Hiraeth: Bonding (III)

Chapter Ten

The Final Stretch.

That was the name of my favorite chapter in a book I read all the time as a little girl. It was called, "The Starlight Queen," and followed the story of a misfit Princess on her way to becoming ruler.

It was the darkest part of her journey. A terrible giant beast was about to consume the last of the stars in her world, and she was the only one who could stop it. She had to climb the sky and run a blade of ice across the monster's belly so it would surrender the stars it had eaten.

My friends and I were in our own darkest hour.

Just when things had seemed to be looking up, Mike's tail turned back into legs.

Hundreds of feet below saltwater.

He screamed into the dark swirling currents around us, releasing a terrified shriek through frenzied bubbles.

"Up. Up up UP!!!" Vincent shot.

He and I grabbed the Prince and made a break for it, straight towards the surface like daggers.

"Hold your breath!" I shrieked.

Derek's scream sounded from below me.

"NO!"

"I've got him!" Kira alerted.

She pulled her beloved behind her as he cupped his mouth shut. Those maroon tentacles were slithering and spiraling faster than ever before, desperately.

"DAMIEN-" words into bubbles. July's fins were gone, too.

Liana rushed to help the one-armed twin as he caught his brother.

My heart raced with the waves as the sight of the surface, stormy and painted by bursts of lightning, came into view.

Then Mallory's tail started malfunctioning.

"Grab my hand!" Miles tried.

"No, I'll be fine! It's right there!"

She was not fine, but luckily the sophomore was skilled enough to assist her along. Within seconds she no longer had fins.

Vincent cursed as his legs reappeared. "Just keep going!!!"

Mike's kicking was slowing.

The sky was right there.

"Fight!" I screamed. "Fight, Mike, fight!!!"

His light flickered, eyes starting to roll.

"FIGHT IT!!!"

I released a sort of roar, ignoring the loss of my flukes and the burning throughout my muscles.

Kira, Liana, and Damien cried out. They were back to legs.

Mike's light was dimming.

"PLEASE!" I screamed up towards the stars, hidden by clouds but surely listening. Hopefully listening. My voice was nothing but bubbles.

"RAAAUGH!!!"

With a sudden mighty roar, an insane miracle of a current swept up from the depths.

It carried my friends and I straight to the surface.

"Huagh," Mike gasped, sucking in air with huge gulps, wheezing and coughing and panting.

"We made it!" I exclaimed between labored breaths. "Oh thank the stars."

Vincent cursed again. "My bag!"

No.

"My bag, it fell!"