BerkVille: Act 2

deux tou Monoir: part 2

   Dustin was the last to awaken, and when he did, the scent of cornmeal filled his nose. After getting ready, he looked around the house and spotted the rest of us chowing down on enormous bowls of cornmeal that had been cooked with coconut milk and was especially sweet just the way Carson liked it. He saw that I was dressed, as was Mandy, Beth, Carson's father, and the car keys close by.

"Good morning"

"Good morning! There's a bowl for you in the oven!" Answered Carson's father.

"Why are you all dressed?" Dustin asked fetching his bowl.

"I'm taking the girls with me to get some gas. Just up the road, not too far. We won't be too long. You two can stay and please tidy up"

"Good! I wanted to go swim in the river anyways!" Carson muttered.

"Okay sounds good! Girls you ready to g-" but before he could finish his sentence we had gotten up and placed our bowls in the sink, rushing outside to the car. "Alright! Carson, there's fifty dollars on my dresser upstairs so if you two need anything you can use it. Bye, love you!"

"Love you, bye!"

7:15 a.m
    Down the stairs came Carson in his swim trunks holding his stopwatch and his towel tossed over his shoulder.

"Dustin can you come with me to the river I'm scared to go alone... what if that lady with the goat feet follows me?"

   Dustin was planning to accompany Carson, but after hearing this, he insisted on staying and ordered Carson to go confront his ridiculous fear. Feeling a little angry, Carson left down the muddy path, swerving around trees and checking to make sure no one was following him. As he got closer, he could hear the sound of the river flowing and took a small breath feeling safe.

    The only other person at the river today was a very elderly man a bit lower down than him who had a fishing rod set up as he listened to his radio and awaited a bite. Carson felt a lot safer with other eyes around and jumped in. The reason for his swim today was to practice for once he resumes his training. But with his time today it was like he had never stopped. He therefore lounged in a shaded area of the water for a while, gazing at the neighboring sugarcane plantation.

   He assumed that the elderly man would finally get his catch when he felt something swim past his leg. But then he lost his free will and was pulled under as something that felt like a slimy hand grabbed his ankles. The force pulling him grew greater the more he struggled and attempted to swim up bleeding him of oxygen. He lost even more as he tried to shout harder, water rushing into his mouth.

   He could feel death, and water filled his nose and throat. Worried more and more, he scanned his surroundings for a way out. At that moment, he peered over his shoulder and beneath himself and saw something ominous. He was being held beneath by a woman with a fishtail tail, mangey claws, scales, black skin, and hair the length of Rapunzel's. That's when he snapped.

    He started tossing around, trying to fight back, but to no avail. And just as he was about to face his creator, he was lifted out of the water by a trembling arm. He realized the elderly man was his savior once he coughed up water and opened his eyes while still trembling. Speaking haltingly, he was staring into the water, failing to locate the mermaid. Once he forced the words out, the look equipped with a smile on the old man's face alone told him that he believed him and knew of it too.

"Careful of what flows!" he maundered.

    All the hairs on his arm stood at attention.

7:30 a.m
   After Dustin finished cleaning the dishes, he considered buying some grilled chicken from the same folks who had the coal the day before. As he entered the room to get dressed to depart, he caught a glimpse of a black figure moving in the direction of the door. Had Carson returned already?