Lost

4

As the laughter fades and the warmth of camaraderie surrounds me, I excuse myself and head to the bathroom. I fill the tub with warm water, relishing the quiet of the moment as steam curls around me. This should be a time for relaxation, a chance to wash away the stress of the past year. But as soon as I step in, the soothing warmth morphs into something else entirely.

The moment my skin hits the water, an eerie sensation envelops me. The gentle sound of water splashing becomes a tidal wave, crashing against the shores of my mind. It's as if the ocean is beckoning me, the echoes of its call resonating deep within my soul.

"Come back, Nya..." The whisper of the waves dances around me, the tone both inviting and haunting. "We've missed you."

I close my eyes, hoping to drown out the sound, but it only intensifies. The rhythmic ebb and flow morphs into a roaring chorus, an urgent plea that I can't ignore. My heart races, and the world around me starts to fade. Black spots flicker across my vision, shadows creeping in as the walls of the bathroom close in.

"No! No, not now," I whisper to myself, panic bubbling within. I've fought so hard to return to my family, to reclaim my life on land, and yet here I am, teetering on the edge of that abyss again.

"Nya..." the ocean calls again, and I feel its pull wrapping around me like tendrils of water, dragging me back to the depths. "You belong with us. Come back."

I gasp, fighting against the overpowering urge to surrender to that familiar voice. Tears prick at my eyes, a mix of longing and fear. I can feel the ocean's pull in my very bones, a reminder of everything I left behind.

With shaking hands, I grip the sides of the tub, desperately trying to ground myself in reality. "I can't," I choke out, the words barely escaping my lips. "I chose this. I chose my family. I'm back..."

But the sound of the ocean grows louder, drowning out my protests. I feel myself slipping, the overwhelming sensation threatening to consume me entirely. I shut my eyes tightly, willing the feelings away, but the memories flood in—images of the sea, the beauty and the chaos, the sense of belonging that lingers just beyond my reach.

In that moment, the struggle becomes too much, and I feel the world spinning around me. I take a deep breath, but it's as if the air has left the room. My heart pounds in my chest, a frantic drum echoing the chaos in my mind.

I can't do this. I can't let it win.

With one last desperate push, I force myself to sit up, fighting against the darkness creeping in. The echoes of the ocean fade slightly, and I realize that I'm still here. I'm still me.

I scramble out of the bathtub, the water cascading off my skin as I hastily dry myself. The echoes of the ocean still linger in my mind, a reminder of the turmoil I thought I had left behind. I need to rest, to push those haunting calls away, but as I step into my room, I find Jay waiting for me, anxiety etched across his face.

"Hey, Nya," he begins, his voice low. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," I reply, my heart quickening slightly. I walk over to the bed and sit down, facing him. The weight of our past hangs heavily in the air, unspoken words filling the space between us.

Jay runs a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath as he looks me in the eye. "I just wanted to clear everything up and apologize again."

"It's fine, Jay," I say, trying to ease the tension. "I forgave you. Everything's alright." But even as I say it, I feel the remnants of doubt linger beneath the surface.

He looks unconvinced, his brow furrowing. "No, it's not just that. I can't shake the feeling that it was my fault you merged with the ocean. I ingested that water during that battle, and—"