Submerged

Shadows

I didn't realize that I missed the feeling of his cool skin against mine during the night until I felt it again. it was so chilling that is made me have goosbumps, along with the cold lake water rushing past my practially bare skin. I smiled to myself, holding my breath and touching his chest with  my fingers. I caught my hand wandering all over his chest and I pulled it back up to his neck. What a fool I am, control your damn self, he isn't even human!

The tunnels seemed closer this time, maybe because I secretly wanted to be hooked to him for longer. I could have almost ignored the burning need in my lungs. However when we surfaced in the cold darkness, the clean oxygen felt amazing. I took deep breaths and hawled myself up onto the wet rocky floor of the cave.I suddenly remembered what he had just told me and I was pissed all over again.

"So," I said to the air next to me, "are we just going to hang out here in the dark and talk about how I'm going to die?" I had no idea where he was, I felt and heard nothing. I waved my arms around slowly and touched cold skin to my left. I pulled my hand back, surprised, then relaxed.

"Thought you ditched me," I explained, stupidly. He chuckled.

"Well, I'm kind of stuck with you now until I find a way to save you." I felt a coolness near me, and his breath told me that he was much closer than before. My heart skipped a beat and my hands got a little sweaty. Really? Over a merman? Holy crap.

"Why are  you nervous?" He asked, in a half whisper. I caught my breath and shrugged, "I dont know, maybe because Im wondering how long I have." I rolled my eyes in the dark, "Oh wait, a week. That's my dead line."

He gently took hold of my shoulders with his icy hands and I felt his chilled breath on my face. It smelled like, grass, or seaweed or something. I couldnt tell if it was a good smell or a smell that you dont like unless you recognize it. I took a deep inhale. What the hell is he doing, sniffing my face?

"Are we going to to do this all day?" I said, maybe a little too annoyed. He let me go and took my hand.

"I think we need to go to my father," He said, as he started tugging on my hand. I instinctivly followed, feeling the slippery cold rock under my feet. He was moving so swiftly that I just kept pace with him, hopping I wouldnt catch my toe and fall on my face. "My father would know what to do. I feel like I cant handle what I have done by myself."

"Oh, well that is very nobal for you to admit." I smiled a little. I smiled at the fact that he needed his daddys help to save a girl that he already saved once. Wow.

After a lot of walking in the the darkness, and me bumping into him every few steps, we finally came to a stop. I felt around, and there was wet rock on both sides of us, and he was facing something infront of us.

"Why did you stop, are we here?" I asked, putting my hands on his back in reaction to a sudden rucsh of new fear. What is his dad like? I hope he isnt scary. I can't take much more freaky new in my life right now. He turned his head to tell me, "We are here. I am just thinking of what im going to say." I whispered, "Say the truth. that is always what should be said." I ran my fingers down his back before I could think what I was doing. What is with me, does he have some love spell on me? I would never do this to a boy at school, and all the sudden I am touching this stranger.

"Ok," He said, and I heard a scraping sound that echoed through the tunnel so loud that it scared me enough to where I jumped and put my face on his back. I pulled back and cleared my throat, "Hey thanks for the warning." I scoffed. He laughed out loud, and pushed something hard, the scrapping got louder and then there was so much light, I could see his whole body in the yellow glow. He was wearing, well, not very much. It looked like cargo shorts but without pockets, and possibly made from another material. His skin was pretty clear, except his legs and shoulder blades were very scailly.

He saw me looking at him and his eyes met mine when they got to his face. I smiled, "You look very much human," and touched his arm and looked down, "How am I so comfortable with you. I feel like my boundaries were left back home."

He shrugged and cleared his throat, "I can't expalin that to you, I have never had this happen to me either." He reached up and took my hand, "My name is Mikko by the way, but we should get there now." I didn't say anyithing else as he pulled me through the doorway and into the light. It was lit by candles, and they were everywhere. I kept repeating in my head, Mikko. Mikko.

Mikko. My underwater, merman, hero prince.

All along the walls of a great big room were lined with candles, casting shadows on the walls as they danced for us. He led me slowly across the rock floor, which felt a little warmer then the one we were just on. On the other side of the room were many holes in the stone wall that looked like entrences to different caves. He knew exactly which one to go through, and I counted that it was the third from the left. I might need to know that one day soon. The tunnel was lit every few feet, and we passed in and out of shadows, our second bodies racing  with us, we would be ahead for a few steps, and then they would fall behind as we passed the candles until we reached another.The tunnel went on for what felt like a mile, though I doubt it was. We came to a wooden door, with hinges and everything, and a large metal handle. He grabbed it and pulled.

The wood creeked and on the other side of it was what looked like a medieval living room. there was animal furs on the floors and wooden furnature, and candels everywhere.

The lighting was very flattering, and I wondered to myself if he thought I looked beautiful right now or if he was too worried about his fathers reaction to his deed.

I wasnt looking forward to finding out.

He might kill me himself.