.
Until, the water gaped and opened to reveal the large tulkun from underneath.
Maleia smiled and happily chuckled as the tulkun shown himself to them, making Lo'ak's words from before more believable.
Lo'ak jumped off of the ilu.
His hands held onto Maleia's thigh, telling her to also leave the ilu. Maleia reluctantly did so, dropping from the ilu and swimming with Lo'ak towards Payakan.
"It's good to see you..." Lo'ak breathed before climbing onto his fin.
Maleia took the hand that Lo'ak held out to her, also climbing onto Payakan.
"Why are you outcast? What happened?" Lo'ak used his hands to talk to Payakan.
Maleia could've told Lo'ak herself, but the story could not be clear to the Metkayina's so she gave him the chance to learn for himself.
"It's too painful..." Payakan responded.
Maleia pressed a hand to her chest, feeling sympathy for this tulkun.
"I trust you. You can trust me," Lo'ak replied.
Payakan clicked in response before Lo'ak and Maleia held tight onto his fin. They swam through the depths of the water as they admired the beauty of beyond the reef.
Maleia admired the way Lo'ak pointed at the school of fishes swimming around the blue area.
He loved this place.
Maleia could tell Lo'ak was growing fonder of the ocean with every growing moment, just like she had done when she was younger.
Once they broke the surface, Lo'ak climbed onto Payakan's back.
He held his hand out for Maleia to take.
She was reluctant at first, but took his hand. A gentle squeeze from Lo'ak made her calm down.
They laid down on Payakan's back and started to point at the visible planets in the sky.
Lo'ak looked at the sky with a soft smile across his face. His fingers pointed at the different planets, "That is where my dad came from."
His voice was so soft.
Jake was someone Lo'ak attempted to live up to, and he was proud of that.
"Have you thought about Earth?" Maleia asked Lo'ak, twisting her head to get a better view as they talked.
Lo'ak shrugged his shoulders, "Sometimes."
That was when Maleia noticed the sky was much darker than usual.
"Let's go back..." Maleia whispered.
Lo'ak agreed and ordered Payakan to take them close to the border so they could get home safer.
They said their goodbyes to Payakan.
"Wanna know what I have been thinking about?" Lo'ak asked.
Once Lo'ak's feet touched the sand, he helped pull Maleia out of the water.
His fingers intertwined with hers, but she didn't seem to mind the simple act of affection from him. Instead, she leaned closer to him- their shoulders touching.
"What is it?" Maleia asked.
Lo'ak couldn't help but smile at the gentleness of her voice.
"That bracelet you promised to make me..." He replied.
Maleia's eyes widened when she remembered that night, a couple of months ago, "You remember that?"
"I never forget a promise!" Lo'ak chuckled.
"You will get your bracelet when it is finished..." Or, when she actually starts it.
