The Fallen Stars

Chapter 9 Esme

What the hell is going on?

I look into Ainsley's eyes, water drops slidding down to his chin, his hair wet and flat against  his head, covering his forehead.

He's holding my left wrist with both hands.
"You are one cruel person, Ainsley... I don't trust you." I sneer, ripping my hand out of his.
I walk away a few steps.
"Essie, please! I know where we can be free." Ainsley calls from behind.
I stop, the only one who ever called me Essie is that little boy I sometimes dream about.
I turn to him.
"Don't. You. Dare. Call. Me. That!" I say hoarsly.
Thunder groaning above us.
"Essie... please." He pleads
"Stop calling me that!" I yell, tears falling.
He stays quiet. Clenching his jaw, eyes showing hurt.
The rain is loud and pouring.
Then suddenly I hear singing, not normal singing... but siren like... from the woods.
Ainsley hears it two. He turns to look at the edge of the woods.
There is no one there, but the voice is geeting louder.
"She's calling... please, come with me... you deserve better than this, Esme." He pleads for the last time.
He starts walking towards the singing.
I just stare at him.

What the hell is this?
Who is singing?
Why do I want to trust him?
To believe him?
And why is my curiosity so overwhelming?

My mind says, "No, don't."
My heart says, "Follow Ainsley."

And they say follow your heart.
What the bloody hell? If I die, I guess it's better than this life I'm living.
I run towards Ainsley, who is near the edge of the woods.
"Ainsley... wait!" I say put of breath.
He looks at me, hope in his eyes.
"Yes?"
"I'll go with you... take me to the place."
I say, still a bit unsure.
He grabs my wrist and pulls me towards  the woods, we run for a few minutes until the voice gets louder.
He stops, muddy floor with a few bushes here and there. Pine trees surrounding us.
"What are you looking for?" I ask, looking at Ainsley, who is searching for something on the ground.
"A puddle." He states.
"Okay... why?"
This is just getting weirder and weirder.
"You'll see." He says, smirking.
Finally, we found a puddle.
He knelt down and whispered at it, but too soft that I couldn't hear.
He stands up, and he offers his hand.
"Okay, take a deep breath... we are going to be in water... so start swimming towards the surface." He eplains.
"But I don't kn-." I stop in my tracks.
The puddle is glowing white and blue haze.
Ainsley pulls me into the puddle, and all I see is dark.

                                    ***
Something cold surrounds me.... I open my eyes, blue water, I'm under water.
Sand below me the surface above me.
I choke, I can't breathe, I try moving to the surface but I can't swim.

Great... so this is how I die.
Bubbles feom my nose float to the surface.
A white figure swims past me. It was too fast for me to see what it was.

Please, don't be a shark.
Please, don't be a shark.

It comes back. It's a... it's a... mermaid?
She has dark skin, with black curly hair that ends at her waist...
She stops in front of me, and she smiles.
Pointing up with her one finger.
Indicating I should go up, I lift up my hands to say I don't know how.
She gently grabs both of my hands and starts moving her tail, back and forth.
She takes me to the surface.
I gasped for air as I broke the surface... small waves lifting me up.
"Welcome, welcome... to Mar y Tierra!" Ainsley says, swimming towards the two of us.
I can't speak... we are in the middle of nowhere, water surrounding us, a mermaid holding my hands, and an island behind her... we're close to the coast, but it's still a long swim.
"What's wrong?" Ainsley asks, looking at the both of us.
"She can not swim, Ainsley... you should have asked her." Said the mermaid, with a hint of an accent.
He looks at me worriedly.
"I'm so sorry, Esme... I thought you could. Please forgive me." He says softly.
"It's fine... I didn't expect to land in the middle of nowhere... so it's on me, I guess." I say unsure.
"Are you okay? Can I help you get to shore?" The mermaid asks.
"Umm... am I dead or dreaming because... how are you real?" I ask, questioning my sanity.
They both laugh.
"No, you are very much alive... and I'm real." She says, smiling...
Her teeth are white as snow. She has a small nose... brown eyes. Round face.